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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:
DylthanThroughTheSnow · 17/12/2010 16:57

masochism yes he was invited to attend a drop in clinic back in september but dd was only a couple of months old so I filed the letter and forgot about it Blush but with all this talk about the flu I phoned the surgery and asked if it was to late for him to have it.

They were quite happy for him to come in just wish i'd taken him in September because they've run out of the vaccine for under 4's

verytellytubby · 17/12/2010 16:59

I've had it but I didn't get my children done as I was worried about side-effects and my children have had swine flu this week. DD has been very very ill and I was kicking myself for not getting her vaccinated but hopefully seems to be over the worst.

Their schoool was on London Tonight as 90 children were off school with it.

pagwatch · 17/12/2010 17:01

People don't vaccinate for a whole host of reasons, often previous adverse reactions or family health issues.

ivykaty44 · 17/12/2010 17:02

my dd2 got swine flu and i was nasty but she stayed home for a week - me and dd1 are asthmatic and where worried we would catch it, we didn't and had the jab. this year we havn't had the jab though yet

nightmarebeforechristmas · 17/12/2010 17:02

dd has had all her jabs,
always had the flu jab, and last year had the swine flu jab(she has cp and epilepsy)
but this year no
cos she refuses point blank........she is 15

proudnscaryvirginmary · 17/12/2010 17:05

My 2 both have it at the moment, it's hideous but it's basically flu and they can cope with it (9 and 6) so no I wouldn't have it done.

As others have said, if babies or vulnerable in whatever ways, then maybe. But if not I'm all for them getting these lurgies and building up immunity.

masochismTangoer · 17/12/2010 17:07

Thanks DylthanThroughTheSnow . My parents due to age and health conditions where getting their jabs in September - that why I mentioned it to GP when seeing him then with DS. I guess DS will not be called automatically now.

millyjay · 17/12/2010 17:08

I am high risk, but got SF last year prior to the jab even being available. I was very ill and developed secondary pneumonia. 3 of my DC's got it as did my DH (1 DC missed it !). None of them were as bad as me, but were all very sick.

So, have the jab if you can and give it to your children, I would not wish the illness on anyone.

Catrinm · 17/12/2010 17:13

I think you are being unreasonable and unscientific however you are entitled to your own views

I'm getting my Ds 2 done (2) and would have DS1 done but he's too old.

However this is going to deteriorate into an pro and anti vaccination debate.

I believe vaccines are safer than catching the disease but some people have their own views.

Laneigejaune · 17/12/2010 17:14

Agree 100 per cent with what Tholeon said. If it hadn't been for the vaccination programme children would still be dying from polio/ small pox etc. DD1 had febrile convulsion after her first MMR but I still made sure she had her booster and DD2 will be getting her MMR too.

I wouldn't be especially worried about the H1N1 vaccine as opposed to other jabs. People seem concerned that it's new etc. It's only as new as the seasonal flu vaccine ever is, as the flu jab is redesigned every year to take account of the dominant strain. DD has
been in hospital with chest infections so had it last year and had this year's combination flu vaccination too. I had H1N1 jab when I was 5 weeks pregnant last year and am very glad I did. DD2 will be getting it just as she's 6 months. way I see it, there's no good evidence of serious complications from the vaccination, but there is plenty of evidence that vulnerable people can get vv sick when they get flu.

sarah293 · 17/12/2010 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Catrinm · 17/12/2010 17:19

Riven, can they cope better with the immune assault of measles, 'flu or meningitis better? Genuine question, not a dig :-)

ArthurPewty · 17/12/2010 17:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VallhalaLalalalalalalalaaaaaa · 17/12/2010 17:29

Agreed, Leonie.

For Riven's DD maybe it's a case of weighing up the risks of the possibility of getting a virus compared to her daughter definitely having the compnents of a vaccine in her system?

I don't know if this is the case, I'm merely thinking aloud and suggesting this might be the reason.

Laneigejaune · 17/12/2010 17:30

My GP said there is more mercury in a mouthful of tuna than in one dose of the flu vaccine. Do you avoid tuna / marlin etc as well? Also, did you look at the alternative vaccines which don't have mercury?

Again, genuine question, not having a go.

VallhalaLalalalalalalalaaaaaa · 17/12/2010 17:31

Lane, I'm vegan and my children have been vegetarian all their lives. We certainly avoid tuna. :o

camdancer · 17/12/2010 17:37

I wish I'd had the vaccine. I'm on day 14 of flu (possibly swine flu) and am 17 weeks pg. It is horrible. I haven't been able to keep any food or water down for 5 days now and have no idea how the baby is. GP says it'll all be fine and I'll be better soon. Here's hoping.

DD (1.5) and DS (3.5) also had it. They were sick for about 7 days and are now fine, if a bit tired still. DH seems to have got the bad version and is still ill 12 days later. So I don't think it would have been worth the DC's having the vaccine. They are fine, but I should have had it.

Catrinm · 17/12/2010 17:37

As a SEN teacher I know two kids who didn't cope with menningitis and one with chicken pox. I think we'll have to agree to differ.

........ hides thread and heads off to Bad Science forum to immerse myself in rational thought X..................

sarah293 · 17/12/2010 17:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

gemma4d · 17/12/2010 17:42

My DD had the shot. I had the shot when I got pregnant. Husband didn't have it.

I am now 5 months+ preg and hubbie is upstairs in bed with swine flu.

You have no idea how happy I am that I got us both "done"!!!

HowToLookGoodGlaikit · 17/12/2010 17:42

Im sure tha I read somewhere in the last week that 50% of those who have died from SF recently had been vaccinated. Cant find the link now though :(

howtoapproach · 17/12/2010 17:44

I had my dc vaccinated against swine flu. Flu vaccines have been going for years - I would rather protect her. Also by my DD being vaccinated, it protects all the other people at school who aren't well enough to have the vaccine.

pagwatch · 17/12/2010 17:45

Lol at speed of progress from ' genuine question, not having a go '...to 'off to bad science (for)....rational thought'

Genuine question my arse.

My dss sen teachers tend to be a bit more compassionate as we have some kids who have had terrible vaccine reactions.

evs34 · 17/12/2010 17:46

It is crazy people who do not vaccinate their children that cause others to die from dangerous infectious diseases! We have them for a reason.

tholeon · 17/12/2010 17:52

just to clarify my comments were of course in regard to kids without particular health issues, who obviously have to be dealt with on a case by case basis.

but I would have thought that having the (healthy) majority vaccinated would help protect the vunerable minority who can't be vaccinated due to their personal situation. Not in the case of the swine flu vaccine, where the general population is unvaccinated, but if more people took the view of Valhalla and others in regard to the standard vaccs it would mean there was more disease around, which I would have thought would be a particular risk to vulnerable children and others. Hope I've managed to make that make sense..