Should we get flu shots

I don't get flu shots for myself (I'm a teacher) or DD11 or DS7.
We've always been lucky & no one ever gets the flu.

Now I'm going to go find some wood to knock on! :goodvibes
 
I got a flu shot (I'm a teacher) and got DD a flu shot for the 2nd year in a row. SHe is 21 months and has had some medical problems. We will probably continue to get them b/c of my job and her health issues. I also think we are on the verge of a huge pandemic so I think it won't hurt.
 
disneymom225 said:
I also think we are on the verge of a huge pandemic so I think it won't hurt.
I am afraid that I agree, we did get our flu shots for the first time this year, b/c we are flying with all the germs in the plane and if it would help a bit if the (should rephrase to when) the bird flu arrives then it is worth it. My cousin is involved in developing, installation and training others globally on medical equipment. She said last Christmas that a bird flu out break is the thing that scares her the most on a healthcare and response level. Look at how bad the response was to Hurricane Katrina, that was one large area, not a national event. You would need to take care of your self if something really horrible ever did happen. Better safe than sorry I figure!
 
We usually get flu shots every year but didn't last year with the shortage and apparently it is happening again this year because all flu shot clinics in our area were cancelled for lack of vaccine and our pediatrician's office is only giving it to children under two or those with severe medical conditions. So no flu shot for us:(
 

BeccaGrace said:
We usually get flu shots every year but didn't last year with the shortage and apparently it is happening again this year because all flu shot clinics in our area were cancelled for lack of vaccine and our pediatrician's office is only giving it to children under two or those with severe medical conditions. So no flu shot for us:(
If you want the vaccine, don't give up. Everything I've read said there is no national shortage, but there are some local distribution problems. Our shots here were delayed, and for a while were only offered to people in high risk groups, but now they're available to anyone.
 
kiddoc said:
I am a pediatrician and won't even begin to get in the vaccine debate. However, I do disagree with the no well-baby visits. Many times, I'll admit, well-baby visits are just that--well babies. However, there are times that subtle abnormalities can be picked up that may save suffering, long-term disabilities or death. Do you have dental check-ups? Do you yourself have regular OB check-ups? Regular physician visits are important regardless of age.
I so agree! My son's congenital heart defect was picked up by his pediatrician at his 1 year well baby visit.
Hejust had an operation to have it fixed and is perfectly fine.
I would never have known about it until it started to cause irreversable problems later in life.

I am pro check ups, pro vaccinations. Maybe it's because I had a grandma who was handicapped by polio and wore a leg brace and had to walk with a cane her whole life..and a Dad who had polio and spent a full year recovering.

Vaccinations are wonderful medical marvels and I am so thankful that my children are able to recieve them.
 
Since DS goes to a daycare center he has had his flu shot for this year. I personally never get them. I try to stay as healthy and be careful as possible during winter and so far so good.
 
kiddoc said:
I am a pediatrician and won't even begin to get in the vaccine debate. However, I do disagree with the no well-baby visits. Many times, I'll admit, well-baby visits are just that--well babies. However, there are times that subtle abnormalities can be picked up that may save suffering, long-term disabilities or death. Do you have dental check-ups? Do you yourself have regular OB check-ups? Regular physician visits are important regardless of age.

This is for me, I suppose. No, I do not do well care for myself. I do not believe in using allopathic medicine unless all natural remedies have failed. Even then, I am selective in what I do. You could not pay me enough to voluntarily go to an OB. We do regular chiropractic care and occasional naturopathic when someone is sick.

FWIW, I did take my oldest to a few well visits...and lost all trust in the medical community. It was the last straw. I have been threatened by several physicians who said they would turn me in to CPS because I was breastfeeding and my dd was slow to regain birthweight, because I refused to feed my child rice cereal and stuff her full of solids when she was 4 months old, and because when my dd2 was hospitalized due to a fever, I refused routine procedures. The docs raised holy hell with me, all because of my personal, religious beliefs.
 
JVL1018 said:
I so agree! My son's congenital heart defect was picked up by his pediatrician at his 1 year well baby visit.
Hejust had an operation to have it fixed and is perfectly fine.
I would never have known about it until it started to cause irreversable problems later in life.

That happened to us too! Actually, her ASD was picked up at 2 months and was fixed by the time she was 4 months. If we didn't go to well-baby visits-who knows how long it would have gone undetected.
I think that everyone has to make the choice that is right for them and their lifestyle. But I do wonder- what was the cause of autism in the world before vaccines? Autism and Aspergers' Syndrome have been around A LOT longer than vaccines. So what caused it then? I know people have claimed it being on the rise but could it be that we are more aware of it today? I just have serious doubts about it being solely attributed to vaccines.
Again, I feel that everyone has the right to make their own choices and if you choose not to get your kid vaccinated or take them to well-baby visits-fine. More power to you. I don't have the knowledge, education, or experience in medicine to evaluate my child. SO, I take my child to someone who does. Does that mean I go along with everything they say? No. I use my judgement and I have also selected a doctor I trust to be honest with me. Maybe he has a secret agenda and is really plotting how to take over the world using my child as a guinea pig but for now-we'll listen to his advice/ Besides, DD loves the lollipops he gives out!
 
I never got the flu shot. My children did for the first time last year. There was such a shortage last year that my doctor did not have any of the vac. but my children's pediatrician did. Seeing that we were going to WDW for close to 2 weeks, I didn't want the kids to get sick, so they both were vaccinated. WELL....on the last day of our trip...that's right...our travel day...my DD got SOOOOOO sick. To this day, I don't know how she was able to travel, that poor girl!!! You forget how sick you can become!!!
So, flu shot and frequent use of antibacterial liquid...she still got SICK!!!
 
I haven't read all of the past posts, and assume at this point, you've either gotten the shots or not.

But... I have gotten the flu shot every year since I was 17 and my DDs have gotten them every year since they were born. No one has had a reaction of any kind. I just feel, it is a little prick, for a little reassurance. As a sidenote, When I was 18, I got 5 vaccines, including the flu shot at the same time, with no reaction (and I was hung over :rotfl: ). I am a firm believer of vaccines.
 
disneymom225 said:
But I do wonder- what was the cause of autism in the world before vaccines? Autism and Aspergers' Syndrome have been around A LOT longer than vaccines. So what caused it then? I know people have claimed it being on the rise but could it be that we are more aware of it today? I just have serious doubts about it being solely attributed to vaccines.

By no means do I feel fully qualified to really get into this debate and I really shouldn't be stirring the pot, but I did do some research on this subject this summer (so it's been I few months...I may be a little fuzzy with the details).

I don't think that documented cases of Autism/Aspergers have been around "a lot longer than vaccines." Autism was first documented in the 1940's around the same time that vaccines were gaining in popularity with the upper and upper-middle classes. I also think that the increase in autism in the last 15-20 years is pretty suspicious when you consider the increase in required vaccines during the same time frame. I'm certainly not going to say that vaccines cause autism, but I also don't feel comfortable saying that vaccines are not what is causing the increase in autism and other auto-immune diseases.

All that said, my DD is mostly vaccinated and has had all of her well baby checkups. I agree that from a public health perspective that vaccines are a great thing, but I feel that it is my responsibility as my DD's mother to do my homework and respectively question her doctor. I am my DD's advocate. I looked into this subject for two reasons...DD had a bad reaction to her Prevnar vaccine and a bad reaction through breastmilk after I had a flu shot due to a severe egg allergy. Because of her egg allergy, we have delayed her MMR and she was not able to get a flu shot this year.

With future children, I will do things differently, but will likely have them get most vaccines. In particular, I will have our ped. only administer one vaccine per visit. This way, if my child has a bad reaction, we would know for sure which vaccine caused the problem and you aren't overloading the child's system as much, all at once, with the additives mentioned previously. I think that it is ironic that the same people (at least some people that I know) will get titers checked on their dog, yet they'll let their 2 month old child receive four vaccines at one office visit without doing any research.

If anyone is interested, a couple of books that I found helpful were "The Vaccine Guide" by Randall Neustaedter (more anti-vaccine) and "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave (more pro delayed vaccine).

Sorry if I opened a can of worms. I know that I am just asking for flames after this post!
 
amarberry said:
Sorry if I opened a can of worms. I know that I am just asking for flames after this post!
Actually, I think you gave a perfect example of how it should be done. While I am pro-vaccine (and that doesn't mean I think anyone who doesn't vaccinate is a bad parent, it just means I think vaccines are more likely to do good than harm), you obviously did your research and made a decision based on your child's medical history. That's what everyone should do.
 
budbeerlady said:
I am afraid that I agree, we did get our flu shots for the first time this year, b/c we are flying with all the germs in the plane and if it would help a bit if the (should rephrase to when) the bird flu arrives then it is worth it.

FYI, the shots you received this year would not protect you if a bird flu outbreak should happen. There is no current vaccine to protect for the bird flu because the bird flu hasn't mutated into a human to human transmission form yet. They are experimenting, but unless they have a strain to test the vaccines on, there would be no way of knowing if one would actually work at this time. It will however help with some of the "regular" flu strains.
 
I'm a big believer in the flu shot and try to get one each year for me and DDs (DH is too stubborn). We've never had any problems with a reaction......until this year!

DDs got their flu shots on Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. DD5 started having flu like symptoms Wednesday afternoon, and was in bed pretty much all day Thursday. She felt terrible! Fever, headache, body aches, sore throat, cough, the whole nine yards.

I spent most of Thursday morning reassuring the 14 or so people that were arriving for Thanksgiving that she was just having a reaction and would not give them the flu.

Anyway, I still think it was right to get her the shot and hope it will protect her throughout this flu season. One day is better than a whole week of being miserable!
 
mapmakerj said:
FYI, the shots you received this year would not protect you if a bird flu outbreak should happen. There is no current vaccine to protect for the bird flu because the bird flu hasn't mutated into a human to human transmission form yet. They are experimenting, but unless they have a strain to test the vaccines on, there would be no way of knowing if one would actually work at this time.
Unless the eventual new bird flu strain is mutated from an existing flu strain. Or very similar to it. But yeah, don't count on it.
 
It is my understanding that in order for the "bird flu" to be passed from human to human, the infected human would have to have a human flu strain simultaneously with the bird flu. The bird strain would then mutate with the human strain to pick up human to human transmission capabilities.

That would seem like alot of coincidences. Even if a person had both that doesn't mean that either would mutate. Maybe the human strain would mutate so that it could be passed from bird to bird. Do they vaccinate their chicks?
 
go cowboys said:
It is my understanding that in order for the "bird flu" to be passed from human to human, the infected human would have to have a human flu strain simultaneously with the bird flu. The bird strain would then mutate with the human strain to pick up human to human transmission capabilities.

That would seem like alot of coincidences.
You think it seems unlikely? Read about the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919. Antigenic shift is not uncommon. And it doesn't have to occur in a human's body - pigs are carriers of both human and avian versions of flu viruses.

BTW, we are currently in Phase 3 of the six phases of a pandemic.
 
The avian flu virus will probably mutate into a form that will spread from human to human at some point. The question is when (this flu season? 3 years from now? longer?) and how virulent will it be when this mutation takes place. It is likely to become less deadly when it does mutate, but no one knows for sure how much less. Pandemics in 1957 and 1968 were not that big a deal. The 1918 Spanish Flu killed 2.5% of the people who got it. The H5N1 strain of the avian flu that humans are now getting from birds is killing about 50% of those infected. There are lots of unknowns, but this virus has the health care community worried for good reason.
 












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