 [ Symptoms ] how can i convince a reluctant child to get a flu shot [ Disease ] why [not] flumist it is an equally effective some studies say more effective flu vaccine that can be sprayed in the nose no needles when i do have to negotiate with a reluctant child about a shot i do a few things 1 i give them choices they can have one shot assuming they only need one or two 2 i can give them a booster instead of a shot it is the same thing but the word booster sounds less painful  3 they can get it in their arm or leg where it does not hurt very much or their eye of course we do not do eye shots so this becomes an easy choice 4 i tell them this i am not supposed to do this but if you do not tell anyone i will use the little tiny baby needle the one we use for infants instead of the big person needle how about that  5 and finally if this little booster hurts you tell the nurse right away and she will take it out immediately  of course she is going to do that anyway  the games we play convince a reluctant child to get a flu shot who is the adult and who is the child there is no convincing a child i have seen bribery done if it was my situation the child would have learned right from the beginning that sometimes we must do things that are not the most pleasant but will be over soon never lie to a child and say it will not hurt there was one thing i taught and allowed my children to do for a shot either alone or accompanied by me to sing as loud as possible happy birthday it always worked and they always wanted me to sing along loud of course the dr was warned first