Flu shot reactions and side effects

Flu shot: What are the side effects?

In the United States, nearly everyone — all except very young or immunocompromised people — is advised to receive an annual flu vaccine. This is because the flu can be more than a nuisance; influenza can cause serious health complications, and even becomes fatal in some cases.

The flu vaccine is generally considered safe, and its efficacy various from season to season, depending on the strains that dominate. It can, however, causer some side effects. Younger children can experience some side effects from the flu shot. So can all the others who receive a flu shot, but it happens mostly to youngsters, especially if they are having the shot for the first time.

These side effects are not usually severe. Soreness and pain may occur at the spot where the shot was given. The tissues around the injection site may even swell up a bit, but this swelling will normally go away in 48 hours. Fever, rash and even muscle ache can be the side effects of a systemic flu shot.

These reactions will occur some 6 to 12 hours after the shot, if they happen, and will last for a day or two.

Hives, angioedema and anaphylaxis are really serious allergic reactions, which can even be life-threatening. Luckily, they are pretty rare. This happens to people allergic to eggs because of the egg proteins in the shot.

Flu shot reactions

Fever and fussiness are reported in some children who receive a flu shot. Luckily, these reactions do not last long and the child that has experienced these side effects will be better in no time. If the fever is severe and does not subside, a parent should call a doctor.

Nowadays more and more children are getting the nasal spray flu vaccine, called Flumist. Reactions to this vaccine may arrive in the form of a headache, sore throat, slight fever, muscle ache and a runny nose. Other reactions that do not occur as often are cough, chills or tiredness.

Symptoms after a flu shot: Is the timing just a coincidence?

People should not necessarily blame the flu shot for a fever or any other illness that may occur in themselves, or his or her child, after the flu shot. The timing of these symptoms may be just a coincidence. The chances of a coincidence are greater if a child was already a little sick or was in the presence of other children that are sick, though it is important to note that people who are sick are advised to delay getting a flu shot and most other vaccines until after they have recovered.

When trying to figure out whether the symptom was caused by the flu shot, people should take some things into consideration. For instance, if a child had a couple of flu shots before and did not experience any adverse reaction, then it is more likely that the illness is caused by something else and not by the flu shot.

Another thing to consider is how long after the shot the child got sick. Flu shot reactions occur in the first 6 to 12 hours after getting the flu vaccine. If the child already had a cough or a runny nose and develops a fever after the shot, then it is not because of the flu shot. Because of this it is always best to wait for the child to get better before getting the flu shot. It is important to have in mind that simply because two things happened around the same time does not mean that one caused the other.