'Govenment to offer swine flu vaccinations to under-5s' Would you have your DCs vaccinated?

[Sallypuss]

Saw this on the BBC website just now. Would you have your DCs vaccinated?

My first thought is no as I don't think we fully understand the side effects yet and it feels a bit of a knee jerk reaction by the government. My dd is 12 months old.

Apologies if this has been done to death on other threads....

No, my 15 month old DS won't be having it. Not under any circumstances.

I'm unsure at the moment.

I am pro vaccination but previously every vaccination my children have had has been well established as protecting suitably from dangerous illnesses. The slight I have about this jab for dd3 is that she is perfectly healthy and I need a bit more persuading to feel that the tiny risk vaccination poses is outweighed by the tiny risk swine flu would pose to her. For dh (asthmatic) and for dd2 (CHD) this is not a problem for me but dd3? She is in the age group most likely to end up in hospital I know - but I want to know about outcomes! Also I've had the jab, didn't hesitate, as I work alonside patients in a vulnerable group and I was fine but my arm was very sore and I don't feel like putting dd3 in for that till I'm sure the benefit warrents it.

What are the side effects of the vaccine, i just googled it and cant get a straight answer?

Nope. We've just had swine flu (allegedly) and it wasn't as bad as the regular kind. It wasn't fun, but it wasn't the end of the world. Have just been reading Richard Halvorsen's book about vaccinations and it's been a real eye opener.

Yes he will. I've had the jab (38 weeks pg) and ds (nearly 3) will also have it. No we don't know about every possibile permuatation of how each individual child will react to anything, including swine flu itself.

I'm lucky that dh has lots of knowledge in this area. He's looked at the ingredients and amounts and we are exposed to the quantities of the things that are causing panic on a normal basis.

As long as there is a reasonable gap between this vaccine and his MMR booster (so that his body isn't processing 2 things together) then I'm happy.

Surely your child was healthy when you let him/her have the measles or the diptheria vaccine. Isn't vaccinating a child when they're healthy is the best time? The 'at risk' group here is 'healthy children under 5' not 'asthmatic children' or 'children with a compromised immune system'.

I'm not sure at the moment. I'm a little concerned over the side effects. Proper flu is really horrible and wouldn't want DD to suffer that, but not sure that Swine flu is all that severe in the majority of cases.

Think we will get DS1 (2 and a half) vaccinated yes. I am 28 weeks pregnant with DC2 and currently have swine flu. i can honestly say I can't remember being this ill, had terrible fever for 48 hours and still feel really rough (taking relenza now). There is no way I would want to put DS through this. I did tons of scientific research about the vaccine as I was offered it because I am pregnant, I decided to have it as I felt my risk of catching swine flu outweighed the potential of there being a risk with the vaccine (which I am convinced now is fine). However sadly I caught swine flu before being able to go and get my jab!
I think so long as the child is well at the time of the vaccination then it should pose no serious risk, afterall it is basically the same as the seasonal flu vaccine and this has been given to kids for years.

Yes. Husband has compromised immune system, DS is 18 months old so reckon we'll all have it!

Will definitely consider it. Was totally against it but then did the opposite to what I intended and went and got it myself... ... because I worked out that heavily pregnant with severe asthma the risks of the jab were less than the real risk of leaving dh behind with dd (2.6) and a newborn to look after on his own!

Dd has just had the seasonal flu jab, and I believe she will be offered swine flu for the same reason - mild asthma. She's 6. We will have her imm'ed as she has one of the risk factors for complications. However, we will probably not be imm'ing ds2, 3y, as he is a strong, healthy child, and we are not confident that the risks of a relatively unknown immunisation are better than the risk of developing a complication of swine flu.

I absolutely don't know what to do. My DD is 2.2 and seems to be totally healthy etc. I think I'll have it if I can but don't know whether she should have it or not. Guess I'll speak to trusted GP and see what she says...

No. DS is not in a high risk group. The vaccine is way too new for my liking. I heard a consultant orthopod who I instruct regularly at a talk and he said he would have his swine flu vaccine when the head of immunology had his. Head of immunology doesn't want it. Good enough for me.

Yes, I would.

Yes, will have ds (19 months) vaccinated. We are of course very nervous about whether this is the right decision, but after getting as much information as possible, we think this is safer for him.

He is healthy, but often gets really bad chest infections from anything but the simplest of colds.

Thinking about it. DS2 is 3.6 and does seem to get more than his fair share of coughs and colds anyway. I've had mine and haven't been too bothered by it, although my arm ached.

I'm bothered by the preservatives that are in it (the pandemrix that is being offered), and thiomersal in particular.

I'm a "frontline healthcare professional" and am trying to get the celvapan jab for myself, so would want the same for our ds's but I don't know how easily it'll be to get this.

I've not hesitated over any other vaccine but no, I don't want ds to have this one. I just think it all seems really rushed. We all got flu last christmas and were completely floored by it so it is still fresh in my memory how awful it is but I don't think it's worth risking a vaccine that feels so rushed.

Heard this tonight. Am generally pro-vaccination, but currently tend to agree with northernlurker - am struggling to weigh up the real risks of swine flu (beyond the fact that flu is unpleasant) vs the potential risk of the vaccine.

Does anyone know how other countries are rolling out vaccinations (eg. our anti-viral treatment seems OTT in comparison to others...)

But aren't all flu jabs 'rushed'? How is the SF jab different to the seasonal flu jab?

I wouldn't give ds or have seasonal flu jab myself though either. I just don't think it is necessary if you are fit and healthy.

Also, lots of people get very ill and unfortunately people die from seasonal flu every year but most fit and healthy people don't fly into a panic about having to be vaccinated.

I will definitely have my DD vaccinated - if she can last until December without catching swine flu from someone else. Her father is currently laid low and although I've quarantined him at one end of the flat, I'm still worried about contagion. Frankly, I'm annoyed it's taken this long for the health service to decide to offer the vaccine to infants.

so the swine flu vacc they will offer definitely has thiomersal in it does it? This really pisses me off. They took it out of MMR didnt they because of concerns and it is not in the single jabs or the men c ones so why have they put it in this one? It is a hard enough decision in the first place but this sole fact makes it even harder. I have spent the last 5 years making sure my dc didnt have any vaccines with mercury preservatives in them whilst still fully protecting them. I would probably use it otherwise.

I would let my dd have it without hesitation. It sounds like it's knocking many under 5's for six. Some of them are ending up in intensive care! One child has died, who was otherwise healthy. Prevention is better that cure imo.

Yes, although my eldest is five in January so will probably be too old by the time they get it organised. Smaller is three, he'll have it.

In my opinion, potential risk from vaccine much less than potential risk from swine flu.

i will definitely not have my ds vaccinated. no amount of scaremongering by the government will convince me to change my mind.