Listen to the experts: Vaccinate children for flu and H1N1
Published: October 12, 2009
Updated: October 12, 2009
When Culpeper County supervisors voted last week to allow managers to order employees suffering from flu-like symptoms to go home if state officials declare an H1N1 pandemic in the county, Supervisor Sue Hansohn reportedly said she didn’t think it was necessary to legislate “common sense.”
Hansohn was right, it shouldn’t be necessary. Unfortunately, when it comes to the H1N1 flu and the vaccination for it, which will soon be available locally, confusion appears to be contagious.
The media is to blame for a lot of this confusion. First, they fell for the catchy name “swine flu,” and couldn’t get enough of the panic as the influenza strain spread through Mexico and into the United States this spring. Then they compounded the error by failing to acknowledge the initial sensationalism. Apparently, at some point, parents stopped listening.
According to a recent AP poll, more than a third of parents surveyed said they did not want their children vaccinated for H1N1:
“Some parents say they are concerned about side effects from the new vaccine — even though nothing serious has turned up in tests so far — while others say swine flu doesn’t amount to any greater health threat than seasonal flu.”
And so, despite the advice of medical experts and pediatricians who have been recommending for the past few years near-universal vaccination for all children old enough to get it, the message isn’t being received. Instead, anecdotally spread fears (ranging from unproven side effects to parents own anxieties about needles) and ignorance are still playing a large and unfounded role in the decision.
So why are the experts so concerned about H1N1? Here are three, of many, reasons: First, school-age children have very high attack rates for influenza, and other contagious diseases, because they’re in close contact with each other, and they don’t always practice the best hygiene. Second, the H1N1 strain disproportionately affects young people, even those who are otherwise typically healthy. And third, because the virus has already reached pandemic levels of contamination in our own country.
I should also add that the experts are more worried than the rest of us because what we call “the flu” and the real flu are quite different. Many of us say we’ve had the flu when we’ve had a few days of a runny nose, sore throat, or stomach issues — some have even been known to blame “the flu” for a hangover. But the real flu can last five to seven days and lead to secondary infections like pneumonia or worse. Once you’ve had the real flu, there’s no confusion.
Each of us has a responsibility to keep our own families well. And we have a social responsibility to protect those who can’t protect themselves (newborns and children with allergies to vaccines come to mind). Vaccination does both. And it’s the best way we have to get all of us safely through the peak of the flu season this winter.
But please don’t take my word for it. Instead: all pregnant women and parents, of children aged six months through 18 years, should ask your doctor whether they would recommend the vaccine. We place so much trust in our health care professionals when it comes to our children’s development and well being, we should be using “common sense” and listening to them now.
Clements’ column runs every Monday.
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Reader Reactions
My 7 year old son’s pediatrician isn’t all that revved up about this vaccine. We had a well-child check-up earlier this week and he did not encourage me to have my boy vaccinated.
So, obviously, not ALL doctors are pushing this vaccine.
In his column, Mr. Clements made a relatively “common” error by unjustifiably assigning “common sense” to a position which HE, personally, supports. A careful and rational person will study the available data and perform a risk/benefit analysis regarding the vaccinations, medicines and drugs they and their children might use. NO ONE else, including one’s doctor should be allowed to perform this analysis.
One person may decide the potential risks outweigh the potential benefits of a certain vaccine or medication, while another may weigh the exact same information and reach a different conclusion.
But, Mr. Clements, just because a particular person does not agree with you or YOUR doctor does NOT mean they lack common sense.
I am glad you feel so strongly that you are willing to put our kids lives into your hands. The regular Flu vaccine contains more mercury than you are allowed to put into the town dump in one day. My son was a typically developing child until he received a Flu shot at 9 months old. He stopped responding to voice, started hand flapping, lining things up, delayed speech and on and on. I am a firm believer that the Flu vaccine contributed to my sons Autism. They give them to babies now and push pregnant woman to vaccinate. They put up signs in public and advertise on T.V to tell you that you are a bad parent if you do not vaccinate. A friend of mine I am sure wishes she would have thought twice after her son at 1 year old had a reaction to a tetanus vaccine and now has brain injury. Now they want us to trust in this vaccine that is brand new and untested on the public. Remember years ago they told us rotovirus vaccine was safe also and then pulled it because of side effects. The media and CDC along with the American Academy of Pediatrics will all tell you they are safe even though there are deaths every year due to side effects of vaccines. They do not let you read the ingredients or possible dangers included in the packages. Vaccines are a billion dollar a year industry, remember that. I am not saying do not vaccinate at all but stop letting the Dr.s tell you what is right for YOUR child. The vaccine schedule gives your child multiple viruses all at once, no ones body can handle that. They give the same vaccination to a newborn that they do a grown man. Be smarter, do one at a time 3 months apart. Ask for preservative free vaccines. As a parent that has seen from friends and personal experience the real dangers of vaccinations. I urge you not to put your child into the hands of the media or billion dollar a year industry’s. Research and Educate yourself. There was a time I would have never questioned anything my Dr. told me to do and that time is over. Realize who signs who’s paycheck. Autism has risen and the numbers are still climbing but the CDC refuses to do extensive testing on the possible link between vaccines and Autism. Why? Afraid of what they will find is my opinion. There are more children diagnosed with Autism than childhood cancer & diabetes combined. Read the Simpsonwood transcripts ttp://www.nomercury.org/science/documents/Simpsonwood_Transcript.pdf
Research!!
http://vaccinedangers.com/
I am glad you feel so strongly that you are willing to put our kids lives into your hands.Just like the media!! The regular Flu vaccine contains more mercury than you are allowed to put into the town dump in one day. My son was a typically developing child until he received a Flu shot at 9 months old. He stopped responding to voice, started hand flapping, lining things up, delayed speech and on and on. I am a firm believer that the Flu vaccine contributed to my sons Autism. They give them to babies now and push pregnant woman to vaccinate. They put up signs in public and advertise on T.V to tell you that you are a bad parent if you do not vaccinate. A friend of mine I am sure wishes she would have thought twice after her son at 1 year old had a reaction to a tetanus vaccine and now has brain injury. Now they want us to trust in this vaccine that is brand new and untested on the public. Remember years ago they told us rotovirus vaccine was safe also and then pulled it because of side effects. The media and CDC along with the American Academy of Pediatrics will all tell you they are safe even though there are deaths every year due to side effects of vaccines. They do not let you read the ingredients or possible dangers included in the packages. Vaccines are a billion dollar a year industry, remember that. I am not saying do not vaccinate at all but stop letting the Dr.s tell you what is right for YOUR child. The vaccine schedule gives your child multiple viruses all at once, no ones body can handle that. They give the same vaccination to a newborn that they do a grown man. Be smarter, do one at a time 3 months apart. Ask for preservative free vaccines. As a parent that has seen from friends and personal experience the real dangers of vaccinations. I urge you not to put your child into the hands of the media or billion dollar a year industry’s. Research and Educate yourself. There was a time I would have never questioned anything my Dr. told me to do and that time is over. Realize who signs who’s paycheck. Autism has risen and the numbers are still climbing but the CDC refuses to do extensive testing on the possible link between vaccines and Autism. Why? Afraid of what they will find is my opinion. There are more children diagnosed with Autism than childhood cancer & diabetes combined. Read the Simpsonwood transcripts ttp://www.nomercury.org/science/documents/Simpsonwood_Transcript.pdf
Research!!
http://vaccinedangers.com/
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