Flu vaccines Poll!

[AmyC311]

Will you be giving your child the flu vaccine? There are two vaccines, the regular seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu. If you are not giving your child the vaccine/s please let us know why! Thanks!!

[justice6920]

I dont know much about the H1N1and the doc didnt really explain that there were two different ones lol - I just thought there was ONE flue shot but guess not!  But Noah will be getting his Seasonal Flu shot at the end of this month! They were out of shots when Noah had his 6 month check up..so next week sometime he will be getting his flu shot....

[AmyC311]

Ok can someone explain to me why there is concern over the H1N1 shot? How I understand flu shots in general is they pick the strain that they expect to be bad the following flu season and they use that strain to make the vaccine. I thought they just did the same thing with the H1N1 strain but they have to have it in a different shot because they had already made the seasonal flu shot and they couldn't go back and add the H1N1 to the vaccine. So...therorhetically the H1N1 and the seasonal flu aren't too different except for which strain they use. Every year they have to predict which flu strain will be the biggest problem, and like 2 years ago they were wrong and there was a huge flu epidemic even for people who had flu shots.

But I haven't been reading up on it at all. I honestly don't know the difference between regular flu and swine flu. It seems like swine flu is awful but honestly there are over 30K deaths a year in the US alone from the seasonal flu and there have only been like 10% of that number die from the H1N1 in the world, right? That is what I heard at least. I try not to get too hyped up because I can't tell what is sensationalism from the media and what is actual concern.

I agree with Jem though. We are very lucky not to be pregnant right now! I feel terrible for those who have lost their babies already (or even their lives!) to this flu. :(
The good thing that my pediatrician told me is that the babies that she has seen with the H1N1 flu the symptoms have been very mild and treatable. She said that the older children and adults have worse symptoms than the babies do...so that is another reason I am kinda torn on whether or not to give her the shot.

[Jem75]

Jury is still out - but saw something on the news tonight to get both flu shots. Hayden had round 1 of the seasonal flu - and then got a fever the day after - but we have to still do round 2. Hopefully there will be more info then about Swine. UGGG but thank god we were not pregnant at this time - women carrying babies are a huge risk. That is such a bummer.

[depressed748]

Nigel was going to get the seasonal one at his six month checkup on Wed however the ped said they had to wait until October when the gov decides to give it to them. I have make and appt in October just to go and get him that shot, which is crazy but I hope that he will be alright without it. He is his anything like me he probably will not need it because everytime I get the shot I get sick and when I dont get the shot then I dont get sick. I think the H1N1 is too new and I will not give him that because I dont think they properly researched and developed it but that is just me.

[evthing4reason]

Carter will have the seasonal one for sure, not sure about the H1N1 because in canada vacination won't even start till Dec and everyone will have to get it twice (2 weeks apart) so people won't even be immune till mid dec when the flu wil already be in full swing

[Whitneylauren]

I am planning on getting both for Mark simply because Micah is in school. My ped told me that they are estimating that 50% of children will get the flu this year.... apparently that is rather high.

[AmyC311]

Yeah...I am thinking about maybe not doing the H1N1 because the cases of H1N1 in our state are very mild. Like a cold. It doesn't seem to effect the babies like it has been the adults. But I don't know. That is why I want opinions from you gals. ;)

[toes33107]

Brock just got his seasonal flu vaccine at his 6 month check up.  We asked our ped. about research and her opinions about the H1N1, but she said there is not enough out there for her to tell us either way.  She also said that H1N1 will effect school-aged kids 5-17.  I'm not ready to put something in him that I don't know enough about.

[AmyC311]

I just thought this would be interesting to know who is giving their child what and what each of us think about the vaccines. So far I am voting to do both because that is what my pediatrician recommends and said she is doing that for her babies. But I would LOVE to hear any other ideas.