flu shots for all under 5 - another news story

jcc64 wrote: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060222/hl_nm/flu_dc

Good idea or not? Personally, I find the whole flu shot thing to be suspect . Are more people suddenly dying of the flu, and if the answer is yes (which I believe it is not), is the flu shot really effective? Are there any statistics available concerning the efficacy of the shot? When I was a kid, no one got the flu shot, and I don't recall the flu being any more or less of a big deal. There are many people on this board who got the flu shot on drs' advice and still wound up with the flu. Why bother then? Flu shots are a wild guess- they may or may not cover the particular strain going around in your area.
I think they're yet another cash cow for the pharmeceutical companies, with the predictable blessing of the CDC.

coasterqueen replied: Nobody better force me to give my children the flu shot! It's bad enough my kids are forced to either get the chicken pox vax or have the chicken pox by the time they go to school. I think that vax is the most obsurd vax there is, but that's a different story. Too bad I didn't have my head on straight at the time, or else Kylie would have never gotten it. Megan will get it, though, since Kylie got it.

I don't see any way they can make you get one anyways. They can't predict accurately which strain of flu will go around from year to year, anyways.

I see no reason to pump the body with unnecessary crap. We do that enough as it is.

jacobsmama replied: I never get a flu shot although the doctor highly recommended it for Jacob this year because the year before he was very sick alot and with his asthma they said he would be at higher risk for pneumonia. He did get it this year and he did well. He didn't even cry when get got it. I got his free at Board of Health so they didnt' make money off me although I gave a donation but I'm not sure if it helped or if he was just less sick this year kwim?? JMO though.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: I got one last year because Logan was too young and he and I both got one this year. I work in a hospital and am constantly exposed to yuckies. And with Logan and his heart condition, I felt it was right.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Hot topic! No flu shots for our family! Anyone I've ever known who got the shot, got the flu anyway. I have other reasons, but sorry, guess I'm not really in the mood to get into it. I do agree with this though...

kimberley replied:
so do i. i have never and will never get the shot for me or my family.

mckayleesmom replied: I didn't get one and the kids didn't either....I find it stupid because you always get the flu regardless.

jcc64 replied:

The drug companies get paid- maybe not by you, but by someone. In the case of the B of H, that would be the taxpayers.

coasterqueen replied:
See these are situations where these vaxs/shots are necessary.

DansMom replied: No mention in the article of egg-allergic kids, which is my primary reason for not giving Daniel flu vaccine. That aside, I think it's all about profit for the pharmaceutical companies. It should not be foisted on people like other vaccines are and made a condition for enrollment in preschool. I actually don't know what we'll do about the MMR booster at age 5 if Daniel still has egg allergy and he's ready for kindergarten---he may be allowed to postpone, I don't know. He got the first shot before we knew.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
We are in the same boat (Tay reacted horribly to HBV shot) she was contraindicated and I have learned that you can refuse any shot in even the required regamine....I don't want to start the immunization debate but check into your state laws-you would be amazed at the freedom you really do have. I for one refuse to endanger my daughter's health ever again with the reaction we went through. So in answer to Jeanne's question I do not believe in the Flu shot-they always seem to say that THIS WILL BE the WORST year for FLU...you MUST get the shot....there is a shortage...BLAH<BLAH<BLAH and everyone I know who gets one gets sick anyway!

PrairieMom replied: I didn't get one this year even tho my ObGyn suggested I should, but The Boy did. Little ones get so sick so fast, and I can bring all kinds of germs home from the hospital.
The thing that I don't under stand is why the push for the flu shot? I see WAY more kids out there get RSV, why aren't the Dr's giving all babys Synagis shots to prevent that?

MyLuvBugs replied:
ITA!!! I've noticed over the last 6 years, the three times I've gotten the flu shot are the three times I've gotten the flu. Coincidence? Maybe, but when I don't got the shot, I don't get the flu.... Funny how that happens.

MyLuvBugs replied:
ITA with you also!!! RSV has been HORRIBLE around here this year. My cousins boys BOTH got it, and one had to spend a night in the hospital.

But here is my thing....if your kids aren't in daycare or a sitters or school....why force it on them? Our ped was pretty cool about it this year. They asked if Lorelei should get one, and I said we dont' believe in the flu shot. And she said "ok!" and didn't fuss with us about it at all. Unlike the year before....

MamaJAM replied: The only person in our house who gets the flu shot right now is DS#2.....he was very sick as an infant (had RSV and the flu within 5 weeks -- and he's considered "pre-asthmatic"). Because of that -- the last two winters we've gotten him flu shots. We worry about his respiratory system if he got the flu again while so young. I'm on the fence about getting it for him next year (he'll be 3 then) -- we'll see how he is illness-wise between now and Oct to decide. But, unless something else comes up, we'll probably stop after next year anyway.

I don't believe in flu shots for otherwise healthy kids or adults.

3_call_me_mama replied:
Actaully there are EXEMPTIONS. Every state has them for medical purposes. Most have tehm for religious purposes (your religiously oppose them) and 16 states have ethical ones. Meaning that you find it ethically wron got inject your child with teh crap in vaccines.


It is a tough decision for a paretn to make and one you have to live with forever. Serious research, questions and informing yourselves is all we can do to ensure our childrens safety. If you feel they are righ tfor your family, do the research first and then make teh decision and live with that decision. If you aren't sure WAIT and do teh research, then make teh decision. It's irreversible. Once you put it into them you CANNOT talke it back out.

AS to answer teh original question I think it's over reaction. We dont' get flu shots, or most otehr shots for that matte.r Whenyou look at what they are tyring to prevent, in some, and teh actual effectiveness of teh shot AND the possible side effects and the chances of teh child ever catching teh "disease" without havign the shot you would be shocked. It's overwhelming and everyday they are addin gnew shots to teh schedule.... thi syear it';s HEP A for all areas, rather than just the south west. Now they are tryign to get a rotovirus VAX. It has turned form serious epidemics and diseases to everyday child hood illnesses (rotovirus and flu). They are simply trying to vaccinate against EVERYTHIGN possible.. what kind of immune systems are we going to have left??

coasterqueen replied: I have heard of religious exemptions, and I am that but my religion in particular does not exempt me from them. Never heard of ethical ones in our state. Interesting....I'll have to dig the law up that was passed on this. Thanks.

MommyToAshley replied: I don't get the flu shot for Ashley for the very reason you said... it's hit or miss and may not even help with the particular stran of flu going around in our area.

I did give the chicken pox vaccine though. It is targeted to the chicken poxs and while it may not preven the chicken pox, it has proven to reduce the severity of chicken poxs if the child does get them. I had the chicken pox three times and it was horrible. If I can prevent that from happening to Ashley, then you bet I will.