Saturday, December 01, 2007

Flu shot for KIDS???

Not sure how I feel about the flu shot for kids....this is the second time my little girl has gotten very sick after the flu shot. Now I know that when they inject the flu shot they are giving you the live virus....(did you know this) it is in order for our body to create antigens to fight the virus if ever exposed again. So LIVE virus means YES you can get sick from the flu shot (especially if your immune system is already DOWN). my 3 1/2 year old had hers ONLY because she goes to daycare and around other KIDS, otherwise I wouldn't get her one. WHY do I feel this way...MAYBE because I went ALL my infant/adolescent years WITHOUT it and I am still here! I have gotten the flu 4 times in my life....Twice was after I received the Flu SHOT....HMMMM what does this mean?
The Center for Disease Control is ONLY predicting the strain of FLU that will come around each year...you could still get exposed to another strain and be DOWN with the flu.....so WHY get a FLU shot?
My little girl got PNEMONIA this time.....it started like this....low fever within the 24 hours following the FLU shot......2-3 days following a dry cough....then about a week later still coughing and a running nose....10 days later deep cough followed by HIGH fever, vomiting for 12 hours, then "crackling" in her chest.....a call to the doctor and then a rush visit to the MED CHECK b/c it was Thanksgiving....she has pnemonia.....
She is better now but I am seriously debating whether or not NEXT year I will get in the flu shot.
What are your thoughts?

4 comments:

Gibb said...

The nurse that gave me the flu shot said that they no longer give live viruses. Seems too much of a coincendence though doesn't it? I have gotten them for my son (also in daycare) and he has been fine.

Jumpin' On My Last Nerve said...

I'm torn on this one as I've known others that have had shots given to their children resulting in sickness. I do know that my girls have received the shots the past 4 years and have done fine with it. I'm sure I would have the same hesitation as you had mine become sick. Basically, I'm no help...

Trice said...

You really hit a sore spot with me. The CDC is a good source of information, but they have an agenda and it is not our individual children. This is the first year I ever gave a flu vaccine. It was the nasal mist and after I gave it to my 4 year old they told me to make sure he washes his hands really good because he's contagious for a few days-- I flipped out. How could they do that without telling me-- I have an infant at home. Uggg. You are right that the shots are a shot in the dark-- may or may not be the right virus. I did not vaccinate my other 3 and will take my chances with Mother Nature. My kids got the flu bad last year-- 9 days of fever, but we got over it and thinking of it now-- it was probably good for their immune systems. I'm so sorry your baby got pneumonia. My daughter had it when she was 5 (she'd never had a flu shot) and I did not know kids could be that sick. It was scary.
Bottom line--go with your gut.
Best,
Trice

Kevin McDermott said...

Only the nasal spray vaccines have live viruses in them.
-Kimberly