Time online's health blog weighed in on the vaccine-autism-H1N1 issue yesterday with a startlingly logical and reasonable perspective:
If we are to have a rational conversation about the best way to fight flu, infectious disease and autism, we need to recognize that these are scientific questions and use the best research--not the data that supports our preconceived views--to answer them.
With this very sane statement ringing in my ears, I'd like to share a few similarly straightfoward pieces on the subject of the H1N1 vaccine posted right here on About.com by Trisha Torrey, our Guide to Patient Empowerment :
- How to Confirm or Debunk Pandemic Swine Flu Conspiracy Theories
- A Review of Pandemic H1N1 Swine Flu Rumors and Conspiracy Theories: Finding the Truth Among Fiction and Lies
Logic and reason, of course, have their limits... and where our kids' health is concerned, many of us succumb to emotional appeals.
Where do you stand on the H1N1 vaccine issue?
I’ll vaccinate my son for H1N1 but not with the live virus (nasal version of the vaccine). Same for myself.
I’m planning to be vaccinated, but I’m waiting until the line ups at the limited number of vaccination clinics in our province dissipate a bit. In the first week that vaccinations have been available here, lineups (mostly outdoors in the cold) have been as long as 6 hours and people in the lineup are not being prescreened in any way. I think this situation just increases a person’s chances of being exposed while in the line up for the vaccine. There are also many legitimate complaints being made by pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems and underlying respiratory conditions about how the province has decided to implement vaccination. Most of them (who really should be the first to receive vaccinations) are simply unable to stand in these unwieldly lineups. The government had since last year to start devising a reasonable plan for SAFELY implementing a vaccination program if and when an approved vaccine became available. Instead, they chose to focus on setting up ad campaigns that do no more that try to “hard sell” us on the benefits of being vaccinated.
My child has poor health. I am still uncertain. He is being homeschooled but does come and go in the public. His doctor recommends the vaccine, but not the one with the live virus.
I wouldn’t touch this vaccine with a 10 foot pole and neither will my kids. It’s made in chicken eggs??? Oh that’s bacteria free and why the hold up? This whole flu hysteria is a joke. Lets’ hope and pray a real disaster doesn’t happen because from the WHO down to our illustrious inept president, we will be in a heap of trouble.
I’ve got a few questions about the H1N1 vaccine. My child is autistic with other underlying health problems. Anyway, I’ve been trying to get ahold of different people to ask which vaccine would be the best for my child. However, nobody seems to call me back or answer my questions. Also, since my child is 10, but has theses unerlying health problems, should he have 1 or 2 vaccinations. Please, could I get some advice from some health professionals or someone with some knowledge in these things.
I also have a child that has lots of allergies, should we have the nasal form? Thanks!
If your child has so many allergies you should not do it. Boost his immune system with vitamins and get the shot, not the nasal spray. Since your son is 10 yrs old he only gets 1 shot