A member asked:
should i get my baby a flu shot?
6 doctor answers
Dr. Gregg Alexander answered
33 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: If there's no specific reason your child shouldn't receive the shot, like an allergy, then, yes, most definitely. Flu shots can be given yearly after 6 months of age. Not giving the shot is not the same as not taking a risk; you're just accepting the much larger risk of getting the illness and a serious complication. Besides hygiene/clean water, nothing compares with vaccines for health value.
Answered on Mar 14, 2019
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Dr. Annie Emmick answered
27 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: Yes, the flu shot is recommended yearly for all babies and children six months and older. Young children suffer the most complications when they become ill with the flu, including pneumonia and dehydration, and their chance of needing to be admitted to the hospital is the highest of all age groups. They are also the primary "spreaders" of flu within a community.
Answered on Apr 30, 2015
Dr. Robert Kwok answered
33 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: Every baby 6 months on up should get a flu shot. Babies are one of the highest risk groups for complications of influenza including pneumonia, hospitalization & yes, even death. If you could decrease the chances of those by two little shots, go for it. Your infant's immune system has no prior experience with influenza, so needs that boost of help from the vaccine to get safely through first years.
Answered on Aug 20, 2014
Dr. Laura Webb answered
13 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: If they are over 6 months that is... Babies younger than this should not get the flu shot. However if they are older the shot can help protect them from getting the flu. Parents and others in the household should also get the shot to help protect the youngest and eldest members of the community, who are most vulnerable to the flu.
Answered on Mar 26, 2013
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Dr. Holly Maes answered
36 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: Every baby 6 months on up should get a flu shot. Babies are one of the highest risk groups for complications of influenza including pneumonia, hospitalization and yes, even death. If you could decrease the chances of those by two little shots, go for it.Your infant's immune system has no prior experience with influenza, so needs that boost of help from the vaccine to get safely through first years.
Answered on Oct 8, 2013
Dr. Scott J. Wolfson answered
22 years experience Pediatrics
Yes: It is recommended that all infants over the age of 6 months receive the flu vaccine.
Answered on Oct 8, 2013
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A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Escobar answered
9 years experience Family Medicine
No: No, the vaccines for babies are mercury-free. The MMR vaccine (given when 1 year old) may still have some mercury-based preservative, but it is a ver ... Read More
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7 thanks
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