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General health

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Original poster

Did your child had any side effects to the Swine Flu Vaccine?

24 replies

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 09:42

Just wondering... have just told the teacher DS is going to have it soon, and she told me to expect him to be poorly for a few days.

Is that right? if so, what should I expect?

OP posts:

slightlycrumpled · 01/12/2009 10:37

Hi DS2 had his on Saturday. He was grumpy all day Saturday and Sunday, not poorly, just not himself. He did/ does however have the most enormous bruise and raised red area on his upper arm. It is a little uncomfortable for him and I have told his one to one support worker to help him take his jumper off for PE, and we are being careful with him at home.

Apart form that he is fine, and I am very relieved it's done.

Original poster

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 11:39

Thank you. Hmm, I was not expecting that...

OP posts:

Dumbledoresgirl · 01/12/2009 11:41

My ds2 was fine - no side effects whatsoever.

Original poster

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 11:42

How old is she (clings to straw hoping to avoid symptoms)

OP posts:

Dumbledoresgirl · 01/12/2009 11:47

(He) is 11. Sorry, I am guessing your child is younger, but tbh, I doubt age has anything to do with it.

How has your son been with other vaccinations? Does he have the seasonal flu jab each year? My son does, and never reacts to any of them, though I do remember him having a shocking reaction to MMR...

Original poster

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 11:49

That's the problem, normally vaccinations are followed by a week of 40+ fever.

There has not been really a need to use flu jabs for him in the past.

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Dumbledoresgirl · 01/12/2009 11:53

Oh dear, yes the 40 plus temp was the reaction my ds2 had to the MMR - it was rather scary.

But my ds2 has been fine with all other vacs, and certainly was fine with SF, so it does not follow that your son will react.

Is he being offered it because of he is young then, rather than because he has a medical condition? It is a tough decision for you to make but I suppose you have to weigh up the chances of a high temp after vaccination against the chances of catching SF and being very ill with it.

MistergodthisisSal · 01/12/2009 11:57

My 20-month old ds had his a week ago, and no side effects whatsoever. I expected at least grumpiness and a slight fever, but nothing. He has to have a top-up in a month though, so perhaps the give "half strength" jabs when tiny?

Original poster

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 11:59

He has asthma, hence the offer.

I have a friend whose child was diagnosed with swine flu and had the medicines for that, DS had exactly the same a couple of weeks later. He was very poorly, he may have had it already. But I think it is a good idea to have it anyway.

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Dumbledoresgirl · 01/12/2009 12:10

Biobytes, your situation sounds similar to me. My son also has asthma and I also think it possible he had SF a few weeks before he was offered vaccination but he had it anyway.

I would say go for it if you are at all worried about SF (I know a lot of parents aren't). I would prefer my child to have a temp from a vac than any number of symptoms from the virus. I don't suppose that makes sense, but it is my feelings on the matter.

Sidge · 01/12/2009 12:32

My 5.9 year old had it a few weeks ago and was completely fine - not even a sore arm. You wouldn't have known she had it.

Elibean · 01/12/2009 12:55

dd1 is nearly 6, has never had other flu jabs (but is now dx asthmatic), had a slightly sore arm but was totally fine.

dd2 is just 3, had slight temp that evening then was fine the next morning (has never reacted to seasonal flu jab).

Both dds had two half doses, 3 weeks apart.

dh is...um, older, and was very grumpy that night but fine next morning

Personally, I'm very glad my two have had it, being asthmatic, but then they've not had scarily high temps with other jabs. I can see why its hard to decide, especially if you think your ds has already had SF...then again, I was talking to a ocnsultant last night (on different matter) who said his hospital was cancelling elective surgery as of next week, due to huge numbers in ITU and needing theaters free to intubate people with SF

Its all very confusing...good luck with your decision, am sure it'll be the best possible one either way.

Elibean · 01/12/2009 12:55

consultant.

PrivetDancer · 01/12/2009 13:00

My dd (15mo) had first half last week and was completely fine.

She'd only had her MMR the week before and that did give her a temp the evening after getting it, like the rest of her jabs have done, but she didn't react at all to the SF one.

carocaro · 01/12/2009 13:09

Good to hear all this, DS1 aged 7 is having it next week, he has asthma and any normal colds and virus's make go straight to his chest and he gets quite ill, really wheezy.

I have debated wether to have it, being new etc, but he has been fine with all the other jabs, he had the flu jab 2 weeks ago and was perfectly fine.

So weighing it all up I'd rather he had it than not.

saladfingers · 01/12/2009 13:24

My DS is 16 months old. I have had to fight to get my surgery to give him the SF vaccine. He has been hospitalized twice with a viral wheeze (Apperently they wont diagnose asthma in children under 6???) and now has an inhaler, but they do not consider him to be in higher risk catagory as he does not have 'asthma'.He is just getting over a cold but is due to be vaccinated tomorrow. Does anyone know if they will proceed if he has a runny nose and a cough?

MistergodthisisSal · 01/12/2009 13:31

Saladfingers, my situation quite similar to yours - not diagnosed asthma (yet? - due to see nurse in a week), but every cold ends up with strong inhalers and him struggling to breathe. He has also had bronchiolitis a couple of times. I had to fight argue my case with reception, then nurse, then doctor before they agreed.

Anyway - in response to your question: Yes, he had a slight runny nose, and they proceeded after checking with me it's not a recent thing (he's had it for a couple of weeks), and making sure he had no temperature. Not sure about cough though, but I would have thought that the most important thing is no fever.

Sparks · 01/12/2009 13:55

My dd age 11 had a sore arm that evening, was fine the next day.

Elibean · 01/12/2009 14:27

salad, my dd2 had a cold and they went ahead no problem.

She was also a bit of a ?? as not clearly asthmatic, but as she has laryngomalacia and ended up seriously ill as a baby with bronchiolitis, and has needed ENT surgery by the age of 2 for severe sleep apnoea, our surgery had no problem at all in agreeing to vaccinate her. She does have a brown inhaler 'in case the noisy breathing is partly asthma' but tbh, I'm not convinced - but the other issues are concern enough for me.

saladfingers · 01/12/2009 17:00

ok thanks i'll see how is in the morning and then bite the bullet if no temp!

mumonthenet · 01/12/2009 17:39

Biobytes, my dd(14) (asthmatic) had the single dose last Thursday. She had a slight temperature the next day, a bit achey, a bit of a headache...and a sore arm! All mild though, - she still went to school, gymnastics, shopping, bike rides...etc.

She's now fine though jab site is a little sore.

Original poster

Biobytes · 01/12/2009 18:56

Thank you all. I just wanted to know what to expect as we are going away 10 days after the vaccine, but I have already decided he is having it.

Glad to hear that no one has mentioned being down with the secondary effects for a week!

Thanks again

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mumto3boys · 02/12/2009 13:37

3 boys all had it last thurs.

Ds1 and DS3 both very grumpy for about 3 days, both had sore arms.

DS2 and DS3 both complained of slight tummy ache and feeling a bit pooryly. Not enough to keep off school though.

DS2 and 3 had a half dose and back for the rest after xmas.

Ages 12, 5, 5

twolittlekings · 02/12/2009 14:13

DS had his a week last Monday (Pandremix) so far so good. He is 4. He has the 2 jab 3 weeks later.

DS did say he had a slightly sore arm - but only because I asked him. He has the normal flu vaccine back in Oct and he told me it was the same pain as for that (I did not even know he had had a sore arm) what a bad mother

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