H1N1 shot, flu shots, vaccines, etc...

Sara - posted on 09/21/2009

1. I don't know about the H1N1 shot. My mom is a nurse and has said that my daughter and my husband and I need to get one. I am going to have a serious discussion with my pediatrian and my regular doctor about this, then decide. I won't lie, the newness of the vaccine freaks me out a little for my daughter.



2. I will be getting a regular flu shot, as will my husband and daughter. I contracted the flu when I was 16 and nearly died, it was awful. I have gotten a flu shot every year since (15 years) and have not gotten the flu since. My daughter is in daycare, so I think it's really important to get the flu shot for her.



3. Vaccines in general I feel are VERY important. I think that no matter how they are administered (on schedule or on an alternative schedule) that it is a public health issue and all children and adults need to be vaccinated. I don't buy into this crap where people say it's their personal choice. Sure, by law it is, but if you chose not to get your child vaccinated, that puts my child at risk and it is not longer a personal choice!

Lindsay - posted on 09/20/2009

1. We are still debating the H1N1. There has been a confirmed case at Madeline and Cooper's school and several in our community. Like Diana said, we always emphasize good hygene and hand washing but I'm not sure if it's enough or not.

2. Josh, Madeline, Cooper, and I will all recieve regular flu shots this year as we do each year. Even though we may not be in a high risk category, I'll do all I can to keep us from getting it.

3. We have followed the CDC recommendations for all shots and the kids have done well with them. I haven't seen any concrete evidence to make me take the risk of not getting them! =)

Holly - posted on 09/20/2009

thanks for the info Jennifer!

Diana - posted on 09/20/2009

1. We're still deciding whether or not we will get the H1N1 vaccine. I haven't seen a whole lot about it yet. However, I work at a public university which has 43 confirmed cases so far, and my husband is a manager at a McDonald's in a county where there have been over 100 confirmed cases. We both wash our hands thoroughly and change clothes before holding my son, who is a 5 1/2 mont old preemie (3 1/2 adjusted), but I'm not sure that's enough.

2. I doubt my husband or I will get the flu vaccine, but I'm sure my son will. We were encouraged by his neonatologist to get the flu shot for him, as his immune system is still developing. However, my husband and I both have high immune systems, so I doubt we will get one.

3. Briefly-I have never seen conclusive evidence that vaccines are harmful. Autism is a relatively new diagnosis, and the criteria for its diagnosis is an ever-changing checklist, not a conclusive test. Children often outgrow the behaviors that are used to diagnose them. Also, I don't think I can say how dangerous the diseases the vaccines prevent are or explain how our children are still at risk of contracting them better than Sharon just did. So...My son has been and is getting his shots on time, according to the CDC recommendations.

Jenifer - posted on 09/20/2009

Quoting Katherine:

Did they not say it contained mercury?  I have always had the shot and so has my 4 year old.  I've just heard horrible things about the content in this shot, any links I can go to that you know of to get more info?

Some of the shots do contain thimerosal, but the pediatric versions do not. You can ask for a thimerosal free version. It isn't something I worried about for myself though, since thimerosal is easily metabolized and excreted, and doesn't have any long-term health consequences related to it. The FDA pages for the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines have links to the clinical trial info as well as the package inserts (with ingredient info):

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccine...

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccine...

Katherine - posted on 09/20/2009

Quoting Sharon:

1. Are you going to get your kids the H1N1 shot? Why or why not?

We aren't in the target group for the H1N1. So its doubtful. But if it were available, yes I would. Why? Because unlike the old swine flu vaccine this vaccine is made the same way the current flu/influenza vaccines are made and is unlikely to wreak the havoc the old one did with the ending tragedy of that poorly designed vaccine.

2. Are you and your family getting the flu shot? Why or why not?

I think that this year we will. We don't usually because our little town is sort of isolated and flu cases are insignificant. But I'm hoping for a bit of a bump up in our immune systems for fighting off the H1N1 in case it does come here.

3. Do you agree with vaccinations? A lot of people that don't agree with the standard vaccinations for children also do not get the flu shot (any version). Are you one of those people? WHy or why not?

I agree with vaccinations. We are all immunised. My kids were immunised on a modified shot schedule. Meaning longer stretches in between shots and individual shots, when we could, instead of multi shots.

Why? Because polio is NOT extinct. Mumps, measels and whooping cough are on the rebound and there have been several cases nearby. We live on the border of mexico. Identification down there is based on "yes yes this is my cousin consuela, here is her shot record.." and across the border to the US for a day of cleaning houses comes "consuela". She can be a carrier for any number of diseases, she will expose them to my neighbors, who expose them to their kids, who then play with my kids. If my kids are vaccinated, then no harm.

In major cities - people face the same issue and don't even realize it. That cab you're using? An ethiopian was just in there, he was talking to his sister before he left and she was recently exposed to polio... he's carrying it and doesn't know it... You're at the airport to pick up grandma, that good looking swedish guy just came from doing gods' work in a refugee camp where half the people there were diseased because of the unsanitary conditions....

yeah we get our shots.

I have gotten my kids all of their vaccinations, don't get me wrong I'm just very dubious about this particular one.

Sharon - posted on 09/20/2009

1. Are you going to get your kids the H1N1 shot? Why or why not?



We aren't in the target group for the H1N1. So its doubtful. But if it were available, yes I would. Why? Because unlike the old swine flu vaccine this vaccine is made the same way the current flu/influenza vaccines are made and is unlikely to wreak the havoc the old one did with the ending tragedy of that poorly designed vaccine.



2. Are you and your family getting the flu shot? Why or why not?



I think that this year we will. We don't usually because our little town is sort of isolated and flu cases are insignificant. But I'm hoping for a bit of a bump up in our immune systems for fighting off the H1N1 in case it does come here.



3. Do you agree with vaccinations? A lot of people that don't agree with the standard vaccinations for children also do not get the flu shot (any version). Are you one of those people? WHy or why not?



I agree with vaccinations. We are all immunised. My kids were immunised on a modified shot schedule. Meaning longer stretches in between shots and individual shots, when we could, instead of multi shots.



Why? Because polio is NOT extinct. Mumps, measels and whooping cough are on the rebound and there have been several cases nearby. We live on the border of mexico. Identification down there is based on "yes yes this is my cousin consuela, here is her shot record.." and across the border to the US for a day of cleaning houses comes "consuela". She can be a carrier for any number of diseases, she will expose them to my neighbors, who expose them to their kids, who then play with my kids. If my kids are vaccinated, then no harm.



In major cities - people face the same issue and don't even realize it. That cab you're using? An ethiopian was just in there, he was talking to his sister before he left and she was recently exposed to polio... he's carrying it and doesn't know it... You're at the airport to pick up grandma, that good looking swedish guy just came from doing gods' work in a refugee camp where half the people there were diseased because of the unsanitary conditions....



yeah we get our shots.

Katherine - posted on 09/20/2009

Quoting Jenifer:

1. Based on the current information, we'll all be getting the H1N1 shot. It has been tested in exactly the same way that the seasonal flu vaccine is tested, and is formulated almost exactly the same way. I don't worry about its safety. My husband and I work at a large university and our son is in daycare, so we're exposed to a lot of viruses.

2. We all got the seasonal flu vaccine already this year. Again, I'm satisfied with the testing and with its effectiveness. The formulation is usually a pretty good match for the flu strains circulating. While the seasonal flu is not very active right at the moment, we really don't know how the situation will evolve as we go through the winter. I'm happy to get the vaccine immunity just in case, because the risks of the shot are negligible.

3. I know we've talked vaccines here before, so I'll just say that we follow the CDC recommendations. I keep current with the research, and have no concerns about the safety of the recommended schedule. I see value in making sure my son gets the vaccines as early as possible - both for his own health as well as public health.

Did they not say it contained mercury?  I have always had the shot and so has my 4 year old.  I've just heard horrible things about the content in this shot, any links I can go to that you know of to get more info?

Holly - posted on 09/20/2009

Oh, I know you weren't trying to dismiss it! Don't worry! I figured it had been discussed already and from the various people I know who have all kinds of opinions (and are very strong about those opinions) that it can be a very heated issue. The only reason I even put #3 in there was because I was curious as to how many people agree with the vaccinations and the flu shots, or vice versa, or anything in between! If people would rather not discuss how they feel about vaccines that's totally fine! I understand completely :D

Jenifer - posted on 09/20/2009

Holly, I wasn't meaning to dismiss your question - just that I was keeping it brief because this discussion has been a 'hot button' in the past. As for the flu shot, generally speaking, I feel less strongly about it than I do about other vaccines on the schedule, because the efficacy is typically lower due to mutation of the virus, and the fact that children aren't necessarily at highest risk. But the fact is that some 30,000 people in the US still die from it and a lot more require hospitalization. I see getting the vaccine as the socially responsible thing to do protect those who are more at risk by reducing the circulation. And even if I'm not likely to die from the flu, it is still miserable and I don't particularly want to catch it.

Holly - posted on 09/20/2009

i didn't know that vaccines had already been discussed here (sorry - i looked back 2 pages and didn't see a discussion on it). if you all would rather not answer that part since it's been discussed (at length probably knowing you all!) that's cool. i was mostly curious about the flu shot and such. :)

. - posted on 09/20/2009

1. No my son is only 15 months and step daughter lives with her mother (so who knows).

2. No we won't be. My partner recieved the Flu shot last year ended up getting sick after having it.

A few years ago they brough out a Meningococcal immunisation in New Zealand and you had to have three injections over a certain period of time. I recieved it (we had something like a outbreak here) but it ended up being a waste of money and time as it did nothing.



3. I do believe in vaccines, the next time my son needs to be immunised, I won't be allowing him to have more then 1 as the last time he had 3 and that was horrible to sit through.

Jodi - posted on 09/19/2009

You know, I don't know too many people who ever get the flu shot here in Australia. My grandmother does, but she is high risk (91 years old). My in-laws do, but again, they are elderly. I don't know anyone who gives flu shots to their kids.



So short answer, none of us will be getting it. We're all healthy and none of us in high risk groups, so I figure the chances of any of us getting severely ill with swine flu is next to nil.

Johnny - posted on 09/19/2009

1. My daughter and I will not be getting the H1N1 shot, my husband is undecided. I feel it is too new and many of the public health officials here continue to reiterate that the H1N1 is far less virulent and much weaker than the regular flu. I feel given that information, the shot is a greater risk than the flu. I will re-evaluate if the information changes before the shots come out

2. My husband and I get the flu shot every year. My daughter was too young last year, and we will not be giving it to her this year. We will as soon as she starts group activities or daycare.

3. I do agree with vaccines but stance is quite similar to Holly's. I find they give too many at one time. We have set up our own schedule that we are happy with. We also will not be giving my daughter the chicken pox vaccine because there is increasing evidence that it actually may be increasing the rates of shingles, which is far more serious than the chicken pox.

Jocelyn - posted on 09/19/2009

1) Nope, the main reason being it is just too new for me to trust and the second reason being that I really don't see the need for it (see answer for number 2 as well).
2) I have never gotten a flu shot in my life, neither has my hubby. So needless to say, neither has my son. I think that it is unnecessary. I am also a strict vegetarian and try to stay away from all meds that have an animal base of any sorts.
3) And I agree completely with Holly's answer to this question!

Jenifer - posted on 09/19/2009

1. Based on the current information, we'll all be getting the H1N1 shot. It has been tested in exactly the same way that the seasonal flu vaccine is tested, and is formulated almost exactly the same way. I don't worry about its safety. My husband and I work at a large university and our son is in daycare, so we're exposed to a lot of viruses.



2. We all got the seasonal flu vaccine already this year. Again, I'm satisfied with the testing and with its effectiveness. The formulation is usually a pretty good match for the flu strains circulating. While the seasonal flu is not very active right at the moment, we really don't know how the situation will evolve as we go through the winter. I'm happy to get the vaccine immunity just in case, because the risks of the shot are negligible.



3. I know we've talked vaccines here before, so I'll just say that we follow the CDC recommendations. I keep current with the research, and have no concerns about the safety of the recommended schedule. I see value in making sure my son gets the vaccines as early as possible - both for his own health as well as public health.