Should One Year Old Get the H1N1 Vaccine?

My 9 months old and 4 year old got the H1N1 shot a couple weeks ago. They also got the regular shot abot a month ago. They are doing fine with no side effects. Me personally I would stay away from the nasal mist. That has the live virus in it, and my Pedi said there is a small chance kids could get the H1N1 from it.

Given that you work in an elementary school I would get the shot. It is true that they make it the same way they make the regular flu shot. Good luck!

both my kids got the vaccine last weekend and they did great! You couldn't even tell they got a shot as they felt as normal as ever.

Also FYI moms, Park Nicollet is where the H1N1 is, well, was available. ###-###-#### to schedule. I don't think they are taking anymore appointments, but its worth the call! Be prepared to wait 20 mins or longer to talk to someone

H., I'm a nurse, or as one other mom put it, "a trained licensed medical professional" and will NOT be getting this vaccine nor will my children. There is an awesome educational seminar being presented this week in Edina. General public can attend for $20. It's presented by a nurse, uses stats from the CDC and is a non-biased seminar simply providing parents and heath care professionals with the scientific data. Here's the link to more info. http://www.mnchiro.com/CalendarofEvents/tabid/913/vw/3/It... You can call to register and get in for the $20. We can't make informed decisions until we have the information. So go get it from a credible source.

Hi H.! I am so sorry that you have gotten such double standard answers.
For instance one poster blasted Miranda for using Inside Edition for a reputable source then recommended that you read the Sunday paper for info. I laughed until I cried!

Pro-vaccination people, don't treat people who are not going to vaccinate for H1N1 as though they are stupid. We don't believe everything we hear and if we are not supposed to get our info from the internet, where do you get yours? Webmd.com? cdc.gov? Give me a break.

H., you have to make your own decision. I for one am not going to do it. Getting the shot is not "science", the regular flu shot is not even proven to work and it DOES lower immunity.
Good luck in your decision!

Kim P and Miranda gave great advice and wonderful links for you to read.

We will NOT be getting the H1N1 vaccine, nor do we get the regular flu shot. THe over vaccinating of the public is what is causing these super viruses to get out of control. Our bodies were meant to fight them off naturally.

Also the overuse of Tamiflu and the other antivirus drug has caused traces of it to leak into the water table from people's waste. Meaning birds are exposed to the antiviral drug, which in turn will eventually create a super virus of avian and other flu's that humans will not be able to fight off. People need ot use common sense, tamiflu only shortens the flu by 1/2-1 day, it does NOT prevent it. The flu is best helped by staying home, resting, lots of fluids and using common sense with your symptoms.

You should be worried about the safety of the vaccine. It may be 'just another flu shot', but I doubt the use of the flu shot anyway, let alone one that was rushed through the system, lightly tested, and quickly thrown out into the public.

I will just through in my 2 cents worth since everyone else already has. I know that some of this will not be doable with a 1 year old. We will not be getting the H1N1 because we are not eligible for it right now. Our Ped. did not recommend it because our son is very healthy and has no underlying medical issues.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE EXCELLENT, COMMON SENSE ADVICE!!

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected o ne. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Neti pots and sinus rinse kits are available at the drug store and relatively inexpensive….under $15.

I would do some research of my own on the Internet if I were you, but here are some websites to visit:
www.a11news.com/2418/h1n1-flue-vaccine/risks/
www.ResponsibilityProject.com
www.douglassreport.com - 5 worst vaccines exposed
www.Mercola.com/AvoidVaccines - protect your loved ones. Learn how to legally avoid vaccines today!

There is another site I visited on Friday. Now I can't remember what it was. I will get back to you.

We are not going to have our son vaccinated. We (my husband and I) are not going to be vaccinated. If I were pregnant I would NOT be vaccinated!

I would recommend that ALL MOMS do their own research about the safety of all vaccines.

H.,

I have to "dito" what some of the the wise women have posted in thier responses. For those of us who choose to do our own research and not 100% (and blindly) believe as gospel what the goverment is telling us to do is brave, not ignorant. I would argue the opposite is true. Your kids are your responsibility and the important healthcare decisions to be made can only be made by you, with the help of whatever reliable source you can get a hold of. There IS scientific evidence that some vaccines can harm our children. There is also scientifc evidence that some vaccines are very safe and have done wonders for our society. Like I said, the onus is on you to do the research and to make the best dicisions for your family with the knowledge you have.

Lastly, I am not one to call someone out, but I have to. But, Nese's "facts" are far from accurate. Also, Jennifer, 80 kids have not died from H1N1, 53 have, and although the H1N1 virus may have been present, it was not always the actual cause of death, just something that was present.
Those are the facts, are there are many more that directly contradict what has been posted in some responses.

Keep up the good work in your search for what is right for you and your family.

I agree with Kim, Miranda and Becky. I wouldn't do it either.

Check out www.909shot.com

-www.thinktwice.com
-www.vaccinationnews.com
-www.healthyhealing.com

I would NOT get the H1N1. I saw a news clip video on the internet about the people who made the vaccine and most of them are NOT getting it because it was not tested hardly at all! And someone posted another clip on facebook from the show INSIDE EDITION. A 25 year old professional cheerleader took the regular flu shot and not can't even walk forwards anymore. They say she is only one in a million (some nuerological thing) for this happening but are they kidding??? She lost EVERYTHING. She can't even talk clear when she's sitting there now...... I'm sure you can google it or look on youtube.

Our 2 kids are not vaccinated. They seem to be able to fight sickness off better than their cousins..... This is a huge decision. Make sure you READ, READ, READ and educate yourself. Read BOTH sides and NUETRAL things as well. It's very confusing and you need to make a personal decision for what is best for your family. My husband and I thought and prayed A LOT about this decision. Good luck.

I know you know this, H., but it's a personal decision for you and your family to make regarding your family. Please do not let anyone else make the decision for you. Do some (or a lot) of reading that represents both sides of the agrument or that is factual and not biased, then decide for yourself. Personally we are NOT vaccinating any member of our family with either flu vaccine, but I have friends and relatives who are...it's their choice for their families and my choice for mine. Good luck to you!

I don't think I would listen to the anti-science crowd on this one. The vaccine is safe -- and made the same way the regular flu vaccine is made, only for another virus. There are risks with a vaccine, it is true, but they are much smaller than the risk of your son getting H1N1 and becoming seriously ill. This flu is worse than the regular flu because young children are dying at a much higher rate.

As the mother of a child with asthma, I would hope that responsible people would vaccinate their children so that children like mine won't become infected.

Here's a link -- from a trusted source, not a source with an agenda and an ax to grind.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/is-the-h1n1-sw...

(Also, I would think twice before using Inside Edition as a source for making medical decisions. It is entirely possible that this young woman had underlying medical issues or another illness at the same time. Also, even if her vaccine caused this problem, I would weigh the odds. The risk of never being able to walk again after getting vaccinated -- extremely slim. Odds of getting H1N1 flu -- very high. Odds of dying from it -- too high to risk.)

Here's some more reliable sources:

http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/swineflu
http://pandemicflu.gov/

As for how it has been tested, check this link:
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/vteuH1N1qa.htm

I would also like to chime in and say that like all other drugs and vaccines out there, they don't really know the side affects and the safety until the give it to the population. Just think of how many drugs are out there that they take off the market at later times because of it being unsafe. They made this vaccine very fast, so who knows what they put in it. And whether or not they will think it was just as safe in the future as they do now. This is just me. Now the Reg vaccines have been out for a while so I would hope that they are good and safe now but the H1N1 is a tricky one to know of the safety.

This is just my "I am not a doctor" opinion on the matter.

Here's some really good (in my humble, laywoman's opinion) info for making your decision. This blogger doesn't tell you what to do, but arms you with the information to make the right choice for you and your family.

http://blog.forbesnutritionalservices.com/

She, by the way, has wrestled with these decisions herself for a while as shortly she herself will become a mom.

Wow I read a few of the responses and I agree with the person saying you have to decide what is right for your family. Here is how I made my decision: I work in a elementary school and both my children have asthma. My oldest in in her first year at college and got the flu in her dorm and ended up in the hosp. I did get my 15 yr old the shot and he ended up getting the H1N1 a week later. (vac does not take full effect for at least 10 days) He was put on tamaflu and has done ok so far (been 3 days)
This is a very nasty flu and symptoms seem worse than any other flu we have had. My kids have higher risk factors for complications so thats why I choose to get the shot. I dont think I would have done so if I wasnt in the higher risk group.
Hope this helps!

Regarding the Inside Edition Story.....you have a greater risk of having paralysis complications from an epidural during childbirth, yet hundreds of moms elect to have an epidural everyday. TV shows like these only show you the worst stories available, otherwise they wouldn't be news-worthy. Do people want to watch a segment about a person who received the H1N1 vaccination without any side-effects and avoided having the flu?

Look towards .org websites for your information, not .com websites. And yes, the CDC is a reputable website for information - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/parents.htm#question

It is really hard to comprehend how people "believe" the vaccines are not safe, and claim this is an "educated" decision. It is not a question of belief. This is science. And you are "educating" yourselves from questionable sources.

No, our bodies are not supposed to fight off the viruses naturally. Human body is not perfect at all. That is why the average life expectancy was 30 something in the Middle Ages, or before modern medicine was able to fight off microbes.

So you do know that MILLIONS (50 to 100 million) of people died from a flu epidemic in 1918, but you think the vaccine is more dangerous because some crappy TV show tells you there MAY be someone who got a severe side effect from a vaccine. How logical is that?

I think its funny that Kirsten R called those who weren't going to vaccinate the "Anti-Science" crowd, considering that organizations such as the National Vaccine Information Center are actually calling for MORE scientific testing to be done!

I think that's what it all boils down to at this point. People who are wary are feeling that way because this vaccine came about so quickly and they're mostly worried that it might not have been as strictly regulated and tested as other, more "tried and true" vaccines.

Don't get me wrong, I don't stand on either side of the fence on this issue, but I can certainly understand both points of view.

I'm not really sure what to believe. I've heard that this one is just as bad as any other type of flu virus, the strain is just different. Then I've heard that its worse than the other flu strains and is more resistant to treatment. And then I have to wonder, if its that different from the other strains, why did they make THIS flu vaccine the exact same way that they made the others?

Truth be told, it DOES make me wonder if the drug is safe enough at this point. But... I also have to worry about the consequences of not vaccinating my kids.

At the beginning of next month, the vaccine will be automatically given to every child in my daughters' school. We were sent an info packet with a way to chose which form of the vaccine they will receive (shot or nasal spray) and an option to refuse the vaccine. I returned the packet asking for the nasal spray version so that I could spare my girls the shots if possible, but... I'm still withholding the option of backing out if we should decide against it.

I'm sorry if I didn't aid you in my decision very much. Really, all you can do is get educated on everything. I know that you have it coming at you from all sides on the internet so the tough part will be finding out which sources you can trust. I wish you luck.

I can't believe how many people are against vaccines!! Has anyone heard of smallpox!!!! We completely eliminated a disease from the world by vaccinating. How many children have been saved because of the polio and MMR vaccines? Yes it is possible for our bodies to build immunity on it's own, but that doesn't always happen. Look at the history of the flu and how many people die. The pandemic flu of 1918, the Asian flu in the 50's, etc. The flu viris mutates so much that it is a guarentee that a new strain will appear that we do not have immunity to, therefore causing a pandemic. That is what the vaccine is trying to prevent!

I got a letter from the clinic in my area that my kids can also get the h1n1 vaccine. My kids' pediatrician said to think of it as a second flu shot. It was made and manufactured in the same way and by the same company that makes the seasonal flu vaccine. She has a 7 month old and plans to get it for her when it becomes available. Just talking with the doctor helped me make the decision TO vaccinate my kids. I'm a teacher, they're both at daycare...so I feel it's the best way to protect my kids. It's just a second flu shot containing this new flu strain that wasn't around when the seasonal flu vaccine was made.

Sorry Miranda...but I think it's kinda scary that you think that INSIDE EDITION is a credible news source!

You need to make this decision for your family. Read the facts...then go with your gut.

I would jump at the chance to get the vaccination. It just isn't available in our area. Given that over 80 kids have died from H1N1...well, you can bet that I will do everything I can to keep my kid safe.

The second it becomes available it is going in her arm. I just hope that she doesn't catch it before we get the chance.

Absolutely get the shot! My husband is a biochemist and is a major advocate of preventative measures of h1n1. Think of it this way: the shot will not harm your child and if you don't give it to him, you are risking illenss and maybe worse. My adivce: GET THE SHOT!

I'm a healthcare worker, so I got my H1N1 shot last week. When our pediatrician has them available for my kids (age 2 and 10 mo), I will be getting it for them, too. My children already got the seasonal flu shot as well. I believe the risk of side effects from the vaccine are less than the risks associated with having my kids get the flu.

I have a 1yr old too, and I am pregnant.
I am also undecided on the vaccine.
I am also worried about the safety.

The only think I know is the regular flu/and the swine flu are both treatable with meds.

We already got the vaccine for our children. One of our (school-aged) kids has asthma and some other underlying medical issues. Our pediatrician told us if she were us she'd be "first in line" to get the vaccine.

FYI, we didn't have to pay for the vaccine - they said the government is covering the cost to keep the mortality rate of children from h1n1 down. There were a LOT of people going in for the vaccination, but they had a very smooth process, very friendly people, and no lines.

Also, the nurse administering the shot said she had her children vaccinated that morning.

Please DO NOT believe everything you read on the internet! This vaccine is as safe as any other vaccine. There is no medication to TREAT a virus, only minimize it's symptoms. The only treatment is prevention. This flu is affecting young children more harshly than other previous flus; more are dying.

I'm calling, and getting a busy signal, right now to try to get a flu shot for my daughter because they are so limited.

I am surprised that you and/or your son even have access to the vaccine. In the area that I live in, there is a H1N1 vaccine clinic next week, but the only people who are eligible to go are children 6 mo - 5 yrs old have an underlying illness that would predispose them to being at risk if they contract H1N1 (asthma, diabetes, etc.). You may want to double check with the clinic giving the vaccinations and make sure that this isn't the case in your area (you didn't mention that your son was in a high risk group). It would stink to stand in line only to find out he doesn't qualify.

Good luck no matter what you decide.

I think it is important for everyone to get all of the facts and make an informed decision that is best for themselves and their family.

BUT it amazes me the number of people who have no medical training that think they are more knowledgeable than trained healthcare professionals. For Heaven's sake... don’t take advice from someone who thinks INSIDE EDITION is a reputable news agency.

There was an article in the newspaper Sunday regarding the safety of the vaccine. I suggest you read it and any other information you can before making a decision.

Because you work with children and are sending your child to daycare the 2 of you are coming into contact with germs from many sources. As most mothers know, children are not the best at germ control.

If I were you, I would get the vaccine. I prefer to be proactive with my child's health. But that is just my personal choice. You need to make the choice you are the most comfortable with.

Do not let the previous posters scare you into not vaccinating your child. These people are making the choice they think is best for themselves, but that does not mean it is what is best for you.

There is a rise in the number of children dying from treatable diseases because parents are choosing not to vaccinate. Children who are not vaccinated do not only risk their own health, but also the health of all of the people who come into contact with them.

Talk to your son's pediatrician. But yes, if you work in an elementary school your son should probably get the vaccine. As you probably know, the virus is running rampant amongst school age children right now. A lot of the information floating around on the internet about the vaccine is unreliable. My family had this virus a couple of weeks ago and it is nasty.

Get the vaccine. I also am hesitant about vaccines. I have to say that with H1N1 I would do it. My kids got H1N1 and the six yr old has pneumonia. The risk of getting this illness is EXTREMELY high and for under 2's it is more dangerous because of secondary complications. The risks of the vaccine are very small compared, it is worth the risk. Good Luck.

I am amazed at the level of ignorance about this issue that is running rampant in our society! This vaccine was made the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine, they simply inserted a different virus strain into the mix. It will be as safe as the seasonal flu vaccine. I will be getting it for my kids as soon as it becomes available. This flu is hitting children very hard and there have been an unusually high number of deaths from it among children. I will do everything I can to protect my kids. There is no "cure" for the flu, as someone else mentioned. You can treat the symptoms, and hope it doesn't get too bad. That's it. Why take the risk? Given your family's level of exposure, if I were in your shoes, I would certainly get it for both you and your son.

We debated this question just yesterday. Since we are going to be travelling a lot this winter, including to a country where the health care is dubious, we decided that the beneifts outweigh the risks and are going to vaccinate. It's not that she would necessarily suffer complications from H1N1 (most people don't) but we don't want her to get sick where we aren't connected to good health care.

Just for your information, if you are concerned about mercury, there are still traces of it in the misnamed preservative free shots. It's 3 micrograms compared with 25 in a normal shot, so you can decide if it's worth the risk.

I wish we could get the vaccine but there aren't any available here. Our 2 year old has it and is miserable. She doesn't fit the requirements to take Tamiflu so all we can give her is Tylenol to keep her high fever down. Now I'm very scared that our 2 month old is going to get it. There was a 5 week old baby in our area who died last week from H1N1. Yes, he had an underlying health condition, but it still scares me. We will definately be getting the vaccine as soon as we can!