From my understanding, it has not been tested at all on babies under the age of 2. Will you be giving the vaccine to your little ones?
I’m really confused. Spoke to a senior nurse at one of T.O.'s top hospitals and she said to vaccinate babies. The flu affects the organs, and by the time people who have contracted the flu reach the hospital, the damage has already been done.
So, are you going to vaccinate your babies? I’m really weary of giving him this shot. We don’t know how it affects babies and i’m scared.
mehnaz...mine arent babies anymore but they're still small. And yes I will get this shot for them as soon as its available in our area. Yes, its a bit scary but you have to remember that each year, new flu shots are developed based on the most prevalent strain that happens to be going around at the time. So for decades, the yearly flu shot has been a new and different shot each year. There is no difference between the "seasonal" flu shot and the h1n1 shot as far as how its developed and administered. They inject the virus in a harmless form and the body starts making antibodies to it.
Every single innoculation that is given has the potential for side effects. They're very rare and usually have more to do with how the vaccine is developed which is why they ask you about egg allergies etc. before you get the shot.
My feelings are that there is muchmore risk for my boys to have this flu than there is for them to get the shot. And this, coming from the mom who has 2 sons on the autism spectrum.
Surely its a personal decision. But I weighed the risk of flu against the risk of the shot and hands down, risk is much higher to have the flu.
Just in case you decide against the vaccination, it would be wise to make sure that your doc has a supply of Tamiflu on hand. This is one of the only medications that can prevent life-threatening complications from h1n1 and must be given within 48 hours of apparent symptoms. Many times, people give motrin or tylenol for 2 days and when they just keep getting sicker, THEN they go to hospital. But by that time, even Tamiflu cant help. Learn the symptoms and find this medication if your little one has the symptoms.
Mehnaz, we are also super confused and have so far decided not to get the vaccine for Kanzah or us but to follow precautions instead. Allah knows best!
I don't want to give it to him. We just don't know yet of what the risks are. He doesn't go to daycare and isn't *as *exposed, but he could get it from someone in the house, since we go out regularly and are more prone to picking it up. So I'm thinking the adults should be vaccinated for now and then I'll see once more research becomes available on how this affects babies. He's only 1 which is why I'm so hesitant.
^ same reasons i'm hesitant too mehnaz. i don't know what the side effects are of the shot. it's just come out so it's fairly new everywhere. i don't want them saying three/four months down the road that 'ohh, this immunization wasn't as strong, or was missing something'
For those who choose not to immunize, be sure to follow recommended precautions and - maybe more important - make sure your pediatrician has a supply of Tamiflu!
The worry that the immunization "is new" cant really be an argument. Every year, there is a new seasonal flu shot. This is the same formulation, created in the same manner as seasonal flu shots but with the h1n1 strain. Otherwise its the same.
Wash hands often, keep fingernails short. And dont kid yourself - if mom and dad get the shot and are exposed, then they willmost likely not get the virus. But it can still be passed on. So watch for symptoms and FIND tamiflu if your child comes down with the symptoms.
You dont want to see a 1 year old on a ventilator with life-threatening pneumonia. These are the cases that my sister is dealing with these days - she's a nurse in Pediatric Intensive Care. So its not like I'm pulling this out of the air, this is what can happen.
Immunize or not, but if you dont, then youneed to be very vigilant and you need to make sure that you can have access to Tamiflu within 48 hours of symptoms. Problem is that mny docs and pharmacies just do not have Tamiflu.
I have been very skeptical but Mama makes sense.
After listening to the father of the 13 year old that died within the last two days I have decided that Noor should be vaccinated.
Our company's director just caught the swine flu, along with his wife and 3 kids... the youngest one is 3 months old...... they're all recovering from it, no issues, no complications.
I also know one 9 year old girl who caught it a month ago and she fully recovered from it within 10 days. It all depends on your immunity. Not everyone gets complications from catching swine flu. If you already have health issues, you should go for the shot.
MIA, you're right toa certain extent. But no one reallyknows how severely they'd be affected until they have it. My hubby has guy, mid to late 20s at his work who was hospitalized for pneumonia and spent time in ICU due to the swine flu. And my sis, working the Pediatric ICU, has all kinds of horror stories to tell. Some apparently strong people will fall to this virus and some will not. It seems to affect young people more severely. Its a nasty thing and all I can say is ... if you do not immunize (and heck, even if you DO), wash hands very often, keepnails clipped very short, sneeze into elbow, etc.
^ it's just so scary. and like muzna mentioned, i've been kinda freaked out since that boy died within days of having flu like symptoms. i mean, we wait 2 or 3 days before we even take ourselves or our children to the doctor to get something. and if it's not that bad, we let it run it's course.
maybe i'm just spectical since i'm not a fan of medicine, pills, etc. but the death of that 13 year old boy hit me hard. who never know who it's going to get. what if it's our own kids? kinda scary to think about.
i dunno guys.... in OZ, which was the most affected after mexico... the docs are not allowing kids under 12 to get it.
All elderly people, parents and guardians, pregnant women and health care workers have been asked to get it first. So the hubz and I will be getting the shot, but not the lil one.
My colleauges husband is a doc and they have a lil one too, and they are not recommending it either. We've just gotten over our winter period and may I add it was a horrible one... but we were on top of things all the time incase it was swine flu.
Anyways, im really reluctant to try out a new vaccine on a child. Id rather be the guinea pig.. maybe next year for her, if they allow it here, but not now.
^ it's just so scary. and like muzna mentioned, i've been kinda freaked out since that boy died within days of having flu like symptoms. i mean, we wait 2 or 3 days before we even take ourselves or our children to the doctor to get something. and if it's not that bad, we let it run it's course.
maybe i'm just spectical since i'm not a fan of medicine, pills, etc. but the death of that 13 year old boy hit me hard. who never know who it's going to get. what if it's our own kids? kinda scary to think about.
what are the side effects of the shot?
i think, u guys should go see a doc as soon as u get flu like symptoms. That is what we did during the winter season.
I got pneumonia and was tested for swine flu whilst i was at the hospital.. so that was all good. But having the lil one in daycare and the hubby being around sick colleauegs all the time... we made several trips to the docs this year...