First published October 2013 Updated September 2025
Every parent wants to keep their child safe and protect them from harm. With flu season coming up, now is the time to take action to protect your child from the flu virus and its complications. Learning the truth behind common flu vaccine misinformation can help parents make informed decisions to protect their children.
Let’s review common flu myths to learn why medical professionals at Nationwide Children’s Hospital strongly recommend children 6 months of age and older receive their annual flu vaccine.
1. Myth: The flu is no big deal; it’s just a bad cold.
Truth: Flu is a serious respiratory virus for children.
Each flu season, tens of thousands of children are hospitalized in the US due to severe flu infection. Reasons for hospitalization include severe dehydration, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), and encephalopathy (inflammation of the brain). Sadly, hundreds of children die every year from the flu. Infants and young children are at particularly high risk of severe infection compared to older children.
2. Myth: The flu vaccine doesn’t work.
Truth: The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent severe flu infection.
On average, children vaccinated against the flu are about half as likely to get sick with the flu compared with children who are not vaccinated. More important is the protection that the flu vaccine provides against severe flu infection. Children vaccinated against the flu are on average about half to two-thirds less likely to be hospitalized, admitted to the ICU, or die due to flu.
3. Myth: The flu vaccine causes the flu.
Truth: The flu vaccine does not and cannot cause the flu.
The inactivated flu vaccine (the flu shot) and the live attenuated flu vaccine (the nasal spray) do not contain the live, active flu virus which causes infection. The live virus in the nasal spray is a weakened virus which cannot cause infection in healthy people. Both vaccines cause an immune reaction to help protect against flu infection. This immune reaction may cause mild symptoms such as pain at the injection site, low-grade fever, or fatigue. These symptoms resolve quickly and are not flu infection.
4. Myth: The ingredients in the flu vaccine will harm my child.
Truth: Vaccine ingredients are safe for children.
As described above, the flu vaccine contains either parts of the virus (the flu shot) or a weakened virus (the nasal spray). The vaccine also contains ingredients to protect during transport and storage – stabilizers, such as sugars and salts. The nasal spray vaccine contains gelatin as a stabilizer, which may cause reactions in those with gelatin allergies. Other products used in creating the vaccine may be present in very small amounts (if any). These products vary by vaccine and can include things like egg protein (people will egg allergies can still safely receive the flu vaccine) and antibiotics. Other products which may be present in some flu vaccines (such as formaldehyde) certainly are dangerous at high doses, however the trace amounts which may be included are so small that they do not impact the body. For example, human cells create formaldehyde in trace amounts (though still much higher than would be potentially in a vaccine) everyday as part of normal, healthy metabolism.
The flu vaccine is the single best step you can take to protect your child from severe infection this flu season. Please do not delay getting vaccinated – now is the best time to get your flu shot. If you have more questions, we encourage you to talk to your child’s doctor to learn more.
Catching both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time can be double trouble. Make sure you and your child stay up to date with all seasonal respiratory vaccines as recommended by your primary care clinician.
Matthew C. Washam, MD, MPH, is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and member of the Section of Infectious Diseases at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Dr. Washam’s research interests include understanding the risk factors for transmission of multidrug-resistant bacteria in children within the hospital environment.
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