Questions about the Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11

Does it hurt?

“I never lie to children. I never say it won’t hurt at all, or you won’t feel it,” said Hill, co-sponsor of the American Academy of Pediatrics. It’s not true. ” ‘Flagship podcast, “Pediatricson Call”.

Parents should ask this question before getting in the car to get the vaccine. Hill has some ready advice.

“You want to be honest. You want to say.’You know what, it will hurt a little, but it won’t hurt as badly as some other things that always happen to you-fall down. When running or stubbing on your toes. “

Can you prevent it from being hurt?

It may still be a concern for some children, especially those who are hesitant about needles, to say that it hurts even a little. According to Hill, parents (and health care workers) may be able to do just before and during the shoot.

Gives the child a sense of control. Discuss with your child what you can do, such as deciding where you want to receive your shots.

“You like playing baseball and you’re right-handed, right? Maybe you want to have a shot with your left arm instead of your right arm,” Hill said.

Use distraction and soothing techniques. Hill suggests talking to the kids in advance about how breathing and distraction techniques can be used to reduce focus on the shot.

He suggests asking your child: “Do you know that if you take a breath and blow away really slowly, things will hurt less? You are singing, or you are me If they hold their hands, they will also hurt less. “

“Yes, you’ll be in control, and yes, if you can reassure the kids that it’ll hurt a little, we’ll help you not hurt as much as you think, those things are very likely. It was more useful. “

The child was also able to hold some ice on their arms to paralyze it just before the shot, Foy and McCrannie suggested. (Purchase and use an instant cold pack or check with your pediatrician in advance to see if it can be refrigerated.)

They said pop-it toys, fidget spinners, bubble wrap, squeeze balls, and even vibrating toys can be distracting. Older children can benefit from creating playlists of songs to listen to, playing video games, and watching distracting videos as clues.

Then do some fun activities. According to experts, children are thrilled with family outings, visits to their favorite places, and play dates. So plan something fun they can look forward to.

Positive attitude is the key

Vaccination is positive and benefits include increasing the number of days of play with friends and meeting relatives and family friends who are off limits due to age and immune status. Should be emphasized.

“The data are very compelling. The first data show how good the vaccine is. The vaccine reduces the chance of infection by 11.5 times and the chance of becoming severe by 20 times. It’s not perfect. It’s really perfect. It’s really good, “Gupta said.

As far as the kids are concerned, this is another shot, just like everything else they get, Hill emphasized.

“How they react will be very large, if not perfect. It depends on how adults organize their experiences in their lives,” he said.

“If we express concern, skepticism, or concern, they will definitely understand it. If we express confidence and peace of mind, they will understand it too. And the kids are always listening, when I don’t think so, “he added.

Mixing Covid-19 and influenza vaccine

Many parents want to know if their children can be immunized with the flu at the same time they are vaccinated with Covid-19.

“The answer is yes,” Gupta told Berman. In fact, he said, pediatricians often recommend multiple vaccines on the same day.

“That’s easy. You don’t have to keep your kids back,” Gupta said. “They will hurt their arms for a few days, but they will get both shots. This year may be the worst season for the flu.”

Wen emphasized that even healthy children need to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

“Approximately one-third of children hospitalized for Covid-19 are children without underlying health. Healthy children can be very ill with the coronavirus,” she says. I did.

Side effects

Speaking of arm pain, what other side effects should parents look for in the Covid-19 vaccine?

The approved dose for ages 5-11 is 10 micrograms, or one-third of the dose of 30 micrograms given to adults and children 12 years and older.

“Some parents may be worried about long-term side effects,” Wen added. “There is no scientific reason to believe this will happen. Other immunization side effects occur within the first few weeks after firing, not months later.”

One of the safety concerns was the risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation around the heart). This is occasionally seen in young adults who have been vaccinated.

Dr. Emmanuel “Chip” Walter Jr., Chief Medical Officer at the Duke University Institute for Human Vaccines, carefully followed reactions that could be a sign of warning in clinical trials between the ages of 5 and 11 and in pediatric trials. He said no cases of myocarditis were seen. He is a pediatric professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, and led one of the exams.

Can children with food allergies be vaccinated?

Wen emphasized that there is no reason to avoid the Covid-19 vaccine if your child has a common food allergy.

“Like other vaccines, the Covid-19 vaccine does not contain egg products. If your child has a food allergy or has responded to another vaccine in the past, that is why they should refrain from the Covid-19 vaccine. Not. “She said.

“Your doctor will help you decide if it’s safe to get vaccinated,” the CDC writes.

Overall, according to the CDC, the only reason not to get this vaccine is if your child has a severe allergic reaction to one of its ingredients, PEG or polysorbate.

“PEG is a component of the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), and polysolvate is a component of the J & J / Janssen vaccine,” said the CDC.

When will my child be fully vaccinated?

Like adults, children are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second injection. According to experts, there is currently no way for children to get a full Thanksgiving or Hanukkah vaccine. Therefore, all precautions must be followed, including masking from high-risk families and social distance.

As long as the first shot is taken by November 19, the child will have complete protection for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and year-end gatherings.