Flu vaccines for kids

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The CDC has some useful, factual information on the H1N1 vaccination here: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/ ... yfacts.htm

Squalene?

Sorry, but not only is it not in the vaccine, it is in your body naturally and is needed to process vitamin D.

Yes, it's squalene. I have read about it being in your body and it's something you need, but when it's injected rather than entering naturally your immune system doesn't recongnize it the same way and you can get GBS from it. Everything I have read says that this vaccine has this in it and people have died. I would love to see where you have heard that it is not other than the CDC. It is this that scares me the most. I have also read about it being in the vaccines of troops that have fought in desert storm and they stopped vaccinating because of it's side effects, and it is illegal to use in the United States.

My son is in a small private school and is not around very many kids. To me, he is at less of a risk that most kids in public schools. Weighing the likelyhood that he would get this flu, and that it is mostly not any more severe than the normal flu, against the side effect of a flu vaccine with questionable ingredients and the newness of it, I really don't know what I'm going to do.

I have never gotten a flu shot, and either has my son and we both have dodged that bullet thus far. This is just one of many hard decisions

squalene is not in vaccines used in US like you said it is not approved by FDA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squalene#U ... n_vaccines
http://www.flu.gov/myths/index.html

Thank You!

I hate having to make this decision.

I am 7 months preggo and a severe asthmatic ... so I feel like I really have to do the h1n1.

My son is in preschool -- which he REALLY needs -- and is doing great. But he brings EVERYTHING home sniffle-wise.

Even if I avoided h1n1 ... by luck ... my infant would be exposed to the germs from preschool and the hospital.

So I think I am getting the mystery jab (minus the mercury) -- to protect me and confer some immunity to the baby.

Still on the fence about my boy. Really wish we could live in a bubble for a few months!! !

So my 15 month old had her check-up today and we decided to go ahead and get her the shot. Apparently the H1N1 is pretty widespread in our region (my neighbors are recovering as I write). My doctor's office had a supply of H1N1 for high risk kids only, including my baby girl. My 4 yo son was ineligible because they are only considering 1-3 years, and kids with underlying conditions high risk. When it becomes available for my son, I will get him vaccinated as well. The seasonal flu shot is completely unavailable in my region, for now, and I'm still unsure if we will get this vaccine or not.

This was a very tough decision for us, but I feel that we made the right choice. I've been somewhat paranoid about my kids getting sick, but we can't hibernate all season long (although sometimes I wish we could ). The risks of H1N1 appear to be very real whereas there still lies uncertainty in the potential risks of the vaccine. I'll probably never forgive myself if my kids get some sort of serious reaction to the vaccine, either now or down the road, but it's one way that I have to protect them now. Thanks for all of the responses!

The way many of the respondents are going on about the H1N1 flu vaccine, I'd think that they were all followers of quacks like Jenny McCarthy!!

Firstly, please get your information from RELIABLE sources, such as the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control (there is a Canadian Center for Disease Control and a US one). These organizations employ people with PhD's in subjects such as immunology and virology. They base their policies and recommendations on something called science.

Secondly, once you have listened to experts in the fields of virology and human immunology (the real experts, not just any wind bag on YouTube or who has a blog), please get vaccinated. If the majority of people in the community get vaccinated, there are less carriers of the virus, hence there are less outbreaks. By taking the self-centered, selfish attitude of "Oh well, I'll take my chances" - you could become infected and become a carrier. The innocent person you transmit the virus to could be a small child, a pregnant woman or someone who might have severe complications due to the flu.

Get the facts and then get the vaccination!!

I am a pediatric nurse in a metropolitan area in MN. We've had 10 deaths in MN this year, almost all kids (8, I believe.) Kids on the spectrum might have underlying immune problems, and there is NO EVIDENCE that vaccines contribute. I'd rather my Aspie child live to struggle another day than not! I do not support the hysteria in the press, but please, please protect your children. H1N1 kills kids.

I am getting my 7 yr old and 9 yr old vaccinated against H1N1 asap. I am 3 weeks from having a baby so I don't want to get it before the birth. I will get vaccinated after I have the baby. I have asked my husband to get vaccinated and to have my SS vaccinated also, but it's still not readily available in San Francisco, or I haven't heard yet. I want everyone around the baby to be vaccinated and then maybe get her vaccinated at 6 months, I don't think they recommend it earlier.

I went to the doctors yesterday and they want me to limit my exposure to other people and asked me to not take my aqua aerobics class. The last time I went the teacher was coughing and complaining of having a flu and another student was hacking away and I just don't think it's worth the risk. My doctor said to avoid people until 2 weeks postpartum. A little girl out here recently died from Swine flu, it does seem like a very tragic flu. Pregnant women are more vulnerable because of a weakened immune system, the body does that so it won't attack the baby as a foreign body. I feel a bit like a hermit but I am almost there.

No, its not readily available around here. Our pediatrician has none, so I haven't been able to vaccinate the kids yet. I hear that Kaiser has it for its members, though, if you can utilize that angle.

Just found this out, but you need to be part of a "high risk" group: pregnant women, children from 6-24 yrs of age etc

H1N1 vaccine

The San Francisco Department of Public Health will be providing the H1N1 flu vaccine free to high-risk people for three days starting Thursday at these sites:

Castro Mission Health Center: 3850 17th St.

Maxine Hall Health Center: 1301 Pierce St.

Ocean Park Health Center: 1351 24th Ave.

Potrero Hill Health Center: 1050 Wisconsin St.

Silver Avenue Family Health Center: 1525 Silver Ave.

Southeast Health Center: 2401 Keith St.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center: 240 Shotwell St.

North East Medical Services: 1520 Stockton St.

St. Anthony's Free Medical Clinic: 150 Golden Gate Ave.

Expected hours are: Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday , 8 a.m. to noon.

For more information call 311 or go to www.sfcdcp.org/flu.

The H1N1 vaccine is also available for $15 at the Department of Public Health: 101 Grove St.

I am very conflicted now as to whether or not to have it now that it is available for pregnant women here. I mean I am having this baby in 3 weeks and from what I have read, it hasn't been tested on pregnant women but pregnant women don't fare well if they come down with it. I have been doing a pretty good job being a hermit. I told a nurse I felt silly avoiding people but she said 'NO, you NEED to.' They aren't recommending I get the vaccine at my OB's office but they said they get daily updates from the CDC about H1N1 and the recommendations are to have pregnant women limit exposure to other people.

This post is very unfair. I am on the fence about this vaccine and I am very PRO vaccine, and I do not like Jenny McCarthy, and I do not think thermerosil is responsible for Autism. I have listened to many "experts" about a lot of things and sometimes they are wrong,not to mention that this is a very new vaccine, tested for how long? a day?. When you read about squalene, and everything you read says that this vaccine has that in it and it's killing people. When you have a person that lives close to you get GBS from it and will have nerve damage the rest of their lives it gives you pause. I have spoken to several healthcare workers about this and many of them are not getting the vaccine. This is the flu. Any flu can kill you, this just seems to be more widespread so the counts are up. Every flu now is not even being tested, and is assumed to be H1N1. How do we really know how many people die more than the normal seasonal flu's that go around if we arent' even testing anymore, and basing this scientific data on assumptions. I think the real deal with this flu is that it isn't localized, like most flu's are, it's worldwide and harder to contain. Does that make it more dangerous? Maybe, maybe not. Wash your hands, gargle with saltwater, swab your nose and stay home if your sick.

I stand by my original post.

BTW - "Gargle with salt water and swab your nose"??! !! Where are you getting your information from??? Was it that stupid hoax e-mail by Dr. Vinay Goyal?? Do you really believe that swabbing your nose with salt water and gargling with salt water will kill the influenza virus because you actually think that it sits in the nose and upper throat and has a little tea party before multiplying and spreading to the lower lungs??? Please get your information from something other than those silly mass forwarded, unsubstantiated e-mails....

Also, you mentioned in your original post that you know many health care workers who are not getting the vaccine. So what?? I have lots of colleagues that are "health care workers" Even professional nurses (LVN's and RNs) often get their information from unreliable sources and, unfortunately, get swayed by the same unsubstantiated information as the rest of the population. I know RN's who actually believe in ghosts and swear that they have seen them in the facility??! !! Then there are health care workers who believe that waving crystals over someone will help them heal from wounds. Yeah, right. Hey - why don't you go buy a crystal too. It should work just about as much as gargling with salt water to kill the flu virus.

I don't see how "official government information" is any more credible than other sources. Do you believe everything the government tells you, especially in a case like this? I sure hope not. IMO, the flu vaccine is a money-making scheme. It's bee done before, so it's not as far-fetched as it sounds. Not to mention they have the "FDA" to "Approve" the vaccine, just like they "approve" all of those prescription drugs that should have never been put on the market. Sorry, I'm not believing the government one bit with this "H1N1 killer flu". Scaring people into thinking they will die, to sell vaccines, which may make them die, to make money. Government, like most corporations, pray on people who are stupid enough to believe everything they are told.

BTW, 800th post.