At UrgentMED, we understand that, as a parent, you have many important decisions to make regarding the health and wellbeing of your child. There is more medical information – both accurate and inaccurate – now than ever before, which can render decision making even more difficult for you. UrgentMED strives to help you with those decisions, one of which is whether or not you should get a flu shot for your child. Here is a list of reasons indicating that a child flu shot is a good idea. 

The Flu Is Dangerous for Children

Severe complications from influenza (the flu) are most commonly seen in children under the age of two. If a child develops the flu before the age of five, they commonly require medical care which can be traumatizing, time-consuming, and costly. The risks for children to endure serious complications from the flu increase for children who have chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes or nervous system disorders and the flu that can cause long term harm in an infant if it is serious enough.

The Flu Changes Each Year…and So Does the Flu Vaccine

The virus that causes the flu often changes on a genomic level, so flu seasons are unpredictable and vary in severity. The spread and severity of the flu can also vary in different parts of the country. Sadly, many children die from the flu each year. Deaths can usually be prevented with proper care and protocols.

Because the flu changes each year, so does the flu vaccine. There are different flu immunization products that are approved for different age groups. At Venice Urgent Care, our flu shot dosage is appropriate for children aged five years and older.

Your trusted healthcare providers UrgentMED will know which flu shot is appropriate for your child and are certain to have the right vaccine onhand.

You Shouldn’t Be Concerned About Vaccines

Many parents have a fear of vaccines for their children – including the flu vaccine. Beyond the influx of false information regarding vaccines that is often spread on the internet, reasons for parental reluctance toward a flu shot may include:

• Negative side effects
• They mistakenly believe that the flu isn’t that serious
• Too many shots for their child to endure
• Flu shots may cause the flu or other health-related complications

Some parents are afraid their child may experience negative side effects from the immunizations . Or even get the flu from the flu-shot. Some parents don’t feel the illnesses addressed by some of the vaccines are all that serious. Another fear parents have is that their children simply get too many shots and don’t want to see them in pain.

It is impossible for the flu-shot to cause illness because it is a killed or inactivated virus. The live virus that was previously given in nasal spray form has been discontinued for this year’s flu season.

The flu can be very serious and you should not underestimate it. According to the CDC, an average of 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized each year due to complications from influenza.

Get Advice From Your Healthcare Provider

The best way to make an informed decision regarding vaccinations and any other medical issues affecting your children is to get professional advice from your healthcare provider.

Visit UrgentMED for Your Flu Shot

If you are wondering “Are there flu shots near me?”, the answer is yes. At UrgentMED, we will take the time to sit down with you. And we will explain the positives as well as the negatives of vaccines. In fact, we’ll help you with the important decisions you will make as a parent.

We are here to help you be the best parent you can be and to help keep your family healthy. For your convenience, our 18 walk-in clinics in Southern California are available day and night, on weekdays and weekends. We accept a large range of insurances and guarantee affordable rates for individuals and families without insurance. Visit a location near you today.