Flu shot for the 9 month old baby or not?

[chriseve]

My husband and I are debating/discussing/reading up about/on whether to give our 8 month old the flu vaccine or not.

He's due for his 9 month check up next month and it would be time for another round of vaccines along with the regular (not the H1N1) flu vaccine.

I'd gotten sick from the flu twice in the past 15 years and I had never gotten the flu shot. I work in a field where I'm constantly meeting different people(yes, hand shake and close quarters and such) and my husband's only been sick from the flu 2-3 times his whole life(and both of us are approaching 30), he also works with a large group of people.

If we feel that we're about to get sick(like catch a cold or something of the sorts), we'd go exercise to boost our immunity and drink more fluids than taking a Tylenol. And majority of the time, it works to our benefit.

Of course, baby's young and more susceptible to viruses, but he doesn't go to daycare and besides his daily outing to enjoy the sunlight, and his weekend swim class, and a play date or two here and there, there's really not much chance of him meeting the 'general public'.

Any parents who have been there? What are your thoughts on the matter? I think it helps to hear other parents' opinions/experiences. I already know our doctor will tell us it's best to give him the shot, but we are just undecided.....

[megs0927]

Neither me nor my husband get the annual seasonal flu vaccine. While my daughter will receive the majority of the recommended vaccinations, she will not be getting the regular flu or h1n1 vaccine. We make sure that she gets 15-20 minutes of direct sun each day or supplement vitamin d. Many flu vaccines (unless in single dose syringes) still contain thimerosal. There have been numerous studies that show that maintaing optimum levels of vitamin d is just as effective as the (seasonal) flu vaccine. Just make sure to do your own research and make sure you are comfortable with your decision!

[LV Luvr]

well we got it for DS. I've had it and was absolutely miserable...I can't imagine my infant getting it...I know though you aren't protected from all strains so he could get it anyways. No mercury in his. DS does go to daycare.

[Sternchen]

None of my children have ever received a flu shot.

[audreystella]

hi i am a child health nurse and i do many many immunisations. i also have my own 9 month old.. i recommend only giving the flu shot in flu season. it is not necessary any other time.. so only in winter generally.

[vhdos]

Originally Posted by LV Luvr

well we got it for DS. I've had it and was absolutely miserable...I can't imagine my infant getting it...I know though you aren't protected from all strains so he could get it anyways. No mercury in his. DS does go to daycare.

I'm with you, LV Luvr. I had the flu two years ago and it was absolutely awful. Ever since then, our whole family gets their flu shots.

[TravelBug]

If you are concerned about mercury in the flu shots you should ask your pediatrician. The state I live in, by law all flu shots given to children under 3 are mercury-free.

[PurseFanatic]

DD got it today and she will be also getting the H1N1 vaccine. I couldn't imagine her going through that awful pain of having flu at such a young age. A lady at my work died from H1N1, so my work is giving me the flu and H1N1 for free, and with DD in daycare there is no way in hell she's not getting those shots.

Too many cases of it in San Antonio for her to go without. I could never live with myself if she got one of them and did not make it.

[alliemia]

i get the shot each winter for my kids, as well my husband and i get the shot as well.

the pediatrician said they do not have the additives in vaccines they carry for the children. i'm pro-vax, as i feel getting sick with the flu would be horrible for a child, possibly deadly.

[ive_flipped]

Pursefanatic-omg that is scary.

Another thing to consider even if your child is not going to daycare is you can get the flu anywhere. If you go to play group you have no idea who those people have been in contact with, or the grocery store or the mall....the list goes on. It is a big misconception that people have that they feel they are better protected if their child is not in school or daycare. That being said for sure kids in schools or daycare are exposed much more.

Megs- I read that too about vitamin D....is the amount in formula enough if FF? I also give one bottle a day of BM. I do not think she gets enough direct sun YIKES!!!


I talked to the pediatrician yesterday and she said the people most at risk are children and health under 40 adults. They are the ones dying. For me it is scary thinking I could get it and die and then leave my DD and DS with no mother. I know there is a TON of debate on this and everyone has to make the right decision for themselves and their families but WOW that is an eye opener. My son 11 my husband and myself are getting ALL the shots offered this fall. We need to keep my DD protected and that is one good way of doing it. If she goes into a daycare facility I will then look at possibly getting the h1n1 for her (but she will get the regular one for sure) We also here in Canada do not have mercury in shots for infants and small children by my research and what I have been told by healthcare professionals. If anyone knows differently please let me know.

[PurseFanatic]

I think a lot of people forget how these viruses affect children differently than they do us. the common flu is deadly to adults, It is worse for infants and children who do not have the capacity or the immunity needed to fight these germs. I feel horrible when DD has a cold, I would feel even worse if she got the flu or H1N1 knowing I could have possibly prevented it.

Every mother has to decide what's right for her.

[kimberf]

I had DS get the flu shot last year at around 7 mo., and he got the shot this year (18 mo). I've gotten my flu shot this year too.

A baby with a serious respiratory illness is not something I want to deal with. DS had some sort of virus at about 11 mo. that made him wheeze. We had to give him two inhalers twice a day. Even with the pediatric spacer -- it's like a little tube with a mask on the end, so you don't have to put the inhaler in his mouth -- it was a total nightmare. He'd scream and cry and would bite the mask. We had to restrain him. I had to do it myself for a few days while DH was traveling, and it was almost impossible. I ended up crying myself pretty much every time. I want to minimize the possibility of having to do something like that again. And then with the flu you have the fever and body aches and all that on top of it.

[HauteMama]

We do not vaccinate for flu, and we will not get shots for H1N1. My second son had a very drastic and severe reaction to vaccinations as an infant, so I have been careful (perhaps over-careful) ever since. I do supplement my children with vitamin D, in addition to them spending a lot of time outdoors. We also are very careful to give them other vitamin supplements and an omega-3 supplement. My children attend public school and have never had the flu (our school does not require flu vaccinations or offer vaccinations in school, so my kids don't necessarily even have the benefit of "herd immunity"). My son once had bacterial pneumonia, but it was not the result of the flu, and no vaccination would have prevented it.

I do not, however, think either regular or the H1N1 vaccinations are dangerous or bad to get. It is just a personal decision that every parent needs to make for themselves and their family, based on their health, situation and medical advice.

[audreystella]

hi again. if it is the swine flu vaccination you are talking about, the doctors i work with all said that they are not getting it and they feel very dubious giving it to mass amounts of people. the vaccination has been around for only months and has had NO testing done! it is experimental and when you receive it you actually sign a waever saying that if you have any reaction to it they are not to be held liable. they have NO idea what it could do and the flu will have mutated by next flu season meaning the vaccine will be totally useless against the new stronger stain. there is also talk that this is a huge push by the tamiflu company to boost sales. make every one as scared as possible so they can sell as much drug as possible. the number of people who have died are not representative of the flus strngthas it is immuno suppressed people who are dying- not ur babies or your average healthy person. its people eho have respiratory disease, asids, cancer etc etc. think long and hard before you give it to your baby! please!! and the levels of murcury are not even known, all they know is that 'some batched contain murcury', also the first few baches that are distribusted are higher in murcury...

[chriseve]

Thanks everyone for your input!

We had decided long time ago that we're not concerned with the swine flu/H1N1 vaccine.

In terms of the regular flu season vaccines, we're still thinking/discussing over it.

Thanks again!