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Original poster

Vaccine to be offered to healthy children under 5

62 replies

homicidalmummymaniac · 19/11/2009 13:24

Will you be taking your dc along to have the vaccine?
I really don't know and as a parent I don't know when I have ever felt so totally RESPONSIBLE for their health. I feel like their future health could depend on this and at the back of my mind, I still feel it hasn't been tested enough.
Your thoughts?

OP posts:
BornToFolk · 19/11/2009 13:27

Yeah, I don't know either. DS has had all his other vaccinations but I just don't feel like this one has been tested enough either.

I'll be doing as much research as I can before we make a decision either way

Twit · 19/11/2009 13:28

Other than fighting a different flu virus, is there any difference between this flu jab and a 'normal' flu jab?

littleducks · 19/11/2009 13:29

No i wont be giving them it but tbh i'm not convinced it will happen, there are so many people in 'high risk' categories who haven't managed to have it yet, i cant quite believe they are going to have enough/it in the drs

fanjolina · 19/11/2009 13:31

No way

castille · 19/11/2009 15:56

The stats of under 5s ending up in hospital with SF are quite scary. I'll be asking my GP and doing whatever he suggests for my 3yo I think, and for my 12 and 9yos as the virus seems to hit older children hard too.

And as DH is front line medical staff and refused the jab I wonder how long it'll be before he brings SF home for us to share

whomovedmychocolate · 19/11/2009 15:58

Yep mine will be having it as soon as it's available. In the risk analysis the under fives are much more likely to die from swine flu than the vaccine.

LeninGrad · 19/11/2009 16:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TitsalinaBumsquash · 19/11/2009 16:05

Mine will be having it, i am desperatley trying to get it for my eldest as he is mega high risk but i will be wanting my youngest to have it to.

whomovedmychocolate · 19/11/2009 16:53

Yes LeninGrad I believe there have been four juvenile deaths in the UK. I need to go find a webpage again and if I can post a link.

LeninGrad · 19/11/2009 16:56

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whomovedmychocolate · 19/11/2009 16:57

20% of deaths are under 15's and 25% of those needing critical care are under 15. That's from here

Three here This list is out of date though so I think there are more.

Spidermama · 19/11/2009 18:28

Fergus Walsh is certainly giving it the hard sell on the BBC 6 O'clock news. Honestly no wonder so many people are mistrustful when we are treated like such fools. That was one of the most one-sided pieces of reporting I have ever seen.

He basically said parents who mistrust the vaccine are illogical and the only possible adverse reaction is a sore arm.

fanjolina · 19/11/2009 18:40

and what about the horrific side effects that QS's son has had? That does not equate with Fergus Walsh's statement.

MamaGoblin · 19/11/2009 19:03

I think mine will be having it - he's 20 months. We've had him vaccinated against everything normal, and it really does seem that small children are at higher risk of getting it badly, or of dying, than with seasonal flu.

whomovedmychocolate · 19/11/2009 19:47

QS?

ilovesprouts · 19/11/2009 19:51

my ds2 goes to a sn school ,he was going to have his today ,but off school ill

Mcdreamy · 19/11/2009 19:53

Yes we will be giving our DD (9 months) and DS (4) the vaccine.

brimfull · 19/11/2009 19:53

ds (asthmatic) is having it on saturday.

It has been a hard decision but basically I don't want him to end up very poorly because I didn't let him have it.

I'm not so sure how I would feel if he didn't have asthma, dd has certainly decided against having it , but she is old enough to make her own decision-thank god.

Bambinoloveseggbirds · 19/11/2009 19:57

DH and I are discussing this right now. He says that a new flu vaccine is produced every year so why is this one different - it is just another jab for a different strain of flu. I just don't know. DS is only 10 months but he starts nursery in January so there is a strong possibility that - if SF hits us how they think it will in Winter - he may end up getting it. I really don't know what to do.

LeninGrad · 19/11/2009 20:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fanjolina · 19/11/2009 20:11

WMMC - QS is QuintessentialShadows. She has posted about the side effects the vaccine had on her son, on this thread

" Our poor 4 year old son is suffering vivid hallucinations as a side effect from Pandemrix, and this is still going on after more than 2 weeks. The medical team has told me it is a typical neurological side effect. They dont know for how long it will last."

whomovedmychocolate · 19/11/2009 20:29

Thanks Fanjolina

LeninGrad · 19/11/2009 20:32

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fijibird · 19/11/2009 20:47

I think it is all very worrying! Look up the facts on GBS which is a nerve disease that can be fatal and look back at what happened in 1976 in the States when they began immunising against Swine Flu but then cancelled it. There is evidence that officials in UK are aware that there may be a rise in GBS and are waiting to receive details of any cases from GPs. GBS is linked to all flu viruses so there is a possibility of getting it if you catch the flu. But the historical evidence linked to the jab is strong, though the current virus is a different strain of swine flu & therefore a different jab. It can take 10 weeks for any adverse reaction to show so I may wait till more people have had it here before I make a decision. I am also concerned that one of the additives called Squalene has not been tested properly and could pose a multitude of potential problems. Internationally feelings are running very high on this topic with many Guinea Pig theories circulating too. I certainly won't be rushing to get it for my 4 year old son though the decision is torturing me as it is very hard to see beyond the scaremongering government and GPs have to do what they are told! I have yet to find a non private GP who will discuss the downside to any of the 'scheduled' childhood vaccines.

fanjolina · 19/11/2009 20:51

I accept that my children may get swine flu and may get very ill with it, and may even die. But then I also accept the fact that they may die in a car crash every time they leave the house.

For me, I would rather deal with the flu than with the unknowns and uncertainties of the vaccine.

But everyone needs to do what they feel is best for their own children.