Vaccinations for children with asthma

2) Influenza vaccine – how it’s given

A doctor giving a young man a vaccination injection in the upper arm.

© Crown copyright 2014

  • The flu vaccine does not contain live virus so it can not give your child the flu.
  • It is given once a year by injection to the upper outer area of the arm and it takes only seconds. It should not be painful, but some children may be apprehensive about having injections.
  • Possible mild side effects include pain, swelling and redness at the injection site, also occasionally slight fever, shivering, headache and aching muscles.
  • These symptoms usually disappear within one to two days without any treatment.