I think this van needs the vaccine
Andy from Therapies for Cerebral Palsy e-mailed me last night (I thought I was the only one online at 1 a.m.!) to say he'd done a post on swine flu and kids with cp. Dave had mentioned he heard the vaccine would be out the first week of October. I love him, but he's not a reliable medical source so I Googled.
By all reports, the vaccine is going to start trickling out the first week in October, and the people at the front of the line are anyone age six months to 24, pregnant women, and younger adults with risky healthy conditions. Here's a good article on the topic published today.
They're saying it's safe, although they're also saying they're just now doing clinical trials for kids. Comments on the original post I did also gave me pause for thought, but I am leaning toward getting it for the kids. The potential consequences of getting the vaccine, in my mind, seem worse than the potential consequences of not getting it.
Photo from Jalopnik
Thanks for the info. I'll check out those articles. We're trying to decide whether to have our kids get the vaccine or not (they're not in school yet).
ReplyDeleteI'm not rushing to get Gavin and Brian the vaccines. They both got regular flu shots, but the swine flu vaccine is just too new for me. It seems to have been rushed through - and I don't want them to be guinea pigs for the drug companies. I'll wait until I see what, if anything, happens to the people who get it (doesn't that sound horrible??) and then decide. Their pediatrician strongly agreed with me - and so did the head of infectious disease at DuPont Children's Hospital where Gavin goes for a lot of doctor visits. That's just how I feel....it's a tough decision!!
ReplyDeleteWe just had the discussion with our pediatrician at Jonathans physical...no vaccine for us. We don't do many at all (something my pediatrician fights with me on) but he didn't argue about the flu or the swine flu vaccine. He would kill me if he knew how many people I tell about his thoughts on both vaccines (as well as the chicken pox vax) but he hates them. Thinks they are bogus. Or total bull-sh*t were his exact words. And he even currently knows of a young man (he is 18 or so) that is in a drug induced coma due to the swine flu...and he still thinks the vaccine is bogus.
ReplyDeleteI know the swine flu seems so scary, but did you know that the regular flu is worse? The 'regular' flu kills more people annually?
If you do get the vaccine, please inject your children with the mercury and aluminum free version...I will be back with the brand name.
I love that van:)but not swine flu. My mom says no vaccine for me which makes me happy because I hate shots.
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to read the article. At the moment, I'm eager to get the vaccine, but I don't want to miss out on info and do something I might regret. Thanks for being such a great resource!
ReplyDeleteps Chloe sent Max a kiss when we first got to your site and she saw his picture. I think we may have a crush issue going on at the moment! Uh oh!!!
Yeah, we talked to Graham's surgeon about it last week. He didn't seem overly worried about the flu, he's a laid back guy... but he did tell us that Graham should get it, and everyone in the family too. He's only been in school two weeks and has already gotten sick once... just a cold, but I know it's the beginning of a long season...
ReplyDeleteI am glad that we're at the end of winter here. I am hoping that by next winter swine flu will be a distant memory OR the vaccines will be better tested. Any vaccines make me nervous but particularly new ones that seem to be being rushed through to the public. Worries me almost as much as the virus! And given that the few people I know who got swine flu seriously responded really well to Tamiflu AFTER getting the virus, I think we'll take our chances - keep washing our hands, stay away from anyone with symptoms (as much as possible!) and just hope it bloody well goes away!
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that, still keeping an open mind and will wait and see how widespread the virus is/what more they know about the vaccine next year and make an informed decision later on!
* I think I would definitely feel different if BC had existing respiratory or similar issues.
My head hurts! I don't know what to think, now....
ReplyDeleteI know the swine flu seems so scary, but did you know that the regular flu is worse? The 'regular' flu kills more people annually?
ReplyDelete************
The swine flu is a new strain, which is why there was no vaccine available, so to say that the "regular flu" is worse is simply not accurate. Yes, influenza kills many people every year, but it generally doesn't kill the people (those who are young, healthy) who have been targeted by the swine flu.
Read literature from reputable (preferably peer-reviewed) publications, consult your doctor, and make the best-informed decision you can, but please don't pass on information that isn't accurate.
Oh I want the vaccine, we are still waiting for the flu shot in canada. I have 4 kids and we get hit every winter usually with stomach flu YUCK!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I've been lurking here for a couple of weeks:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for passing on the info it's very helpful
I've been wondering about the effects of both the flu and the vaccine on children with seizures and those who are prone to respitory problems (my son has Angelman syndrome which is sometimes mis-diagnosed as cp)
All I had to hear is that this swine flu vaccine could cause neurological problems and I said COUNT US OUT. My daughter already has neurological problems....she doesn't need more.
ReplyDeleteThose shots are never certain and I am definitely not willing to take a chance.
All 3 of my kiddos would get the vaccine. However, as of this morning, it will be too late. My 5th-grader is Type-A positive. Of all my kids, she is the one I don't (didn't) want to get it -- she has congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and doesn't make coritsol. Fortunately, so far things have been on the mild side.
ReplyDeleteI am so torn on the vaccine. Knock on wood I have never had the flu, and neither has EMily. I am hoping we have a resistance and have passed it to Jude. It is scary tho.
ReplyDeleteMost of the H1N1 vaccines are mercury and aluminum free!
ReplyDeleteOnly multi dose vials have mercury.
CSL Brand: FDA-approved for individuals 18 years of age and older (single dose preservative free), inactivated, Pregnancy safety C (untested), no aluminum, trace egg
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM182401.pdf
Novartis Brand: FDA-approved for people 4 years of age and older. There are two forms of this shot: multi-dose vials (with Thimerosal used as a preservative) and pre-filled single-dose syringes (with Thimerosal used in the manufacturing process, but extracted before the final production), inactivated, Pregnancy safety C (untested), does not list all ingredients, assumed to have no aluminum added, egg based
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM182242.pdf
Sanofi Brand: FDA-approved for children 6 months of age and older. There are two forms of this shot: multi-dose vials (Thimerosal-free) and pre-filled single-dose syringes (Thimerosal-free) inactivated, Pregnancy safety C (untested), does not list all ingredients, assumed to have no aluminum added, egg based, formaldehyde & gelatin
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbloodvaccines/vaccines/approvedproducts/ucm182404.pdf
Medimmune: FDA-approved nasal spray for individuals 2-49 years of age (Thimerosal-free) Pregnancy safety C (tested on rats but needs further testing), no aluminum added, egg based with pig gelatin and CONTAINS MSG! May transmit live virus to babies and immune compromised individuals!
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbloodvaccines/vaccines/approvedproducts/ucm182406.pdf
These are the product inserts
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/
Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM182401.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/
Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM182242.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbloodvaccines/
vaccines/approvedproducts/ucm182404.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbloodvaccines/
vaccines/approvedproducts/ucm182406.pdf