will you be giving your kids the H1N1 vaccine? (children, school)

[121804]

Originally Posted by cdc3217

This is a question for parents who actually WOULD consider giving their children flu shots in general.

So if my son had seasonal flu two weeks ago, (he clearly had a flu virus of some sort, and tested negative for Influenza A) do you think he should still get a seasonal flu shot? There's multiple strains, right?

Neither his brother nor I (who both got flu shorts last winter) caught this bug from him, so I'm assuming it was a seasonal variety, which I guess are more prevalent in the spring/fall, versus deep winter.

Yes, b/c he can still get the other strains. And if anything, it will minimize symptons.

Myself, 4yr old & 21 month old got seasonal end of Sept. #2 has never had the shot before & only got dose 1 so far. My dh, who did not get vaccinated yet, caught some nasty bug first weekend of Oct. #2 and him got hit hard. Myself & my 4 yr old just got some minor sniffles and cough. Since the seasonal takes a week or two to kick in, maybe it worked, maybe it didn't. We could have just lucked out. Either way, glad we were spared b/c my dh is just now getting better as is my #2.

We ended up in the ER last week b/c #2 was struggling with breathing for well over 24 hours & I don't mess around with breathing. (Missed going to my ped by 45 mins and could have saved myself a lot of $$ & time b/c didn't want to be running to the doc over a cold debate)....

It's a ped ER. We've been there twice before in 2 years. Average time there: about 3 1/2 hours in & out. Wait time last week: 6-7 hours with 1- 1 1/2 to see triage. It was a madhouse of all proportions. Kids laying in sheets on the floor. We started calling around to other ERs. I've been through a lot but have to say for a few minutes there I was really, really scared.

At a different ER, the doctor diagnosed URI, which she also explained is a flu strain. He got chest xrays to rule out pneumonia on my insistence. Especially after the ER doc told me that a cough is not a strong indicator of pneumonia as much as rapid breathing is...again, something I never knew...thought it was a cough.

Doc said it was going to be a long flu season & to think of it as not ending. She suggested following through on dose #2 of seasonal flu. Not sure if he got a strain that was in the vaccine or not. He was swabbed.

She was very black & white about H1N1. Said that if it appeard earlier, it would have been in the regular vaccine. Also said that it is an individual choice & have to way pros & cons for your family.

After that trip last week, I am no longer hestiating about seasonal or H1N1.

I would strongly suggest that people do their research on H1N1 & its effect on children. It is NOT the strain that is doing the final damage...it's the coinfection that sets in from the virus in the lungs as mucus collects and bacteria grows.

Hence, if H1N1 minimizes the impact for my children, so be it to avoid pnuemmoia that in some cases has killed children within 24 hours.

[TouchOfWhimsy]

At this point, no. If more people start really having severe reactions to the flu, including children, then possibly.

[formercalifornian]

As of today, 11 more children have died from secondary pneumonia.

[GloryB]

I have a coworker who was tested positive for Swine Flu last week. I have another coworker who's daughter's friend died of this a few months ago while she was pregnant. So, it is really close to home.
My daughter asked me if she should have the two year old grandson take the shot and all I could say is I really don't know. I guess only a doctor can answer that one. I don't want to minimize the possibility or danger, but yet I hate to go into a panic and get a shot not really tested out.

[cdc3217]

Here's an article that puts a little bit of a personal touch on the need/benefit of herd immunity.

My Son Can't Attend Daycare Because of Unvaccinated Kids
My son has cancer. He can't go into day care because of unvaccinated children. - By Stephanie Tatel - Slate Magazine

[MovinOutWest]

Originally Posted by cdc3217

Neither his brother nor I (who both got flu shorts last winter) caught this bug from him, so I'm assuming it was a seasonal variety, which I guess are more prevalent in the spring/fall, versus deep winter.

Depends on where you live. Right now in my area, Washington State, it is assumed if you have flu like symptoms that you've got H1N1. I read lots of surveillance reports on H1N1, I'm a public health professional, and saw one that stated something like 95% or more of the influenza in the community right now is H1N1. The big season flu time around here is usually Dec-Feb or so.

To answer the original question, my pregnant wife, myself and our young child will all get the shot when it's available to us. It was made in the same exact manner as the seasonal vaccine and thus should have the same exact risks and side effects. Since the infection seems to be more severe among the young and the pregnant we are choosing as a family to get vaccinated.

[cdc3217]

Originally Posted by MovinOutWest

Depends on where you live. Right now in my area, Washington State, it is assumed if you have flu like symptoms that you've got H1N1. I read lots of surveillance reports on H1N1, I'm a public health professional, and saw one that stated something like 95% or more of the influenza in the community right now is H1N1. The big season flu time around here is usually Dec-Feb or so.
.

I heard that too. Well, they tested him and said it was not H1N1. But then I heard that testing is wrong a lot of the time. But seeing as no one else caught it from him, I tend to think that its more likely that it wasn't H1N1 than it is possible that we contained the virus in our house. I'm not that good of a housekeeper.

[hml1976]

We're in Washington too, my 5yr old and my husband are getting the mist this morning. My 3yr old has a cold so we're waiting for him but I'm going to try and go this afternoon.

[Mercury Cougar]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

this is what I was wondering. If I already had it, do I need to bother with the vaccine? I have a call into my doc.

There's a lot more than one kind of flu. If you're saying that you specifically have had H1N1, then no, you wouldn't need the vaccine as your body will now have built immunity to it.

[bethboon2009]

no