flu shot

Chatty - posted on 12/21/2010

Yes, they're a side effect. My friends lil' one has seizures.

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

the ped at emerg actually alluded to the fact that a small percentage of children are at risk for febrile seizures due to shots (vac's).

Shauna - posted on 12/21/2010

when my son was in daycare he was never sick. Now that i "stay home" with him his always sick. Maybe b/c we always go shopping now!!! some exposures you forget to think about. But yeah i gave him the flu shot. When i was pregnant i got the flu shot for myself but other yrs i never did, i myself really dont get the flu often.... and when i do it doesnt effect me all too much. But i would hate to see my baby go through that so i do get the vaccine for him.

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

well here I go changing my opinion yet again. my son had a febrile seizure today and it fell within the time frame of the mmr. not saying I wouldn't have done the mmr just at this point i don't think we're doing the flu shot. too much crap at this point in their systems. my cousin takes her daughter to a ped naturopath who prescribes preventative insted of the actual shot so will look into that. soooo frustrated and scared and freaked. just hoping it doesn't happen again. his chances just went up 30% for another. my friends daughter has had 3 and she said don't worry, you learn how to cope. guess you do with everything. the first time in 13 months I'm apart from them practically and this happened. convuslion, foaming at the nouth, turning blue and then passing out. has anyone else dealt with febrile seizures???!!!

~♥Little Miss - posted on 12/21/2010

@ Dana...yeah I kinda worded that funny. I know there isn't a vax for the common cold (if there was, i would be the first in line) I was just pointing out how quickly germs are spread when kids are in school. Flu season is upon us, and my household has been sick 5 times in 2 months. I want to try to atleast avoid the flu....but no the vax will not prevent colds....hell my own immune system can't keep up....how are my kids immune system going to?

Meghan - posted on 12/21/2010

I wouldn't ever consider getting J a flu/cold shot. He is in daycare but he is a very healthy little boy. He caught that 24 hour buggy that's been going around and has the sniffles but other than that he is fine. I think kids who have no underlaying medical conditions should be exposed to this bugs-builds up the immune system.

Bonnie - posted on 12/21/2010

Dana M, that is very true. The flu shot only protects from the flu. Not a cold or ear infection etc. Would be nice if it did though.

Krista - posted on 12/21/2010

Vicki... this year is the normal flu shot and I believe they've included the swine flu into the shot as well. Me, my husband and my son got it because I don't want my daughter (only 4 months at the time) contracting the flu. It's all personal opinion and whether or not you believe that you're going to be that 1 in one hundred million or so that has a volatile reaction.
No, it doesn't protect you from ALL strains of the flu, but it protects you from the projected strain. To me, it's just being cautious.

Chatty - posted on 12/21/2010

I understand that, Vicki, but the way Marina worded her post implied that she thinks that not having the flu shot somehow made her family suceptible to getting sick. Perhaps I misunderstood her comment but that's how I read it!



Getting the flu shot doesn't mean you're not going to still get sick, repeatedly even.

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

no but you can't get teh flu shot when you have a cold.

Chatty - posted on 12/21/2010

Marina, getting the flu shot is not going to prevent you from getting colds. You can still get sick 5 times in 2 months. Hmmm?

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

yeah, I'm booking them (and myself) as soon as this finally passes with us as well. thanks all for replies!

but just thought of another question...I should ask what is this years shot covering and find out if I can get more for myself?

~♥Little Miss - posted on 12/21/2010

Oh yeah, I have been in denial...we all have a cold again....so sick 5 times in 2 months...yeah I think I am gonna get the shots done once this round of colds is over.....

Rosie - posted on 12/21/2010

same here guys. vinnie had never been in daycare and once preschool started he got sick soo often. but this year in kindergarten, holy hell!! my family has never been so sick. he brings home EVERYTHING!! he's always the first one to get it, and then gives it to me and at least one of his brothers and occasionally his dad. i have been sick every two weeks since october this year. once with influenza, once with a stomach flu, once with a head cold that kicked my ass, and other little cold viruses. it sucks when you feel like shit and you have to end up cleaning up puke, and shit, and nobody gets to take care of you.

once kindergarten hit holy hell, it was an all out attack on his immune system.
and just to clarify, we got influenza type A. that isn't covered in the flu shot this year. it's type B, h1n1, and some other one. so that's how my husband and i got the flu.

all i can tell you vicki is that getting the flu doesn't feel like just any normal bad cold. it is horrifyingly horrible. i was unable to walk without shaking, and feeling faint. my whole body hurt from my leg hairs to my eyes. i was puking & shitting everywhere. i missed thanksgiving, i missed a week of work, and for 3 days after i went to work i still felt like ass. it takes everything out of you. now imagine that with your child. i simply don't understand how people don't want to try to prevent that. especially after seeing my children with it, and my baby be hospitalized for it. it changed my perspective drastically. i was pretty indifferent before, now i'm vigilant with it. i simply won't sit back and do nothing when i have the tool to try to prevent it from happening again.

Rosie - posted on 12/21/2010

yes, all of my kids got the mist this year. it's a live virus compared to the "killed" or deactivated virus in the shot.

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

There is an alternative to the flu shot too. FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine (no shots). this from some online thing...only for people over two. never heard of it. anyone?

also, didn't realize in states (as I assume in canada as well) the shot has to be done twice, spaced one month apart. OMG!

Vicki - posted on 12/21/2010

Didn't want to get it for them but picked something up from a drop-in centre we go to twice a week. Has been lingering forever and worried about going through this again. They are relatively healthy usually, eat very well, took the vitamins premies are to take for the first year, still take some. worried if they don't get it they will continue getting something fro the drop-in. Plus they are signed up for a program starting in January (am i repeating myself?). I know kids in daycare get everything all the time and I so don't want to deal with that. still so confused...!

Liz - posted on 12/20/2010

My youngest is 7 months and got his flu shot. I have 3 older kids in school so I felt he should have it.

Bonnie - posted on 12/20/2010

Ahhhh Marina, it is terrible. I was sick 3 weeks ago and then just got sick again, but worse this time, and it lasted about a week. Just got over it. It's ridiculous.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 12/20/2010

Right Bonnie, same goes in our house! My son was NEVER EVER sick before he started pre-school..not so much anymore. They need to find a cure for the damn common cold...cold fusion *check* common cold...scientist are still scratching their butts on that one!

Sharon - posted on 12/20/2010

We didn't give the babies flu shots. WE got flu shots. The adults and older children in school.

IF my babies had been exposed to other kids, the general public etc, we would have gotten them the flu shot.

Bonnie - posted on 12/20/2010

Dana M, I was the same way as you are. My older son, up until he was 3 or so, never had anything much other than the sniffles. Now he is in school and although I am not sure if all the sicknesses are from school, but he has been sick 3 or 4 times since September and it has been passed around the household the same number of times as well ugh. No amount of Lysol or handwashing seems to do the trick.

Chatty - posted on 12/20/2010

Unless you think they're a serious risk, **I** wouldn't!

Vicki - posted on 12/20/2010

thanks. my problem is my gut really isn't telling me much on this one!

Chatty - posted on 12/20/2010

Haha, I was just thinking that I should elaborate....



I've just never felt the need. Our family is pretty healthy and in 27 months Roxanne has had a few sniffles and one stomach flu, but besides that she's never really been sick. I guess my thinking is, unless you're high risk or in a high risk setting, there's not really any need. My opinion is just based off my personal experience and my experience growing up. I would never judge anyone for having the shot. I agree with whoever told you to trust your gut. I'm a firm believer......Oh, and.....in our specific situation, everyone in my family that is high risk (my mom for instance is a lab assistant and works with ill people all day taking blood) gets the flu shot to help protect Roxanne. To me, the flu is different than the immunizing for serious disease. The flu can be inconvenient but it also builds immunity everytime they get sick as a child. I dunno....



Hope that helps....I don't really have a better answer for you.



Edited to add: until Roxanne is in school and I can't control who she's in contact with I probably won't get her the shot. I'm not even sure that I will then.

Vicki - posted on 12/20/2010

hey Dana...how come?

Vicki - posted on 12/20/2010

thanks everyone. definitely gotta do some more thinking but some of these stories are definitely giving me stuff to ponder. both babies were premies and my son was in the nicu but not for long and just for size BUT he is definitely more sensitive than his sister and does take longer to get over stuff. right now we've been battling fevers and everything for what seems like f o r e v e r. and when I got it it was so hard to care for them. at first I figured I'd just get it myself but now am not so sure. they were only born early by 5 weeks but because it was winter they were given every other month I think some shot for their lungs (preventative, can't remember name but common). and it was during H1N1 so I was ok with it. guess I'll just ask the ped, although I know what his response will be. shit...marina if I learn anything of value I'll message you. how fun, another thing to obsess over and waste time googling and reading random diff opinions on why it can kill your kid and why it can't.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 12/20/2010

Vicki, I'm confused about it too. My daughter is 8 months old, and I probably will get it done. She has more exposure becouse her big brother goes to school. In the past month and half, they have been sick 4 times! I have not fully decided, but if you do get it done, just make sure that your twins immune systems are not compramised by q cold or sniffles before you get it done. My son had a cold once when he got it...man he got worse! Good luck!

Chatty - posted on 12/20/2010

I wouldn't and have never got the flu shot for Roxanne. Immunizations are a different story.

Teresa - posted on 12/20/2010

We don't do flu shots anymore. My son and I have never and will never get it. My girls got it a handful of times, but now that I will never be pregnant or have a young baby around... no more flu shots.

I'm not THAT informed on it either, but it's not something I am comfortable with doing. It's not a guarantee and there are always other flu strains around that the shot doesn't have included.

Sharon - posted on 12/20/2010

When my younger son was 6 months old the whole family got the flu. TWO MONTHS of living hell followed by 2 more months of trying to pull ourselves together. The whole family came down with the flu in the same week.

We weren't able to eat properly, clean properly or rest properly. The kids got better faster. EXCEPT the baby. he was 6 months old. We didn't notice that he wasn't getting better as fast as the other boys until the repeated fevers on our chart kept showing up. Plus his cough.

Off we went to the doctors office... He had pneumonia. Do you have any idea how devastating pneumonia is a baby? Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to live through that? Do you know what its like to wrestle the nebulizing face mask on and hold it on for the breathing treatments?

it wasn't a one parent thing either. Both of us had to be there. My husband got better faster than I did. I dragged on until summer and didn't feel great for a really long time.

I have NEVER been laid out like that by any virus or disease. not even the turkish trots did that to us.

Rosie - posted on 12/20/2010

i'm pretty adamant about getting my children and myself flu shots. the one year that only my middle boy got a flu shot, everybody else got it. my youngest i think he was 22 months at the time got it, and had to be hospitalized for dehydration. he spent almost a week in the hospital and i released him myself cause they were pissing me off (long story). anyhoo, i think it's good to try to avoid the flu as much as possible. i've had it twice and it blows goats, i can only imagine how little children can feel. poor babies.

Stifler's - posted on 12/20/2010

I got the flu shot one year, and that year is the only year I've missed out on having the flu for years!! I had it the year after too. I am wary of giving it to my son and my husband insists that his cousin always gets the flu after getting it so we fight about that all the time when flu shots come up.

Tracey - posted on 12/20/2010

Go with your gut instinct, you are Mum you know what is best for your babies.
I don't know about where you are but in UK the flu shot includes main strain, H1N1 and swine flu.

Vicki - posted on 12/20/2010

can they have it at 13 months (if not sick) and if they do should I expect them to get sick again?!

Caitlin - posted on 12/20/2010

My daughter can't get the shot - allergic. I probably should, because I have more chances of getting more sick from it (asthma) but the only 2 times i've had the flu, it's been stomach flu. I'll probably start getting them to protect my daughter.

Sara - posted on 12/20/2010

When I was a teenager, I nearly died of the flu. I have religiously had a flu shot every year since, and I have had one for my daugher since she was a baby as well. For me, I'm just not willing to take the risk that she could get seriously ill with the flu if it is preventable, and in my mind there's no good reason for her not to get the flu shot.



And flu shots usually cover more than just the main strain, they contain protection against three strains,one influenza A virus, one seasonal influenza A virus, and one influenza B virus. And they don't just willy nilly pick out strains to immunize against, it is based on surveillance-based forecasts about what viruses are most likely to cause illness in the coming season.