To not vaccinate my children against flu this winter?

[Isseyesque]

We have been offered flu jabs for DDs age 2 and 4. Neither have any respiratory/asthma type issues, and generally very good health (have been very fortunate in that to date they have rarely gotten ill and never seriously, not been on antibiotics etc).

AIBU not to vaccinate them as they don't appear to be high risk? My understanding is that flu is most dangerous to people with weak immune and weak respiratory problems. If they do get it, they'll be unwell but ok, and develop some resistance/ resilience etc.

However, I'm now wavering as someone said they heard on the radio that it recommended small children DO get immunised as it will reduce the spread of flu and therefore be better for others who are more compromised. I hadn't considered that previously, not sure what to do now.

We had flu vaccs (and a load more) last year as it was a condition of residency in the country we immigrated to. No vaccinations, no visa....

Zimzy is it just coincidence then that since vaccines were introduced, previously fatal or life changing illnesses have been more or less eradicated, since you are arguing that people are healthier without them?

Also, my children are immunised and are never sick (never catch stomach bugs etc, and have full attendance at school). My niece is not immunised and is ill regularly and has been hospitalised several times through her childhood with different illnesses. I could just as easily claim that 'I don't think that's a coincidence'. Although in actual fact I think it is luck, nothing more and nothing less.

Yes, because God forbid you and your baby might also be protected against tetanus, diphtheria and polio. That bitch of a midwife.

Thank goodness for posters like treacle and Nanny and Robot. Some of the misinformation, superstition and just plain ignorance being posted on this thread is astounding.

I'm immunocompromised. Me and dcs will be having it. So yes, im biased, what with the risk of me dying and all, but i think yabu. (Wish my dh could take someones unwanted vaccine too)

Also agree that a lot of people here seem confused about what the vaccine is supposed to do.

Zimzywhoo

"My mums always been against vaccines and funnily enough none of her three eldest children have ever been seriously ill. We've had the odd cold of course but we've never had flu ect. I don't think that's a coincidence."

Are you actually suggesting that vaccines cause the illnesses they're meant to prevent? That's what it sounds like.

I don't know why people get involved in big conspiracy theories round big pharma and vaccines and not any other drugs. NICE don't approve anything for NHS funding unless research shows it's effective.

How do you explain the vastly reduced rates of diseases like polio, typhoid, smallpox, whooping cough (etc etc) since vaccines were introduced?

I also think that people are getting confused about being immunocompromised and having an autoimmune disorder. If you're immunocompromised, flu is a very real danger, and a flu vax is a really good idea....

The case for people with autoimmune disorders is slightly different, as vaccines can cause unregulated and extreme immune reactions that are as risky as catching the flu. But on the other hand, having flu can also cause such a response. My granddad developed pemphigus after a bad bout of flu, but I've heard of people developing similar autoimmune disorders from the vaccine.

My family has a tendency towards autoimmune disorders... As well as my granddad, my mother Sjoegren's, my cousin has lupus. On the other hand my brother died two winters ago from a cytokine storm caused by strep throat, of all things, having previously shown little sign of autoimmune issues. So you're kind of between a rock and hard place.

I discussed getting the flu vax with my consultant geneticist, and in the past, we've decided the risk of me actually catching flu is lower than the risk of an autoimmune response to the vaccine. However, I am now seven months pregnant and I have just chisen to have the vax - during pregnancy, it's well known that the immune system is slightly compromised, and that people with autoimmune disorders often find their symptoms abate a little. Therefore we decided the risk of catching flu was more dangerous (esp to the baby) than the likelihood of an over-active immune response. Fingers crossed we chose wisely.

How do you explain the vastly reduced rates of diseases like polio, typhoid, smallpox, whooping cough (etc etc) since vaccines were introduced?

Probably because of people's superior diets and lifestyles.

Don't people realise (obviously not) that probably the reason they haven't (yet) caught a serious illness is because most people around them are immunised? As well as sheer dumb luck.

Robot, that's clearly all due to zinc and vitamin C. Everyone knows Vit C can cure polio and echinacea is specific against smallpox.

Carmine, what makes you think people are getting mixed up?

Have witnessed first hand just how devastating whooping cough can be on an otherwise healthily 15yo, I can hand on heart say that you have to be fucking deluded to not get vaccinated.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the vast majority of those who consider vaccinating a waste of time/wrong/dangerous have simply never experienced just how appalling these diseases can be.

I've never vaccinated DS against flu - I've never had it and so hopeful that he won't either.

I didn't do swine flu either.

I don't want to be having vaccines in him willy nilly.

Why not sezamcgregor?

There is/was an influenza vaccine among the ones done in a babies first year. Which is probably why babies arent being offered it.

Wasnt there a link swine flu vaccine with narcolepsy?

Me and DSis have thyroid issue wonder if that is likely to react to flu vaccine.

There is a sign in the library of 2 yr olds being offered vaccine but i havent heard anything.

How did you all find out and when?

Beyond, I wasn't referring to you... Should have made this clear in my post. I completely agree that if you're immunocompromised, it's a good idea to have the jab. just o got the feeling from the way that a couple of people have mentioned the two that they think they are the same thing, but actually they're kind of the opposite...

We have thyroid/autoimmune issues in our family, and we all have the flu vac; none of us has ever had an adverse reaction, or been ill afterwards.

yanbu but thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Had not heard about this at all even though I have a 2yo. Interestingly they won't bother offering it to dd5 who has an asthma diagnosis unless I badger them, so will call the doctors after lunch. ....

Stratter, I think it's rare to have a bad autoimmune response, but a disorder can be triggered by vacs. Or by stress. Or by illness. Or by pregnancy!

WannaBe

"....we are too quick to vaccinate against everything these days"

It's only because of vaccination that diseases are less frequent. 'Flu can kill. and it's because of vaccination that we have fewer casualties. Illnesses like measles, polio, TB, 'flu, small pox and diphtheria all caused mass deaths and it's only vaccinations that have - more or less - wiped them out in this country. Yes, measles has resurrected itself because of non-vaccination so if children with measles are extremely ill (with perhaps no hope), it's the parents' fault.

It's only because people these days have no real knowledge of how these illnesses affected / can affect people that they don't bother or think it's not necessary. Don't vaccinate your child and you will just have to wait for the illness to cause havoc in your lives. In 1918/1919, millions of people across the world died of 'flu (Spanish 'flu). My great grandfather did and he was only about 40.

OP, please get your children vaccinated against whatever you can.

Agree Carmine, DD1 was hospitalised for 3 very scary days, after a bad autoimmune response to a virus. She was 19, and sick enough for the hospital to let me stay with her 24/7 for those 3 days. They thought she'd had a massive allergic reaction to something, but it was her body overreacting to the virus.

well op I've been told that my asthmatic 5 year old can't have it. Apparently the asthma has to be severe or they have to have copd (now I'm not a doctor and know copd is nasty but I thought that affected older people ) I do know that she would be very ill if she got flu as anything cough-related affects her badly.

So there you go, well thought out policy obviously

but they'll vaccinate dd2 who does no signs of asthma at all. Thanks nhs

They must make it up as they go along, all of us get it, and one of the DDs has very mild asthma.

I'll be vaccinating my son who is eligible for it. He had the nasal last year & we'll be doing it again this year. Reasons are

1. To protect him against getting the flu
2. Help lessen the spread of it in our community.

I'm healthy and in my thirties and I've been getting the flu shot every year for the last 5 years, actually just had it yesterday by coincidence. Granted, it's convenient for me as my company does a flu shot day and the nurses come to our office to do it at no cost to employees but I will say that I have never experienced a "mini-flu' type episode that some people say happens. Just a sore arm a few hours later that wears off by the next day. I haven't had flu since I was a child but even so, I see no reason not to do it if it's available.

I have get a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination next week as I'm TTC, hoping that's an easy one.

Our DS is immune suppressed and has weekly IAg infusions and we have been told she must have the 'flu jab not the nasal spray.
Sorry for hijacking post.