What gauge and length needle is used in childs flu vaccines?

Answer 1

This is from the CDC's flu vaccine instructions to health care providers:

"The intramuscular route is recommended for TIV. Adults and older children should be vaccinated in the deltoid muscle. A needle length of 1 inch or longer (>25 mm) should be considered for persons in these age groups because needles of <1 inch might be of insufficient length to penetrate muscle tissue in certain adults and older children. When injecting into the deltoid muscle among children with adequate deltoid muscle mass, a needle length of 7/8--1.25 inches is recommended.

Infants and young children should be vaccinated in the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. A needle length of 7/8--1 inch should be used for children aged <12 months."

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/acip/dosage.htm

Answer 2

The typical IM syringe needle is a 25.4 mm (1 or 1 1/2 inch) long needle and it is usually 22-25 Gauge size. The size does not vary by the age of the patient, usually, but more typically it varies by what the drug is and the type and location of the tissue into which it is intended to be injected. The clinician giving the injection will determine if the needle length is appropriate and can adjust the depth of insertion of the needle based on the person's body habitus (size).

Flu shots have been administered intramuscularly (IM) in the upper arm in adults and in the thigh in children aged over six months. Children under six months can not be vaccinated yet.

There is also now a new intradermal (ID) injection for flu for adults ages 18 - 64.

The ID syringe needle is tiny in comparison to the IM needles (90% smaller) and is very useful for the needle-averse patient due to small size, less pain on injection, and the needle is not readily visible in the special micro-injection system for the ID vaccine.

ID needles are short, injected only 1.5 mm deep (0.039 inches) and are thin (30 gauge).

More about flu vaccine administration:

The amount of vaccine in an adult dose of the IM H1N1/09 flu shot is 0.5 mL (one half cc), which is a very small amount (approximately 1/10 of a teaspoon). But the micro dose of ID vaccine is even smaller at only 0.1 mL.

The IM vaccine's dose of antigen is 45 mcg while the ID contains antigen in a dose of 27 mcg for as good or better immunization. The skin has special immune system cells available that help the ID vaccine work better.

In trials 96% of clinicians administering the vaccines would recommend the ID vaccine.

Answer 3

1 inch/25guage