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Original poster

Did you/will you vaccinte your toddler against swine flu?

33 replies

LadyoftheNile · 19/01/2010 10:14

DD (2.2) is due her jab today and I'm been reding up about the side effects and am consequently wavering about taking her to the clinic.

If you did vaccinate was your child's arm really sore, did it swell?

If you didn't, what made you decide not to and are you worried about swine flu?
Thanks

OP posts:
Restrainedrabbit · 19/01/2010 10:15

Yes both of mine (3.10yrs and 15mths) neither of them had a sore arm but the eldest was slightly more tired than usual for a few days. HTH

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 19/01/2010 10:16

My 4 year old was called last week but he isn't having it. I refused it too when I was offered it.

Original poster
LadyoftheNile · 19/01/2010 10:23

Why did you refuse it Fab?

OP posts:
PotPourri · 19/01/2010 10:24

I refused for all of mine and for myself (preggers and asthma). It's not tested - end of.

Original poster
LadyoftheNile · 19/01/2010 10:28

I thought they ran trials?

OP posts:
Restrainedrabbit · 19/01/2010 10:31

(Sigh) It has been tested, extensively. It has the same ingredients as the H5N1 injection but a different strain of flu. That had widespread trials. There have also been several trials worldwide for the swine flu jab.

clayre · 19/01/2010 10:33

ds 4.9 is booked to have his on thursday and im having a wobble.

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 19/01/2010 10:35

I refused for me as I couldn't afford to take the chance with the side effects and I refused for ds2 because he reacts to jabs and if i wasn't prepared to have it then neither was I prepared to let ds have it.

Original poster
LadyoftheNile · 19/01/2010 10:45

I refused mine (offered as I have mild asthma) as I thought I could probably fight swine flu if I got it.

But I don't know about dd, could she fight it? She's is in the age range that's most affected.

I know that sounds hypocritical but I trying to weigh up the risk/benefit equation

OP posts:
lostinwales · 19/01/2010 10:49

Exactly what restrainedrabbit said. I have had mine and can't wait to let my boys have theirs. It is a nasty, nasty strain in some under fives and we can't tell before which one's will respond badly to it. Flu jabs however have been going for decades with a different strain targeted each year, swine flu is just this years most prevelant strain.

mrsshackleton · 19/01/2010 10:59

Booked mine for next week and am v glad. Flu is nasty. All this stuff about the vaccine not being tested is mumbo jumbo

RipMacWinkle · 19/01/2010 11:00

Had mine when I was pg.

DS had his last week (aged 3) - no reactions, no sore arm, nothing.

MadameCastafiore · 19/01/2010 11:02

No I have not booked mine for me or the DCs - the incidence of swine flu has decreased dramatically and now I really don't see it as being a risk big enough to chance the vaccine.

PurpleEglu · 19/01/2010 11:02

DS2 (2.4) has been called up for it but I am not giving it to him.

I have discussed it with a Doctor, who said that children aged 6months to 5 years are not at any greateer risk of becoming really ill with swine flu than any other healthy person. She said it really only needed to be given to those with underlying health issues.

pofarced · 19/01/2010 11:02

What is happening with SF? How prevalent is it now? Any stats?

PurpleEglu · 19/01/2010 11:03

Also agree with MadameCastafiore.

lostinwales · 19/01/2010 11:10

Swine flu is big in the esatern european states apparently, and as they haven't planned as the UK did it's been chaos. (according to vaccine man on bbc breakfast last week)

biggirlsdontcry · 19/01/2010 11:11

yes i had both my dc's vaccinated in dec , ds (10) & dd (4) no side effects , both of them were fine , they both got the jab in their upper arms which were a little bit sore for three days afterwards but nothing to worry about .

nickytwotimes · 19/01/2010 11:13

Ds is having his tomorrow.

I had mine in December (pg).

I have no worries whatsoever.

It has been extensively tested and has a tiny amount of vaccine in it compared to even the seasonal flu vaccine.

EldonAve · 19/01/2010 11:16

no
"Up to a third of children in some areas may have had swine flu, but many will not have been ill"

winnybella · 19/01/2010 11:31

I know Poland refused to buy the vaccines and there's no huge epidemic there- I mean sf is present there, but only a few people died.
In France where we live, only 5% had it and so France is trying to sell them to other countries.
We all got our letters, although now you don't even need them as everyone can get it. I didn't and I don't think I will.
My kids' doc didn't think it was worth it.

Sooty7 · 19/01/2010 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

whooosh · 19/01/2010 22:50

I won't-really don't see the need.SF is no worse than "normal" flu and I wouldn't vaccinate DD for that.I "believe" I had swine flu last year and I didn't feel it was as bad as the one previous "normal" flu I had.
If it were bubonic plague or smallpox-I would be first in line......

mooseloose · 19/01/2010 22:54

my ds age 7 had it because of his asthma, and he was fine, just an achy arm for a day or so - went to school as usual! His asthma deteriorates really quickly, a cough can put him in hospital, so it was a no brainer for me. His arm was tender to the touch, but he refused calpol.

Restrainedrabbit · 20/01/2010 09:18

I am a researcher, you can't test anything on pregnant women for ethical reasons. If something has been used for a while with no side effects (as in the case of the seasonal flu jab) then you can reasonable assume it to be safe. It has been tested on the under 5s, I put my two in for the testing of the SF jab at Bristol Uni but they had too many volunteers.

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