H1N1 Vaccination - Chicago,IL

I am friends with many doctors through Children's Memorial and Northwestern, they are good doctors with kids themselves. First off, they said that from the research that was done through the countries that experienced their winter flu season, 90% of the hospitalized cases was the H1N1. Therefore if you do get a flu shot the H1N1 is probably the one to get. They have no concerns about this vaccine and will give it to their children themselves. I have heard that people who have high risk issues will be given the H1N1 shot first. Pregnant mothers or famiies with children under 6 months are considered high risk.
I did want to point out that the first mother is correct with all of her ingredients in the shots. What she doesn’t mention is the amounts and how we have those ingredients in water food and other things all around us in very small amounts every day. I have many friends that could counter all her theories. If you would like more info don’t be afraid to contact me. Like the fact that they took the MMR off the market in England a few years back and discovered that Autism is still on the rise and now deaths of the measles has tripled. She also didn’t mention that over the last ten years that medical research and technology has had major advancements in diagnosing autism and other diseases. Autism was misdiagnosed for so long and finally in the last 10 years they now know the signs of it and diagnose it so much better. That probably is why autism is on the rise and so many more kids are now diagnosed with it. But many of the vaccine free people seem to leave these known facts out in their research.

76 kids have died in September alone in the US from this. The CDC said that is many times higher then the whole normal flu season death rate for kids.

The girl in Naperville who died had a HIDDEN heart condition, the flu death is why they found it. I have no idea if my child has a hidden health issue, and not willing to find out by them having an autopsy to tell me.

The H1N1 is the same formulation as the seasonal flu, just with the different flu strain in it. Given that it is killing children and pregnant women at a very high rate, we plan on getting it ASAP. There are a lot of false rumors out there about the vaccine, and there is no scientific evidence that vaccines interfere with development, etc. The benefits definitely outweigh the costs.

If you get other vaccines, there's no reason to avoid H1N1. It's the same process, formulation, and companies making it as the regular old flu vaccine. There is even another H1N1 strain (different number after the H1N1) in this year's seasonal shot! I have no idea why people are so worried about it - unless you never get any vaccines, there is no reason to not get it, at all.

One difference is that H1N1 kills kids and pregnant women at a higher rate than the seasonal flu. (Especially pregnant women.) I'll be getting it for my kids if I can find it before the season ends - our pediatrician and local health dept. don't have it yet. Hoping next week it will arrive. Also, they are giving single-dose shots to pregnant women and children (so no thimerosol to worry about, which is used as a preservative in multiple-dose containers.)

Here is some information I received from a friend and my sister's friend. Ultimately you have to do what you think is right in your situation.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi119.html

I know many of us are concerned about the Swine flu, and some of us are concerned about the Swine flu vaccine. Below is a video I came across when doing my own personal search on this topic. I wanted to pass it on to those of you who are interested in knowing more information on this vaccine. It definitely encouraged me to seek out more answers. I've read that mercury, aluminum and potentially squalene (linked to lupus, MS and other autoimmune diseases) may be ingredients in the experimental swine flu inoculation, and that only two weeks of safety testing has been conducted for this vaccine since it is being fast tracked. This alone made my decision easy. I've also read that if you or your child is injured from this vaccine, vaccine makers will not be liable due to the fact that this epidemic is considered a "national emergency." I hope this limited information encourages you to seek out more answers to questions that are important to you before deciding to take or skip this vaccine. As a parent, we only want the best for our children, so being informed before making this decision is definitely a positive step in keeping our children safe. For me it's an easy decision, but I know for others it may be more difficult. So educate yourself before you vaccinate, regardless of what you decide. Below are a few links that were helpful for me.

http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/AD046F7B-C81F-4BEE-83D2-76C...

http://www.medicalvoices.org/en/about.html

I would also recommend goggling the 60 MINUTES SWINE FLU VACCINATION VIDEO WITH MIKE WALLACE. Very helpful to watch and gain perspective.

If you are leaning toward not vaccinating, I've read that increasing your family's intake of Vitamin D and probiotics during the flu season has been found to be very effective in fighting the flu. Check into it further, if you're interested.

Good luck!

Good morning B.-

First of all applaud yourself for getting some other information. This has caused so much controversy and I am hoping what I post can help you and maybe some other families out there.

First of all we are a vaccine free family so I am very left of center on this issue.

Here are the facts. The H1N1 has NEVER been tested. They are using squalene as an adjunct (which means they put this in there for "delivery" to the immune system). Now even though it is derived from a plant--it is extremely dangerous to inject into the body not to mention the anti-freeze, aluminum and mercury just to name a few of the other ingredients in there. Every vaccine contains at least 2 of those ingredients along with a culture to grow it being human fetal tissue, monkey kidney tissue and/or chicken embryos.

As far as medical concerns, I have a GP (he is also on Dr. Sears website) who lives in my neighborhood and he is not recommending it and neither are about 4 other doctors that I know.

Back in 1976 60 minutes did an in depth study when we had the "scare" of the H1N1 and what they found was astonishing. It is posted on you tube.

Here is another that was posted and was done by Fox news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzOrohPEDS8

When you watch this they stress this is very rare well statistics do not lie, autoimmune disorders, autism, and cancer are all up over 200% in the last ten years.

Vaccine injuries are severely under reported. I have study and research these issues for over 8 years and I have many natural and conventional doctors that are in agreement.

You can get some great info on these websites.

www.westonprice.org
www.mercola.com
www.vaclib.org
www.holisticmomsnetwork.org

Your going to get many comments that I am full of it but my friends, circle of moms and my family have noticed a dramatic shift in the health of our families. I have 4 children that are rarely if ever sick and have been exposed to some pretty major illnesses. 80% of these diseases that we contract in this country are by individuals that have been vaccinated against that disease. I truly think the number is higher than that.

If you would like more info please do not hesitate to ask. I am happy to provide any documentation and other websites and books.

This is probably more info than you needed but every parent needs to be a champion for their own families' health and we need to question everything!!

In great health!!

While you are doing research on this don't just research the vaccine - take a look at what happened in 1918. Did you know that at the height of that epidemic some people that were perfectly fine in the morning were dead by night? More Americans died from influenza then than did in all the 20th century wars combined. Consider the nature of viruses and their ability to mutate quickly to increase their lethality. Consider that this flu has killed 86 children since it began last spring - half of that number in September and early October. Last week there were 11 children killed by h1n1. THese numbers have already far exceeded the typical number of fatalities from flu in an entire season.

The probability that there are risks associated with the vaccine must be weighed against the very real documented risks associated with contracting the flu. I will vaccinate all three of my kids w/o hesitation.

There are no studies out there proving the efficacy or safety of the H1N1 vaccine so I opted out of having that shot for my child. There are studies, however proving supporting the fact that people who suffer from the flu lack Vit D3. Costco sells this vitamin in 2 large bottles. It is really sweet and fruity flavored so my daughter LOVES drinking it in a cup of juice. 1000iu for every 25 pds is recommended and you can easily increase that amount if your child is sick, but speak to your child's ped first. Good luck!

As everyone who has replied suggests - you need to do your own research. You may decide to believe one or two people who have replied but really, you need to do your own research, talk to your own doctor, find what is right for your own family.

I did a quick Google search and found that:
1. Clinical trials have been done in the US, Mexico, Canada and Australia
2. H1N1 vaccines are made the same way that flu vaccines have been made for years and contain the same ingredients.

I know that someone at Naperville North recently died from H1N1. I have a brother-in-law who lives in Virginia that just was diagnosed with H1N1 and he also has the viral pneumonia that they predicted would be a common illness accompanying H1N1. This is just the start.

Yes, my two children 4 & 6 will be receiving the shot when it becomes available. The unpredictability of this virus is what makes me believe this is something we have to do.

If you decide that your 2 yr old should not receive the shot, I hope that you and your husband will both receive the shot to give your son a better chance of staying healthy this winter.

I am not going to get the H1N1 vaccine for my 10 year old. It has not actually been tested in young children and a neighbor of mine who is a doctor told me that he is not giving it to his 2 year old daughter because of that. He said this upcoming group of kids will essentially be the first large scale test and he will wait until it is out of the Guinea pig stage to see how effective it is.

I am not anti-vaccine, but I do feel like we load our kids' systems up with a lot of stuff, much of it untested on children. My son's best friend is from a family of four and they all get all the flu shots- and every year they are all sick with the flu anyway. So I am just not convinced that H1N1 is going to be bad enough to give my son an untried vaccine for it.

It is a very personal decision, and you did not mention if your son was high-risk in any way (although often you don't know) does he have ANY respiratory issues? My son and I both got the shot late last week, upon their release into Chicagoland. No side effects so far ;-) We are both high-risk. We are hoping to get him the second shot in 3.5 weeks.

I could not live w/myself if something happened and I could have prevented it. Before vacinations polio, measles, DIP killed thousands of people....

Good luck!

Hi B.,
Ultimately this is just going to have to be your decision. I have done so many hours of research and have polled everyone I know, particularly those in the medical field. There is no one cut and dry answer. After being very against having the vaccine - I am not someone who likes to use a lot of medication and have spread out my daughter's vaccinations - I am now going to get her the H1N1 vaccine. I'm not convinced it's a great option, but the lesser of 2 evils. After talking to some very informed, smart people in the know, I have found out this: while the flu may not reach the epic proportions the media reports and yes, thousands die from the flu every year so this year is not so unusual, what IS unusual is who is being affected. Instead of elderly and infirm, a lot of healthy kids and healthy young pregnant women are getting really ill and even dying. Yes, a lot of deaths occur when someone has an underlying condition, but a much higher number than with seasonal flu did not. With kids they are thinking that their immune systems over react and actually attack their own body, often in the lungs, which is why so many kids are ending up on ventilators and with serious pulmonary complications. As far as the mercury in the vaccines, unfortunately not all kids can take the live mist which is thimerasol free, and kids receiving the shot need the "2-shot" - one and then a booster a month later - and as of now what I've heard is that this kid recommended shot is NOT the one available thimerasol free. Which makes no sense, but that's what I've heard. I called my pediatrician b/c this concerned me, not because I'm afraid of autism per se, but just because why would I choose to give her mercury for any reason?! She said it was not a reason to turn down the shot and that my daughter would get more mercury in her system from eating a tuna sandwich than from the shot. Which is pretty sad from an environmental perspective, but made me feel better about the tiny amount in the shot. Again, not my first choice, but I can live with that. Again, in the end, I feel I am choosing the lesser of two not so great options. But I feel that she will be ok with the shots and I do not want to risk what could happen should this flu be as bad as they say it could. My daughter has reactive airway disease, so I feel extra cautious with the lung component. Finally, as far as the "untested" theory goes, I have been told by a very reliable source that this vaccine has been given all over the world - in Asia, Mexico, parts of Africa, the southern hemisphere during their winter (which was our summer) - and is well tested. They don't tout that as it sounds too much like the US is willing to use foreign kids for guinea pigs, but that untested concern does not seem to hold much water. I have to say it's hard to feel 100% great about whatever decision you make, but good luck making one you can live with.

Let me ask you a question..what does your mommy instinct tell you? See I look at it this way. It is usually a mild illness, as with all illnesses. WHen there are underlying issues it can cause serious problems as call ALL illnesses. Vaccines can cause illness, and in some people with underlying problems (like mitochondrial disorders like my cousins kid) it can cause SERIOUS issues as well. See my cousins kid has a mitochondrial disorder, and after her 12 month shots and then 18 month shots she is not severely damaged. The DOCTOR said that the shots put her disorder over the edge. SHe can no longer walk, talk, or focus her eyes. She can use her entire left side of her body anymore. Now am I saying this is going to happen to your kid, not at all. But you have to look at what can happen both ways. Can you live with yourself if you do something and something happens to him on vaccine that has not been properly tested? What if he gets sick and something happens because of an underlying issue, that well will cause problems at some point in his life anyways? So he may get sick and he may have problems, or injecting toxic neurotoxins that havent been tested..I dont know it is a n easy decision for me...

Absolutely not! My dogs' vaccines have been tested longer than this one!!! Seriously!! Everyone keeps saying that there's "been no adverse affects yet." OF COURSE NOT, IT'S BRAND SPANKING NEW! I wouldn't take my chances. Feed your son healthy food, get plenty of sunshine, wash his hands often, etc. Take care this winter.

My brother who is a doctor said the vaccine contains mercury. I would personally avoid giving that to a toddler.

NO NO NO !!!! It hasn't been around long enough to predict side effects. Pediatrician, nurses, every professional I've spoken to said the same thing.

We are not getting the H1N1 vaccine. Just my personal decision. I feel the vaccine is too new and there is no info on it in the long term. I have discussed this with a friend of mine who is a nurse and another who is a doctor. Both of those friends are not giving the H1N1 vaccine to their children either. I also do not have children who are high risk. Maybe I would look at it differently if I did, but for us, we are not getting it.

I am getting the vaccine for my kids, since they are in one of the high-priority groups. Originally I wasn't going to, but as more data has become available I have decided to vaccinate. The data is pretty clear now that this year so far the number of flu cases, over 99% of which are confirmed H1N1, is already equal to the TOTAL number seen during the entire flu season for any of the past 30 years. In other words, the flu season hasn't even STARTED and we're already there. The CDC estimates that during a typical year 5-20% of the population gets the seasonal flu, so I expect that around 20% or more of the poplulation will get the flu including H1N1.

The vaccine is made exactly like the seaonsal vaccine - in fact, it would have been included as one of the strains in this year's seasonsal vaccine except that they didn't type it in time for it to make it, so they have had to do a separate vaccine. Several million people have gotten vaccinated so far, and it hasn't had any different set of reactions from the seasonal vaccine. H1N1 is generally just like the regular flu - the main difference appears to be the demographic that is having complications from the flu. In the normal seasonal flu it's usually very young babies, immunocomprimised adults, and old adults (65+) that have complications (pneumonia, death etc). With H1N1 it appears to be primarily pregnant women, young babies, and young kids. Older adults appear to be partially immune.

I suggest you check the statistics at the CDC website since they have been doing pretty extensive survaillance on the disease and outcomes this year. You can view it at:http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

Hi,

Here's a website that I've found helpful and hopefully will give you some insight and help guide you to the right decision for your child. It's:
____@____.com

Several kids in our area have already been diagnosed with H1N1. I think by the time we get the vaccine here it will be too late and we will have already been exposed. My doctors office is saying at least a couple of more weeks before they have it. My son was sick Friday and we went to the Dr. he was swabbed for H1N1(which was negative), it ended up being Strep throat. The office was packed with kids with flu symptoms, don't know if any were positive.

I'm getting it as soon as I can, and my daughter will get it too. If you're comfortable getting the regular flu shot, you should be comfortable getting this one. Studies have shown no major adverse effects and none have been reported since it has been administered to the public. The seasonal flu shot is reformulated every year, and the only reason H1N1 wasn't included in it was because it came out late in the season (otherwise it would have been part of the seasonal flu shot). Of course, if you're against vaccination in general, you might not feel comfortable getting it. Stay healthy!

if you get it be sure to ask for the mercury/preservative free version.

Good Morning B.,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1z7KSEnyxw&feature=re...

I am so happy to read that there are other mothers, everyday, such as yourself, questioning things and not blindly following their doctor or what the superficially understand about the flu/h1N1. Long term studies are not out yet. As a matter of fact, have you realized how many drugs are approved and the repealed after it's been out? The Rotavirus vaccine was twisting the intestines of children before they yanked it. Google It. They're also providing "preservative-free" H1N1 to the German soldiers (google it) but it's okay for the rest of us to have the ones with all the things that make our immune system go into overdrive, thus giving us auto immune disorders and other such disease. Please do NOT give your precious miracle one of these shots. Yes, people die from the flu or other diseases they contract, BUT, those are often people with weakened immune systems....and even IF one gets the vaccine, it does NOT prevent it. Please Please I implore you to read valid scientific journals, like many of the anti-vaccine advocates. We don't blindly just read anything. We love our children too. We are all a very educated, informed group of people who have learned many things as we've done this research. For one, the Blood Brain Barrier isn't fully formed until 3 years old. Inflammation from these toxins make the brain permeable to infection. Don't buy into the fears and the advertising B.. Do your own research, continue to understand your body and how it works, particularly the very complex Immune system that even evade current medical knowledge. Thanks for posting and I hope this helps.

Agreed, do your own research..though what they haven't revealed is the 25 that have died from getting the vaccine..so you have to look through all the nooks and crannies of the research...

After doing an infant nutrition seminar here in Chicago, a neonatal nurse said her boss, a neurologist has advised his staff to not to get the vaccine..even Dr. Oz is against it. If that is not alarming, not sure what is...

I wrote an article on how to boost your family's immunit during the swine flu and flu season as well as doing a free webinar next month. I'll be posting details on my family health column, so sign up if you wish to receive updates: http://www.examiner.com/x-7158-Chicago-Family-Health-Exam...

Good Luck,
J. W. MPH
Maternal and Child Health Educator
Chicago Examiner Family Health Expert

B.:
This is a very controversial subject and I congratulate you on trying to educate yourself before you make a decision. Even doctors are at opposites ends with respect to this but there is a lot of evidence and here is just another piece from Dr. Mercola (a famous doctor right here in Schaumburg, IL) who gives 9 reasons why and has another doctor give his opinion as well: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/1...

As many have said, there are so many other ways to help protect you and your family against the flu and cold season. Vitamin D is absolutely one of them. I just got us stocked as my son came down with flu like symptoms a week ago. I gave him 2 detox baths, get plenty of rest and drink fluids and he was fine 48 hours later. No big deal and I didn't run to the doctor. He probably would have really gotten sick had we gone to the clinic! Now he has built up natural antibodies and probably will be just fine. My 3 kids have never been vaccinated for flu in their lives and rarely get sick. I have educated myself and read as much as I can. You would be wise to do the same to get piece of mind. Your little boy is counting on you. Parenting doesn't come with a rule book! We are all learning too! Best of health to you and your family!

K.
Wellness Consultant