H1N1...to vaccinate your kids or not????

[justhat]

I just thought of a new concern. My husband works in a school and he said they will be administering the mist and the shot. None of us can get the mist because my ten year old has asthma. Is he going to be safe at school if a lot of the kids he is with all day long get the mist?

Yes, he'll be okay. My nephew has asthma and his school had a mist clinic last year and this year and he didn't experience any effects from the other kids getting the mist. He, of course, could not get it.

 

[honugirl]

After speaking to some other families with adrenal issues (some have children with multiple issues), they've decided to pass over the first round of H1n1 vaccine (which at this point seems to be flumist, which none of us can get anyway due to compromised immune systems) and give it about 4 weeks to see what happens with it, if it looks good, then they're going to go for it. I may go for it slightly sooner than that, but not much. It may not matter anyway, because the protocol that some families have been getting from endos here is to go into isolation when absenteeism in the schools reaches 20% or more. It's going to be a LONG winter...

 

[shortbun]

My peds office says they are only recommending it to kids with compromised immune systems. Our doc said the cases they have seen so far of H1N1 are very mild compared to the normal severity of regular seasonal flu and she said no immunization for DS. I keep him home when he's sick so he won't be spreading it around. If they begin mass vacinations in our schools, I'm going to be ticked off. I told him last night that he's to refuse IF I somehow miss that they are doing it. I'm calling the principal tomorrow to ask what needs to be on file IF they begin system wide vaccinations. I think there has been an over reaction to this virus.

 

[luvwinnie]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/30/earlyshow/health/main5352499.shtml
I'm not a parent, but as someone with asthma, this tragic story convinced me to get the vaccine. This poor kid had no health problems.

 

[robinb]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/30/earlyshow/health/main5352499.shtml
I'm not a parent, but as someone with asthma, this tragic story convinced me to get the vaccine. This poor kid had no health problems.

What a tragic story. I am not usually a wuss-bag but I am sobbing as I type. The poor girl came home with a fever on Wednesday and was dead by Sunday. She was only 14.

My DD had the regular flumist vaccine yesterday and I told them that we would be back in a few weeks when the H1N1 vaccine is available.

 

[kiddo76]

If they begin mass vacinations in our schools, I'm going to be ticked off. I told him last night that he's to refuse IF I somehow miss that they are doing it. I'm calling the principal tomorrow to ask what needs to be on file IF they begin system wide vaccinations. I think there has been an over reaction to this virus.

Why would you be ticked off if the schools make it convenient and afforadable for children to be vaccinated? School nurses can't hand out baby aspirin without parental consent. Do you really think they are going to vaccinate your child without your permission?

I think there has been an over reaction to this vaccine. As others have said, if there was more time, the H1N1 vaccine would have been part of the seasonal flu vaccine.

 

[lsyorke]

I just thought of a new concern. My husband works in a school and he said they will be administering the mist and the shot. None of us can get the mist because my ten year old has asthma. Is he going to be safe at school if a lot of the kids he is with all day long get the mist?

We were notified by our Hospital that if anyone chooses to take the mist version of the vaccine, that they cannot work in the hospital for 7 days. Our hospital isn't making any mist version available.
Not that I would take ANY version anyway.

 

[jrmasm]

I think there has been an over reaction to this vaccine. As others have said, if there was more time, the H1N1 vaccine would have been part of the seasonal flu vaccine.

A lot of people don't get the seasonal flu vaccine.

 

[minniebeth]

My peds office says they are only recommending it to kids with compromised immune systems. Our doc said the cases they have seen so far of H1N1 are very mild compared to the normal severity of regular seasonal flu and she said no immunization for DS. I keep him home when he's sick so he won't be spreading it around. If they begin mass vacinations in our schools, I'm going to be ticked off. I told him last night that he's to refuse IF I somehow miss that they are doing it. I'm calling the principal tomorrow to ask what needs to be on file IF they begin system wide vaccinations. I think there has been an over reaction to this virus.

I don't know, shortbun, not sure which district your DS is in, but where we live many many many kids are out sick. My DD is very, very sick with it right now. Yes, she is high risk, but more and more kids are high risk these days.
I've been told that the recommended 24 to 48 hours of keeping your kids home before sending to school just isn't enough. Kids are going back too early and it's just a revolving door of spreading the virus. I do think that the vaccine should be a personal choice, not mandated. I'm hoping it won't be. It looks like you don't have to worry about it for a while anyway, Ohio is not one of the 24 states approved to receive it anyway. Ohio doesn't even have their action plan together yet.
Stay well!

 

[JessicaR]

I just thought of a new concern. My husband works in a school and he said they will be administering the mist and the shot. None of us can get the mist because my ten year old has asthma. Is he going to be safe at school if a lot of the kids he is with all day long get the mist?

Can people receiving the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®) pass the vaccine viruses to others?

In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses to close contacts has occurred only rarely. The current estimated risk of getting infected with vaccine virus after close contact with a person vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is low (0.6%-2.4%). Because the viruses are weakened, infection is unlikely to result in influenza illness symptoms since the vaccine viruses have not been shown to mutate into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses.

http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/about/qa/nasalspray.htm

 

[EMom]

I just thought of a new concern. My husband works in a school and he said they will be administering the mist and the shot. None of us can get the mist because my ten year old has asthma. Is he going to be safe at school if a lot of the kids he is with all day long get the mist?

I can't get a straight answer on this either. I have asthma, so we always gets shots. But the mist (swine flu) will be available for DD a few weeks before we can get access to a swine flu shot. Considering the SF is working its way down our cul de sac as I type, time is of the essence!

But can I risk DD getting the mist when I have asthma that is especially bad right now? Does anyone know?

Our junior high has 20% absenteeism right now, as opposed to a normal 2 % or less. If they get about 20 more kids out, the school is shutting down. The kid on our street who came home sick from school yesterday (year older than DD, in same elementary) said less than half of her class was present. I don't think DD can wait until the shot arrives or else she'll already have had the flu.

Normally, I wouldn't worry so much. But DD is almost 10 and weighs a whopping 57 pounds. She has no fat reserves. She's pretty healthy, but a bad bout of the flu, which often causes weight loss, is something a skinny kid like her cannot afford. About an hour before the story on the dead 14 y.o. in Texas aired, I'd expressed my concern to DH. The story came on and the first thing I noticed about this 14 y.o. "healthy" girl was that she was an older version of DD. Sinewy, slim, not an ounce of fat......Nothing to spare for an illness. ACK!

Anyway, the black cloud of swine flu is floating toward me end of the cul de sac right now. I need a gargantuan fan to blow it away.

 

[EMom]

Can people receiving the nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®) pass the vaccine viruses to others?

In clinical studies, transmission of vaccine viruses to close contacts has occurred only rarely. The current estimated risk of getting infected with vaccine virus after close contact with a person vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is low (0.6%-2.4%). Because the viruses are weakened, infection is unlikely to result in influenza illness symptoms since the vaccine viruses have not been shown to mutate into typical or naturally occurring influenza viruses.

http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/about/qa/nasalspray.htm

THANKS for the link. I am a person with asthma taking steroids, so I have my answer. I'll risk it.

Now if the CDC could only tell me whether DD needs two shots/mists or one. I was on the phone to them for ages and talked to I don't know how many people. I never got a straight answer because they apparently HAVE no answer to this question:

If you have a child who will be 9 for the first shot/mist, but will have turned 10 by the time the second shot/mist is scheduled, does that child get ONE or TWO shots/mists? In other words, if you have a "bridge birthday" child who goes from 9 to 10 between doses, do you count them as a 9 y.o. or a 10 y.o.?

The CDC was stumped. I reminded them that plenty of kids would fall in this category and that they needed an answer. I gave them this scenario: We get the first dose for DD at age 9. A month later, she goes in for dose 2, but by then she is age 10. They ask me how old she is and when I say "10" and they notice she's already had ONE dose, they say, "Ten year olds only need one dose, so she's finished already." But is she????????

They admitted it was a good question, but had no answer. Since the vaccine effectiveness plummets if you only used one dose for children up to age 10 as opposed to those over 10, I need a straight answer. DD's body will not magically change the day she turns 10. What to do.....What to do?

 

[justhat]

I have asthma and I'm pregnant and my kids got the FluMist yesterday. Regular, not swine, but it was the Mist regardless.

And like I said, my nephew has asthma and tons of kids get the mist in his school and he's fine. I believe it's specific to you getting the Mist being asthmatic.

 

[Gina]

I was part of the "this virus is WAY over-hyped" crowd, but so many young kids -- healthy, free-from-existing-conditions kids -- are falling to this virus. I don't understand why this age group is so susceptible, but I have one DS who is 13 and now H1N1 really scares me. I know there are risks, but I would never, ever want something to happen to my son when I could have at least tried to prevent it. I'm getting it for him as soon as the vaccine is in the area.

 

[paintnolish]

If the vaccine becomes available to any of our age groups, we will get the shot. I am not too worked up over it, but we all get the seasonal shot/mist, so, tom me, this would be no different. I am not worried about it being "rushed" either, since they make a new shot every year for the seasonal flu since the strain changes.

 

[legalsea]

I was part of the "this virus is WAY over-hyped" crowd, but so many young kids -- healthy, free-from-existing-conditions kids -- are falling to this virus. I don't understand why this age group is so susceptible, but I have one DS who is 13 and now H1N1 really scares me. I know there are risks, but I would never, ever want something to happen to my son when I could have at least tried to prevent it. I'm getting it for him as soon as the vaccine is in the area.

Good thinking. The reason the health professionals are 'hyping' the H1N1 is much is that it is a new strain of influenza previously not seen.

From CDC site:

"One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years do not yet appear to be at increased risk of 2009 H1N1-related complications thus far. CDC laboratory studies have shown that no children and very few adults younger than 60 years old have existing antibody to 2009 H1N1 flu virus; however, about one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against 2009 H1N1 flu by any existing antibody."

 

[cruisnfamily]

THANKS for the link. I am a person with asthma taking steroids, so I have my answer. I'll risk it.

Now if the CDC could only tell me whether DD needs two shots/mists or one. I was on the phone to them for ages and talked to I don't know how many people. I never got a straight answer because they apparently HAVE no answer to this question:

If you have a child who will be 9 for the first shot/mist, but will have turned 10 by the time the second shot/mist is scheduled, does that child get ONE or TWO shots/mists? In other words, if you have a "bridge birthday" child who goes from 9 to 10 between doses, do you count them as a 9 y.o. or a 10 y.o.?

The CDC was stumped. I reminded them that plenty of kids would fall in this category and that they needed an answer. I gave them this scenario: We get the first dose for DD at age 9. A month later, she goes in for dose 2, but by then she is age 10. They ask me how old she is and when I say "10" and they notice she's already had ONE dose, they say, "Ten year olds only need one dose, so she's finished already." But is she????????

They admitted it was a good question, but had no answer. Since the vaccine effectiveness plummets if you only used one dose for children up to age 10 as opposed to those over 10, I need a straight answer. DD's body will not magically change the day she turns 10. What to do.....What to do?

If what I bolded is true(I have no idea, but it appears that you've researched this) then if it were my dd and it were up to me and not her doctor, I would have her get 2 shots.

 

[justhat]

I would also go with the 2 shots because as of the first one she was 9yo and therefore still needed 2.

 

[sbell111]

THANKS for the link. I am a person with asthma taking steroids, so I have my answer. I'll risk it.

Now if the CDC could only tell me whether DD needs two shots/mists or one. I was on the phone to them for ages and talked to I don't know how many people. I never got a straight answer because they apparently HAVE no answer to this question:

If you have a child who will be 9 for the first shot/mist, but will have turned 10 by the time the second shot/mist is scheduled, does that child get ONE or TWO shots/mists? In other words, if you have a "bridge birthday" child who goes from 9 to 10 between doses, do you count them as a 9 y.o. or a 10 y.o.?

The CDC was stumped. I reminded them that plenty of kids would fall in this category and that they needed an answer. I gave them this scenario: We get the first dose for DD at age 9. A month later, she goes in for dose 2, but by then she is age 10. They ask me how old she is and when I say "10" and they notice she's already had ONE dose, they say, "Ten year olds only need one dose, so she's finished already." But is she????????

They admitted it was a good question, but had no answer. Since the vaccine effectiveness plummets if you only used one dose for children up to age 10 as opposed to those over 10, I need a straight answer. DD's body will not magically change the day she turns 10. What to do.....What to do?

Be safe and get the second shot.

 

[Va-bear]

I have asthma and I'm pregnant and my kids got the FluMist yesterday. Regular, not swine, but it was the Mist regardless.

And like I said, my nephew has asthma and tons of kids get the mist in his school and he's fine. I believe it's specific to you getting the Mist being asthmatic.

That is what our doctor has always said (and I've read...) Our non-asthmatic 10 yr old always gets the mist and our asthmatic 6 year old gets the shot....no problems.

Our 6 year old has already recieved the H1N1 vaccine (1st dose...2nd next week) - he is in a trial. I could not be happier, unless the 10 year old could have gotten it too. The technology to making flu shots has been around and improved upon for many a year... and year and year after year the number of deaths from flu is much higher than from a standard flu vaccine, by far. And with the odd effects this flu is having (taking down seemingly healthy children...) I will take a flu shot anyday. Hopefully, none of us will need them and we'll all be healthy all winter.