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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not give my children the swine flu vaccine?

652 replies

wintersnow · 17/12/2010 16:15

I decided not to last year as I wanted to wait and see how safe it was but am reconsidering this year after several people have died. Did you give it to your children and what were your reasons to give/not give it?

OP posts:
mosschops30 · 17/12/2010 16:19

yes I gave it and Im glad I did. I have had a 2nd vaccination this year.
There are a lot of very ill people in Cardiff at the moment with SF, Im glad we're protected

HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 17/12/2010 16:21

Mine haven't had it and based on the situation as it is right now, won't be having it. It seems to me a lot of media hyped up fuss over nothing.

And flu is a virus is it not? I have always thought that viruses mutate. So does that not mean that this year's swine flu will be different from last year's and next year's and the year after that...

If you read the papers a year ago, we were all going to die from it! I don't know one single person (in rl) who had it.

To me, it is simply not a high enough threat based on the information available to me atm to send me over to the gp to get the kids jabbed.

HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 17/12/2010 16:23

x-post mosschops. Really? I've not heard about it. Considering last year the news went swine flu crazy I am surprised!

May have to look into it a bit more and have a rethink.

VallhalaLalalalalalalalaaaaaa · 17/12/2010 16:26

My children are teenagers. They have never had any vaccinations. I prefer them to be unvaccinated people in a largely vaccinated society. There are risks, side-effects and unacceptable issues to vaccination which I want no part of.

I know that this is going to cause cries of "Selfish!" but so be it. This is just my take on the matter, I don't expect others to follow my example or to agree with me and I don't feel the need to defend my choices as nothing will change my opinions.

(Well, you did ask! :) )

mosschops30 · 17/12/2010 16:27

yes there are, cant say more than that sorry

Caboodle · 17/12/2010 16:30

We have had it this year (2xDS and I am pregnant), didn't have it last year and supposedly caught swine flu, although given the fact the doc wouldn't actually see us who would really know? We had it this year because viruses mutate, so, as I understand it, no guarentee we would be immune from last year. Don't have a problem with the vaccine but have a huge problem with Tamiflu - made DS1 violently ill and, apparently, only reduces flu by 1 day on average.

sarah293 · 17/12/2010 16:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SkyBluePearl · 17/12/2010 16:36

I've not had it and am pregnant. I'm sure i had it last year though as i regretably gave my illness to someone who ended up in hospital for a few days and his tests confirmed swine flu.

tholeon · 17/12/2010 16:37

DS has had it both years with no problems, and I'm glad he did.

Vallhala good thing everybody doesn't think like you!

foxinsocks · 17/12/2010 16:38

I would happily have given it to ds and dd but they are apparently not at risk and at age 10 and 9 too old to get it automatically so we couldn't get it! Neither dh nor I got it though had I been more organised, I would have found somewhere that did it privately and got us all done.

As both ds,dd and dh have dodgy chests, am amazed they weren't offered them tbh.

masochismTangoer · 17/12/2010 16:39

I did not last year - as I was pretty sure they had had it. They had had similar symptoms and a lot of contact with one of the last confirmed cases in the area. HV did point out we could not be sure and should get it done to be safe but we decided not to especially by time it was offered to us it was late February and this area was one of first to have cases so they had been at risk for a long time and its occurrence was already dropping.

I did ask the GP this year about any/all flu vaccinations for our DC recently diagnosed with asthma. He said as the asthma was mild - no hospital admissions, responding to medication while it was up to us as parents he did not think it vital. We have had no invite to attend flu vaccination for this DC yet and have not chased due to GPs comments.

We have had all other vaccinations offered done for the DC.

anonacfr · 17/12/2010 16:39

I'm pregnant and am pondering having it. There haven't been any cases in London so far have there? I'm having my 20 weeks scan at the end of the year I will ask what the recommendation is then.

masochismTangoer · 17/12/2010 16:40

All three DC where offered it last year in Feb as they were all under five.

VallhalaLalalalalalalalaaaaaa · 17/12/2010 16:40

"Vallhala good thing everybody doesn't think like you!"

Absolutely, tholeon.

TinselinaBumSquash · 17/12/2010 16:40

Yes DS1 had it, he has a medical need though. I have had it, i had SF last year and was really ill for ages.

curlymama · 17/12/2010 16:41

We haven't even been offered it this year, I'm guessing my dc's are too old. I had it last year because of my job, and had no problems, so I probably would give it if offered.

ArthurPewty · 17/12/2010 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VallhalaLalalalalalalalaaaaaa · 17/12/2010 16:43
DylthanThroughTheSnow · 17/12/2010 16:44

Ds had it last year and will have it this year (when he turns 4) he has asthma and I would never forgive myself if he ended up in hospital and I could of done something to prevent this.

That's just my personal opinion and choice.

sarah293 · 17/12/2010 16:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fayc84 · 17/12/2010 16:48

I'd give it if they had medical conditions that would make flu/swine flu more of a problem to them. I had it because I'm pg and doctors are advising pregnant women get the vaccine because of the increased risk of complications. There was something in the paper yesterday about a Scottish woman who was 34wks pg I think and ended up having to have emergency c-section and has now been in a coma for a week and never held her daughter because she caught swine flu. Her family said 'she thought about getting the vaccine but since there hadn't been much mention in the media about swine flu this year she didn't bother'. Shock If it is being offered on the NHS and GPs are suggesting you take it for medical reasons then I can't see why you wouldn't really.

masochismTangoer · 17/12/2010 16:50

DylthanThroughTheSnow
Ds had it last year and will have it this year (when he turns 4) he has asthma and I would never forgive myself if he ended up in hospital and I could of done something to prevent this.

Were you automatically offered this? I am just wondering if we will get a letter this winter for DS because of the asthma or if the GP has already decided it is not necessary.

tholeon · 17/12/2010 16:53

I shouldn't let myself get into this, life is too short, but I soo don't understand people who don't vaccinate their children.. I was reading through a book on childcare from the 30s the other day and there were so many horrible, scary illnesses described, which almost everyone had to go through. We are so lucky nowadays not to have to deal with them. DS has been in intensive care with a horrible, scary illness (not one which could be vaccinated against...) and it was not good. Why not do everything we can to avoid that possibility? And for everyone's children, not just our own.

I can understand reservations about the swine flu vaccine as it is a new one but I'm not sure there have been any cases of serious adverse reactions, have there? Unlike serious cases of swine flu??

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 17/12/2010 16:54

Hmm. Well they are not offering it to non-high risk under-5s now after reviews of last year's outbreak suggested that their risk is same as normal seasonal flu and researchers are still reviewing the relatively high (if mostly minor) reports of post-injection complications. So on that note YANBU as the NHS is not offering it anyway.

That said, I am v glad my DS had the jab last year. He had normal flu prior to the jab and he and DH were horribly ill and it quite ruined Christmas and New Year (and despite best efforts they passed it on to all the family some of whom are high risk).

I'm not high risk but have the seasonal flu jab as I am self-employed and can't afford to be ill.

mrsmellow · 17/12/2010 16:56

If you are pregnant, it is probably sensible to get the swine flu vaccine as there seems to be an increased risk of severe disease in pregnant women and the vaccine has proven very safe in pregnancy to date (as per microbiology consultant friend of mine!). In London, there have apparently been a number of cases this week in pregnant women.

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