DH wants to give our unvaxed 16-month-old the flu shot

[becoming]

Our LO had a lot of health problems last winter and was hospitalized twice with pneumonia/reactive airway disease. One of the times he was in the PICU and his life was in jeopardy. He's not had any vaccinations up to this point, but DH told me tonight that he wants him to have the flu shot as soon as possible. He's worried that he'll end up deathly sick and in the hospital again if he catches the flu. I'm worried that he'll get the flu from the shot, or have an allergic reaction to the shot (I'm allergic to bird feathers and have heard you shouldn't take the shot if you are, not sure if DS is though), or or or. I don't feel comfortable with it, and I don't feel like DH's concern is very valid since DS has been basically well for months now without any meds. I feel like he could recover just fine from the flu if he caught it, and he's not in daycare or anything, so I doubt he'll even get it. We do have two older children in school.

WWYD? Would you get the shot for him?

[Gwendolyn's babies]

iy's my understanding that the flu shot only protects against 4 strains of the flu. So...unless you catch that same strain you are unprotected.

How about vitimin c alot of handwashing and keep away from sick people?

[xmasbaby7]

I definitely would not.

First, the vaccine has not proven to be effective in children under 2. It showed no greater effect of reducing influenza than the placebo for this group.

Second, even if it was one of the vaccines that has better proven efficacy, you are risking weakening your LO's immune system overall for the sake of a few possible viruses. There are so many viruses and bacterial infections one can get that the best way to promote wellness is to strengthen the body's immune system against all infections, including those that have no vaxes.

I am happy to hear your LO is in better health now. I would look into probiotic supplements and maintain a healthy diet for everyone in your household.

[alegna]

My understanding is that the efficacy of the flu vax in the under 2 yr old demographic is ZERO.

-Angela

[peainthepod]

Chiming in to say absolutely not. As stated above, there's no way of knowing which strains of influenza will go around this year, and the shot only protects against a few of them, so it's a total crap shoot. And of course the vaccine doesn't even work in children under the age of two, so no, no, a thousand times no.

Strengthen his overall immune system and practice good hygiene and you stand a much better chance of protecting him from ALL infections, not just flu.

[wallacesmum]

Vit. D, too.

[veronicalynne]

Please no flaming....OP asked for different opinions here. Ok, I am the dissenting one here. Normally I would say no dont get the flu shot but considering he had pneumonia/reactive airway disease twice last year I would get it. From what I read about reactive airway disease, it may or may not be caused by asthma and is the diagnosis used for young children because they are too little. If he does has asthma (and again there is no way to tell if the RAD is that), he is at higher risk of pneumonia because his lungs have more mucus in them than normal (I have asthma myself and have to be careful about pneumonia....I have had it 3 times). You have 2 kids who might transmit the flu to him...and I read an article today that even if the flu shot is a "miss" it still can help protect a bit. My daughter just started preschool and even though I make her wash her hands, change her clothes and not kiss the other kids on the face we have already had stomach flu twice and it was not nice with the baby (2 months) having it. Also, I do understand you can have a reaction to the flu shot if you are allergic to it but I think that is due to egg allergies. I thought the virus used in flu shots was dead? I know other ones are supposedly "inactive" but I thought flu shot was dead? His immune system doesnt seem to be that strong and I would be afraid he would end up in PICU again...so yes I would definitely get it in his case with the history he has had.

[wallacesmum]

Not flaming, but I have a couple of questions. 1. Was the stomach "flu" that you had influenza? 2. I know that Belshe and others are insisting that the flu shot provides protection against antigenic-mismatch strains, but is there any actual evidence of this? 3. I know that kids with respiratory problems are at higher risk for complications due to the flu, but is there any evidence that these kids, if they are under 2, respond any better to the vax than their non-compromised peers?

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by veronicalynne

Please no flaming....OP asked for different opinions here. Ok, I am the dissenting one here. Normally I would say no dont get the flu shot but considering he had pneumonia/reactive airway disease twice last year I would get it.

#1. Even studies have concluded that the flu shot is not effective in under 2s.
#2. The flu shot is a crap shoot anyway and even if it was effective in under 2s against those three strains he is still at risk from every other strain of flu, in addition to any other virus and bacteria that could develop into pneumonia.
#3. Just getting the shot lowers his resistance and increase the risk that he would become ill soon afterwards.

The benefit should justify the risk; I don't see that benefit.

OP I would take a bit of sodium ascorbate daily to pass in your bm.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

#1. Even studies have concluded that the flu shot is not effective in under 2s.


The benefit should justify the risk; I don't see that benefit.

This. The efficacy when tested in under 2s has been shown to be non-existent. Therefore there is no theoretical benefit. Therefore it is an unknown risk for ZERO benefit.

-Angela

[Gitti]

No. Absolutely not. But then we don't believe injecting things into our body can possible make you healthier since the body immediately sets out to get rid of any foreign subject. At best it will weaken the immune system for a duration, worst scenario is a shock and death.

But I would be ready with some health inducing healing aids and treat him as soon as I felt he was coming down with a cold or flu (which I do/recommend for my grandchildren). We treat every infection as soon as we notice it and generally get over it within a few days.

Our healing aid cabinet is ready! We are all set. There is absolutely no medicine in it.

Here is a very good book from Aviva Jill Romm that I love - Healthy Babies, Healthy Children

[hazelmama]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

#1. Even studies have concluded that the flu shot is not effective in under 2s.

Could someone point me in the right direction to find these studies? I'd like to pass this info along to some friends who are considering the vax for their 1 yo. I tried searching for it myself, but all I came up with was an overwhelming amount of flu vax propaganda.

Thanks!

[Gitti]

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...d-age-bracket/

Another one -

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com...l?cntwelcome=1

The Cochrane review comprised 51 studies of influenza vaccines — including 17 papers translated from Russian for the first time — involving more than 250,000 healthy youngsters under age 16.

Yet only a fraction of these studies focused on children younger than 2. Two efficacy studies involving about 1,000 toddlers indicate that flu shots containing inactivated virus — the only vaccine approved for this age group — are no more effective at preventing the flu than placebo.

(my bold)

[hazelmama]

Originally Posted by Gitti

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...d-age-bracket/

Another one -

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com...l?cntwelcome=1

(my bold)

Thanks so much!

[whalemilk]

Originally Posted by becoming

Our LO had a lot of health problems last winter and was hospitalized twice with pneumonia/reactive airway disease. One of the times he was in the PICU and his life was in jeopardy.

I'm with your DH.

[Pariah]

As a young child, I had asthma, was hospitalized for pneuomnia, and went in the hospital every six months for respitory testing. They pushed the flu shot once, I got very sick, and they told me not to get it again. I've never had a shot since, the doctor(s) never pushed it since, and I've never had the flu. In addition to that experience, I agree with what the others who are against the shot said.

[wallacesmum]

Originally Posted by whalemilk

I'm with your DH.

Even if the shot has no confirmed efficacy for this age group?

Sorry to ask the question again, but I am trying to get my head around that logic, because it is obviously in the mainstream vax opinion, too.

[peainthepod]

Originally Posted by wallacesmum

Even if the shot has no confirmed efficacy for this age group?

Sorry to ask the question again, but I am trying to get my head around that logic, because it is obviously in the mainstream vax opinion, too.

I'm wondering the same thing. If studies have shown the vax to be completely ineffective for that age group, why would you advise the OP to take the risk of a vaccine reaction with her son for no known benefit?

I'm genuinely curious.

[amnesiac]

I have removed some posts from this thread which are not consistent with our guidelines. Please keep in mind our UA as we proceed.

[wallacesmum]

So, has there been a response to the above questions?