DESPERATE for opinions, PLEASE!!!!!

[MomToNick]

Ok, my son is 27 months and fully vaxed. If I had known what I know now I would have at least delayed some. He has so far had no adverse reactions to them.

Some background on my little guy. He was born at just under 28 weeks, spent 92 days in the NICU. Came home on oxygen support for 6 months. We were lucky enough to have someone take care of him in our home for the first year to avoid illness--he pretty much lived in a bubble his first year. He now goes to an in home daycare with 5 other kids. He's been there for a year, and has picked up your typical colds/ear infections. He recently in April had a bout with wheezing that nebulizer treatments cleared up in about a week.

He ALSO has a genetic metabolic disorder called MCAD. He can't fast or go longer than 8 hours without food, when healthy. When sick and not eating well, we go to the hospital and get hooked up to a dextrose IV until he will eat. We have been hospitalized 10 times in the last year. It's been trying.

OK, now my question. What to do about the H1N1 vaccine? Do I let him get the shot? I'm terrified the shot will kill/hurt him. I'm also terrified that if he gets the flu, he wouldn't be able to overcome it, with his lung history. I'm so friggin scared, I don't know what the heck to do. The only thing I can think to do right now is to get him thoroughly checked out by a pulmonologist to see what his lungs are like. If they appear "normal" for his age--forego the shot, but if they appear to be vulnerable, consider the shot.

Outwardly, he is the picture of health, 36 inches tall, almost 35 lbs, he has done great, I just worry about his lungs--especially with this wheezing he had with his last bad cold.

Man, I just feel like I'm damned either way here. Anyone have any advice, or similar situation?

[carriebft]

I don't have advice for you except to say that you know your situation better than anyone. You know you child and you can learn all you can about both his condition and the vaccine, once it is out. You can see what the numbers are like in your area and do all you can to protect him...if that means the vaccine once you have looked at it all but also it could mean just taking more precautionary measures than the average person.

I wish I had more I could say.

[ammiga]

I think you need to look at:

- the effectiveness of the flu shot in general
- the risks involved with a brand new, virtually untested vaccine with no manufacturer liability
- the risks involved with catching H1N1 and how severe it normally is
- research studies on how an immuno-compromised person handles vaccines
- the effectiveness of the last swine flu vaccine

The truth is, no one can make this decision for you, including your doctors, because no one but you will have to live with the consequences of this decision.

But, I will tell you that there is no way that I would inject this vaccine into my body, my child's body, and I am having major discussions with my family on why they shouldn't do it either. My mom is severely asthmatic, and doctor's push every vax there is on her under the guise of her compromised status. Personally, I think most of her "compromised" status is a result of over vaccination and medicating herself. I look much more towards prevention through healthy living and food and natural sources than I do for using drugs as an answer to life's ailments.

[prancie]

I wouldn't, but it's your decision. You are talking to a biased crowd here, but then, if you talked to any other crowd you would get the other bias.

For me, not vaccinating is a principle. It's more than evidence or arguments. It's my moral duty to not allow my child's body to be violated. That it my thinking.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by ammiga

I think you need to look at:

- the effectiveness of the flu shot in general
- the risks involved with a brand new, virtually untested vaccine with no manufacturer liability
- the risks involved with catching H1N1 and how severe it normally is
- research studies on how an immuno-compromised person handles vaccines
- the effectiveness of the last swine flu vaccine

The truth is, no one can make this decision for you, including your doctors, because no one but you will have to live with the consequences of this decision.

But, I will tell you that there is no way that I would inject this vaccine into my body, my child's body, and I am having major discussions with my family on why they shouldn't do it either. My mom is severely asthmatic, and doctor's push every vax there is on her under the guise of her compromised status. Personally, I think most of her "compromised" status is a result of over vaccination and medicating herself. I look much more towards prevention through healthy living and food and natural sources than I do for using drugs as an answer to life's ailments.

I agree with above poster. This vaccine will be far too new to able to determine if it will be effective or safe. I hope you can come to a choice you can at least feel ok about.

[anewmama]

Here is my take... although I am right on board with all sorts of theories about H1N1 and the vaccine, this is what I would likely do. I would protect him as much as possible right now. I would wait and see how the flu evolves in your area this fall. I would let other people get vaccinated and watch the news like crazy and all vaccine boards for reactions. I know this vaccine is not tested and I honestly do not know much about how it differs from regular flu shots in terms of manufacturing. I know about the 70's swine flu vax debacle but I am not sure how technology has changed and if that was 'isolated' to that vax, for that technology. But I would watch everything while doing everything you can to keep him in a little bubble for now. And depending on how it goes, I would hope that most people voluntarily get on board with the vax, that it turns out to be safe, that a herd immunity is created and you would not have to vax. But if the vax appears to be relatively safe (I know that is a loaded word) and the flu ramps up, I might take the risk as your child sounds very vulnerable to illness.

So many questions.... how would you feel if you gave the shot before enough data was out on it and your child was injured? How would you feel if you gave the shot before enough data is out and it turns out to be an 'ok' shot but your child did not get it and your child became very ill from swine flu? How would you feel if you gave the shot but swine flu never took off in your community?

The nuances to the questions are endless and I feel for you. Which is why I would probably elect to keep him as isolated as I can for as long as I can and just wait and see how things pan out and not make any decisions just yet.

[ammiga]

If the flu virus mutates to something more dangerous, how would the current vax work? I would think it would only protect against the mutation it was created for, which has appeared to be relatively harmless.