Flu-Vaxed Child Dies from Flu - Page 2

[tankgirl73]

A lot of people actually seem to believe that the flu shot will not only protect them from the specific flu, but from *getting sick at all*.  They're surprised when they get a sniffle.  They don't understand that flu =/= colds.

In fact one of the TV ads here in Canada propagates that idea.  There's a kid in bed, saying he's sick and can't go to school.  Mom basically rolls her eyes and tells him to get up, smiles and tells him to go to school.  The voiceover is explaining "you know that he's protected, because he got the flu shot."  The clear message is that if your kid got the flu shot, then the CANNOT get sick AT ALL, and are DEFINITELY faking.

I really, really dislike that commercial.  Too many people do not actually understand the efficacy level of the shot and have a false sense of security... might not wash their hands or take care around contagious people, etc, because they think they're completely immune.  To have the government agencies actually enabling this idea makes me ill.

Anyway, because of things like that, I do think it's appropriate to share information like this story.

[cappuccinosmom]

Heather, that is a good point.

In our area, anything beyond a mild sniffle is 'The Flu'.  There are a gazillion other viruses that go around every winter that are not the flu, but people get all shocked that the flu vax they got didn't protect them from the dreadful non-flu stomach bug or something.

I do think that this point is important for both vaxing and non-vaxing parents to be clear on.  Sad though that it's the death of a child that is the jumping off point for the discussion. :(

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 


Not the OP - but ouch.

I do not think it is inappropriate on a vaccine discussion forum to point out that vaccines are not 100% effective - nor to have a sad news story to back it up.  

I do not think it is common knowledge that vaccines are not 100% effective.  I actually run into people in real life who think vaccinating means your child will not get xyz disease.  MDC is a big place with numerous lurkers....I do not think pointing out the issue for people who may just be beginning to explore vaccines is inappropriate.

Also, the vaccine's effectiveness is not part of the advertising campaign. I heard an advertisement for the meningitis vaccine on the radio yesterday featuring people whose relatives had died as a result of meningitis and the message essentially was "your child can develop meningitis vaccine and die within 24hrs--protect them by getting this vaccine", not "reduce the likelihood that they will contract meningitis due to some bacteria to only 15%."

[not_telling]

OP here.  Really I did just post this because in my experience of this forum (been visiting this forum for the last 3 years), people share stories like this, often because they are trying to process how they feel about a particular vax (or vaxes in general), or to provide info for others.  Not trying to exploit the family or belittle what they're going through.  It's REALLY scary to think of a child dying that quickly.  I have never gotten a flu shot.  DS, who's only 2.5, hasn't either.  Last year, with the whole H1N1 scare, I was really torn.  And this year, when I see friends getting flu shots for their kids, I wonder if I'm making the wrong decision.  My understanding is that this year's vax was supposed to protect against the strain that this girl died of.  I thought the less-than-100%-effectiveness thing with flu vax was due to strain mismatch...but that doesn't seem to be the case here.  Unless I'm misunderstanding something.

When DS starts school, I may very well start getting him the flu vax.  I don't know...  I think back to my childhood, attending a large school district just outside a major city...I remember kids being home sick with the flu.  I don't remember anyone dying (except for a kid in my sister's class who died in a house fire).  I don't remember anyone being sick with pneumonia either.  And, of course, no one was getting flu shots back then.

[carriebft]

the flu vaccine has only one B strain in it, so there are pretty high chances that this B strain was not the same. Overall though, the match seems pretty good this year.

[not_telling]

Originally Posted by carriebft 

the flu vaccine has only one B strain in it, so there are pretty high chances that this B strain was not the same. Overall though, the match seems pretty good this year.

Found this from another source:

Jennifer Horner, epidemiologist for Burlington County, said there are two strains of influenza B going around in the community. The vaccine now available covers only one of them.

"There is another influenza B strain that is circulating that is not covered," she said. "We don't know what the situation was in this particular case, but that is also one possibility when the vaccine doesn't give the type of coverage we hope that it would."

Horner's office is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control to determine which strain of influenza B the child had.

Keith Herzog of St. Christopher's Hospital for Children said while it's rare for a seemingly healthy child to die of the flu, it's not unheard of. The annual shot is about 80 percent effective, but that shouldn't deter people from getting the shot. 

[an_domhan]

Originally Posted by karne 

Originally Posted by not_telling 

The local news reported that a five year old child in S. NJ died on Saturday from the flu (type B).  She received the flu vax in September.  They say she was "totally healthy" (i.e. no underlying conditions they know of).  She felt sick at school Thursday, went home early.  By Friday morning her condition had deteriorated so much she went to the ER via ambulance.  Next day she was gone.

Very sad, of course....and I thought this may be of interest to folks here. 

Why?  To support your own thoughts about the flu vaccine?  The flu is more than just one strain, and the vaccine is not 100% effective against all strains.  I thought that was common knowledge.  Neither is using natural remedies to combat a deathly case of the flu.  

Was the point of the post to offer compassion to the family?  I must have missed it.
 

Did I miss where someone said using natural remedies to combat flu is 100% effective? 

Extending compassion to families that have lost a child, regardless of how, is something I thought was common knowledge. 

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by karne 

I take your point, Kathy.  I just felt like I had the breath knocked out of me when I read about the family losing their child so quickly.  I cannot imagine what they're going through, and it felt to me that the first post was a little "told you so"...but that might just have been my sensitivity to the family's loss.  I'm sick just to think of it.

I made my last post as i was dashing out the door.  Never post and run as you spend the car thinking about what you wrote!

Upon reflection - I think it is appropriate to post that vaccines are not always 100% effective and to give stats on why.

I am not sure it is appropriate to mention a specific news story.

Last year an unvaccinated child died from H1N1 about 30 miles from where I live.  It was (naturally) turned into a pro vax story from proponents of vaccinating.  To be honest I would have been livid if an unvaxxed family member died and it was turned into a pro-vax story.

I can see the other side.  A vaxxing family may not want a non-vax spiel on their personal suffering.

[karne]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

Originally Posted by karne 

I take your point, Kathy.  I just felt like I had the breath knocked out of me when I read about the family losing their child so quickly.  I cannot imagine what they're going through, and it felt to me that the first post was a little "told you so"...but that might just have been my sensitivity to the family's loss.  I'm sick just to think of it.

I made my last post as i was dashing out the door.  Never post and run as you spend the car thinking about what you wrote!

Upon reflection - I think it is appropriate to post that vaccines are not always 100% effective and to give stats on why.

I am not sure it is appropriate to mention a specific news story.

Last year an unvaccinated child died from H1N1 about 30 miles from where I live.  It was (naturally) turned into a pro vax story from proponents of vaccinating.  To be honest I would have been livid if an unvaxxed family member died and it was turned into a pro-vax story.

I can see the other side.  A vaxxing family may not want a non-vax spiel on their personal suffering.

 
Yes to the above.  I mean, we didn't do flu vaxes, but I did feel that the use of the family's story and their unimaginable loss  made me extremely uncomfortable.

[Fyrestorm]

We have doctors in our area talking about the perfect protection of the flu vaccine and how it boosts your immune system as well, like it's an anioxident or vitamin. The general public (in my area) seems to be very mislead about this vaccine.

[HRJ]

Actually, I thank the OP for posting this.  I'm posting it to my Facebook page.  Why?  Because I have had it up to my eyeballs w/ people that think if they've had their flu shot, they can go around sick and infect the rest of us.  I'm PG and due in 4 1/2 weeks.  After being at church coffee hour last week where 1) someone w/ a cold thought it would be nice ot help the pregnant lady out and give her a plate, napkin and utensils and 2) a mom whose child was home sick decided to hug me even though I was sitting down and thought that meant I wouldn't be hugged (and the same lady came down w/ the illness her daughter had the next day -- I've just really had it.  Actually the second person has a friend that died of H1N1, and she's all "go get your flu shot" but she's been sick all week and doing to her daughter's school and all sorts of other gatherings and can't figure out why she can't get over her illness.  Um.  Stay home and rest?  What a novel idea.  So now I do have a cold.  I'm 4 1/2 weeks from my due date and miserable and have decided that since other people don't have the respect to stay home or simply out of your face when sick, I'm staying in until the baby is born as much as possible.