My son had a flu shot about 5 weeks ago and had a bad reaction to it. He had a fever for 3 days and one week later was diagnosed with pneumonia. My dr. said it was purely conincidental. I am supposed to take him back for the booster shot this week and I am so torn. My son goes to daycare 2/3 days per week and I know the flu shot is recommended by the CDC. Any suggestions? or similar experience? Help!!
i just would not do it right now his immunity is weakened . i would postpone untill later.
this is a sign and if i had it to do over again i would wait.
T.
I am in the same predicament. my son is 8 months and had his flu shot, the nurses told me to bring him back for his booster in 30 days, I really don;t like the idea of boosters, but I also don't want to take the chance.
i go to a chiropractor and he freaked out on me when he learned that I got my children the flu vaccine because he told me that the strain that they are vaccinating for this year was for last years strain and that flu has completely mutated and grown into a different strain. which will be the vaccine for next year. he basically told me that i was vaccinating him against something that wouldn't be prevented anyway, if he got it. I also read that in parents magazine or parenting...one of those. i have made the decision NOT to get my son the booster. And I am seriously going to re-think some other vaccines as well.
hope this helps.
I use to work in the ER and only got the flu shot once in all my years there. After I got it I got extremely sick and ended up with Bronchitis! I have a great immune system and never really get sick so when I ended up spending Christmas Eve sick in bed and spent the next week taking breathing treatments I vowed to never get the flu shot again! My husband laughed at me until he got his first flu shot and ended up sick in bed for a week afterwards. He has never gotten one since! I don’t plan on having my little one getting a flu shot. Just my opinion!
Hi Ann,
The flu shot is NOT recommended by the CDC. Not this year! Anyway, they deal in percentages and statistics. They have made a statement that the strain used for the shot this year was made from last years strain and is not effective.The following is what I said to Tara a couple of weeks ago.......
"The CDC has even said that this year's shots are ineffective against this year's strain. Flu shots, for the record, contain a lot of dangerous chemicals that can do long term damage. Mercury, otherwise know as thimerosal, is a part of the vaccine and can cause autism. Go to http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/flushots.html. This website has a lot of good information that agrees with quite a few others I trust."
Ann, the reaction your son had was mild compared to some of the other things that could have happened. And just because "nothing" happens when they get the shot doesn't mean something won't happen later. Please be diligent with your research. Doctor's "sell" the flu shot just like they write prescriptions for the drug companies....some intentionally, some in ignorance.
Good bless you in your decisions!
M.
Hi! I do have to agree with Mimi on this one. My children have always had the shots on time. However, a friend of mine ALWAYS REFUSES the shots for her son. Her son is very healthy. He never gets sick. Good luck to you! Maybe check into a Chiro... Amazing what a good chiro can do! No shots for your child...etc.I KNOW I have the best Chiro in the 29642 zip. Great luck to you!
Ann,
If he is still sick, I would definately wait until he is better. If he has the slightest fever the day of the shots, the shots can cause the fever to jump up real high and you will run a risk of him becoming dehydrated. If you have a good pediatrician, they will understand.
I had a similar experience with my daughter(who is 9 months old and also attends daycare). She was diagnosed with bronchitis which lasted for more than three weeks with meds. She was still a little sick when it was time for her booster shot so I decided not to get it. I strongly believe that the vaccine caused my daughter to become ill. I think at times people forget that Doctors ARE NOT omniscient. They can only give you an educated guess. They have to justify their position(right or wrong). I just say follow your gut. Watch your child closely whenever he presents any cold or flu like symptoms so if he does get the flu you can catch the symptoms early. I hope this helps.
Ever notice how many people get symptoms following a flu shot and the doctors ALWAYS say it is a coincidence? Where there's smoke there is fire. Please also note that there is substantially more mercury in flu shots than ever was in the MMR. Make sure you are making an informed choice and not just following the pack. Then if you still feel like you want to do the flu shot, you've made an educated decision (educated meaning you do more than obediently listen to a well-meaning doctor) that you can live with regardless of the consequences.
And remember that vaxing also lowers the immune response in the body and can make it suseptible to other illnesses until the body can assimilate the virus and the contaminates in the shot.
It's your adorable baby. You get to make the decision on what's best. Not a stranger.
I have 3 boys and for the oldest in 7 years he may have had the flu shot 3 times my 5 yr old maybe 2 times and the 4 yr old maybe 2 times. Most of the time I was unable to get the booster or second shot series because my kids end up getting sick and you can't get another depending on when you have been on antibiotics etc. so we rarely got to follow up. Also most of the time when the doctor wants to give it my kids are sick and I won't do it they usually have a cold or something. I remember one year I got them shots and they got some other virus that they had fevers the entire christmas break (two weeks almost) they were well just in time to got back to pre school. I don't really see the difference, I just read that children won't be able to get that antiviral medication because of some deadly effects that have cost some children their lives not sure what age they can take it anyway I know it lessens the amount of time for the flu but you also have to have the flu for it to work. I'm not doing it this year..best of luck to you on what you decide.
Listen to your gut feelings. Of course the shot caused the illness. That was no coincidence. The doctor has to justify what he does.
If you research vaccinations, legitimate doctors advise never to vaccinate when a child is sick. The immune system is working overtime to help your child get better. Why make that job more difficult.
There are tons of websites regarding the good and bad of vaccinations, flu shots included. The CDC recommends shots for various reasons. Not all reasons may be right for you. Knowledge is the answer. If you are still torn, read a few of these sites and I believe you will feel alot better about your decision.
National Network for Immunization Information
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/
National Vaccine Information Center - NVIC
http://www.909shot.com
AAP: January - December 2002 Immunization Sch...
http://www.aap.org/family/parents/immunize.htm
Be Informed About Vaccinations
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8148/vac.html
What Is Coming Through That Needle?
http://www.tetrahedron.org/articles/vaccine_awareness/thr...
Vaccination Liberation Index
http://www.vaclib.org/indexdoc.htm
Vaccine Safety
http://vaccines.net/
BabyCenter | Great Debates
http://www.babycenter.com/debates/overview9.html;prod-bc-...
Mothering Magazine -- The First International P…
http://www.mothering.com/10-0-0/html/10-8-0/10-8-conferen...
Mothering Magazine -- What about Mercury?: Gett…
http://www.mothering.com/10-0-0/html/10-8-0/10-8-mercury1...
Concerned Parents for Vaccine Safety Home Page
http://home.sprynet.com/~gyrene/index.htm
Global Vaccine Awareness League
www.gval.com
Citizens for Healthcare Freedom
www.unc.edu/~aphillip/www/chf/index.htm
Vaccination Information and Awareness Website
http://home.san.rr.com/via/
Nat'l Academy Press, Adverse Effects of Pertu...
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309044995/html/index.html
Issues in Immunization, Immunisation and Vacc...
http://www.geocities.com/issues_in_immunization/
Think Twice Global Vaccine Institute
http://thinktwice.com
How Vaccinations Work
www.garynull.com/Documents/niin/how_vaccinations_work.htm
Vaccinations
www.geocities.com/HotSprings/villa/2009
Sunday Herald
http://www.sundayherald.com/27186
Vaccination News
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/
"Expert" Believes Infants Can Tolerate 10,000 V…
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/March2002/Expert...
Vaccine Litigation
http://www.legalnurseassociates.com/vaccine.htm
Alan Yurko & The Story Of Baby Alan
http://www.freeyurko.bizland.com/godfrey.html
I hope your son is better soon.
My son ran a fever of 104 for 2 days after his first half of flu shot and I plan on taking him back for the other half. And your son's DR should have explained the difference between the flu and pneumonia-flu is viral, pneumonia is bacterial so there for they are two different illnesses. Flu is more head cold like symptoms while pneumonia is more like a bad chest cold. http://missourifamilies.org/FEATURES/healtharticles/healt...
Since your son goes to day care he is at risk for a lot of illnesses than you can count on one hand!!
As far as the comments that this years shot is for last years strain
-The date in this article I googled is from 1999 and is written about London http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990105/...#
This article is dated for 2004 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle...
And here is an article from the CDC about mercury in flu shots. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm
Just remember, the choice is up to you if he gets the second shot or not. But I myself would recommend it since he goes to a daycare becuase you don't know how sick other kids are when they are there too!
Good luck and if he gets his sceond shot, I hope he doesn't run a fever for you again!
well the flu and pneumonia are 2 very different illnesses , I seriously doubt the flu shot which is a dead strand of the virus cause the pneumonia which is bacterial. since he is in day care I would deffinately get the second shot. the flu can be deadly to babies. By any chance when your son was born did he have fluid in his lungs? I ask cause my son did and he has had pneumonia twice already and hes just now 3.
Personally I think if you do not have a ped doctor you can trust that wouldnt give ur child something just for the money then u need to find a new doctor. My son's doctor..Doctor Tito Sobrinho on dewey gray circle in doctors hospital area has been the best doctor to my kids. He visited them both as regularly as I did when they both had a week stay after birth and he has even givin me advice on other doctors Ive had problems with.I was rec. to a dentist by my mother in law a while back for my 4 yr old, after trying small smiles which dont let u go back with ur child and ask to sign forms giving them permission to strap or sedate or child if he becomes scared. And she rec. doctor Gary KatCoff.His office seemed kid friendly and he was very nice...until he done the exam of my sons teeth while my son was in my lap and told me within 5 mins that my son would need caps on his whole bottom row and his nurses rushed me to set a date for the surgery. I asked my doctor about this when I went in for the checkup the dentist require before the surgery and he looked at my sons teeth and asked if I was paying via med for it. When I told him yes he said to not take my son to cancle and that between just me and him that the dentist get paid alot of money just for 1 cap...after doing some research I found that almost every child he see's including some of my younger cousins and my nieces and nephews all had caps from him. If it wasnt for my doctor my son would have caps over his perfectly good baby teeth b/c some dentist wanted to drain med.My childrens doctor is hard to understand sometimes b/c of his heritage but he is so sens. when it comes to kids..he wont even rec the crying method...and I comp. trust any advice he gives on shots or anything else. If u need a doctor and ur close by, look him up.
It is coincidental. Pnuemonia is not flu. Two different illnesses. He really needs the booster. Think about how sick he has been with the pnuemonia - he can be that sick or worse with flu. By the way, there is a pnuemonia shot too. It is also recommended. You make check to see if your child is of age for that one.
I used to be religious about getting them when I was in the Army but haven't had one in over 15 years. So far, no flu but lots of sinus infections which really have nothing to do with the shot. More like allergies actually.
If he had a bad reaction, I'd seek the advice of a 2nd doctor who specializes in allergies before I'd get him the booster. His system might be allergic to an ingredient in the shot. Take precautions and get a second (or third) opinion.
dr.sears has a great new book out that gives lots of (relatively unbiased) facts about vaccinations. I found it on Amazon super cheap. I say question ALL vaccines. We are only doing a few, and waited until he was two.
Unfortunally, children are a business from the day they are concieved. Question those who make money from yours.
I strongly suggest that anyone thinking of getting a flu shot visit www.safeminds.org. A friend heard that I slowed down my child's vaccine schedule and she suggested that I read the information re flu shots.
Needless to say we are only requesting the shots without the termisol (sp?) in it.
