Now is the time to get back-to-school vaccines and start thinking about protecting your children against the flu.
This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not recommending the flu mist, saying the spray just doesn't do a good job protecting people from the flu virus.
Instead, children will have to get the flu shot. So, experts have some tips to make the prick from a needle a little less traumatic.
"For our infants, we always recommend that our parents hold them tightly or swaddle them in a blanket and sometimes feeding, either bottle or breastfeeding, before or after can ease discomfort," said Connie Lin, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's Health Pediatric Group.
"As we move into our toddlers or preschool-aged kids, they really like to be involved, but also distracting them helps, as well," said Lin.
Examples of distractions are music, blowing bubbles, toys, books or a tablet computer.
"And for the older kids, they do well with explanations, kind of explaining why they need the vaccines and taking them to the process and they're able to understand that," Lin said.
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For infants who need to get vaccines, swaddling, sucking on a pacifier or breastfeeding can help soothe pain and discomfort.
The first doses of this year's flu vaccine have been rolling off assembly lines for weeks now.
