We’re going to get T that vaccination. I’ve struggled with this decision for awhile, but Rob & I are in agreement. The final clincher came to me when I thought back on this year…attending the conference where I head Paul Offit speak, doing research on both the pros and cons of vaccinations, weighing our options and looking back at T’s experience w/ getting his vaccinations…and I thought that perhaps this is why all this pro-vaccine information came into my life this year. I was being prepared to make this decision. T has never had an adverse reaction to vaccines. He is fully vaccinated. He didn’t regress. And I’ve heard enough about the high-risk populations – he’s in two: 1) he’s under age 24 and 2) he is developmentally delayed and might have some neurological challenges. And I’ve also heard enough about dead kids.
I can deal with side effects. Hell, we’re already dealing w/ autism, if that’s what everyone’s scared of. But I don’t want to deal with dead.
But here’s the caveat: if at all possible, I don’t want him getting the vaccine with thimerosol. Research has exonerated this preservative, but I’m still not jumping up & down with glee over the prospect of injecting him with it. I was able to find a thimerosol-free injection for his seasonal flu shot, now I just need to track one down for H1N1. Wish me luck and good timing – it will probably have to be a “right place at the right time” sort of situation.
Now we just need to find a vaccine. Our county has held a few huge clinics – thousands of people lined up for hours – and I have not taken him to any of those. Yeah, standing line for hours with a child who has trouble holding still and exposing ourselves to all the germs that those thousands of people surely would bring…and then there would be no guarantee that he’d get a thimerosol-free version…nope…not signing up for that. So I’m praying for a calm, stress-free opportunity to get him either the nasal spray version or the single-dose injection.
Fingers crossed.
2 comments:
Is there any point in contacting your pediatrician or neurologist for the shot?
My ears might have been playing tricks on me the day I took them to a 4 hour in service on the various flu vaccines BUT I'm pretty sure I heard RNs who know these things say that none of the flu vaccines has thimerasol.
I've been making myself particularly obnoxious by regularly suggesting that my "under 24s" get both vaccines. It really is important. The last time I had the flu, I was laid LOW for 6 weeks by pneumonia. I've had a flu shot every year since, resting serene in the knowledge that the vaccine is made with DEAD virus.
Witchcat: some of them are thimerosol-free. The flu mist and certain injections that are pre-filled, single dose syringes, specifically. I have a list from a vaccine safety organization that lists exactly how much of the preservative is in each company's vaccination. I'll find it and post it - very helpful.
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