Flu vaccine..r your kids getting it?

Can't decide?? My boys have never had the vaccine, but now they are in school. If you are NOT getting it please tell me why. I really want to hear why not...because I know why, but I still feel like I don't want to give it, but I have no other reason but mommy nervousness about over vaccination..Help!

 

We get it. My oldest DS has asthma, I teach kids with severe disabilities, and it is just an added protection for all involved - not just my family.

 

Our boys got their first of two doses when they were 6 months old and preemies, and they were cared for in the home by my mother then. They got another full dose last year, and just got their shots for this year last week. They've never once had any side effects from the flu vaccines. They go to daycare FT and I want them protected as much as possible. DH and I always get the flu shot too.

 

My kids have already gotten it for this year.

 

We have never gotten the flu shot. My boys have never gotten the flu. Each year, they will get a fever (this week actually) but there are no other symptoms connected to it. My dh and I up until about 5 years ago always got the flu. But then we started taking vitamins and never have gotten the flu since. So our whole family takes vitamin D, multi, probiotic and when we feel sick symptoms, we take an immune booster vitamin.

 

With a new baby on the way we'll all be getting it for sure this year. DH usually opts out (just can't be bothered) but since that usually only knocks him on his butt I haven't insisted - since babe will be affected this time he doesn't have a choice.

 

Nope...the one year my oldest and I both got the shot, we both got the flu, I caught it from work and brought it home. I haven't bothered since, and so far, my oldest and I were the only ones to get the flu last year too. (He's 9 by the way, so that's twice in 9 yrs). We always catch it early, get tamiflu, and within a few days are back on our feet, it's more like a bad cold than anything else.

Personally, I think if you are paying attention to your own health, and your children's health, then you will probably catch it early too. Don't wait it out. Get into the dr, get tamiflu, and you'll likely be fine in a couple of days. It's the secondary issues that are the danger, so pay attention. Finish the tamiflu don't stop taking it when you feel better. If you (or your child) spike a fever within a couple of days, call the dr, don't wait it out. To me, it's pretty common sense.

Half the time the vaccine isn't for the right strain of flu going around anyways, they are just guessing when they make the shots up and there's so many strains of flu that they can't add them all to the vaccine. So you're covered, but only for certain strains, it won't do a bit of good if you are covered for strains A B C and D, and it's strain G that goes around.

I'm not opposed to anyone getting it, totally a personal choice, but for us, this is one vaccine we consistently opt out of

 

This is basically it for me. We practice good hand washing/hygiene & if someone presents with flu-like symptoms, treat accordingly.

Both the bolded above & the fact that if you get a flu shot too early & it wears off before flu season strikes your region you can still contract the flu also affect my decision as well.

I support those who choose to get it but we do not get it ourselves. For us, the flu is an illness that with proper care & attention can be mitigated (although unpleasant).

 

We don't do flu shots. I actually got them for my first born when he was an infant then regretted it. I do don't it for the chemicals that are in it and the strains. As danibell said, the strains in the actual vaccine aren't many. From what I have read this year the three strains in it are the H1N1, H1N3 (something like that), and last year's most popular strain. I believe it is pointless because the flu mutates every year so whatever strain made everyone sick last year will more than likely not be the strain that makes everyone sick this year.

 

Actually, more often than not they are correct in the strains they believe will be prevalent and that they put in the vaccine. Yes, they have to somewhat guess, but it's not like they are throwing darts at a dart board. There is a lot of scientific analysis that goes into it, and it's usually accurate.

We always get them. I can't fathom exposing my children to what is a potentially life threatening illness for them when there is an option.

 

We get it in our house. We want to protect not only ourselves, both those around us who need the extra protection.

 

I don't do flu shots for myself or my kids. My husband is in the military and is 'voluntold' to get a flu shot every year and every year he gets sick from it.

My justification is that, as previously mentioned, the shot only protects against a few strains of the flu. The chances of one of us actually getting the flu is slim, something like 10-5%. I don't even know anyone who's ever actually had the flu. Most people get flu-like illnesses, not the actual flu. We're healthy, my kids are great about washing hands, etc., so I don't worry about it.

And yes, I have been properly lectured by my OB and midwife about it! :lol:

 

They got it the first year and last year, but last year was the flu mist and they got sick from it so they never got the booster... this year I was going to pass on it but the school requires it, so they got the shot.

I've never ever got the flu so I haven't bothered getting one for myself.

 

No flu shots for us this year...Last year for the first time I did flu shots for me and all three of my kids Well its rare but my daughter had GBS which later turned into CIDP It has been a rough year for my 4yr old in and out of hospitals, pt and ot 2 to 3 times a week, IVIG infusions every 4 weeks. All I can say is do some research, although there is alot of unknown with gbs and cidp there seems to be in some cases a connection with family history with autoimmune disease, like lupus,fibra,arthritis,ect. Good luck!

 

Thank you all for your responses

R&RMama: what is CIDP? I've heard of GBS and its connection with the vaccine.

 

Its a chronic version of GBS

 

We all get them in my family. Now with the girls in preschool, I'm even more adamant they get them.

BTW, the flu shot is made with the strain of virus that affects Japan and China, the far east, in the spring, so that by the time it reaches the U.S. In the fall it is the correct strain for the current year. This year, it is the same as last years, which is why they are available early and without a supply issue.

R&RMAMA, that's horrible about your daughter. Hope she has a better year coming up and feels better.

 

My son nearly died from complications from the flu. Before that I was against the vaccine and in the frame of mind that our bodies were designed to fight things off and that we would just treat symptoms as they occured. My son did not seem all that sick when all in a sudden an ok day turned into a nightmare. Since then, We all get the flu vaccine and this year was no exception especially with a new baby in the house. IMO vaccines are very scary, I hate to let any of my kids get any vaccine I feel almost like I am letting them poison my baby but after watching Jared come so close to dying in my arms ( i actually thought he was gone) I feel like I have to do whatever I can to try and prevent it from happening again. Each time it is vaccine time I have an inner battle.

 

My husband has to get one and I get one as well. I haven't decided on whether or not to give them to the girls. The first flu shot I ever received was while I was pregnant and I had no complications from it. However, in the 20 years prior to that, I never got the flu either. My husband tends to feel a little crummy after he gets it which is why I am a little hesitant to get the girls theirs.

 

Both my kids get them every year. No question on whether not to for them.

 

The flu shot is a dead virus, it should not make you sick with the flu. The flu mist is a live virus and can make you sick, but mostly when people get the flu after a shot, either they don't get the particular influenza virus that is in the shot, or if it happens immediately after the shot, either you already had the flu and it's incubating or you have some other virus.

Like Erica said, the flu shot is usually determined by following the trend of virus from the spring and summer from China. Thankfully our hemisphere gets it second.

It's a personal decision for everyone, and unfortunately, as R&RMama can attest to, can have some life threatening side effects, however, it is rare to have such a serious side effect. As for my kids, they haven't had a reaction before, and got their shots last week. They've also never gotten the flu. I used to get the flu annually, but once I started getting flu shots, I don't get the flu and I take public transportation daily.

 

Yup, we do the flu shot here. My girls haven't had all of their vaccines yet (I did a seriously delayed schedule), but I like the flu one enough that we've done it three years in a row. We also follow a lot of what everyone else said - lots of hand washing, multi vitamins, extra fruits and vitamins, etc. And if anyone in my house shows any symptoms of a real sickness, I dose them up good with oscillum - a homeopathic flu remedy. So far it's working.

I'm a fan of the flu vaccine after DH had the flu about seven years ago. I've never seen anyone so sick in my life - and he's a healthy adult with no immune issues. He spent two days in the hospital on intravenous fluids and didn't get out of bed for almost two weeks. If the flu can hit a regular person that hard, I'm happy to do whatever it takes to keep my kids from getting it.

 

My two, and me and my husband have already gotten them this year. My son has asthma, they are in childcare full-time, and having had the flu a couple of years ago I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, much less my children.

 

Last year was the only year we skipped getting the vaccine. No real reason other than laziness. I also can't have the vaccine because of my egg allergy. Last year we all got sick with the flu. It was a week of non-stop sick for all 4 of us. My dh went to bed for a couple of days and I landed on the couch. Then I ended up sick for a second week because the first week I couldn't rest because of taking care of all of us. Thankfully we had a snow storm that closed school for a couple of days so nobody really missed much.

My kids already have gotten the flu shot this year. If you're ever in doubt, just go up to school and watch all the snotty noses and kids wiping them. Close your eyes and realize how much germ passing you're hearing. I know the schools have sick guidelines where kids should stay home, but it's truly looks like a cesspool of germs to me.

Marissa

 

We did flu-mist this year as our doctor's office offers it for 2 and up. The oldest got a shot because he has asthma and is not allowed to get the mist. We do the flu shot every year because I could not imagine taking off 3 weeks to nurse sick kids (if they get it sequentially) or the amount of nursing that would need to be done if they all got sick at once.

Here is the link to the CDC's pamphlet on flu shots. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

 

Last year we didn't get it, not sure why. This thread is reminding me to call the pedi's office and set up an appointment for them to get the flu mist especially since they are now in school.

 

My DDs both have asthma and the flu could potentially be very scary.

I had the flu a few years ago- I was flat out for two weeks plus felt icky for a few more. It was awful and I had started Tamiflu on day two! I can not get the flu shot - so everyone else in my family gets it (herd immuity!) both to protect them and me.

 

Wow, what's so shocking to me about many of the previous comments is that so many people believe (1) that the flu vaccine doesn't work when there is so much scientific evidence that it does and (2) that vitamin supplements do work when there is so much scientific evidence that they don't. Just wow.

I'm a completely healthy person, and I have never been so sick in my life as when I had the flu a few years back. I felt like I had been hit by a bus - literally couldn't get off my couch for a week. I can't imagine what effect it would have on my babies. I think you're crazy not to get flu vaccines, especially when flu mist is available which doesn't contain any of the sketchy preservatives (such as thimerosal) that are in the flu shot.

 

I never got it before I was pregnant with the twins and then it was recommended to me. We've gotten it every year since. That said, I still need to get the kids in to get theirs and get one for myself. My husband always gets the flu SHOT and he generally gets a little sick in the days that follows. (This year that did not happen.)

 

we don't get it. and i'm not crazy. but thanks to the pp who thinks i am :grouphug:

 

I dont think your crazy ddancerd1, To be honest I'm all for everyone else getting the flu vaccine, with everyone vaccinated then I wont worry so much that we are not. I dont know what the right thing to do is but all I know is last year I thought it was the right thing and turns out it wasnt. Bottom line is its our choice if we do or dont. I dont judge you for doing it and please dont judge me for not and YEAH I AM CRAZY, CRAZY WITH WORRY. I pray we dont get the flu but because of my daughters cidp she cant get it, I played around with getting the rest of us the vaccine to protect her but like those that have had a very sick loved one and swear by the flu shot I'm the oppsite, very scared with fear of getting GBS/cidp with others in my family if we get the flu vaccine *Prayers to all to have a healthy flu season* Amy

 

We get the flu vax, I have a daughter with asthma and something as simple as the flu could be potentially fatal to her if she were to get it. No way am I taking that chance if there is an option to at least try and avoid it.
She had to take an ambulance to the ICU a couple years ago with dangerously low oxygen levels-it was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. I will gladly get a flu vax and not think twice about it.

 

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We have gotten the flu vaccines several times in the past, mainly when the kids were babies, so I am not anti vaccine or anything. But, now that the kids are older, they are no longer in the group considered high risk so I would have to pay for the vaccines, which is not cheap for a family of 7. So, now we do rely on vitamins & good hand washing which seems to be working just fine for us. And I have to add that I have only ever had the flu once in my life & most of the kids have never had it (2 of them have had it 1 time each).

 

Me and the girls absolutely get it. We are all going tomorrow, in fact. Dh always says he is going to get one but somehow doesn't get around to doing it. I'm all for anything that can safely prevent an illness with little to no after effects if possible.

Both of my girls got H1N1 when they were about 1 year old and I was absolutely frozen with fear for their lives.