Hello parents, today we will discuss the reasons why our kids need the flu shot even if their immunity is good. Winter is here in North India and what I fear most is not the chilly winds but the onset of flu season. We love the cold weather but we definitely hate the hike in the number of sick days during these months. Nemit got cold for the first time in the month of November when he was 11 months old. And, this was also the first time he fell sick. So, we immediately went to the pediatrician only to hear that it’s a good thing for our baby’s immunity.

Yes, she said that getting early exposure to colds may boost the child’s immunity. I was a bit shocked to hear this from our doctor’s mouth though I had already read about it. But, for a parent, it’s not easy to look at their sick child & think, ‘it’s something good for you, baby, just let it pass’.

At that time, Nemit’s pediatrician also mentioned something about the flu but I couldn’t understand much about it. I thought it to be the medical name for common cold hence ignored it. Last year in October we got a notification from our pediatrician. It was about the availability of flu vaccine at her clinic.

Why does my child need a flu vaccination when he has a pretty good immune system?

Around the same time, Nemit got really sick, it started with a cold and then the symptoms just aggravated. While getting him checked, the doctor mentioned flu-like symptoms. But, at that time I was not much aware of it.

So, the first thing I did was to read about what is flu & flu vaccination. I got to know that flu is a viral infection almost similar in symptoms as that of a cold but very high in severity. Flu is caused by the influenza virus and it can be deadly too. And, that’s why doctors recommend taking flu vaccination every year.

Flu season starts from Oct to Feb in North India.

While waiting at her clinic, I met a fellow mom & asked her if she has opted for the flu vaccine for her child. Her reply made me really confused. She said her child has a pretty good immune system so she’s not opting for it. Even Nemit’s immunity was good, still, he got sick!

When in doubt, consult your doctor!

You may also read – How to choose the right vaccine for your child?

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Here are the 3 reasons why every child needs a flu vaccination as shared by our pediatrician-

3 Reasons why your child needs a flu shot

1 – Children below 5 years of age are highly vulnerable to the flu because of their still-developing immune system. Even if your child’s immunity is good, there is still a very high risk of getting complications with flu.

2- The flu virus keeps on evolving hence it becomes even more important to get your child immunized every year. The worst part about flu infection is that it can even lead to death if not detected early on.

3- Getting your child vaccinated also means protecting other vulnerable populations from getting infected, especially infants (younger than 6 months) who can’t get the vaccination.

Thanks to our doctor, we got all our doubts cleared. And, we as a family, decided to take the flu vaccine every year without fail to #IPromiseToStopFlu

India has recorded a total of 28,050 Influenza cases (H1N1) in 2019 (as on 27th Oct’19)

Source – https://ncdc.gov.in/showfile.php?lid=280

Disclaimer: – All content here, including advice from the doctor, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek direct advice from your own doctor in case of any health-related questions.

The post Does your child need a flu shot even if he has good immunity? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello parents, today I want to share an incident of flu which left a deep impact on our lives. I will
also share some helpful information on how influenza signs & symptoms show up. And, how to know if the illness is just a common cold or the deadly flu.

Last winters were quite tough on us. Nemit fell ill with the onset of winters. Thinking it to be a common cold we didn’t pay much attention to the symptoms initially. But within 2 days his symptoms got aggravated. He developed a sore throat followed by a bad cough and mild fever. But, on the 3rd night, his body temperature shot up to 104°.

I gave him medicine for fever which reduced his temperature a little but it was still 102°. My little boy seemed to be in a lot of pain. And I couldn’t do anything, it was the worst night of my life.

Next morning when his fever didn’t come down, we took him to the pediatrician who after a general check-up mentioned flu-like symptoms. We were clueless but sensed that it was not good.

She prescribed a few medicines for nasal congestion & cough and asked us to keep a close watch on him for the next 24 hrs. She instructed us to visit her immediately if the fever doesn’t subside or shoots up again. His fever did come down but it was still persistent. And, there was no relief in his cough.

On our next visit, the doctor reported some ‘murmur’ in the chest and feared that it could be the initial stage of pneumonia. And she started the antibiotics. Pneumonia was the last word we wanted to hear. Upon enquiring, she told us that many cases of pneumonia result from complications of cold or flu. We were lucky that it got detected at an early stage and Nemit was back to normal within a week.

She wanted us to be aware of this deadly disease and shared some helpful information about influenza. Being informed and well prepared is half the battle won. #IPromiseStopFlu

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Let’s see how Influenza signs and symptoms show up

Influenza or flu is a highly contagious disease caused by Influenza Virus. The initial symptoms may look like a common cold but these aggravate quite fast and may become severe within a few days.¹ The most common symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, and extreme tiredness.²

You should not confuse Flu with a Cold.

The symptoms usually look like a common cold but the severity indicates that it may be a flu.³ During a common cold, the child may seem active but when it’s a flu, the child will look dull and out of energy.

WHO recommends the most effective way to protect against influenza is to get vaccinated every year

Does your child really need the flu vaccine?

Children below 5 years of age come under the high-risk group due to their weak immune system.⁴ If the symptoms of flu are not detected early on, the complications like pneumonia can occur, it can even lead to death in rare cases.

And, that’s why it becomes even more important that children between 6 months and 5 years get the influenza vaccine each year.⁵ And continue giving the vaccine every year even after the age of 5.

The best time to get vaccination is just before the onset of flu season. #IPromiseToStopFlu for my child. You?

References –

1.  https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm
2. https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/files/influenzafaq.txt
3. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm
4. https://riseandshine.childrensnational.org/5-reasons-your-child-should-get-the-flu-vaccine-every-year/
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/symptoms-causes/syc-20351719

Disclaimer: – All content here, including advice from the doctor, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek direct advice from your own doctor in case of any health-related questions.

The post Is it a Cold or Deadly Flu? How can you be sure? #IPromiseToStopFlu appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Let’s Raise Awareness

Hello to all my lovely readers. I know most of you must be wondering what’s this weird term ‘Meningitis‘ in the post title. Well, in very simple words, it’s an infection of the brain which can result in the death of a person (any age group) within a few hours. I was not aware of this infection until lately when Nemit’s pediatrician threw some light on this horrifying disease. And today I am writing this post to spread awareness and share my understanding of this fatal disease with other parents.

Being a parent is a huge responsibility and we want to do the best for our kids. However, sometimes lack of awareness can result in devastating consequences.

Source – Pinterest

Last month when we visited the pediatrician for Nemit’s vaccination, my eyes caught a term ‘meningococcal‘ on the chart. It was mentioned that this vaccine was recommended for high-risk groups. And like any other panicky parent, I asked the doctor what that meant. It was then when she explained to us about ‘Meningitis’. After returning home, I did some research to understand it better and was shocked to read some facts about it.

Meningitis affects more than 2.8 million people globally each year. Babies, toddlers, and young children under the age of 5 are the most at-risk group for meningitis, with over 50% of all cases occurring in this age group.

Nemit’s pediatrician also told us about the different types of Meningitis but stressed most on Bacterial Meningitis. It is the most serious and fatal form of infection. If not diagnosed and treated on time, can cause death within a few hours in young children.

Babies and toddlers are at high risk because their immune system is not fully developed. Hence, they cannot fight infection.

You know, the germs that cause Meningitis reside in people’s nose, throat, and intestines. But the infection can only occur if they pass on to the bloodstream and reach the layer which covers the brain and the spinal cord. It was mentioned in one article that babies and young children can get it from an infected person by,

• kissing and touching
• coughing and sneezing
• or sharing their personal items

Hence, it’s important to understand the early signs and symptoms if we want to protect our kids against this fatal disease. The first symptoms are usually high fever and vomiting. However, the early symptoms can appear similar to flu and hence often get missed. I always say when it’s about babies, we should never take chances. So, trust your instincts, and if you see the child is getting sick, fast and getting worse, get medical help immediately.

Source – comomeningitis.org

You may also want to read Breath Holding Spells in Children!

One of the most effective ways to prevent your child from contracting Bacterial Meningitis is to get your child vaccinated.

Doctor asked me a question which I want to ask every parent who is reading this post. Did your child get a vaccine against Meningitis? (if you are following the immunization schedule)

Well, I am sure not many will answer a ‘Yes’ to this question. Just because we lack awareness.

The vaccine to prevent Meningitis is available and the babies can be vaccinated against Meningococcal Bacteria, 9 months onward.

The WHO estimates that each year, over 1 million children die of diseases that could be prevented by a vaccine.

It’s really important for parents to understand the causes of meningitis and how it spreads. And, also the importance of getting their child vaccinated to protect them from this deadly disease.

Thanks for reading, I hope this post helps in raising awareness about this fatal disease. Please share this post as much as possible.

Reference: –

https://www.meningitisnow.org/
https://www.healthline.com/
https://www.cdc.gov/
http://www.endmeningitis.com/
https://www.healthline.com/
http://www.who.int/
http://www.comomeningitis.org/

Disclaimer: – The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views solely of the blogger. This post is a part of public awareness initiative on meningococcal meningitis supported by Sanofi Pasteur India. Sanofi Pasteur bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information.

The post Awareness Post: How to Protect your child from Meningitis? appeared first on Growing With Nemit.