Immunization 101: Influenza Vaccine
The
previous month of August had been particularly challenging health-wise for our
family. Our little Queen B got afflicted with the colds. It started with a
runny nose followed by coughing a few days after. It is disheartening to see
and hear her cough especially when her coughing causes her to vomit. Thankfully,
it only occurred twice. Her cuspids, more commonly known as canine teeth, also erupted adding discomfort to our little Queen B. Just when I thought she is well, my immune system
failed me and I got the colds too. A couple of days later, she got the colds
again. To make matters worse, J who rarely get sick got the flu which he,
unfortunately, passes on to me. Blessedly and with the protection her flu
vaccine gave her, Georgina did not get the flu despite being in constant close
proximity with J and me.
Aside
from having her checked up for her colds, our little Queen B received her
annual dosage of the Influenza vaccine last Monday. I am thankful that we opted
to give this optional but highly recommended vaccine to her. Even though J and
I just wanted to sleep all-day long for days due to flu, our little Queen B is bursting
with energy which is why we did not get to rest as much as we wanted. Well, I
rather not get enough rest than have her as sick as we were.
Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a viral infection that affects
our respiratory system. Common symptoms include:
- Fever over 38°C
- Severe aches in muscles and joints
- Headache
- Dry, persistent cough
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
- Pain and tiredness around the eyes
- Fatigue and weakness
- Chills and sweats
For
children 6 months to 9 years of age who haven’t received a flu shot will need 2
doses of the shot, administered at least 4 weeks apart. Our little Queen B
received her initial 2 shots of the flu vaccine last year. It is given
intramuscularly (here is my post
explaining the ways of administering vaccines). The deltoid muscle in the upper arm is the preferred site but can also
be given in the vastus lateralis muscle
in the thigh (Georgina received hers in
this site).
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| This image is from www.healthline.com. |
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| The vastus lateralis injection site. This image is from immunisation.book.health.govt.nz. |
There
is also an egg-free flu shot for people over 18 who have severe allergies to
eggs. Unlike most flu vaccines, egg-free flu shot are not produced using an
egg-based manufacturing process and thus do not contain even a small of it. For
persons who don’t like needles, a nasal spray flu vaccine is also available but
is not advisable for children less than 2 years old, pregnant women, and people
with weakened immune system since this type of flu vaccine uses a live but
weakened virus.
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| Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine. This image is by Norma Jean Gargasz/Alamy from www.everydayhealth.com. |
Each
year’s flu vaccine protects against 3 to 4 strains of influenza virus that are
expected to be the most common during that year thus precautions are still
needed to prevent and control the spread of flu. Washing our hands, containing
our coughs and sneezes, and avoiding crowds during peak flu season are
advisable ways in controlling the spread of infection.
It
is hard to have a sick child but as I have discovered it is much harder to have
a sick child and husband (who is worse
than Georgina when sick) while I, myself, does not feel well. I am reminded
how important good health is. J has to take a few days of leave from work.
Arguments erupted between J and me as we talked about whose turn it is to take
care of our little Queen B when both of us just wanted to sleep off our fatigue
and aches. Money spent on medicine could have been another week’s food budget
or saved. Indeed, the saying “health is wealth” is true.
Right
now, the three of us are on our way to recovery. We are taking more measures to
ensure our complete healing. We are very grateful to the Lord for His healing
grace. We will never take our good health for granted again.
#xoxo
Sources:
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