H1N1 Shots

[KingdomHearts]

What are your thoughts on the vaccine for the H1N1 virus? I have a 15 month old and am torn about it? She is a typiclly healthy child.. no asthma or anything like that... I dont know what to do.

 

[RMulieri]

I got my 5 yr old the first dose of nasal mist.Do your own research. My DH is a pharmacist and I am a nurse. Both of us work in the hospital and I am exposed to flu patients. To us ,we felt it was more risky not to vaccinate her.( She is in Kindergarten and before care Daycare), and we both have recently seen some perfectly healthy kids/ adults placed on ventilators because of the flu.So it was a nobrainer for us

 

[Erica09M]

We definitely don't do flu shots. There are pros and cons to both vaccinating and not vaccinating. You need to do your own research and come to your own conclusion. Each person feels differently about those pros and cons.

If you decide to not vaccinate, there are several natural ways to boost your family's immune systems.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I won't be getting them for my kids and I know health care workers who are relieved that they now do not have to get it because they did not want it either. You really have to do your own research and decide if it is right for you. We also don't get regular flu shots. We know quite a few kids this year who still got even the flu even though they had been vaccinated for it. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Alexander]

Both of my boys (11 and 3) had both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots. They both have auto-immune conditions that could cause the flu to wreak havoc on their little bodies. Because of the auto-immune conditions, they both had to have injections (no live viruses). The H1N1 was much more painful than the sesonal flu shot. DS (3) never flinched during the seasonal flu shot, but really cried for the H1N1 and DS (11) said it hurt a lot more than the other one.

 

[snubie]

Both of my boys (11 and 3) had both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots. They both have auto-immune conditions that could cause the flu to wreak havoc on their little bodies. Because of the auto-immune conditions, they both had to have injections (no live viruses). The H1N1 was much more painful than the sesonal flu shot. DS (3) never flinched during the seasonal flu shot, but really cried for the H1N1 and DS (11) said it hurt a lot more than the other one.

I got the H1N! shot as did my DD and DH. It is a personal decision for sure but we decided to get then since I am pregnant and due very shortly. But I wanted to comment that both I and Dh thought the H1N1 shot hurt a lot less than the seasonal flu shot. neither one of us had a sore arm the next day, unlike when we got our seasonal flu shots in Sept.

 

[lovemygrowingfamily]

All 7 of us got the seasonal flu shot. DS 1 and DD3 got the H1N1 and the rest of us will get it when they are available. The 6 kids and I have asthma and dh has heart disease.

The same day that the 2 little ones got their H1N1 shot the little boy that I take care of his mom had a baby by scheduled c-section at 37 weeks and both the mom and the baby has swine flu. The baby is in the NICU on a ventilator and has been since Wednesday when she was born. To see their pain was enough to make me feel better about my decision. THey also had me take their son to get his H1N1 and seasonal shot the next day.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We have never gotten flu shots before and none of us have ever had the flu. But we just got back from getting our H1N1 and seasonal flu shots. It never hurt a bit, honest! We live in the arctic and there has been a big push for everyone to get the shots this year. I really didn't want to, but since I run a home daycare and I am very active volunteering in the community I decided to do it. We took tylenol before we went and we'll keep taking it this evening. Our arms are sore but so far so good. Good luck with your decision.

 

[AKADrea]

My DS2 is in the high risk category (chronic lung disease) so I'm TRYING to find somewhere to get him the H1N1 - but it's very hard to find anywhere that has any! He has gotten his 1st shot of the seasonal flu shot, but now they're out of it for his 2nd dose. I just got my H1N1 today (injection) through work, as I work as an RN in labor and delivery. THis is my first time getting ANY kind of flu shot, but I would feel horrible if I brought anything home to my son and something happened to him. I also have a 4 month old in the house.

 

[nexttripdisney]

Just got the nasal mist for our 4 kids this past weekend. The two youngest will need another booster in 1 month.

There are just so many sick kids that I was seeing every day, I feel they will be more protected especially with a Disney trip coming up soon. It's a personal decision and I was on the fence for a while.

I will not get them the regular flu shot this year but I am comfortable with the decision for the H1N1 mist.

 

[Ava]

DD got her first dose of the seasonal flu shot today (she just turned 6mo) and will get her 2nd one in a month. Our ped's office hasn't gotten the H1N1 shots yet though. It seems to be very hard to find here in NY, I know a few pregnant women who have gone over to NJ to get one because they couldn't find anywhere here in NYC that has it.

 

[Tam1067]

We'll be at a county clinic Wednesday getting them for the kids. Our pediatrician does not have them and does not know when he'll get them, but he said that we should get them elsewhere if we can. I'm hoping that when the youngest needs the second dose, we can skip the clinic and really long line and go to our doctor.

 

[mitsybella]

My daughter was scheduled to get the H1N1 shot this week at school my husband did not want her to get it but I was worried about our upcoming trip and the possible exposure, and then this weekend she came down with the flu, the Dr said that is was the H1N1 flu, so now she won't need the shot. My son is not at school yet and the Pediatrician does not have any shots yet so we are waiting to see if any of us come down with the flu. My daughters symptoms are mild, I have been much sicker with the regular flu, and our ped said this has been the case with most of the people they have seen in the office, children have worse symptoms and often have included vomiting and most adults have milder cases and no vomiting.

 

[Leajess99]

I got the H1N! shot as did my DD and DH. It is a personal decision for sure but we decided to get then since I am pregnant and due very shortly. But I wanted to comment that both I and Dh thought the H1N1 shot hurt a lot less than the seasonal flu shot. neither one of us had a sore arm the next day, unlike when we got our seasonal flu shots in Sept.

My youngest DD got the H1N1 shot as well and never complained of her arm hurting like she did with the seasonal shot. She will be getting the second H1N1 later this month as it becomes available. I am not as concerned about my older 2 kids getting it although I will probably get it for them as well. My youngest has asthma and I am not willing to risk what it could do to her system if she gets it. We actually had a healthy young man die of H1N1 here within the past 2 weeks. It is no joke but it is a personal choice on whether you get it or not. I have read real blogs of kids who have gotten H1N1 who have weakened immune systems and many have ended up spending weeks in the hospital fighting for their lives. As a parent, it is MY responsibility to do what is best for my child just as it is for anyone else to do what they feel is best for their child.

 

[TheCampbells]

My daughter and almost everyone in her school have the flu now. I've been trying to keep her away from my 5 year as much as possible, which is very hard. We didn't even get a chance to get the vaccine yet, it's not being offered. The shipments were delayed or something like that.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

My 2 kids and I all had the mist a week ago with no side effects at all. I also know 2 other adults who had the mist last week, and 1 adult and 6 other children who all had the shot. The youngest was just 6 months. None of us has felt any side effects at all. I feel better knowing that we have done what we can to prevent it. I just wish my DH could get it, but he doesn't fit into a priority group. A healthy 33 year old man just died from H1N1 close by us.

 

[Bren's Mom]

My 4 yo had the H1N1 flumist last Thursday. He is now sick. It may be a result of the vax, it may be that he was exposed to H1N1 or something else right around the same time. We'll never know. He has had a high fever on and off for 24 hours now, leg pain, head congestion, cough, stomach ache. BUT, he's doing better today and we expect him to be just fine in a day or so. We'd rather deal with this, if it IS a result of the vax, then risk having a child in the PICU on a vent.

 

[poohguys]

We are going to the dr in a few hours for regular check up, but ds9 has come down with something. Not sure if it is just a cold or maybe the flu? Only a slight feaver since yerterday (100.5) I was going to ask about the swine flu shot too. When I called last week they said they were hoping to get it in mid Nov. Luckily we are off of school today and Thurs and Friday so if he really is sick he will not miss too much.

OP: I know what you are going through. We have went back and forth about getting ds the shot. But after all of the news of seemingly healthy kids getting really sick we decided that getting him the shot is the best choice for us.

 

[tartemis]

Its a hard decision. Even though I am against the seasonal flu vaccination, I finally decided that because the swine flu was so widespread that our family would receive it. A few weeks ago, I received the flumist. 2 days later I was a little achy, but I also have a 2 month old that never lets me sleep so who knows if it was related to the vaccine or not.

My other daughter who is 2 years old was set to get the flumist last week and then she came down with a cold and I didn't want to give her the vaccine when she was sick. So we are waiting for the cold to clear up and then plan on giving it to her (if the supplies last.)

 

[Tasmen]

We got our daughter the seasonal flu shot this year and will do H1N1 when the pediatrician finally has it. She's almost 18 months now. We are going to get the shots because she goes to a daycare with a bunch of elementary age kids. I'm sure that if it his their school, it will hit the daycare.