To be anxious about Swine Flu and school starting soon

[WimpleOfTheBallet]

I know people say it's all blown out of proportion....but one headline said it was a "children's Epidemic"

DD is 6 and I am stressed about her going back on Wednesday...

DS2 has Chronic asthma, my GP a) hasn't invited him for a flu jab (that he normally has every year) and b) is claiming that he doesn't have any to give him. I'm incredibly concerned because it's people with underlying health conditions that suffer the worst, he is only just 7yo. I'm honing the GP tomorrow morning to harass try to get him the flu jab.

DD should also have been invited for the jab as she has cardiac problems, and they won't give her one either.

So YANBU to be worried.

It's flu. It makes you feel lousy for a few days, then you get better. Unless your DD has underlying health issues, don't get stressed about it - she'll either get it or not, and could just as easily pick it up from someone on the bus as at school. She may lready ave immunity if she came into contact with it last year. If not, she'll get immunity by catching it this time.

I'd ignore the headlines.

Influenza statistics are published weekly on the Health Protection Agency's website here.

Yup that's the Daily Fail for you. It's flu, there is nothing you can do about it apart from getting your DD jabbed. You can't keep her off school just because she might get flu.

For Scottish statistics, look here.

My dd had the vaccine last year does she need it again this year?

Do you know I am worried as well, I'm not going to do anything like keeping her off but still there is a little part of me that worries. About 2 years ago she got really unwell with e coli and since then the thought of any illness coming near her makes me want to run and hide! I have three younger children as well and they just all seem so fragile! .
I asked the gp about jabs but they said they dont do it, i suppose I will have to worry in silence until summer lol.

I refused the jab last year for my toddler...I'm not sorry as I went with my instinct..

But I DO feel like keeping DD off school...I know I can't....but I WANT to!

Will be avoiding all toddler groups etc with DS, 18 months, for the next few weeks at least, even though he has had the jab (it is only 70 - 80% effective.) But he has an underlying health issue, and spent some time in PICU as a little baby - not keen to repeat the experience!

I've read a lot of stuff about virus transmission due to his history and kids are more likely to get it at nursery/ toddler groups than on the bus due to little ones coughing in each others faces, touching each other all the time etc. Nothing's foolproof though and it is not quite the same for older ones - the older the better I guess...

In the States and elsewhere they routinely vaccinate all under 2s against flu, I would probably get it for him given what I know now even if he didn't have the health issue.

My DD who has a heart condition has just recovered from Swine flu. She was very poorly but has recovered after 10 days. My twins had i very mildly

I had the jab but still got it. It's just very bad flu.

Armani, if she is young enough or had a chronic condition she will need it again this year. It's because the virus mutates and changes every year, which is also why the jab is not a guarantee that you won't get flu.

I know it costs money that not everyone can afford, but can you get the jab at boots or another pharmacy? Our local chemist is offering it to anyone that wants it, I assume that it's aimed at people that won't be offered it on the NHS but want to protect themselves anyway.

I asked for the jab in boots today for ds aged 4 and they told me they won't do children.

Did they posh? That's interesting. Scrap my advice then.

Yes, the sales assistant asked the pharmacist. Wasn't surprised to be honest.

I bought a ton of vitamins and an antioxidant tonic and then stocked up on a ton of fruit and veg.

I worry too .

On the other hand 'children are still coming down with it over x-mas whilst schools are shut' so keeping them at home is not going to stop it from spreading. You could catch it whilst doing your weekly shop in Tesco's.

My dd2 has Autism and when she gets ill we often end up in hospital with her because she refusses to drink when ill, we ended up in A&E just before christmas when she contracted a D&V bug at school. Because she has no breathing problems or major health problems she cant not have the jab.

I have a feeling that swine flu will peek when the children return to school (they say it has not peeked yet), lets hope they are wrong.