Seasonal Flu & Swine Flu (H1N1 flu) Vaccine and Asthma

[ageneral]

To get the flu shot or not to get the flu shot is the priceless question. When you have your children's, your loved ones or your own life on the line the answer is not easy - especially when there are tons of opinions for and against the side effects of flu vaccine.

Take the shot!

The risk of avoiding flu attack on a weak immune system with Asthma, is much higher than the fear of the unknown example: fear of autism.

We have two sons and one grandma living with us. All three of them are in high risk category. Our younger son has Asthma and is most prone to pulmonary failure in case of an infection. We make him wear a flu mask whenever possible and also have him wash his hands as many times as possible during the course of the day. On October 14th, 2009, my younger son with Asthma and mild egg allergy took his first flu shot of his life.

Timing
Flu season is from December to March. Take your flu shot now. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to build up enough antibodies to protect you. The White House has reported a 24 to 48 incubation period for the swine flu but the exact incubation period is still undetermined. To be on the safe side, it is best to keep a close eye on symptoms for seven to ten days.

Age:
Less than 10 years: 1 seasonal flu shot + 1 booster seasonal flu shot + 1 swine flu shot + 1 booster swine flu shot. Yes, four shots for 10 years and younger.

Older than 10 years: 1 seasonal flu shot + 1 swine flu shot.

Swine Flu Protection:
1. Take the seasonal flu shot now and then take the swine flu shot soon thereafter.
2. Shot or Flumist: Flu Mist is not recommended for children younger than 2 years old and people older than 49 years of age or for people with Asthma and weak immune system.
3. Wash your hands at least 10 times a day for 20 seconds each.
4. Do not touch your nose, eyes or mouth without washing your hands.
5. Disinfect areas most commonly used with disinfectants.
6. Constantly monitor people with Asthma with peak flow meter at the first sign of infection (sneeze, fever) to indicate early warning signs for impending asthmatic incidents.

Swine Flu Vaccine Side Effects
- If you are person with Asthma or weak immune system or live with people with such symptoms then avoid Flumist. Flumist is made from a "live" virus while the flu shot is made from a "killed" virus. There is a higher chance of spreading the "live" virus.
- More than a third of U.S. parents don't want their children vaccinated, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll released Wednesday.
- In states where the H1N1 flu has been most active, it has affected about 2 percent to 5 percent of the population, leaving most people still susceptible to infection.
- Since 1991 about 26,000 adverse events have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). Generally it is fever, rash, headaches, hives, or, very rarely, seizures.
- All flu vaccines except 8 million doses of flu vaccine contain a preservative, thimerosal which is a neurotoxin with 49 percent mercury. There is a lot of debate regarding connection between mercury and autism. Several states have prohibited the use of thimerosal in children’s vaccines. Talk to your physician in advance if you would like to get a flu shot without thimerosal.
- Each year nearly 40,000 people in the United States die from flu complications like pneumonia.
- If you have severe egg allergies then talk to your doctor since the flu virus is "hatched" in eggs.

Parents will continue to argue and weigh the dangers of whether or not the risk of disease (or in this case the swine flu) outweighs the risk of the vaccines. The Washington Posts points out that analysis in 10 states of people hospitalized with the pandemic strain of H1N1 influenza shows that asthma is by far the most common underlying condition associated with severe cases of the disease. Given that fact, it makes sense to vaccinate children prone to breathing issues and lung infection.

External source:
1. National Institutes of health / U.S. National Library of Medicine; Medicine Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_89614.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_90314.html
2. Health.com
http://news.health.com/2009/09/18/swine-flu-shots-safe-people-weak-immune-systems-experts/#
3. The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/13/AR2009101303419.html?hpid=moreheadlines