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Chinese Flu, and vaccinations

65 replies

mieow · 01/12/2003 16:02

It said in the paper that children over the age of 1 and under 16 should be vaccinated against this but how do we do it? Do we just go to the GPs?

OP posts:
fairydust · 03/12/2003 17:21

yeh - if u havn't got a doc that'll listen to your cae then u can buy in from boots about £15.00 i think

GeorginaA · 03/12/2003 17:26

Well I phoned up our Boots - and the one here isn't doing it this year Still unsure what to do, part of me is telling me off for overreacting, the other part of me is saying "well, the little girl down the road was only ds' age and I bet her parents wish they had overreacted..."

I met up with a friend in Tescos today and her mother-in-law has ordered her not to take any of her kids to playgroups until flu season is over!!! Completely impractical as you'd just go stir crazy... but it does seem to show that there's quite a bit of hysteria around. It just leaves me feeling I'm completely incapable of making a realistic judgement over what's best or sensible.

I think what I'd like to see most is percentage chances. From the news reports I have no concept of how many children are getting this bug. Do these kids who've died represent a high or extrememly low percentage? I think I'd have a better chance of assessing the risks with some decent information.

linzoid · 05/12/2003 13:03

What happened with the child near you georginaA ? Did it all happen suddenly or is it that this flu turns to pneumonia and thats what kills them? My ds has a low immune system (might have seen me mention before) and i am extremely paranoid that he's going to get this. I had the flu jab myself but i have been told that because there are different strains it's not the deadly one i have been vaccinated for. My ds has been off school since he started in september more than he has been in! grrrrrrrrrrrrrr i hate winter.

FairyMum · 05/12/2003 13:09

Completely agree there is a real lack of information. Why did they die? Did they have any other conditions?

Jimjams · 05/12/2003 13:18

georgina- he numbers of children dying are very low- and I think all had risk factors (eg asthma). There has been a slight re-diagnosis as well- and children who in the past would have been dianosed as having RSV (a respiratory virus) are now being diagnosed as having flu ( the reason for the re-dx is that new test kits have been developed so drs don't have to guess what a child has anymore- they can rapidly test and find out).

The advice is that if your child is fit and healthy you are better off not vaccinating - this has come from the dept of health. Liam Donaldson (I think it was him- he;s they guy in charge of vaacinations) was quited as saying they are not keen to vaccinate helathy children with no risk factors as the side effects and efficiacy in young children is unknown. And he is jab 'em johnny, so if he's holding back most other people would be. Children need to build up immunity to flu's etc and the best way to do that is catch it. A bout of flu will give some protection until mutation gives rise to a new strain. Both my boys have had this flu. DS1 was knocked out for a week- high temp and quite poorly- ds2 was a bit bouncier but still farily knocked out. Both are now fine. There's represents the usual course of flu.

Some children are more at risk of the flu- and it may make sense for these children to be vaccinated (it whipped round ds1's nursery in lightening speed) but that would be an individual decision to make in each case together with a paed or GP. IN these cases though it will be clear that the benefits from the vaccination outweight the risks.

I think staying in is a bit extreme!- assuming your child has no medical problems that is (thinking about your friend). If children don't mix and start getting exposed to stuff at a young age they will just catch absolutely everything going as soon as they go to school. Remember the immune system has evolved over millions of years! It does a pretty good job most of the time!

GeorginaA · 05/12/2003 13:31

The child near us was very sudden (and from as far as I can tell from the papers anyway) had no high risk factors (although they could just not be reporting that. Apparently her twin brother was actually a lot more ill but then suddenly she couldn't breathe and started to go blue ... by the time the paramedics got there it was too late

I agree with you re: the vaccination jimjams - I've been doing some research and you're right - the jab is designed for adults NOT children. They give a reduced dose to children with high risk factors because the bonus outweighs the risk, but on the basis of that I'm not going to get him vaccinated.

It's just so easy to feel panicky when it happens so close to home, isn't it?

linzoid · 05/12/2003 13:39

Oh God, got myself scared stiff now. Just browsed the web looking for info on the flu and read loads of horrible worrying things. It's no wonder i aget myself so paranoid! sometimes i think ignorance really is bliss!
There is a child in ds class who has cerebal palsy who has had the flu jab. I'm not sure why it puts him at risk with the flu? My ds has asthma and low immunity. I am veering towards not giving him it but i am just so worried.

FairyMum · 05/12/2003 13:40

Thanks Jimjams. I think the papers like to scare us too And I get very scared I am glad your babies are better!

Jimjams · 05/12/2003 13:48

linzoid children with CP have low muscle tone and can't cough up mucus from their chests very effectively so they are more likely to get chest infections.

fio2 · 05/12/2003 13:56

well my dd has hypotonia and they told me she doesnt need it - does she? Please tell.... I was worried because she had pneumonia 2 years ago but they told me at the docs the papers are blowing it out of proportion.

You know the more I think about it, the more it looks like my dd has got cp....

Jimjams · 05/12/2003 14:06

not sure fio2 - but my friend is in the same position as you and can't get a straight answer either.

fio2 · 05/12/2003 14:14

about the jab or cp? I cant get a straight answer for either, but HV has said she definatley thinks its cp - so maybe some hope of a diagnosis hey?

suedonim · 05/12/2003 16:00

This article says the flu outbreak looks as though it is subsiding, thank goodness.

linzoid · 05/12/2003 16:52

Ahhhhhh theres something wrong with my puter and i can't open any links!!!

tamum · 05/12/2003 17:06

Fio, maybe this Monday will bring a definite(ish) answer? I wouldn't hesitate to ask them about the flu jab while you're there. They probably won't know much about it, but if they say "well it might be an idea" or something of the sort, you can use it as a stick to beat your GP with. Oh I do hope you get something sorted once and for all!

Jimjams · 05/12/2003 17:44

both fio2. She;s dxed with autism and a whole host of other stuff but her mother thinks she has cp. I think she;s right as well. Dr's have been greeting her with "ah I see your dd has cp" for years. She couldn;t get an answer about the jab either, but she is being referred on to look at the possibility of cp.

fio2 · 07/12/2003 10:06

I shall ask her. Do you think she would be able to diagnose cp though?

your friend sounds like me jimjams!

tamum · 07/12/2003 10:18

I would have thought she'd be able to make a pretty good guess and then refer you on, at worst. Most clinical geneticists I know are paediatricians originally, so you'd have thought she's have a good idea of CP. Let us know how it goes, won't you?

Lou33 · 07/12/2003 14:17

Been away a couple of days, left straight after the paed appointment for ds2 on Friday. I spoke to her then, and she was also unsure as to whether ds2 should have the jab, ut decided that it was probably unecessary atm, however she did say that if I was worried she would tell me to get him done. I am leaving it for now. We had a host of other more important issues discussed, she is becoming more convinced that ds2 has ASD, and he has gained just over a pound in 14 months. Got to get his blood tested now. Sorry to go off topic.

fio2 · 07/12/2003 18:03

of course I will let you know tanum - thats if I am not too depressed tommorrow!

lou33 - sorry things are becoming more complicated forr you if you need to chat you know where I am

Lou33 · 07/12/2003 18:12

Thanks Fio.

Jimjams · 07/12/2003 18:21

lou Why does she think he has an ASD?

Lou33 · 07/12/2003 18:40

Well, she saw him in the summer, and we expressed concerns about his fixations on certain objects, his lack of eye contact at times, avoidance of questions by repeating certain phrases over and over again, that sort of stuff. On friday I had decided not to bring it up, but she did. Ds goes to a playgroup at the hospital, and she pops in from time to time to observe the children. She said that from her obs, and our discussions she thinks he has definite markers that indicate he could be going down that route, so to speak. I think it is still too early to say one way or another, but she said this has to be watched closely and a decision made either way by the time he starts school in sept 05, so he gets the right school placement and support. She is worried about his socialisation, and the way he tries to insulate himself from others, (tends to withdraw unless he knows people very well, and those he does know, he still may not let touch him), the fact he gets quite obsessive about his routines, breaking down very easily when something is not quite as it should be, and the fixation with certain things, such as cars, and a new one is making sure we leave the doors open. This isn't down to his worry about not being able to follow us, because we changed the door catches ages ago, so all he has to do is crawl up to it, push and it opens. He still screams when I am with him and hte door gets shut .

Anyway, she told me it would be a good idea to get in touch with the NAS, and some other groups she mentioned. I said I had an expert on here to talk to (that's you btw!), but will contact them eventually. I just need to gather myself a bit first.

Boy did I need my night out on Friday, lol. Didn't actually go to bed until 6.30 Saturday morning .

Jimjams · 07/12/2003 18:50

awww lou We have to shut doors here We'd have fun at a meet-up!

You sound in the exact opposite situation to a friend of mine- her dd has an auti dx but she thinks she has cp (I think she's right). I suspect that often a bit of ASD behaviour goes with all these things- as it often is found with DS as well.

It might be worth looking into whether the NAS EarlyBird programme is run near you. I found it good for ways to deal with the behaviour- and you also get to meet other mums (and dads) which of course is invaluable.

The not letting people touch him may well be a sensory thing. Wrapping him in a duvet (like a sausage roll) for 5 mins every day can really help with that. DS1 is particular about who touches him- adults fine, but children no way- especially not ds2 thanks very much.

I know what you mean about having to gather yourself. Feel free to ask away when you're ready. So sorry to hear this

Lou33 · 07/12/2003 21:16

Jimjams, thanks, it's lovely to have your support.

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