Parenting

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

"My Baby Will Get the Swine Flu Vaccine"

A CafeMom friend asked me the other day why the Daily Buzz is talking about the swine flu so much. Really good question! I had to think on that a bit.

It has nothing to do with being pro or con, but rather confusion over the mixed messages about the risks from the vaccine versus the illness itself. So, the more we talk it through and look at it from all angles, the greater the hope that we can figure out what works best for our own families and kids.

I think one CafeMom, owner of the Educate Before You Vaccinate group, summed it up best in her recent Healthy Living Buzz interview:

"Educate yourself and do the research before making any hasty decisions about getting the swine flu vaccine. Know the ingredients, know ALL the side effects, ask your doctor to see the package inserts from the vaccine box or ask to get a copy to take home and read. Don't get this vaccine before you are positive you can make a well-informed and well-educated decision about it."

One such mom we interviewed will vaccinate her 7 month old son as soon as her pediatrician's office receives shipment of the shot. Here's my talk with her:

Is your son healthy?

Yes, except he has gastric reflux and has had it since he was born. He has had a mild cold before, but that's it.

Why have you decided to have your baby immunized against swine flu?

I just got over the swine flu and was hospitalized for it. Plus seven people around where we live have died in the past week. All but two of them were children. 

At first it was a difficult decision because the vaccine is so new, but then I got the swine flu and saw how bad it was on me. I could not imagine putting my little one through that.

How did you come to your decision?

I have spoken to a number of pediatricians at my son's clinic, as well as the medical staff at the hospital. I also talked to the doctors at Baylor Medical Center about it. They said it was up to me, but in their opinion, since I caught the flu and I am my son's main caretaker, it would be in his best interest.

Are you worried at all? Any concerns?

I am concerned that it is so new and they aren't 100 percent sure of the side effects, but I know in my heart it has to be better than him being hospitalized with this flu. I do trust my pediatrician and believe she wouldn't advise me to get it unless she thought he needed it. And, in fact, he wasn't going to get it until I got the virus. At that point, it was a joint decision by me, his father, and doctor.

Find more great info in the Swine Flu Guide.

What is the deciding factor for you in either vaccinating or not vaccinating your baby against the swine flu?

Written by Cynthia Dermody for CafeMom's Baby Buzz


Related posts:

The Swine Flu Shot and My Kids

Did You Know This About the Swine Flu?

Syndication:

From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 57
  • Phoenix's Avatar
    Posted by Phoenix Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:48am PDT

    Way to go! Finally an article promoting the answer: educated consumerism, and discretionary decision making. Thanks!

    ~Peace

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  • ladylalalalalola's Avatar
    Posted by ladylalalalalola Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:28am PDT

    My daughter is 9 weeks old and can not get the vaccine. But I will deffinatly be getting it as I work on a college campus and deal with the public on a regular basis. I know that the all the side effects are still unknown but I will take that chance in order to keep my little one safe.

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  • miss my family's Avatar
    Posted by miss my family Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:47pm PDT

    Nope. No vaccinations. All I can't think of when I think of (most) vaccines is "Hmmm I MIGHT get sick with something so let me shove chemicals into my body that later on will probably cause me to get cancer or some other illness".

    I've heard of to many people getting seriously ill BECAUSE of the vaccines. Vaccines are just scare tactics to get our money and keep our mind off of what the government is doing. Anything they can use to distract and they will.

    So: no to the vaccine for me and anyone I'm in charge of. And I'm not going to help or encourage others to get it. In fact if they want my opinion they will find out I think it's a waste and dangerous.

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  • AM.'s Avatar
    Posted by AM. Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:06am PDT

    I spoke with my boss who is a physician and my son's pediatrician, both are very honest and I trust and both say it's safe. Not only that, but children have died from this illness. At the very least if I can prevent serious illness, I'm going to do it. As soon as our son is old enough, he's getting the shot and so are we. We'll take the very tiny risk associated with it to keep him safe.

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  • CiaoBella's Avatar
    Posted by CiaoBella Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:18am PDT

    my vaccine for regular flu was free....so i don't think this is a money thing...

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  • pretty much amazing's Avatar
    Posted by pretty much amazing Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:38pm PDT

    Miss my family is right!

    Are you crazy? They pulled this vaccine out of their butts in a hurry and are making a ton of money off of it. Did you know most vaccines contain mercury? Kids become retarded, lose their ability to walk, and suffer from insane disease due to vaccines. They can die. When these things happen, the doctor tells you it's normal. However, normal is not the same as safe. Sure, a brand new baby and the first chance you get you get toxins injected into his/her bloodstream. Way to go, mom.

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  • pretty much amazing's Avatar
    Posted by pretty much amazing Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:39pm PDT

    If you want to first hand horror stories, visit www.thinktwice.com

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  • sun2go's Avatar
    Posted by sun2go Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:17pm PDT

    No way I'm getting the vaccine. If the overwhelming majority of people who died had underlying health issues, that's no reason to get it when you're healthy. Everyone I know who's had this flu already are just fine. It hit them for a few days to a week and they were done. But the vaccine, if they had it, they would've been vaccinating people sooner. It was too quick, I don't trust that they're telling us everything, and I'll take my chances that if I do get it, it'll be no big deal compared to getting shot up with something I don't trust. They don't know if there are any long-term effects from this vaccine, and I'm not going to be a guinea pig, and I can't imagine being so fearful that I'd have my kid shot up. If your child is healthy without medical issues, don't let fear and paranoia guide you.

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  • F's Avatar
    Posted by F Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:17pm PDT

    This is a link to Dr. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaking about autism and vaccines. EVERY parent should watch this.

    http://revolutionarypolitics.com/?p=2764

    Swine flu vax is even more worrisome than the regular mercury in vaccines, as most brands will probably contain squalene. Novartis and GSK have squalene-based adjuvants and while N. is still actually waiting approval from the FDA, the government has gone ahead and bought $415 million worth of squalene adjuvant from N. and GSK. Squalene is a neuro-toxin so dangerous Federal Courts have ruled that it cannot be involuntarily given and it has never been used in a massive public vaccination before in the US. The military did use it in an Anthrax vax during the Gulf War, some Drs. feel it is the cause of the supposed "Gulf War Syndrome". So far, I have yet to see any studies showing it actually makes the vaccines more potent, which is the supposed reason for including it. So pretty experimental at this point.

    Also, the FDA has so far not completed any safety trials of swine flu vaxes on kids or pregnant women but still has gone ahead to recommend them to the general public.

    BTW, here's the full Simpsonwood Memo between the CDC and the Pharma industry Dr. Robert Kennedy, Jr. refers to: http://www.autismhelpforyou.com/HG%20IN%20VACCINES%20-%20Simpsonwood%20-%20Internet%20File.pdf

    My personal fav quote: "My gut feeling? It worries me enough. Forgive this personal comment, but I got called out a eight o'clock for an emergency call and my daughter-in-law delivered a son by C-section. Our first male in the line of the next generation, and I DO NOT WANT THAT GRANDSON TO GET A THIMEROSAL CONTAINING VACCINE until we know better what is going on. It will probably take a long time. In the meantime, and I know there are probably implications for this internationally, but in the meantime I think I want that grandson to only be given Thimerosal-free vaccines." Dr. Johnson, pg. 198.

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