4 year old offered flu immunisation at school

[Kmx]

I have received a letter which states the NHS will be coming to my sons school (he just started) in 1 week to give pupils the flu vaccination. I don't mind my son having the vaccine but I do feel uncomfortable him getting it without me there - he's only 4 and I don't know how he'll react. I can imagine him being scared & I don't like the thought of going through that alone without me there to comfort & support him.

Am I being too protective?

 

[Cattia]

If he is entitled to have it for free then you could probably just take him to a doctor or pharmacist and get it done there. I'm probably mistaken but I thought it was offered in the form of a nasal spray to infant children? That is how both of mine had it at the GP last year.

 

[NickyKB]

I've just had the form for this and it is the nasal one. My son had it the last couple of years at the gp and was fine with it so I'm happy for him to have it without me there. If you're really concerned maybe you could ask the school if you could go in for it although I think my son might find this more confusing and upsetting when I left again than the vaccine...

 

[LoraLoo]

It's the nasal spray but can still be frightening for them, the gp will do it if you prefer x

 

[Twinmum87]

Yeah it is a nasal spray now. My DS1 has always had the jab due to asthma bar last year which was nasal. My girl has never had it as it used to be for certain illnesses only and she has always been 1 year too old for it thru the gradual roll out to vaccinate all children.

 

[Twinmum87]

And you don't need to see GP either, we have never seen GP once. There will be vaccination clinics run at GP surgery. Some surgeries have 1 clinic for infants and 1 for adults, others it is all combined and just 1 nurse will be seeing the children usually. Since they started vaccinating in school, I have always been asked what year he is in before it was given so they knew wether he should be given it at school or by them

 

[MindUtopia]

I would maybe just ask him how he feels about it. My daughter had it last year (it's the nasal one) and she was totally fine with it. I just explained to her that someone was going to put something in her nose and it wouldn't hurt, but it might feel funny and it might drip. She actually thought it was funny when she had it done! It was with me there (we did it at the GP), but if you explain to him what will happen and just ask him if he'd like to do it at school or go to the surgery and have you there, he'll probably be able to say. I would feel fine with my daughter having it now on her own as it was no big deal.