Swine flu jab question-post 13

[Netty]

If you have a child under the age of 5 yrs old, would you let them have the jab or not?? I have a niggling doubt over this jab, but I don't know why so I'd like to hear what your thoughts on it!!

 

[joolz1910]

I'm in the same situation. My youngest DD is 2. I am torn. The consensus seems to be that the pandemic is over and that it has been scaled down. Also, most deaths have occurred in people with underlying health problems. Having said all that...

My friend works for the NHS and she said that they were pressured to have the jab but most of her colleagues didn't bother.

 

[buzz for boys]

I have no hard facts as to why but I have a real nagging doubt with this jab and so neither me, ds or dd have had the jab.
I believe that the rate in which this jab was "put out" is the main worry I have - was there really enough time for succesful trials to be done??
As PP as posted I havent heard anything about swine flu for a good while now x x x
I say trust your instincts !!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Kyra is having hers Friday (due to have it last week but the doctors made a booking mistake) I did think about her not having it but tbh if she got swine flu and was really really sick and it could of been prevented by the injection then I would feel really guilty.

So she's having it. She isn't looking forward to it lol.

 

[jamjar84]

I am really worried about this, I was sent a letter for DD (1) to have it, or to let the surgery know if I don't want her to have it, plus I am currently pregnant, so they will offer it to me too. My husband works for the NHS and has had the jab, but I really do not know if I should get it or let my daughter have it.

As someone else said, if she did get Swine Flu I'd never forgive myself, but nor would I if there were any side effects of the relatively untested jab.

I have a severe phobia of needles which really does put me off (as stupid as it sounds) I have to get injected every day with a bloodthinner because I have had a DVT in my leg recently, and should the need arise for me to have another caesarean I could get it again, so I get injected every day into my stomach, and that's an ordeal as it is, even so I am terrified of this needle, especially as DH said that it's really painful.

My sister in law is a nurse and has been encouraging me not to have it, as she doesn't trust the vaccine, but she's no expert and I am sure that the government wouldn't condone or endorse it if it was that unsafe?

 

[joolz1910]

This is similar to the dilemma I had when my eldest DD had to have the MMR and it was linked to Autism. I decided to have the jab as the risks of complications with measles were proven but the link with Autism wasn't (at that time) conclusive. I agonised over that decision.

 

[jamjar84]

I guess that is a good logic, thanks for the advice.

I think I will ask the MW tomorrow about it, and see what the take up rate is in the area, There haven't been many cases of Swine Flu in this area at all, but my husband, my mum and my SIL all work in the hospital, as do a few friends who myself and my daughter see regularly, so that is something that has been concerning me. It's just such a hard decision to make, I mean if it was just me I wouldn't mind taking the risk, but the decision I make could potentially impact on the lives of both my children, it's scary.

As for MMR, I think the links to autism are negligible at best, we've not looked into it properly, but my little girl has had all her jabs. It is something that worries me too, but I think something like measles it's obvious how much damage it could cause.

 

[mushumadness]

morgan had it last week
me and dh decided to let him have it, after alot of thought, ive also had it
luckily no side effects not even a temperature bless him

 

[Verity Chambers]

Evie had hers too last week, it was a bit of a decision , but I have gone with it, I would rather she didn't get swine flu! At the end of the day it's your decision. x

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Evie had hers too last week, it was a bit of a decision , but I have gone with it, I would rather she didn't get swine flu! At the end of the day it's your decision. x

It must be a hard dec //glad its not one I have to make.

Verity, I have to tell you, last year we met a little girl at an airport, cant mind whre, she was an adorable little naughty noodle, it was so funnny, we thought she was related to our beagle cause her name was Evie no, same last mane as orly Any way my point is, what a lovely name I think it is.

 

[Verity Chambers]

It must be a hard dec //glad its not one I have to make.

Verity, I have to tell you, last year we met a little girl at an airport, cant mind whre, she was an adorable little naughty noodle, it was so funnny, we thought she was related to our beagle cause her name was Evie no, same last mane as orly Any way my point is, what a lovely name I think it is.

Thank you Hope you still think she is sweet when you meet her in May!!!

 

[PoppyAnna]

I have a four year old who will be five in September, I haven't heard from my GP yet and TBH I'd prefer it to stay that way. DH has had the vacination as he is high risk, he had a ump in his arm for a few days and felt rough too, but he also had seasonal flu at the same time (one in each arm). Thankfully, I've heard of very little Swine Flu in my area and so far we have only had a handful of confirmed cases at eldest DD's school
For those that are worried about how quickly the jab was developed and released, it was given to patients in Australia during their winter last year and had a very positive response, so it has been "out there" for longer than you may think.

 

[Netty]

I'm sure you can still get swine flu but with milder symptoms even if you have the jab??
Also does anyone know if there are more complications if you have chest or asthma problems and get swine flu?

Charlie is supposed to be having his jab tomorrow (wed), dd Steph has asked me what she should do, and as i'm niggling about it and know there is no right or wrong answer, i don't know what to say!
Charlie has had a few chest infections and colds , so i think that if swine flu can be alot worse for kids that have chest problems then suppose having the jab is the way to go...?

 

[scottish mum]

My ds8 had his in november along with the seasonal one and apart from a sore arm for about 24 hrs he was fine. At the moment my other kids don't fall into the category to get it, one is 12 the other 5. If they get offered the chance of having it I will also give it to him.

As for it not being tested enough and around for long enough my doctor told me that it has had the same testing as the seasonal flu vaccine

 

[scottish mum]

My son has asthma so got his. As said above he was fine. I went on the advise of my doctor who said that with his illness it is much safer for him to have the vaccine. I know the damage a simple cold can do to him so I wasn't prepared to take the risk with him getting swine flu. They offered me an option to reduce his chances of getting swine flu so I felt I had to take it. If i never gave him the vaccine and he got seriously ill I couldn't live with myseif.

 

[laluna]

The jab was offerred to high risk groups, under 5s included, because they are at greater risk of complications and more likely to be hospitalised as a result of the virus. The vaccine has been in use for a while; it was used in the US about 10 years ago. It could not be used routinely in the UK without testing.

Whilst the swine flu pandemic has calmed, this is not to say that it wont pose a risk again - the vaccine provides life long immunity.

The topic of vaccination is always controversial and I have never understood the logic against it. I have two children; my daughter was due to have the MMR when the controversy was at its peak. The deciding factor for me in making any decisison about vaccination is as follows: if my child is vaccinated and goes on to get whatever it is that is linked to the vaccine, I can never proove for certain the link; this may have happened anyway. BUT if they die or suffer serious complications from contracting the disease I could have got them protected against (measles kills, flu can kill, etc) then I would completely responsible. No brainer for me.

I received a swine flu jab as a midwife and an asthma sufferer. No side effects apart from a sore arm. My DS age 3 1/2 has the jab a fornight ago. Again he was fine apart from him getting cross with the nurse who he said stung him with a bumle bee! A couple of years ago I got pnuemonia as a result of flu; had been breastfeeding so didn't have my seasonal flu jab that year and nearly pegged it as a result. Not good. Also have to think about vaccination and herd immunity; let's get rid of these nasty bugs together and try to irradicate the risk. So that is my perspective, from one who is pro vaccination and would get jabbed against the common cold if she could!

 

[MazdaUK]

I had (I think!) swine flu and it was nothing much, I worked from home one day because I didn't feel up to travelling but apart from usual fluey feeling and tiredness it wasn't major BUT one week later I had a cough and sore throat and that developed into pneumonia and plurisy - and let me tell you pleurisy is more painful than childbirth! I was off work 5 weeks and still very run down for over a month after

My younger son (10) did not have his MMR until last year because his eldest cousin has Aspergers which my dsis believes was a result of MMr. I finally let him have the jabs because there was a lot of measles aoround - he was recently diagnosed with very mild Aspergers but I don't think it is linked to the jab because teachers in reception did make a few comments, but nothing was ever followed up.

So.....I wouldn't have tamiflu but I probably would go for the jab (and I hate needles too). Just my 2d-worth

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I don't agree that it provides life long immunity because if it mutates into a stronger virus a new vaccine will have to be issued (I asked this to my GP and he said thats correct).

So basically this vaccine is going to protect you from the latest strain of the SF.

 

[T16GEM]

the vaccine provides life long immunity.

does it? What if the virus were to mutate? Everyone I have spoken to regarding this has said that you would need to have a new jab every year?

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

does it? What if the virus were to mutate? Everyone I have spoken to regarding this has said that you would need to have a new jab every year?

Exactly what my GP said Gemma.