The swine flu shot and my kids

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  Posted by nonotinthere Tue Oct 6, 2009 8:45pm PDT

  Well at first I thought no h1n1 shot for me or the kids( we have never got the seasonal 1 either) because the ones that died all seemed to have underlying something or another but after a quick trip to wikipedia and finding out that this virus cause the ones with strong immune systems to create enough of some fluid that only strong immune systems can make enough to drown ya or somethng phnuemonia bla bla I want my kids to get it but worry that 4 years from now getting this shot will have caused ?????????? something new and more scary?

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  Posted by Brian Wed Oct 7, 2009 7:38am PDT

  As a medical practitioner I receive many questions regarding the H1N1 vaccine. First off, while I applaud the efforts by the CDC and WHO to encourage patients to receive the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available, I have some reservations regarding their recommendation. The virulence (or infective ability) of the H1N1 virus has substantially decreased since the large outbreak in Mexico. Additionally, the morbidity and mortality the virus itself has now been shown to be similar to that of the existing Influenza A/B strains.

  So you may be wondering why the media and others have been placing so much emphasis on this virus? One of many probable reasons may be due to the initial infective ability of this virus and the the possibility of a potential pandemic associated with it. Also, even though many think it taboo to address this issue...the media, vaccine manufacturers, and yes even health care systems will benefit financially from mass immunizations. The concept of "herd immunity" also comes to mind with mass immunization. Herd immunity is the concept that if the masses develop immunity, the less likely that those not vaccinated will develop illness. Herd immunity is a good thing.

  So why might some like myself, within' the healthcare community have reservations about administering the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available? First- vaccine administration is not without risk. Most providers (as is the norm) will tell you that the vaccines are totally safe and that those who don't believe their mantra are just not educated regarding the facts about immunization. What I like to ask is where is the data to prove such thinking? Often we become so overwhelmed in todays healthcare system that it is easy forget to become objective about our recommendations- especially when the CDC, WHO, and other infectious disease specialists are echoing each other. The very data used to assess the continued safety of vaccinations and base such recommendations is flawed. The Vaccine Accident Incident Reporting System (VAIRS) data used to monitor safety is notoriously underreported to.

  All in all, the prior H1N1 vaccine was associated with large rates of GBS neurologic disease, and numerous autoimmune problems, partially because the great rush to get the vaccine through clinical trials. Please do yourself a huge favor, to the providers...think objective, to the patients please take responsibility for your own health. Ask your provider about the data, ask them if they have ever filed a VAIRS claim, ask yourself if you can wash your hands, cover your mouth when you sneeze, and take general preventative steps instead of vaccination. Thank you and sorry for all of the grammatical errors.

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  Posted by Tara Wed Oct 7, 2009 8:06am PDT

  Dr Anderson, Thank you for the info, you have answered some questions that I have and have made me feel comfortable asking more questions when I take my children to the pediatrician. I think sometimes we trust too easily and are pressured to make decisions we are unsure about.

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  Posted by impatientmom Wed Oct 7, 2009 2:41pm PDT

  The GOOD News is our son is scheduled to get his swine flu vaccine on October 14th. The BAD News, his latest illness MIGHT BE H1N1! He's was born at 29 weeks weighing A POUND AND A HALF, with numerous medical issues. His WORST symptom has been a fever of 104 on Saturday!!!!!

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  Posted by miss my family Wed Oct 7, 2009 3:37pm PDT

  Nope I wouldn't give my kids any of these vaccines. The reason why? Because most of these vaccines aren't checked completely and I'm tired of them giving all these shots and medications and then a couple years down the road you find it causes cancer/gives you other illnesses. It just doesn't make any sense to me: I might get sick so I'm going to pump a bunch of things into my body that I don't know what they are or how it'll effect me later in life.

  Most vaccines I don't agree with and will not get my children any of the ones that I don't think they need.

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  Posted by DamarisA Wed Oct 7, 2009 9:35pm PDT

  After my daughter received her routine 4 year vaccines, she was a mess. The Dr's all said it could not have been vaccinations, but I disagree. After doing much research, and alot of it does contradict one another, I found that I will not be vaccinated for everything. I am pregnant now and the Dr wants me to get both flu and H1N1 vaccines. I will not. I kinda wish I had never gotten my kids vaccinated to begin with, they just aren't the same. But I'm sure that's another topic.

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  Posted by Mammina Thu Oct 8, 2009 6:40am PDT

  I don't know what to do. My daughter just had a common cold and right now ended with a terrible chest infection. I even had to take her to ER for oxygen. I m terrified what H1/N1 will do to her if she catches it.

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  Posted by grlgeorge Thu Oct 8, 2009 10:38am PDT

  I make my daughter carry hand sanitizer to school. we bought a bigger bottle, and re-fill hers every week. yes she uses it between each class.

  I was my hand at work.

  we avoid people we know are sick.

  we covers our mouths when we cough with a tissue, or our sleeve.

  we talk about avoiding putting our hands on our face. and practice it.

  we are doing everything we can to protect ourselves. I do not believe in getting a shot every time someone somewhere gets scared about something.

  look at what happened with the gardisal (sp?) everyone was sooo hyped about getting it, and getting your daughter with it, and now look, they are saying not to get your daughter shot, cause of bad side effects they didn't know about before.

  hmpf. imagine that.

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  Posted by vaccinesRtoxic Thu Oct 8, 2009 6:32pm PDT

  I am a health care worker, and I will not be having my children get the vaccine. Vaccines are so dangerous, and it's good to see that more and more people are educating themselves and declining vaccines for their children. The toxic ingredients in vaccines wreck havoc on our immune systems, neurological systems etc... www.educatebeforeyouvaccinate.com has so much informations regarding vaccines.

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  Posted by Kay2135 Thu Oct 8, 2009 7:42pm PDT

  I am disappointed in the responses of health care professionals. Your reservations on the H1N1 vaccine may be well-founded for any number of reasons, but such expansive language and sweeping declarations about vaccines risks convincing parents that all vaccines are bad. And I don't care what Jenny McCarthy says, that simply isn't the case. No study has shown a link between autism and vaccines. And a lot of people have been looking, for a long time now. Please don't overlook the fact that vaccinations protect children - everyone's children - from diseases that can cause lasting effects and even death. Take measles as an example. In the last two years, there have been measles outbreaks in at least 15 states, spread through unvaccinated children and immigrants from countries that do not vaccinate. We forget that measles is not just bad chicken pox. In addition to being extremely unpleasant for your children, measles kills 250,000 children around the world every year and the high fever can cause lasting neurological damage. I appreciate that the loudest voices in recent years have said some very scary things about side effects no parent wants to face, but being the loudest or the scariest shouldn't substitute for peer-reviewed scholarship and studies.

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