I'm still not sure about doing it, though it's spreading so fast, I fear that he'll get sick before I decide. I'm a worrier by nature, and can be a wee bit paranoid, so I'm not sure what to do. I will be calling Andrew's doc this week to ask about it, but his beloved old one retired in June, and I don't know if this new one will be "on the same wave length" as we are.
Wow April. That is scary. IHNI what the statistics are here. I know there was a high schooler who died recently, but he got staph after the flu-it was a complicated case. IDK about the rest of the state.
As for the vax, I am still on the fence about it, but it isn't even available right now anyway. I lean towards not getting it, but then I second guess myself.
We more than likely will not get it.
I also want to mention that our preschool has been hit hard with something. IDK that it is the flu or not-my kids have had mild symptoms so IDT it is the flu, but it is just HANGING on with Anna. However, a classmate of hers has been out sick all week as well (and a couple of others as well). I talked to his mom this morning and she said that he started with a fever on Sunday and it was 104 for a couple of days-with motrin-and now is lower but still hanging on. He threw up a little the first day, but that was it. Mostly he just feels dragged out. I bring this up because he and his sister HAD GOTTEN THE H1N1 VAX. Now, I will say they were supposed to get a second dose but couldn't because he got sick, but she said they were one of the first in the county to get the vax. She has no idea if what he has is the flu or not, but either way, kids are still getting sick a lot more this year. And if this was the flu, the vax didn't offer him protection from it.
That said, I still feel like we have a long way to go in this cold and flu season, and I just don't know what the best thing is to do.
Healthday News reports that the CDC has announced that 76 children have died from the H1N1 swine flu.
Over the last three years, deaths among children from the regular seasonal flu ranged from 46 to 88, Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during an afternoon press conference.
"So we have already had 76 children dying from the 2009 H1N1 virus, and it's only the beginning of October," she said. "We are seeing more illness, more hospitalizations and more deaths each week from the flu. Virtually all the virus circulating right now is the H1N1 2009 virus."
About 30 percent of the children who died had chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, Schuchat said.
Hopefully, parents will let their children get swine flu shots. A recent poll found that over 1/3 of parents don't want to vaccinate their children because they are afaraid of side effects from the vaccine or because they think the swine flu is mild. Parents should keep in mind that the H1N1 swine flu can be deadly and it is hitting children and young adults more severely than seniors. There are also many parents who are ready to vaccinate their children but the long-awaited shots are not available yet.
Melissa, I had seen that statistic on msnbc.com. I mentioned it in one of the other debate posts but I think it got swallowed. I do believe if it is true that is where some of the concern comes from since it's much higher then the deaths from the seasonal flu and we have not technically even hit seasonal flu time.
I don't know what we are going to do yet... there is a free clinic coming up at Hannah's school. My general feeling so far has been no, but for some reason I can't fully commit to no.
bertrand and i have always been against temporary prophylaxis type drugs, especially since my brother had lived 4 years in africa and has seen the devastation to the african people from westerners visiting long term and using anti-malaria prophylaxis - it turned the malaria strains even more deadly for the african people.
imo all those seasonal flu shots given each year encourage the mutation to deadly strains such as this h1n1. in a way, we kind of brought this on ourselves. i know some will disagree... oh well, that's my opinion :)
Well, I have been on the fence, but I am going to get it for all of us.
Wish me luck.
Going today at 5. I cannot have Mia sick with it and it is really bad here right now. I mean every other person I know has it. Many have been in the hospital and not doing well.
Well, I have been on the fence, but I am going to get it for all of us.
Wish me luck.
Going today at 5. I cannot have Mia sick with it and it is really bad here right now. I mean every other person I know has it. Many have been in the hospital and not doing well.
fwiw - i think you are making the right choice for you. especially with all the sick kids you are potentially around.
I voted no way, but that's not exactly what I think. If I had different circumstances and Elizabeth had not all ready caught H1N1, I might feel differently. She seems to be fine now and I spoke to the nurse at the ped's office. She said they are recommending that even if she had the flu to get vaccinated. I told her that i was not sure I wanted to do that. Our friends' daughter had the vaccination and still got it. The nurse said that it is because it takes several weeks before you have any immunity. Well, by then I have doubts if it will really be necessary.
Having gone through it with E, I have to say it is scary. The high temps are always that way. But I also think that it isn't any worse than she has been a couple times before. Don't get me wrong, I do NOT want her to suffer through being sick, just that it doesn't mean an automatic hospitalization.