Toddlers and the Flu Vaccine

Every parent, who has children under the age of five, quickly discovers that little kids are “germ spreaders.” One cannot be too surprised by this revelation. Toddlers, for example, tend to put things into their mouths, to pick their noses, and to strongly resists all parental attempts to wash their little faces and hands. As such, it is recommended that toddlers receive the flu vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the LAIV (live attenuated influenza vaccine) be given to children ages 2 through 8 years old. In addition, they recommend that kids between age 2 … Continue reading

Will Your Health Insurance Cover a Flu Shot?

Now wouldn’t be a good time to catch the flu. All of us are so busy in December, and no one enjoys being sick. The CDC recommends that most people get a flu shot in order to prevent them from catching the current strain of flu. Will your health insurance cover the cost of a flu shot? This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. They point out that the flu shot is the most important step in protecting against the flu, which can be a very … Continue reading

Study Says Children Might Outgrow Egg Allergy

More than one study suggests that there is the potential for some children who are allergic to eggs to outgrow that allergy. Kids who are severely allergic to eggs probably will not outgrow it, but those with less serious egg allergies might. The studies involved carefully introducing eggs into the diet of kids who were allergic to them. Sometimes, children can outgrow some allergies. This is more likely to happen with kids who have slight allergy symptoms to a particular allergen, and not likely to happen with children who have very severe allergies. A couple of studies suggest that it … Continue reading

Should You Get Your Dog A Flu Shot?

Today in “vaccines I didn’t know existed for dogs” (last time it was for Lyme disease): canine influenza. That’s right, you can get a flu shot for your dog. Pet website ZooToo takes a look at it. Apparently, dog flu is a thing. I have to say I’ve never heard of it, not the way I’ve heard about bird or even pig flus. The difference is that while those strains can pass to humans, canine influenza doesn’t. It’s basically just dogs getting the flu, in a particular strain that won’t infect us. So while we might have to worry about … Continue reading

Study Says Flu Shot is Safe for People With Egg Allergies

Flu season is upon us. Are you going to get a flu shot this year? There has been some concern in the past that adults and children who are allergic to eggs will have problems if they get a flu shot because it contains eggs. A Canadian study found that flu shots are safe for people with egg allergies. The flu vaccine is designed to prevent people from catching influenza, (commonly called “the flu”). There have been concerns about giving flu shots to adults or children who have an allergy to eggs because the flu vaccine is grown in chicken … Continue reading

Save Money During Cold and Flu Season

Cold and flue season can not only lay you out, but it can also make your monthly budget “sick.” There are doctor visits, expensive prescription medication, over the counter medication, tissues, special food, extra heat and other unexpected expenses that can crop up. Don’t forget about the expense of missing work or special “sick” child care facilities if needed. So, how can we make cold and flu season have less of an impact on us and on our wallets? Read on. Prevention First Obviously, if we can prevent getting sick in the first place, we’ll not only have a better … Continue reading

The Flu Shot for Baby-Is it Necessary?

In our house, we have always been big proponents of the flu shot. We all get them every year. And, it is that time of year again. My husband works in the medical field, and in past years, he has had to be in contact with flu patients regularly. Since our children are young, we have always been cautious. In his current job, he is not in close contact with patients infected with the flu, although he does still work in a hospital. So, I found myself asking him if it was really necessary. I had never really questioned it … Continue reading

Time to Get Your Flu Shot

I am a big believer in flu shots. Every year, I sign myself, my kids and my husband up for this important inoculation. While last year was one of the mildest flu seasons on record, don’t expect the same for this year. Two new flu strains have emerged, and fortunately, this year’s vaccine is ready to get you protected. While a flu shot is now recommended for almost everyone over the age of six months, studies show that many people are still reluctant to get their. In fact only about 52 percent of children and just 39 percent of adults … Continue reading

The Fall Sales Have Started!

Summer officially ended a couple of days ago. This means that it is time for the Fall sales to begin! Now is the time to save on last minute “Back-To-School” items, Fall clothing, comforters, and DVDs to watch when the weather gets cold. There even is a deal involving a flu shot! Kohl’s is having a “Four Day Power Shopping Sale”. You can get 40% to 55% off apparel for women, and 40% to 60% off of select brands of apparel for Juniors. Comforters are 40% to 60% off, select fine jewelry is 55% to 60% off, and some of … Continue reading

Developing Cat Allergies in Adulthood

Here’s an even better reason to expose your children to pets at an early age: adults never exposed to them have a higher chance of developing allergies if they get pets. A team from the University Hospital of Verona (in Italy) studied more than 6,000 adults twice in nine years. It found that people who had never lived with cats before, and then adopted them in adulthood, doubled their chances of becoming allergic to the cat. The chances were even higher if the adults had other allergies or asthma. The process of becoming allergic to something when previously you weren’t … Continue reading