Flu Vax Question

[Lunasophia]

I have not intended on getting a flu vax, but since that 12 year old boy recently died in MA and we live in NH and people around me seem to be getting sick, I wonder if I should get it myself. My DD is a week away from one year old, non vaxxed and still breastfeeding. Any chance my getting the vax would do us any good? Also should I avoid doctor's offices around this time, she has a doctor appt. tomorrow for mullouscum virus and it's in a pretty major facility.

Thanks for your advice.

[swissmom]

Here is the 2006 study by Tom Jefferson, published in the British Medical Journal. He analysed a ton of studies that were done to prove safety and effectiveness of the flu shots and concluded that there is little scientific proof that the (inactivated) influenza vaccine is safe and effective for children and adults.

From his summary:

Evidence from systematic reviews shows that inactivated vaccines have little or no effect on the effects measured.
...
Most studies are of poor methodological quality and the impact of confounders is high.
...
Little comparative evidence exists on the safety of these vaccines.

[sunkist33]

I'm in MA & this death saddens me greatly. The flu shot would not have prevented it as it was a different strain than the ones they predicted for this season. This was written by his twin sister and is very thought-provoking:
http://jmichaelpovey-retiredpoveinsa...of-hunter.html
It's sad that the media is using his death as the opportunity for fear-mongering & shameless flu shot promotion...

[ammiga]

I would say that it somewhat depends on why you don't vax. I don't believe the vaxes work, and I think the side effects of the vaxes are worse than the diseases usually are. This is especially true with breastfeeding little ones. What happened to that boy was tragic, but I don't think the vaccine would have saved him.

[Babina's Mommy]

Funny, I had the same question in my head because my daughter is supposed to have a routine 18 month appointment tommorrow (even though she's 19 months, we're a month behind) but the flu thing was making me nervous as I saw about the boy on the news (I'm in RI) and was wondering if we should stay away from the doctor's office. We are not vaxxed for the flu at all. I cancelled her appointment a couple of weeks ago because I heard that the flu was going around then. The whole thing just makes me frustrated and not sure what to do!

[kiara7]

Flu shot is good for nothing. Do a search on here, you'll find plenty of research published stating that flu shot is 15-20% effective at best, I believe it has also been proven to have ZERO effectiveness in children 2 and under (don't have the link right now). Also, this year's flu shot is not a match for the B strains anyway (they say it's a match for the A strain, but who knows).

We take CLO, vitamins, wash hands and try not to hang out around sick people, lol. No reason to inject anyone with questionable and outright dangerous ingredients (aluminum, mercury, etc.) for nothing.

[Lunasophia]

Flu type B

Isn't flu type B HIB?

[just_lily]

Originally Posted by Lunasophia

Isn't flu type B HIB?

:

It sounds like the media is particularly confused in this instance.

Either way, I feel for the family... but I am not about to inject my child with anything.

[sunkist33]

Originally Posted by Lunasophia

Isn't flu type B HIB?

No, Haemophilus Influenzae type B (HIB), despite the name has nothing to do with the flu...it's a bacterial meningitis.

The flu has several strains~ A, B, & C with A & B being responsible for most cases.
In this case, the vaccine would not have prevented his death (see the link I posted above)...although the news is portraying it that way

[carriebft]

I thought B was in there this year?
http://www.fda.gov/CBER/flu/flu2008.htm

not that I think it would have helped; I think he might have been susceptible for other reasons, he looks very small for his age and his father said something about that...plus i read that his father said "he had a permission form to get a flu shot" but that he didnt know if he actually got it or not.