My son is 3 years old and deathly allergic to milk, egg, nuts and tree nuts. I know the flu shot has egg in it. His SPT was a 4+ and his RAST test for egg was a 7.25. Last year he had the 1/2 flu shot and a month later the other 1/2 of the flu shot. This year the pediatrician wants to give him the whole flu shot at once and I am just not comfortable with that. I know he needs it but I was wondering if any of you with egg allergies have ever had a reaction to the whole flu shot?
Anyone have a Rxn to egg in flu shots?
Posted on: Tue, 10/17/2006 - 4:24am
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My daughter's pediatrican won't even give my daughter the flu shot due to her egg allergies. you may want to skip it. She is 15 months and didn't have one last year either. My Ped. said he would rather deal with the flu than the reaction to the shot, but that both me and my husband MUDT get the shot.
My son had a negligible reaction to egg on the skin prick test a few weeks ago. It was .4 or something and the allergist said to ignore it. Does this mean he has just a bit of sensitivity? Would it impact getting the flu shot for his case?
I do know that if your child does have a true egg allergy that many allergists won't advise getting the shot...at least that's what I've read.
MMR on the other hand I've read doesn't seem to be problematic.
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It was my understanding that people who had egg allergy were not supposed to have the flu shot. Your post and the above link about the smaller doses are the 1st mentions I've heard about it being safe.
It's the possibilty of an allergic reaction vs. the possibility of the flu. Very hard decision, but I guess you'll have to determine the lesser of two evils. Sorry I'm not more help...
My kids and I have odd reactions to the flu vaccine. My son has had it 2ce and my dd 3 times and the only time they've caught the flu is the years they've been vaccinated...I've experienced the same thing...what made me decide against it was the year of the vaccine shortage, DD was the only one eligable for the flu shot because of her asthma...she was also the only one of us to come down with the flu...pretty bad case of it too...It may be a coincedence, but our pediatrician said it seems to do some people that way...My hubby gets a flu shot every year and has no problems.
Even if your child can't be vaccinated, the rest of the family could be (as long as there are no more egg allergies or weird reactions) That would protect her somewhat...
My DD is allergic to eggs and I would not let her anywhere near a flushot. They are OK with the MMR now though and she did have that.
DS tolerated flu shots two years in a row. Third year, he reacted. Apparently, the amount of egg present can vary from shot to shot. They can skin prick with the vaccine if you want to see if he can tolerate it.
We are now under orders to skip it until he outgrows the egg allergy.
Cathy
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Mom to 7 yr old PA/TNA daughter and 3 1/2 yr old son who is allergic to eggs.
My childrens' allergist recommended it because he feels being hospitalized for the flu would be worse than adverse reaction to the shot. I am not so sure, anaphylaxis or flu? He is leaving it up to me. My grandmother never got the flu until she was vaccinated one year. Tough call. I don't know that I've helped but am in the same situation. Best wishes!
My pediatrician will not give my egg allergic DS the flu shot. DH and I are going Sat. morning for ours. My best hope is that all the kids DS plays with will have gotten the shot. I get very nervous during flu season.
I am an adult with a mild egg allergy but still get my flu shot every year.
I would go with your gut and only get 1/2 shot and get second half latter.
I always take Benadryl before my shot.
11/4 Just had my flu shot today and no problems.
[This message has been edited by cathlina (edited November 04, 2006).]
My son is 5 now, and has had anaphylaxis to egg in the past (about 3 1/2 years ago...). He still tests positive to skin prick for egg and peanut, and continues to have positive RAST results, although the egg numbers are coming down....He had the MMR in multiple doses last year when he turned 4, but in the past our allergist said no flu shot. I am going to try her again, and see if there is a possiblity of dosing him with benadryl and diluting the shot into multiple vaccinations. My reason is this: He is in k5 now, and 5 years old is the minimum age that kids can get the flu mist instead of the shot. The problem with that, is that they all become carriers for a while, when this stuff is sprayed up their noses....I wonder if they cough and sneeze, will my son get the flu since he has had no immunization? It's a tough call, but he has had the flu in the past, and it was a pretty bad case. In a way, I wish that my allergist would be proactive about giving the flu shot, just as she was the MMR.
Interesting comments have been made on this thread....
Allison
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