Swine Flu Vacinations? A concerned parent.

[haplesshacker]

I've just seen on the news that kids aged between one and five are most at risk from swine flu. I have a three year old and an 8 month old.

What are your thoughts regarding vaccination, especially if you have young children?

I must admit that I need scientific facts and not media hype right now.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Had my swine flu jab tonight as I'm considered a high risk now with my diabetes. I'm due to go back for the normal vaccination soon as well. I'm not overly convinced it will be worth it but at least I've taken all reasonable steps which I guess is all my employer can ask and hopefully if I do get a bout it will minimise the effects.

Not sure about the scientific facts but as a completely uscientific guide there must have been about 20 kids booked into the session tonight so I guess a lot of parents consider it a risk worth taking. Most were between 5 and 12 but don't know if that was the age group being done, it was random or parents of younger kids either have it done in the daytime (this was 7.15pm so I guess bedtime for most youngsters) or weren't taking the risk.

Sorry its not really much help but thought I'd left you know what I saw. They do say you can get mild symptoms for 48 hours or so afterwards so wonder if I can wrangle a sickie and a game tomorrow

 

[Imurg]

Is Swine Flu any worse that any other 'Flu?
From what I've heard you're only going to be in trouble if you're like Homer and have "other" health problems. But you'd be in that boat with normal flu bugs too. If you get it you're laid up for a day or 2 feeling like something scraped off your shoe - same as ordinary flu - and then its gone.
I'm no scientist but it does seem to be being hyped up rather a lot.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

From what I understand from the sister on our eldery care ward at work (hits them and the young the worse apparently) is the compromising with breathing that is the most worrying issue. I'm told that in most people apart from feeling really low for 48 hours there isn't much difference and that standard advice including staying hydrated etc is the way to go.

I'm only at a higher risk because of my suppressed immune system and my diabetes. Strangely enough HID who is asthmatic hasn't been invited to have the swine flu jab

 

[Timh27]

My daughter is in the docs next week to get her jab. We got a letter from the nhs saying that it needed to be done so it will be.

To be honest i think swine flu is over hyped and is only so feared because of the media headlines which is not accurate and is designed to sell papers. I am not personaly worried about swine flu as if i get it i get it i'm not going to sit around worrying about it because i dont see the point but i will make my daughter take the percautions because i would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Ethan]

I've just seen on the news that kids aged between one and five are most at risk from swine flu. I have a three year old and an 8 month old.

What are your thoughts regarding vaccination, especially if you have young children?

I must admit that I need scientific facts and not media hype right now.

I am a doctor and my 2 year old will get it when offered.

There are a lot of paranoid conspiracy theories around. Ignore them, and don't read The Daily Mail. That advice still stands after the swine flu story goes away.

The vaccine has been approved by the EMEA. I have dealt with the EMEA, and they do not approve drugs without strong evidence of safety and effectiveness.

 

[stevek1969]

My 14 year old son got his swine flu and flu jabs yesterday as he has a heart condition , we got a phone call from our doctor about it, if he says he has to have it then thats good enough for us and i dont pay any attention to media hype about it. He felt slightly unwell during the night and slept it of this morning but is back to normal now.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to agree that the hype fills TV space and sells papers but only in the same way as concerns about Jedward or Katie Price do. If the doctor says its needed then I'd go with the professional advice. They aren't going to waste their time setting up clinics to vaccinate when they could be treating other patients unless there was a need to do so.

If you really do have concerns, speak to the GP directly rather than looking at too many websites or relying on (mis)information from the media

 

[viscount17]

Homer, I'm not surprised that your lady was not called. Asthmatics, and my son is one, seem well down the list, not even qualifying for free prescriptions for what is a lifetime need.

He has though had both the normal flu jab and more recently the tammy flu since he caught it either in Cuba or on his return.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Strangely enough my wife has always been able to get a pre-payment certificate which is a fixed amount and she can then get as many prescriptions (and items per prescription) in the year for a one off fee. As she is only loads of medication it really is value for money but a con when you consider she has to pay upfront. I'm on a medical expemption card which is free so all my prescriptions are free with no annual fee. Its crazy as surely an asthmatic condition and the inablility to breath is a pretty important pre-requisite for staying healthy (and alive!)

 

[madandra]

My concerns are regarding the phrase 'underlying health issues' you here when someone has died from it. What are these? Is it fever, crabs, TB? What is triggering the swine flu to make it a killer?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

In the one death I know about at another hospital locally the lady was a) elderly and b) had a serious respiratory infection already

 

[drawboy]

Swine flu is no more dangerous than normal flu to anyone who is relatively healthy. It is however a Pig to get rid of.

 

[Ethan]

My concerns are regarding the phrase 'underlying health issues' you here when someone has died from it. What are these? Is it fever, crabs, TB? What is triggering the swine flu to make it a killer?

Usually immunocompromise that makes the infection much worse, or some disease that limits your ability to ride out the fever, e.g heart failure. Some people have a severe reaction for no obvious reason.

Crabs not normally implicated, although if you have personal concerns talk to your GP.

 

[StuartD]

Our wee boy is on the mend after getting swine flu last weekend. He was under the weather for a few days after the hospital got his temp under control. Not sure if he needs the jab now?

Best thing about it all is that i have the sniffles and a sore throat and as i have been in contact with someone who has swine flu my work have insisted i stay off for 7 days as i am deemed a risk

 

[Jigger]

I heard something like 50% of deaths from swine flu are aged under 5. My little girl will get the jab when offered but I think I will be asking for more information at the time.

My in-laws have just had it and they've never been that ill from normal Flu. At the same time. if you get it you just have to deal with it but for my little girl, I rather she avoid it as there are high concerns for under 4s.

 

[Pants]

HH

I'd love to be able to give you good advice but all I could offer would be from personal or anecdotal experience, as could anyone on this forum who isn't a professional in this subject (e.g. Ethan).

If you have ANY concerns, talk to your GP about them, and trust his/her advice. Right or wrong, it will be more informed than most you will receive here.

 

[MVP]

Swine flu is a bloody great con ...for christs sakes i wish so called intelligent people would wake up......

first of all it has made drug companies billions...and secondly if anyone could be bothered to check the ingredients..of which one is mercury !!!! then they will realise that is a load of crap.


and i would never give all them toxins to a young child whos immune system has not even developed.....


Please research this yourself guys cos most of my posts on this matter get ignored for some reason...

Do be open minded and dont take swine flu vaccinations!!


Oh heres another little fact GLaxo smith kline or whatever theyre called got a patent for the swine flu vaccine over a year ago!!!!!! before there was even a swine flu outbreak or fear of one !! Now if that doesnt spook you what will!!!!!

 

[Ethan]

Swine flu is a bloody great con ...for christs sakes i wish so called intelligent people would wake up......

first of all it has made drug companies billions...and secondly if anyone could be bothered to check the ingredients..of which one is mercury !!!! then they will realise that is a load of crap.


and i would never give all them toxins to a young child whos immune system has not even developed.....


Please research this yourself guys cos most of my posts on this matter get ignored for some reason...

Do be open minded and dont take swine flu vaccinations!!


Oh heres another little fact GLaxo smith kline or whatever theyre called got a patent for the swine flu vaccine over a year ago!!!!!! before there was even a swine flu outbreak or fear of one !! Now if that doesnt spook you what will!!!!!

Complete and utter crap, and dangerous.

State your qualifications for stating this paranoid nonsense, or else shut up.

As for young children, I bet you have never seen a kid with HIB meningitis. I have. That disease has been eliminated by immunization, as have a bunch of other diseases.

 

[Ethan]

That stupid post by MVP has angered me, and I realise that my previous response was insufficient.

I work in Research and Development in the pharmaceutical industry (although not for a vaccine manufacturer) and previously I was a public health physician where I dealt with outbreaks and immunizations.

Swine flu is not a con. It is a version of the flu that occurs every generation or so when a large shift in the nature of the virus occurs. It is true that most people do not have a major illness, but when so many in the population get it, even a low attack rate causes many deaths.

The immunization is a genuine and effective immunization. It has not be half-tested. The EMEA does not approve these vaccines based on insufficient data.

I will accept the invitation that my 2 year old son receives for swine flu immunization, as I did for all his other immunizations. Anyone who believes that a toddler's immune system is not ready for immunization is a fool who does not understand immunology.

Ironically, in the call to be open minded, MVP shows that he is ignorant and closed minded, not to mention gullible and easily led by pseudo science and scare stories made up to inflame the feckless and the paranoid.

The research is clear. Immunization is effective. Swine flu is potentially lethal to high risk groups.

MVP may not have been aware of swine flu a year ago, but many scientists were aware of this well over a year ago.