"I would pay them anything if they would give it to my son, but they can't. My pediatrician, who is a member of a huge medical network, can't get the flu shot in. But every pharmacy in town has it, and WON'T give it to my toddler, who has asthma, because of age restrictions. Everyone in the family has received the shot, except the person who needs it the most."
And Erin Kelly was disappointed after being turned away at a CVS:
"We went as a family to the CVS minute clinic to get our seasonal flu shots -- the doctors office is OUT of them till late October -- and I was told that they could not vaccinate my 25-month-old daughter. CVS has a policy that they will not give the shot to anyone under the age of 9!"
It's a good idea to call ahead first to make sure the pharmacy will actually administer the shot to your toddler. Different states have different regulations about who can give the shot and who they can give it to. Some states are even changing their laws in order to get as many people vaccinated this season as possible. Oklahoma, for instance, has a law in place requiring a prescription from your doctor before you can be vaccinated at a pharmacy, but starting Nov. 1, the law changes and a prescription won't be necessary.
If you aren't having luck with your chain pharmacy, an independent pharmacy might be a better bet since they are often privately owned and are not bound by the same types of policies and procedures the corporate stores have to follow. Even for chains, however, the policy can vary by state and independently-owned clinics that operate within those pharmacies can have their own policies as well. Take Care Clinics that are located inside some Walgreens stores (but not run by Walgreens) indicate that they offer the seasonal flu shot to children 2 and older, for example.
In any case, check out your doctor's supply first, and always make a call to any pharmacy before you head out the door or you might be disappointed.