After dropping Jamie at preschool this morning, Josh and I went down to Altra and I got a flu shot. I'm on the fence with vaccinations in general and leery of the flu shot because of its thimerosal but I've decided for the last couple years to get one for me. If the flu does come to our house, it's me that's going to be taking care of the family so I decided to take the risk and get myself vaccinated. My husband did as well. But we both agree not to vaccinate the kids. They are just so little and we just don't trust the vaccines that much. I grudginly agreed to get the standard ones, though I modified the schedule a bit and they don't get the chicken pox one but we aren't doing any optional ones.
Have any of you ever had the flu? I thought I had but that was when I thought it was the bug that makes you throw up. Which really isn't the flu at all. So I wonder if I've ever even gotten it? How do you know if it's the flu or just a bad cold? I also worry that they'll miss the mark again and the vaccine won't even cover the strain that becomes active. So I wonder if I'm just wasting my time and putting junk into my body for something I likely wouldn't have gotten anyway or that may not even help me if I do.
What about you? Do you get the flu shot? Do you have your kids get it? Why or why not?
Michelle
My kids and husband get the flu shot every year. I have never gotten the shot nor has anyone gotten the flu. My thinking is. I rather protect my children from certain type of flu than for them to get the flu and possible die from it. My feeling is the same with the chicken pots shot. I rather protect my children from getting a huge break out of chicken pots and possible die from them. Even though you get the shot your outbreak will be small.
Jessica
We aren't giving them the chicken pox vaccine because we want them to have natural immunity. There are some serious concerns about the effictiveness of the vaccine and how long it lasts and getting chicken pox as an adult is much more dangerous. Unfortunately, we missed a good chance we just had when my son's best friend had it because my younger son is only 16 months and we'd prefer he not get it until he's old enough to understand what's going on.
I'm hoping they don't get the flu at all since getting it once doesn't do you a bit of good against future outbreaks.
Michelle
You still get the chicken pox even with the shot. The case is smaller than what you would of gotten without the shot. The chance of getting the pox as an adult is small and is decreasing. Once you get a case of pox the chance of you getting it again is small as well. I rather reduce the case for them.
Here's an article that explains the alternate viewpoint on chickenpox. I make no claims about the credentials of the author; it was just one I found on Google that explains it well.
Michelle
I got the chicken pox when I was in my 20's. I had a lot of problems with breathing.. an infection of the airways which was a side effect from the pox.. I didn't have many problems with the pox themselves. I will not give my kids the shot unless they get to be 12 and haven't had it yet. Also, I get a flu shot every year, so do the kids. We get the shot Thimerosal free. All you have to do is ask for it. Next I'm going to see if they carry the one that is also Aluminum free.
Same here. If the kids don't get it on their own as they approach the teen years, then we'll look into the vaccine. That will give them almost another 10 years of work on it as well. THanks for the tip on the Thimerosal free ones. i didn't realize that was an option.
Michelle
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