Need serious vaccine info help (diabetes and flu vaccine)

[~Bug~]

I very slowly and selectively have vaccinated my kids. My oldest has finished a couple series. My almost 2 yo DD has only finished the dtap series. And I haven't started with my baby. I've done a lot of research and feel good about this and won't vaccinate any faster than that.

On Sunday my DD (almost 2) was hospitalized and diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I have read that when you have an immediate family member with an auto-immune disorder, your chances of a vaccine reaction are much higher. I'm seriously considering stopping vaccinating altogether for all my children. In fact, that's the first thing I told DH when we got the diagnosis.

Here is my biggest problem and I need some serious help with the research. Getting the flu when you have diabetes is very scary. Trying to keep food down while keeping blood glucose levels in check is very difficult. My pediatrician wants my daughter to get the flu vaccine asap. He has been VERY good about my decision to delay vaccines, but I have a feeling he is going to push this. In general, I do not believe the benefits of the flu vaccine outweigh the risks. I, personally, would rather take my chances with the flu and never intended to get the flu vaccine for any of my children.

For my daughter, it's now a different story. She's considered high risk and because she's only 2, I can imagine that if she got sick we could easily be looking at a hospital stay.

I need help making this decision. I can see my pediatrician's point, but I'm still not sold on the idea of the flu vaccine. Does anyone have any information about this? I don't even know where to start researching this. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Sileree]

There are other ways to prevent the flu. Have you researched vitamin D? Apparently, if I remember correctly, about 2,000 IUs/day is more effective than the shot.

[alegna]

The flu is a respiratory virus. Not a stomach virus.

-Angela

[Sileree]

Originally Posted by alegna

The flu is a respiratory virus. Not a stomach virus.

-Angela

??? I'm confused.

ETA: Nevermind, I get what you mean now.

[JBaxter]

The "flu vax" protects against 3 ( or 4) strains of the 100's of strains of influneza. common symptoms of the disease are chills and fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.

If you have vomiting it is a totally different virus NOT ( repeat) NOT covered by the vaccine.

So to the OP if you are considering getting the vaccine to try to head off a stomach virus you are injecting your child for nothing.

Each year the flu vax changes. They see what strains are in asia the year before and pick 3 or 4 and guess those will be the ones in this area. Last years totally missed the strains ( m ost mutated or different ones showed up)

Vomiting / stomach virus is NOT influneza

[crunchymomofmany]

Hi!

My son, age 12, was just diagnosed with Type 1 in October. I have the same fears as you. I've always delayed vaccination - and sometimes skipped them all together, depending on the child (I have six). But here's what I've come to realize when it comes to Type 1 (especially now that my son has also been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder)...we now have children with chronic illness that will require constant monitoring, prescriptions and medications for the rest of their lives. As crunchy as I want to be about some of this stuff, I have to recognize that while the miracle of modern medicine may have helped cause the disease (there is some evidence of vaccines helping along type 1), I also have to accept that modern medicine is the only thing keeping him alive right now! So - whether or not the flu is respiratory or stomach (I have no idea), I do know that any attack on my son's immune system is potentially deadly - so I opted for the vaccine (I let them do pneumoccocal too - sorry, probably spelled that wrong!). It seems to me, especially as a newly-diagnosed kid, that I need to try and prevent any complications I can.

I hope that helps! I totally feel your pain and confusion!

[spero]

My youngest is Type 1 and has never had a flu vaccine.

We had decided to stop all vaccinations prior to her dx (at age 5-1/2), and the more I found out about Hib and Hep B and their connection to diabetes, the less inclined I was to ever vax again.

All that aside, the flu vaccine is probably the easiest one for me to pass up anyway ... it's a total crapshoot and based on LAST year's strains of the flu virus, which are unlikely to occur two years in a row IMO. No one in my family has ever had a flu vax.

Ironically enough, less than a month after her dx DD weathered a bout of flu ... fever, chills, body aches, vomiting. It just so happened that we were also without power for several days at the same time. Yes, it sucked. Yes, it was difficult to maintain normal blood sugars (though much easier now, because she's on an insulin pump). Yes, I was stressed over it. We survived.

Diabetic kids get sick. There isn't a vaccine for every illness ... you learn to manage their illnesses. Just because a diabetic kid gets flu or a stomach virus DOESN'T mean they'll end up in the hospital. My DD is otherwise healthy, so she can weather an illness here and there without too much trouble.

At my son's checkup that year, the ped mentioned to me that, although we don't vax, we REALLY should consider a flu shot for DD since she's "immune-compromised". Mmm hmmm ... wouldn't that be a CONTRAINDICATION to a vaccine, then? I find it interesting that DD's endocrinologist has NEVER mentioned the "necessity" of a flu shot.

Originally Posted by crunchymomofmany

I do know that any attack on my son's immune system is potentially deadly - so I opted for the vaccine (I let them do pneumoccocal too - sorry, probably spelled that wrong!). It seems to me, especially as a newly-diagnosed kid, that I need to try and prevent any complications I can.

You seem to be under the impression that vaccines are NOT an attack on your son's immune system?

[~Bug~]

Thank you so much for everyone's replies. Sorry I'm just getting back to this. Our lives have been pretty nuts these last few days. I had always assumed that the flu also included throwing up. So I am a bit confused about that. Perhaps they recommend the flu shot just because getting a sick child to eat and drink is bad enough, but trying to keep blood glucose levels normal at the same time can be really hard. I got the impression that it's NOT the flu itself that's so scary, it's not being able to manage the diabetes at the same time.

I totally agree with the reasons not to get the flu vaccine. It's the first vaccine I'd skip out of all of them. While I figured I'd eventually get my other kids caught up (slooooowly), I never intended to get the flu vaccine because I personally don't think it's worth it.

I will look into vitamin D. And at our appointment on Monday with the ped I think I'll tell him I want to talk to the endocronologist that we are going to see next Wednesay. At least that will hold him off and I can get a second opinion.

Thank you!

[~Bug~]

So I was curious about those that said the flu was a respiratory virus and not a stomach virus-- I googled "flu symptoms" and diarrhea and vomiting always comes up. I checked a couple sites and most said that that was more common in kids than adults, but apparently that is a symptom. ?? Anyway.

Does anyone know where I can get statistics on the flu vaccine and it's effectiveness? I keep hearing that you're more likely to get a mild case of the flu after the shot than you are to have gotten the flu in the first place, but I'd like to see that somewhere. Or where would I find the info about them picking the the wrong strains in last year's flu shots? Maybe I'll share that with my ped as part of my case against my DD's vaccine.

In the end, I'm not worried about a confrontation. I will not get it if I don't feel comfortable. I would just like some info to share with my pediatrician so I don't feel like I'm just disregarding his professional opinion without some good hard facts.

Thanks!

[kiara7]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...indexed=google

The yearly recommended vaccines had low effectiveness against clinical influenza cases: 15%(95% CI 8% to 21%) and 25% (95% CI 13% to 35%) respectively. Overall the percentage of participants experiencing clinical influenza decreased by 6%. Use of the vaccine significantly reduced time off work but only by 0.16 days for each influenza episode (95% CI 0.04 to 0.29 days); Analysis of vaccines matching the circulating strain gave higher estimates of efficacy, whilst inclusion of all other vaccines reduced the efficacy.

REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccines are effective in reducing serologically confirmed cases of influenza. However, they are not as effective in reducing cases of clinical influenza and number of working days lost. Universal immunisation of healthy adults is not supported by the results of this review.

Also, I don't have a link right now, I'm sure someone else does, but flu shot for kids under 2 was as effective as placebo (thus actual effectiveness is 0)

[spero]

Originally Posted by ~Bug~

Maybe I'll share that with my ped as part of my case against my DD's vaccine.

...

I would just like some info to share with my pediatrician so I don't feel like I'm just disregarding his professional opinion without some good hard facts.

It's been my experience that "sharing info" with a pediatrician is just a waste of your precious time. Believe me, I've tried. You aren't likely going to convince a pediatrician that vaccines are anything but harmless and good. If they can't convince YOU with their own statistics and "education", they'll just resort to horror stories and lies.

[~Bug~]

Originally Posted by spero

It's been my experience that "sharing info" with a pediatrician is just a waste of your precious time. Believe me, I've tried. You aren't likely going to convince a pediatrician that vaccines are anything but harmless and good. If they can't convince YOU with their own statistics and "education", they'll just resort to horror stories and lies.

I realize I won't change his opinion. I just want to be able to say more than, "my gut tells me no."

[spero]

The thing is, though, you are not obligated to explain yourself to a doctor. You can just say, "We aren't vaccinating at this time," and refuse to discuss the issue any further. You don't owe anyone an explanation ... least of all a ped who won't agree with it anyway.

[Tigeresse]

Hi! My oldest was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and we are also being pushed toward the flu vax by the endocrinologist, or at least her nurses. In fact, they want our entire family to be vaxed! For now, I have decided to use a homeopathic preventative for the entire family...I'm so sorry I can't remember the name of it right now as I am out of it...but when I get more I will repost the name. We have spoken to my SIL who is type 1 also, and although she does choose the shot for herself, she did mention that a diabetic child home sick under the care of his/her mother is a very different thing than a diabetic sick with the flu on his/her own. Of course, my ds is 16 and will be making these decisions on his own, but at least I will have given him some options to think about.

to all moms (myself included) who are parenting newly diagnosed kids with diabetes!