daisy Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 The Dr. believes my daughter had a mild case of swine flu a couple of weeks ago. It is going around her school but most of the Drs. around here aren't testing for it anymore so it's just an assumption based on her symptoms. She had a fever for four days (didn't go past 101), aches and a bit of a sore throat. Towards the end she started coughing some (although it wasn't awful) and I took her to the Dr. because she tends to get walking pnuemonia very easily. They gave her an antibiotic to prevent that and she is fine now.A couple of days ago her school sent home a packet saying that they are participating in a program with the Department of Health to have children immunized for H1N1 voluntarily at her school. Here's what REALLY concerned me as I was reading this packet: First you have to check off a box indicating whether or not your child has ever had Guilliane Barre syndrome (a severe paralytic illness) as well as any allergies, etc. Later on an H1N1 vaccine info sheet it states that an earlier type of swine flu vaccine ws associated with Guillain Barre but that since then flu vaccines have not CLEARLY been linked to it. It also says that the H1N1 vaccine is EXPECTED to be as safe and effective as other seasonal flu vaccines (may be just a word issue but it bothered me). What bothered me most of all though is that there is a whole section on "Vaccine Injury Compensation" saying that if you or your child has a reaction to the vaccine, your ability to sue is limited by law. But a federal program has been created to pay for the medical care of expenses of certain persons who have a seroius reaction to this vaccine. Huh? I have never seen this on any other vaccination info sheet......why do they feel they need to create a fund for vaccine reactions to H1N1....am I missing something here? Is this fund provided with all flu vaccines?I don't know - it just didn't sit right with me. I am not getting my daughter the vaccine anyway since she probably already had the virus and is immune but after reading that I wouldn't get it for her. That wording is just too concerning for me....call me paranoid and I may have to eat my words but it just frightens me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 To try to allay your concerns, first, even the standard flu shot may be implicated in Guilliane Barre syndrome cases. It is a very very small risk, if indeed it is. I know I have been asked about previous history with this as well as allergies before getting the standard annual flu shot. There is also a very small risk of an allergic reaction -- to any vaccine. This question is always asked before any vaccine is administered.The Vaccine injury compensation fund has existed for decades. This is b/c a very very tiny percentage of people WILL be harmed by a vaccine, just like any medicine is not 100% safe for all people. However, b/c vaccinations benefit society as a whole, if someone is harmed, the govt will pay for medical costs.I know it is disturbing to think that there are any risks, and what you have to do is to weigh the risks of the vaccine against the risk of remaining unvaccinated. Right now it appears that there is a higher risk of dying from H1N1 (which itself is a small risk) than dying or experiencing harm from getting the vaccine.Here's an op-ed piece by a physician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that might help you:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/opinion/...H1N1&st=cseUnfortunately, there are a lot of websites, etc using inaccurate information and scare tactics to frighten parents. Not sure what their reasons are, except that I see some accept huge sums for speaking engagements.Hopefully you have a physician or a friend in the medical community you trust who can advise you based on your daughter's specific medical situation.Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayjay Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Although I do think any vaccine/medication etc that you put into your body carries with it some risk.. I think the real problem is our legal system. No one wants to get sued! Also in this case the shots are free and the powers that be want to cover themselves.With that said my children and I both got the H1N1 shot this year but I will not get them the regular flu shot. They don't have any underlying medical problems and I just don't think they need it. I got both however.Just mop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjb Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Yes, the vaccine injury compensation has been around for quite a while. A cousin of mine got polio from the shot and the gov paid for his medical care ... this was back in the 70s.And yes, as the above poster mentioned, there are scare tactics ... but I'd like to add the scare tactics are coming from both sides.I have not looked at the database of all US deaths but here is a link to the deaths of children in the US (associated w/ H1N1).:http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5834a1.htmHere are some bits from the article:"The findings from this report indicate that most of the children with neurodevelopmental conditions who died had multiple neurodevelopmental diagnoses and/or comorbid pulmonary conditions. Health-care providers should be aware of the potential for severe influenza illness, including death, in these children."Ava has multiple health issues, EDS, dys, epilepsy, cerebral palsy (stroke), sleep apnea. You might think it'd be safer for Ava to get the shot, but in her case the shot at this point would be riskier. She had a unusual reaction to the regular flu shot a couple of years ago that caused seizures (not febrile) and motor regression. It was a neurologist at Boston Children's that advised us against ANY further vaccines for now.It is good to be informed & when weighing out the risk/benefit ratio it is important to look at the individual (IMHO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsgirl Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 I think Katherine's post makes a lot of sense. I'll be getting the H1N1 shot, because I know I pick things up easily and the risks don't outweigh the benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 See? That's why I come to you all with these things!!! Thanks for the info - I had no idea that the compensation fund had been around for years....that makes me feel better.Having said that, I will probably not get her the shot given that it is believed she already had H1N1 but will have to consider all angles carefully for my son..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelika_23 Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Regarding the earlier swine flu vaccine and guillain barre, I THINK that what our doctor said is the earlier vaccine, from the 1950's or whenever, did more harm than good because of the way it was made. I think your pamphlet was letting you know that even though the earlier vaccine wasn't the best, this new one is made differently and will not affect people that same way. I did make a point about asking about this because I had heard other things about the safety of the shot.I am getting the shot for my children. Their lungs are compromised, and a pneumonia that followed the swine flu nearly took out my 16 year old son this summer. And he's the healthiest one.We were told to get the shot and not the mist for our children because of their underlying health issues.Good luck,Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkweavers Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Thanks to all of you for your input and especially to MomtoGiuliana for the piece by the doctor from Children's in Philly. I listened to the interview with him on NPR as well and it really put aside many of my fears for my daughter getting the shot. I'm almost convinced now that once it comes available, I will have her get it. I think back to how sick she was last March just from a bad stomach virus that was going around and this could be much worse for her. I may even get it myself. I teach preschool and I've been coughed on or sneezed on more times than you can imagine! I've gotten influenza twice and both times I was down for 10-14 days and I'm a healthy person with no underlying conditions.Thanks again,Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayjay Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 My children 9 and 11 got the shot a week ago and so far no side effects. I got my shot about a week and a half ago and have also done o.k. with it.My children are pretty healthy kids but I just wanted to let other moms out there know they did not even get a slight fever, headache or any other side effect with the shot. kari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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