FDA approves Rotavirus vaccine - hooray!

[ChrisnSteph]

The FDA just approved an infant vaccine to protect against rotavirus:

http://articles.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=20060203153609990020&cid=

I'm absolutely thrilled about this! My son Aaron was hospitalized for two weeks and literally almost died from the rotavirus when he was 6 months old. It was horrible, and I'm so glad that there is now a vaccine to protect the little ones from it!

 

[Tinijocaro]

Yea- wasn't the last rotovirus vaccine pulled due to being unsafe- even after FDA approval? Parents would be wise to wait a while to see what the effects are of this vaccine before they jump to get it for their kids.

Jackie

 

[Tinijocaro]

On further thought, I think it was the pneumococcal vaccine that was banned- not sure though, I just hate it when the latest vaccine hits the market, doctors push it as the best thing, then later find out that it is actually dangerous.

Jackie

 

[maps]

you were right the first time

 

[Kahana-ri]

DS came down with rotavirus last December. Wasn't pleasant at all for any of us. Luckily, my son had a mild case. Our pediatrician told us one of the other children had been admitted due to dehydration. I had no idea rotavirus could be so dangerous. One of those things you learn with the first child.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Yea- wasn't the last rotovirus vaccine pulled due to being unsafe- even after FDA approval? Parents would be wise to wait a while to see what the effects are of this vaccine before they jump to get it for their kids.

Jackie

Yes it was. This is discussed further in the article.

 

[janette]

That is good news, my youngest spent her 1st xmas in the hospital with retro-virus. Nasty bug and hopefully this time the vaccine will be effective without serious side effects to save many children and parents from it.

 

[C.Ann]

What is this disease? I've never heard of it before.. Guess it wasn't around when my kids were little..

 

[janette]

Rotavirus is a common gastrointestinal illness in children that can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting. Up to 70,000 infants and toddlers are hospitalized annually for dehydration and other complications from rotavirus, of which about two dozen die.

I'm sure it's been around for years, in most children it would be thought of as just another stomach virus but for the ones that get really sick it is just awful. My DD just had the severe diarrhea and I couldn't keep enough liquids in her to stop the dehydration. Changing diapers about every 20mins even during the night poor thing was so sick her eyes were just sunken and she didnt' do anything but cry. She was about 6mths at the time.

 

[BARBARAAPPLE]

My son almost died at the age of 18 months with the rotavirus.His Dr. kept telling me he had the flu for 2 weeks I ran him to the Dr atleast 6 times only to be told he has the flu after he lost 10lbs in that short amount of time we took him to the hospital and the Dr in the pediatric unit did not think he would make it he suggested we call in the the rest of the family..

after 12 days in the hospital he was back to new

 

[C.Ann]

Wow! Sounds scary!! Glad they're looking into ways of preventing it..

 

[golfgal]

The twins came down with it at the same time, we were at my sisters house, 4 hours from our house. We were house hunting for the weekend because we were going to move near there. We were getting ready to drive home. It was the WORST! They each had gone through about 10 outfits one morning from diaper blowouts (it was winter, no choice). We called our pediatrician and he said to go find some DF Formula (diarrhea formula formula). That helped bind things together at least. YUCK!!!

 

[ktpool]

If you ever have a child with rotovirus, you will never forget it. I still remember the mess and smell 8 years later!

Although, I do agree with the poster that said it is prudent to wait a little bit. Or at the very least, I would research the difference in how the new vaccine works on the intestinal system from the first.

But, I would not hesistate to have my child vaccinated once I was convinced the risk was acceptable for us.