Holding her cotton candy, Madalyn Samson, 5, was all smiles after receiving her flu shot Saturday at Rambo Memorial Health Center's fourth annual Kid's Flu Day.
Most children ages 2 to 18 received the nasal mist, but Madalyn had the injection. She did not enjoy it but, the party atmosphere helped her forget her pain quickly, Sara Gibson, Madalyn's mother, said.
"It tickled," Madalyn said.
It was the first time Madalyn had received her flu injection at the center, but Gibson plans to return next year.
"It wasn't as scary for her with this atmosphere," Gibson said. "She was in the bounce house and said, 'Mommy, I like shots.'"
The atmosphere was exactly what Crystal Bebout, Rambo's executive director, planned for the children. The children enjoyed games, the fire house, seeing inside an ambulance, eating cotton candy and popcorn while being entertained by singers Bill and Barb Marling.
"We try to make it a fair or circus atmosphere to take the fear out of the experience," Bebout said.
Despite the carnival atmosphere, the clinic was serious about fighting the flu this year. The mist and injection offers protection against the seasonal and H1N1 virus, Bebout said. Children 2 and younger, those older than 49 and anyone with asthma had to get the injection because of U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations.
Normally, flu season peaks in January, but the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is predicting it will hit earlier this year so the center changed their schedule to offer the most protection possible. The vaccine lasts about seven months, and the mist contains no preservative (mercury).
Bebout expected about 600 children to get the flu vaccine. Nausea is about the only side effect from the mist, so the staff gives the children a "sucker to remove the taste from their mouth," she said.
Angie Goff's children, Justus Goff, 7, and Carson Hallowell, 2, waited to get their FluMist "for their health," Angie said. She has brought Justus to the flu day in the past, but it was the first time Carson was old enough to participate.
"Him (Justus) being in school, I don't want either of them to be sick. It's nice for them down here," Angie said.
Justus did not mind getting the mist because it "smells like chocolate," he said. While he was getting the mist, Carson was getting the injection.
"I'm glad I don't have to (get the injection)," Justus said.
The center sent permission forms to area doctors to sign and return so their patients could receive the flu mist or shots. Not all doctors returned the papers so not all children were able to receive the mist or injection.
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