More Kids Are Sure To Squirm As FluMist is Replaced With a Shot This Year

By SheSpeaksTeam Sep 12, 2016

If you’re one of those parents who is relieved when the pediatrician pulls out the FluMist rather than a needle, then you may be in for more of a struggle this year. That’s right, more children are bound to be squirming at the doctor’s office as the FluMist has been removed and replaced by the good old-fashioned needle, due to poor performance in the past.

CNN reports about the change from the easy up-the-nose FluMist to a pinch that may make your kids wince, but will hopefully better protect them against flu. The American Academy of Pediatrics has officially ceased recommending the FluMist this year in favor of the shot after the Center for Disease Control released a statement in favor of the shot - saying the FluMist wasn’t up to snuff. In fact, after reviewing data comparing FluMist to the shot, the CDC found that the mist had been ineffective at preventing flu for the last 3 seasons.

Though flu season may be just beginning, it seems the change isn’t doing much to sway parents from taking their kids in for the shots so far. New York pediatrician Dr. Lisa Thebner explains that she hasn’t seen anyone turn down a shot when she relayed the news that the FluMist was no more. Dr. Thebner says, “We've already gotten our first shipment in, and I have already had those conversations with patients. there may have been an 'aw shucks' moment, but of the patients I've seen so far, they've gotten the flu shot, regardless.”

What do you think of the new recommendation for children to receive shots rather than the FluMist?

Will you still take your child in to have the flu shot this year?