Swine and Seasonal Vaccines for 6 Mo. Old and Parents

First of all, I've never got any flu vaccines for myself or my 19 mo old, and I'm 7 mos pregnant now. The seasonal vaccine is probably safe since its been around for a while. The swine flu vaccine is newer. The last time swine flu broke out was 1976, 1 person died from the flu itself and 25 people died from the vaccine, which was not adequately field tested. Most people will say, well that was 30 years ago, its better now. Truth is, you should be wary when the government and the drug companies are working together and tryin to scare the public into getting vaccines. The more drugs and vaccines that are made and distributed, the more money the companies get, just think about the hard economic times right now and what the true motives are out there. Gardasil was being pushed on teenage girls across the country, it was even mandated in Texas, until serious side effects emerged. Research Gardasil on the internet, you'll realize you're not seeing those "one less" commercials anymore.

I've been gappling with this one myself! I'm wondering what other Moms think. I have given the seasonal flu vaccine to my kids but not bothered for myself. I don't know what to do about the swine flu vaccine.

Here is some good info on why not to get the flu shot. I have 2 boys... 3 years and 3 months and they will NEVER get a flu shot.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/1...

Personally, I don't agree with flu shots for adults and children. I refuse them all the time for my son and myself.

My advice would be, to simply follow your motherly instincts. If there's anything inside you telling you they aren't right for you and/or your family...go with it. Trust yourself...you know more than you think you do. :)

www.daniellewrites.webs.com

Our pediatrician suggested that we NOT get the H1N1 flu shot for our 2 year old because of the newness of the vaccine. This is a pediatrician who is very supportive of getting vaccines.
I will possibly get it for myself and will get the flu shot as well, but she won't be receiving that shot either. She is not in daycare and isn't around a lot of other children so I feel okay with this. Good luck in whatever decision you make.

You should definitely get vaccinated for you and your baby. Thousands of people die each year from the flu - thousands do not die from flu vaccines. The risk of a 6 month old dying from H1N1 or regular flu is much higher than anything a flu vaccine is going to do.

I'm not doing it. You get a vaccine for one thing, and then another strain of flu sweeps through the area. Not to mention side effects that happen a lot.

My family has not been sick for at all with anything (no colds, no flu, no allergies, nothing - and I used to get bronchitis 3-4 times a year) since we started boosting our immune systems with the best nutrition out there. My friends with 4 and 5 kids tell me that their children have not missed one day of school since they have been on the same products. These are patented products (therefore unique, safe and effective) in balanced, liquid form, made here in the US under strict quality control. They are safe for infants and pregnant moms, and the elderly, and everyone in between.

I'd be happy to give you more info if you are interested.

Good luck with your decision!

My kids have already had their seasonal flu shot and I will get the H1N1 shot first, then they will get it after. Flu in general is nothing to sneeze at (pun intended), and it is pretty foolish to avoid taking a vaccine that is available that can prevent or lessen the severity of probably exposure and illness. Check out the CDC website for more information, as recommendations are still being updated. Handwashing and reducing the spread of contaminants is key, but you can't count on everyone to behave. The kids are especially vunerable since they are petri dishes, and are apt to share snot. The flu shot may may you achy, but does not get you sick. The side of effects of the flu are worse than the shot. I am an ED nurse, and we are already seeing cases of flu (H1N1, and other combos so, so far it is not all just swine flu). Check in with CDC to get the facts.

If you do decide to get it get the one without mercery (thimerisal). mercury free shots will be in single dose pre-filled syringes. The Flu that is going around right now is the H1N1 flu not the regular flu, which usually outbreaks around Nov. or Dec. but the h1n1 vaccine isn't out yet. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do either, but if we do get the shots, some people recommend getting them a month apart. We did get the regular flu shot last year when my son was 1 and half.

I didn't get the flu shot for my son (he was 6 months at flu season, too) for the first year, but I got one (I am asthmatic and have to get it every year; if I get the flu I'd likely be so sick and unable to care for two toddlers). When I had my daughter two years later, we all got the vaccine because my son was in preschool and bringing every virus right home.

If he is not in daycare or other child programs, you may be OK passing on the flu shot for your son this year; however, I would encourage you (and anyone in close regular contact with your son) to get the vaccine to avoid bringing it home.

As for the H1N1 vaccine-- I'm still worried about the efficacy and side effects from that. But the risk is real-- our elementary school was shut down early for the summer this year because of a massive outbreak and one of my neighbor's daughters was quarantined for SEVEN DAYS. Scary.

You are assuming that getting the vaccine would be effective. Many people get vaccinated and get sick anyway! The flu vax is one of the least effective of all, with some of the scariest toxin levels. NOT worth it. Did you know that Dr. Oz, of Oprah fame, isn't even getting it for his own wife and kids? That should tell you something. Also, the government has suspended the usual limit on mercury levels as a special exception for this vaccine - it's insane. The mercury isn't the only issue, either...don't subject yourself OR your baby to it. Who would take care of your baby if you are killed or seriously injured by the vaccine? Not the government, since they have put in place rules that the drug companies can't be sued if you are injured or killed by this vaccine. Good for you for thinking about it...follow your mommy instinct and don't let the medical community bully you! Feel free to private message me if you want to talk more about this.

Keep in mind if you choose for your baby to get both seasonal and swine flu vax that she will need 4 and they don't really know what the effects of a person getting 4 flu shots are bc no one ever has had 4 in one year. Another thing about swine flu vax is that the product insert states that its safety and effectiveness haven't been tested so they don't know if its safe or if it works they only assume it will bc it is made the same way as the seasonal flu shot and that right there was reason enough for me not to get it for my kids bc if they have a bad side effect there is absolutely nothing you can do about it plus our ped, pulm, allergist, my dr, and dh's dr all say the seasonal flu shot is enough.

On the seasonal flu vax we always get it for a few reasons our oldest is high risk bc he has asthma and my parents are both high risk bc of health problems and we have never had any side effects other then a sore arm. My arm was really bad when I got in 06 but that's bc I worked a double at the nursing home that night.

Keep in mind when making your decision that although seasonal flu shot does not protect against the swine flu it does protect against one strain of type A H1N1.

The most important thing for infants, children, and pregnant women is to MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING A MERCURY-FREE FLU VACCINE. Here is a list of this year’s available flu vaccines with updated info on mercury content:

FLUZONE shot

This is the only brand approved for all age ranges, from young infants to adults. It comes in four different formulations:
Pre-filled syringe for infants 6 through 35 months (contains ½ dose) – NO mercury.
Pre-filled syringe for children 3 years and older and adults – NO mercury.
Single-dose vial for children 3 years and older and adults – NO mercury.
Multi-dose vial for infants 6 months and older, children and adults – contains the full dose of mercury (25 mcg of thimerosal). Infants 6 thru 35 months would get a ½ dose of this form, all others would get a full dose.

FLUZONE is the only brand of flu shot approved for young infants and toddlers. BEWARE – the multi-dose vial has the full dose of mercury. You have to make sure you are getting a single-dose pre-filled syringe or vial, NOT the multi-dose vial to avoid mercury.

FLUMIST nasal spray

An alternative to the flu SHOT for young children is the FLUMIST nasal spray. There is no mercury in this formulation. It is approved for children 2 years and older and adults through age 49.

FLUVIRIN shot

This shot is approved for children 4 years and older and adults. It comes in two formulations:
Pre-filled syringe – has a trace of mercury (see below)
Multi-dose vial – has the full dose of mercury

FLUARIX shot

This is only for adults 18 years and older. It only comes as a pre-filled syringe with NO mercury (this is new this year: in past years, there was a trace of mercury).

FLULAVAL shot

This is only for adults 18 years and older. It only comes as a multi-dose vial with the full dose of mercury.

AFLURIA shot

This is only for adults 18 years and older. It has two formulations:
Pre-filled syringe with no mercury
Multi-dose vial with the full dose of mercury

This is interesting:

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/333/7574/912.pdf

It says:

In children under 2 years inactivated vaccines had the same field efficacy as placebo,8 and in healthy people under 65 vaccination did not affect hospital stay, time off work, or death from influenza and its complications.9

More info here:
http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/vaccine-efficacy-how-...
with some more good reference links.

We're not getting either vaccine (adult or for our 19 mo).

Instead we're washing hand with soap and water, using sensitive baby wipes if no water but not using antibacterial anything, eating as well as we can, taking high vitamin cod liver oil for Vitamin D, and I have a medicine cabinet at the ready with homeopathic remedies, herbs and vitamins.

Death rates from the flu this year are low (death rates from *complications* from the flu still exist, there's a difference). But you have to feel comfortable with the health choice you make. Good luck, we're betting on the strength of our immune system and treating any illness appropriately!

Reply off line if you'd like more info.

I am torn too! They are very skeptical about the H1N1 shot. I do not think we are going to be getting it. To many bad things in it. It is scary. Try to keep your hands washed and when u go out in public make sure you disinfect carriges etc. Talk to your pediatrician, hopefull they will have some good advice.

M.

Working From home and loving it!
SAHM of three!

Hi,
I am also struggling with that same decision. My feeling is if you are socializing your baby with large indoor playgroups or the baby is in daycare, then it may be better to vaccinate against the flu. I was a stay at home mom with my daughter her first year and didn't vaccinate her but I got a flu vaccine for myself. She wasn't around large groups of children then. This year (she is 15 months) she is involved in play groups which are indoors and rather large 10+ kids at a time) I will be vaccinating her for the flu but not H1N1 since it is still too new and was thrown together very quickly. I hope this helps your decision... it's not an easy one. Good luck, M.

Hi, I just want to clear something up, as my sister is a NP and has educated me on the H1N1 vaccine. Yes it is a new vaccine strain, BUT it is Not new in the sense that the vaccine is made exactly as the regular flu vaccine, and every other, it is just a new STRAIN, so it is just as safe as the regular flu vaccine.
I too have never recieved a flu shot, nor has my daughter who is 6. But I can say this yr I will be getting the flu shot and as soon as the H1N1 vaccine is available to me I will be getting that for my daughter especially. I just saw on the new 19 deaths in children in 1 week, from the H1N1, and none of them had ANY other health problems. A little girl my daughters age went to the hospital with a high fever tested postive for H1N1, and 3 days later was gone. What happens is the virus attacks, and even in the hospital their is little they can do besides try and bring the fever down, and give fluids, the virus causes the oygen in the blood to drop which then causes organ failure and once the organs start to fail their is nithing they can do. They are saying the H1N1 is affecting children worse than adults. I am not taking any chances. The benefits of the vaccine highly out way the risks. When it comes to children in school you can teach hand washing a million times their is only so much you can prevent, but kids spread germs that is a fact, and I just think everyone would be doing their child a great benefit to vaccinate. Just know the vaccine is NOT NEW, just the strain. It is made EXACTLY like the seasonal flu vaccine. I know so many people who have fallen into these beliefs that vaccines are no good. As my sister points out, our parents were vaccinated, we were vaccinated, we should do the same. All I know is after seeing that mother of a 6 yr old little girl, I thought oh my this is very serious, and I will do anything to protect my daughter from this.

I don't have any scientific explanation or anything, but we are all getting the seasonal flu shot but not the swine flu shot. My baby will also be 6 months old and I don't plan to give her the swine flu shot, just the seasonal flu. I have heard a lot more negative things about the swine flu shot and how they've rushed the testing to get it out and available....I guess I just don't trust it. My 3 and 2 yr old daughters aren't getting it either, just the seasonal flu shot for them as well. My oldest is in preschool, so that's why we're getting the seasonal one. Whatever you decide is best for you guys is really what's best. good luck deciding. i suppose there's no WRONG decision....it's your baby. This is just what I decided for our kids.