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Children's health

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Original poster

Flu vaccination

52 replies

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 17:49

Dd2 has been offered the new flu vaccine nasal spray. I'm at this moment in time unsure as to whether to accept or decline. Mainly because its so new and side effects can include wheezing and high temperatures. Dd1 is asthmatic so obviously the thought that dd2 could have this jab and become wheezy and hospitalised does scare me.

I regret my decision to allow dd1 to have the swine flue jab as she was very ill within days of receiving it and I do not want to make the same mistake again.

So, any positive stories and warnings of side effects you believe were caused by giving your children the vaccination would be gratefully received.

I'm not after debates on vaccinations both mine are fully vaccinated but I do hope you can understand my hesitation.

TIA

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Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 18:09

Bump??

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Pinklemon · 13/09/2013 18:57

My dd has been offered this nasal spray vaccine too and I cannot decide whether to let her have it or not.

Sirzy · 13/09/2013 19:12

DS has always had his flu jabs because of his asthma. He is having this years next week which I think is the nasal one. I would rather him be vaccinated than risk him getting flu

BeaWheesht · 13/09/2013 19:51

I'd rather she had the side effects than the flu, we all had swine flu in dec 2010 and ds was seriously ill with pneumonia. Not something I'd go through again if I could help it.

BeaWheesht · 13/09/2013 19:52

Incidentally both ds and I had mild very mild asthma before flu, neither of us have ever fully recovered in that respect :(

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 20:08

Thank you all for replying. It would be an easier decision if it was the jab if that makes sense. That's been going for years. It's more te fact that this is so new that there are no long term effects to reports and limited numbers of test groups.

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Pinklemon · 13/09/2013 20:26

The school letter says this flu vaccine is part of a pilot scheme, testing delivery methods before the national programme commences in 2014. So this nasal flu vaccine is new in UK?

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 20:33

That what worries me. The lack of data. :( yes it looks like its just being rolled out

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BeaWheesht · 13/09/2013 20:45

Afaik its been used in US for years. Obviously not this particular vaccine as that changes every year.

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 21:21

I will have to do some more googling. I'm just not ready for my dd to be part of a trial. I was pushed into the swine flu jab and regretted it. Very wary this time

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Ginformation · 13/09/2013 21:47

The swine flu jab (and all the other injected flu jabs) are not live vaccines so cannot make you ill. Unless it was an allergic type reaction, it is more likely to have been a coincidental illness.

The nasal flu vaccine (new to the UK) is more effective in children than the injected version (ie more likely to give immunity). If your dc has asthma then I would very strongly recommend they have the flu vaccine as they would be vulnerable to complications if they caught flu.

There is a roll out campaign starting this year with all 2 and 3 year olds (as of 1st sept 2013). Children of all ages in risk groups will continue to be offered flu vaccine. At our surgery we have decided to give all children the nasal vaccine as it is more effective.

Ginformation · 13/09/2013 21:48

And it is NOT a trial now the trials and pilots are complete, this is the new national immunisation programme from Public Health.

BeaWheesht · 13/09/2013 21:52

Who pushed you into the swine flu jab?

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 21:55

That's very informative thank you :)

The letter gave no details literally just said about being allergic to a few ingredients. No stats no side effects nothing.

Dd2 is not asthmatic. When I saw wheezing listed on a web sight I panicked because I do not want her to develope asthma. I feel so far we have been Amazingly lucky with her being clear after illness as a baby left her very likely to develope it.

I'm so worried about taking that chance.

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Ginformation · 13/09/2013 22:09

Ah, I see re the asthma issue. Unfortunately, if genetically predisposed to it, then there may not be much you can do to avoid developing asthma. Children are MUCH more likely to develop wheeze with viral upper respiratory tract infections (common cold and flu) than as a side effect of the vaccine.

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 22:50

I know it's stupid but the information I saw gave statistics of hospitalisations due to respiritatory isdues and gastrointestinal (i think) within 6 months of having vaccine. I'm wondering whether to ask for jab instead as I have family who have that and have all been fine.

I know it's stupid and likely coincidental and if she's going to get it she will get it but if it happens so close to the vaccine ill never know if it was that or not but I'd never forgive myself of i thought it was down to a choice I made.

She had bronchiolitis twice as a tiny baby how she has never had a wheeze since I don't know just feel like I've got a miracle and don't want to push my luck. Sorry I'm just babbling and making no sense I just don't know anyone who's had it who can tell me I'm worrying over nothing.

But your replies do help. Thank you. I won't feel like she's part of an experiment now if I go ahead. :)

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Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 22:53

bea it was family, my gut said no because it was new at the time and I was worried about a lack of information. But they said I should take it and that they wouldn't allow it if it was dangerous so I did.

A week later she was really poorly.

Although gin has said it wasn't a live virus so likely coincidental which I did think was a possibility I just did t know. But it was just perhaps bad luck.

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Ginformation · 13/09/2013 23:09

Sorry to be a vaccine pedant Grin but the swine flu jab was nothing new. The strains of flu included in the flu jab are different every year,.based on which flavours of flu are prevalent at the time. There was a separate swine flu vaccine That Winter as it was too late to include the swine strain of flu in the seasonal vaccine as it was already in manufacture. Since then swine flu has been included in the standard seasonal flu jab as it has still been knocking around. I'm not sure if it is in this years actually, perhaps someone else knows.

Unfortunately the press are often responsible for selective reporting/ scaremongering which adds to the understandable anxiety of parents and patients.

This year there are lots of changes to the vaccine schedule: introduction of rotavirus vaccine to babies, changes to meningitis c for older children, introduction of shingles vaccine to the elderly... I personally would like to see hepatitis B vaccine be standard in the UK (as it is in a most of western Europe), not just for at risk children, for some jobs and travellers. But the cost is at present prohibitive.

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 23:17

Thank you gin :)

It was just all so rushed, I got letter, clinics were straight away and I didn't have time or wasn't able to look at the right information. I've never had flu myself yet and was unfamiliar with the whole flu jab thing.

It's hard to know what info to trust.
:)

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Ginformation · 13/09/2013 23:28

Sorry for melting your brain Wink You do still have time to think. The flu season continues all autumn and winter so if you take more time to decide then there are likely to be more clinics coming up.

Unless there is a massive rush and the vaccine supply runs out, but that is unlikely.

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 13/09/2013 23:38

That's ok :)

She's not at nursery yet or anything so genuinely don't have much of an idea how strong her immune system is when faced with lots of other children regularly or how badly the usual child hood illnesses will affect her.

So far I appear to have been blessed with an amazing fighter of a dd who has maintained good health after a serious blip as a baby.

With dd1 it was all about trying to help her stay healthy because of her asthma.

Dd 2 I'm desperate to try not to bring on asthma if that makes any sense at all.

I'm assuming your a dr/nurse/HCP the way you are talking. You have provided alot more info than my drs sent. Thank you :)

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Ginformation · 13/09/2013 23:56

It does make sense Smile but as in Bea's experience, the illness is more likely to trigger asthma than the vaccine.

Check out the NHS choices website for more info (which you can trust), search for children flu vaccine.

I am a GP, sorry should have said before. Hope you and your family have a healthy winter. Smile

BeaWheesht · 13/09/2013 23:59

I understand exactly all your concerns because I had them ll myself and therefore refused the swine flu vaccine when pregnant am refused it for toddler ds at the time. I have never been more scared though than when he had swine flu, honestly it wasn't a mild illness, it was hell. He ended up with pneumonia as I said and his asthma which had never been so bad as to be formally diagnosed has never gone back to what it was. Dh and I had the flu too and it knocked us both out, I wheeze most weeks now and have had loads of chest infections etc, before I had swine flu that never happened. Thankfully, somehow newborn dd avoided it but she is now eligible for the nasal vaccine as she is almost 3 and I will have her first in line for it. It has to be 100% your decision of course but I just wanted you to know I was in a similar position a few years ago and feel I made the wrong choice, tbh I've never really got over seeing ds so ill and I feel incredibly guilty.

Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 14/09/2013 00:00

Thank you :)

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Original poster
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 14/09/2013 00:03

Thank you for your post bea sounds awful :(

Don't feel guilty , we make what decision we feel is best with the information we have. We can't ever know what will happen.

There are decisions I regret as I believe they lead to a worse situation but no one can see the future. You did what you felt was best x

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