“Should I give my child the flu vaccine?”
My son is 7 years old. I think of giving him the flu vaccines. Is it safe?
4 Answers
PediatricianPediatrician
Yes, it is safe. It has been tested all the way down to 6 months of age. Flu vaccine doesn’t contain any live virus. It is tolerated very well by children. If he is only 7 and has never had a flu vaccine before, your provider will want to give him two shots one month apart. Going forward, each year he would only need a single shot. We do a “prime-boost” strategy in young children to get a more protective response. He will do fine. The other thing to do to keep your son from getting the flu is to get everyone who lives in the home with him vaccinated, too.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
Randall Fisher, M.D.
You should definitely have your 7-year-old vaccinated against the flu! The data are clear that it prevents infection and illness. While the complications of flu in school-aged kids are infrequent, they do happen, and the kids frequently spread the disease to folks around them who are at risk for serious complications. By all means, have your son vaccinated against the flu!
Yes
Yes
