CDC recommends nasal flu spray for children

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's time to get a flu shot, but 10-year-old Devon Oh is not a fan of needles.

"I don't really like the feel of them, because they hurt," Oh said.

A new recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may give him a reason to smile. Research shows FluMist, a nasal spray version of the vaccine, is actually the preferred vaccine for healthy children ages 2 to 8.

"It's simply because it's a replicating virus and it stimulates the immune system probably a little bit better than just giving the antigen itself," said Dr. Peter Koetters, a pediatrician at Huntington Medical Foundation.

The nasal spray is more expensive at the pharmacy, but only requires a squirt in each nostril to prevent influenza. Side effects include runny nose, nasal congestion and headaches.

Koetters said consumers should expect to see the spray among several different types of vaccine: egg-free, smaller needle, even extra boost. Some offer protection against three influenza strains, while others, like the nasal spray, offer four.

Despite the various types, vaccination rates are still falling short in some age groups.

In 2013, 70 percent of kids under five received the flu vaccine. Only 55 percent of school-aged kids were vaccinated.

The rates for adults are event lower - only 33 percent of adults age 18 to 64 were vaccinated last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say this group has the highest hospitalizations.

That's why doctors say no matter what vaccine is available, the most important thing is to get one.