Like many moms, still undecided about the H1N1 vaccine
by sain
About 2,400 doses of the H1N1 flu vaccine arrived in town today and were shipped off to local pediatricians who will administer the first nasal mists to children ages 2 to 4.
I, like many parents, have yet to decide if my boys — ages 2 and 4 — will be among those kids who get the vaccine. I do, however, know that they won’t be getting ones that came off the truck this morning.
My older son got the seasonal nasal spray about two weeks ago, and, since children must wait at least 28 days after receiving the FluMist before getting the H1N1 version, he’s not eligible.
My younger son, who had an ear infection and was suffering from allergies at the time, did not receive the seasonal vaccine when his brother did. His pediatrician just didn’t feel comfortable giving him a live virus when he was feeling under the weather. Since my little boy ran a high fever for two days this weekend, I’m willing to bet she wouldn’t be comfortable giving him the H1N1 vaccine so soon.
So there we go, the decision — one that I will have to make eventually — is out of my hands for now.
So far, 76 children have died in the U.S. from the new virus. While that number means that deaths among children nationwide are rare, that probably isn’t much consolation to the parents who have lost a son or daughter.
Would I do anything to protect my boys from suffering from this potentially deadly strain of the flu? Of course. But am I scared of some of what I’ve read about the vaccine? Of course. I feel like I’m in a damned-if-I-do, damned-if-I-don’t position, and that’s never the position a parent wants to be in when making a decision about their children.
And the stakes are even higher still. I have to decide if by not vaccinating my boys against the seasonal and H1N1 flus, I’m putting myself and my unborn son at a risk as well. According to the CDC, pregnant women are more vulnerable to the H1N1 flu. My own midwife told me her office has had to hospitalize a handful of mothers-to-be with symptoms that turned serious very quickly.
With so much to consider, it’s enough to make this mom worried sick.
There is a much higher risk of dying from a car accident each day that we put our children in a car to travel than from the risk factors of getting any flu vaccine. If a parent isn’t conflicted about putting their child in a car to travel, they shouldn’t have a conflict giving them a flu vaccination. The vaccine risk is much, much, much lower.
by Ken
These vaccines are worth getting. Some may be worried when they hear “live virus” (which is true only for the nasal version), but the live virus has been essentially neutralized to prevent infection. You get the protective immune response without the actual infection.
by Matt
The choice is between virtually no risk and low risk. Flu vaccines have been tested and found reliably safe for 30+ years. Yes, there are stories of people having heart attacks or other events after being vaccinated, but research places them in the same category as peope wh have car crashes or who have pianos fall on their heads after being vaccinated.
Here’s a way to understand risk. If a 20-year old person begins today to smoke a pack cigarattes every day, chances are 1 in 3 that in 30 years the person will have terminal lung disease. In other words, the odds are 2 of 3 that the person WILL NOT have terminal lung disease. Is that an acceptable risk.
1. If your boys are vaccinated, they likely will have no flu problems.
2. If your boys are not vaccinated, there is a higher risk of flu and if one gets flu, the other likely will, too. If they get sick, they are at risk of a serious – make that deadly – disease and likely to spread it to their unvaccinated playmates and family.
Do your kids come in contact with elders? Do you have pregnant friends? If you don’t vaccinate, please keep your boys away from them for the next few months.
Parents are smart to worry about so many things, but don’t let worry become paralysis. There are two sides to the issue, but the decision is easy.
by TB4244
Please give your children the vaccine if available. This virus is so unpredictable. My nine-year old twin daughters came down with it this past weekend (along with 19 other kids in their grade level at school). One daughter had three days of feeling bad…102 fever, headache, sore throat and cough. The other had all those symptoms and then had vomiting and a 105 fever. She is in her sixth day of this illness and now has pneumonia. The pediatrician says it’s probably too late for the antiviral to work and that antibiotics might not be effective in the pneumonia is viral. I am scared to death. I was planning on getting my kids the vaccine when it was given at our local health department this past Tuesday…but they were already sick.
by Ann in NC
I can certainly understand the concerns here. I have spoken to both my children’s pediatrician and my general physician about it and have decided to have it given to my children. Talking to my doctors was very helpful in making an informed decision.
by Katherine
If you do decide to get vaccinated, this site might be helpful. It’s a search engine that helps you find where to get vaccinated in your area.
http://www.medtipster.com
Good luck in your decision!
by Nadia