HiB and H1N1 - death as complication...

[peilover010202]

So, I'm reading all over the place that HiB has been listed as the official cause of death of several people who have contracted H1N1. How real is this?

My boys are unvaxed. But, if the percentage is high, maybe it's worth getting to protect them (somewhat)? I just don't know...

Has anyone else read this? What do you think?

[Sileree]

I haven't heard of this. Do you have a link?

[MountainMamaGC]

Did you breastfeed your children. Breastfeeding can protect against HiB for years after you are done as long as you BF. The longer you breastfed the longer the protection lasts into childhood.

[peilover010202]

Did you breastfeed your children. Breastfeeding can protect against HiB for years after you are done as long as you BF. The longer you breastfed the longer the protection lasts into childhood.

Really? I bf all of them 2yrs, ds3 is only 6mo though. How much protection does this offer him?

I'll look for that link...

[peilover010202]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/90/33945...nza-cases.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558402,00.html

[girlsmamma2]

Wow, this is what I was worried about. I didn't do the HIB for my last 3 kids but now I am seriously considering it. wow. This was a worry of mine.

[greenmansions]

Originally Posted by Lydiah

Did you breastfeed your children. Breastfeeding can protect against HiB for years after you are done as long as you BF. The longer you breastfed the longer the protection lasts into childhood.

Does anyone know if using pumped, and frequently frozen, milk protects in the same way as milk straight from the breast? One kid got 9-10 mos pumped, the other nursed for over 3 years.

[momma_unlimited]

I heard about how secondary infections tend to be the dangerous part of contracting this flu (esp for pregnant women & children). But honestly that doesn't worry me, because I tend to think secondary infections have more to do with convalescence than some random thing that can just "happen". When you find yourself ill, esp with a "dis-ease" that involves fever, its important to completely stop "life as normal" and respond to your body's needs for rest, natural light cleansing foods & teas, and appropriate remedies (vaporizer or chest rub, antibacterial aromatherapy in house, etc). Then, once you feel better, WAIT- continue to care for yourself as though you are in a weakened state before resuming life as normal. And by golly don't be running around outside your house or interacting with people outside your immediate family. If you have to live a modern on the go lifestyle and your children do too, then maybe vaccines would be a good choice for your family. If you have the ability to drop out of the normal routine for a while and nurse back to health fully, I don't think you need to be especially afraid of a secondary infection... anyone agree?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

We all had h1n1 me, dh, dd 8y11m & ds 4y11m it was high fevers, body aches and coughing. Then all of us got secondary infections at varying times. Me got sinus infection on day 3, ds ended up with a double ear infection 4 days in, dh got bronchitus & dd who has asthma and allergies but didnt have a bit of trouble with them during the flu. She did end up with bronchitus and pluerisy (inflamation of the lining of the chest wall and lungs) about 7 days after onset of the flu but her asthma never did flair. She was in pain and it scared me but abx fixed it. We all ended up on abx for the secondary stuff but all in all it was not that big a deal.

[MyBoysBlue]

anyone agree?

I Do!

[girlsmamma2]

and I also remember reading on the cdc website that there was a HIB death, not sure from the swine flu related, but it was HIB A, not B which the vax is for right?

[EdnaMarie]

We think we had H1N1 and boy did it suck. My kid got her first ever ear-infection but luckily for us, it was summer and we were all able to rest. I'd totally get the vaccine, just to make sure I had it covered.

One problem with HiB and H1N1 would be that H1N1 causes a higher fever than your average flu, at least, it did for us. So if that's true about HiB's being a complication, you'd be worried the whole time that it was HiB setting in.

Which would be agonizing.

[texmama]

Originally Posted by peilover010202

http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/90/33945...nza-cases.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558402,00.html

Aren't these articles talking about pneumococcus, or Prevnar vax?

[stacey05]

>Aren't these articles talking about pneumococcus, or Prevnar vax? <

that is what I was thinking. So, does anyone think we should get an unvaxed (very healthy) toddler the prevnar vax and, perhaps, older kids the pneumovax? I had decided against prevnar because I thought it had a high rate of side effects...seizures, etc. But, some are saying it will help prevent the bacterial infections that some are dying from when they get swine flu. I'm just not sure what to do, if anything?

[dessismama]

I breastfed all of my babies and my unvaxed one got HIB pneumonia and ended up in the hospital for a week. Needless to say after that horrific experience, he got vaccinated for it (and other pneumonia shots) as soon as he recovered.

[stacey05]

dessismama,

I am sorry that your little guy got so sick. Did he have any rection to the hib shot or the pnuemonia shot? Which pnuemonia shot did he get? I am seriously considering prevnar and pnuemovax, although I know that there are 90 something strains out there of this. But, at least, they could be covered from the most common ones, right? I worry about side effects and lowering their immune system for a short time during this flu season, although I would feel better knowing their protected from some strains if they did get the flu.
Does that make sense?

[dessismama]

Originally Posted by stacey05

dessismama,

Did he have any rection to the hib shot or the pnuemonia shot? Which pnuemonia shot did he get? I am seriously considering prevnar and pnuemovax, although I know that there are 90 something strains out there of this.

No adverse reactions--he was 3 at the time. I went from unvaxed to giving him 4 shots in two months. He had HIB and MMR together--no reaction whatsoever. Then he had Prevnar and DTAP--he did get a day of 100F fever, but I think it was from the DTAP. Oh, and he got the flu shot at the hospital and then another dose in between the regular ones. No reaction to the flu shots either...

My other kids had Prevnar without serious reactions, oldest DD (13) is the only one who did not have it. I am not doing the pneumovax since our pediatrician seems to think it is an overkill. DH is getting this month though--he has asthma.

Hope this helps!!

[amnesiac]

Please remember to remain on topic regarding Hib vaccination in this thread. Any H1N1 specific discussion should be continued in H&H if it is disease related or in an existing thread per our forum announcement if it is vaccine related.

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by texmama

Aren't these articles talking about pneumococcus, or Prevnar vax?

Agreed... they aren't talking about hib although it was mentioned briefly.

Moore said people getting flu vaccinations should also ask about getting a pneumococcal vaccine.

Wyeth's Prevnar is part of the routine series of immunizations that children should get, and Merck and Co. makes a vaccine against so-called pneumococcal bacteria that is available for adults, mostly those over 65. Merck also makes an Hib vaccine, although there is no vaccine to prevent group A streptococcal infections or MRSA.

My take on it (and previous research on serotype replacement) is that it is because of the hib vaccine that our children are now most susceptible to the pneumoccocal bacteria - they took over when hib no longer could- so now children have to get prevnar as well. But, in that void, children are now succumbing to other infections that never used to be as deadly such as the ones they mention in the last sentence (streptococcal infections or MRSA)

My plan is to breastfeed as long as possible and not to get any of these bacterial vaccines, as the void that is created when one is vaxed against one of them is soon filled in by other strains, that can also cause infections just as deadly as the first. I think it is a never ending battle. We cannot eliminate all bacteria in our bodies or on the face of the earth. Numbers of children who have died from meningitis have not gone down overall from pre hib vaccine era (although hib deaths are now down to practically zero)

If you do decide to get hib vaccine be sure you read the insert - child is actually more susceptible to hib infection in week following the vax (while immune system is "busy" pto vaccine or something) - I think there was a user here in the past who's baby actually was hospitalized with viral meningitis immediately following her last of the hib shots (lollicup?) - that tells me baby is also susceptible to other infections as well-- not just hib.

I'd keep the baby at home for at least a week following the shot and be sure family members have not had any recent viral infections the baby could pick up at home.

Its not impossible for a breastfed baby to get hib infection but its much more unlikely... I know I have at least half dozen studies bookmarked about this, I'll try to dig some of them up

http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/co...tract/28/1/152

http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/co...6/2/443?ck=nck

http://tinyurl.com/yf7j2bp

[amyandelle]

Ok totally not trying to downplay the fact that people are getting secondary infections, I just want to point out that in the Fox News article that in past swine flu pandemics in the years of 1968, 1957, and 1918 people were infected with S. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and group A Streptococcus. I didn't read all of the articles but at this point they are just speculating that the same thing could happen right?


Amy