Swine flu: how will you protect your family?

Has school started yet for your children? Either way, we all know what that means: our children will be sharing everything including pencils, scissors, books, balls and germs.

Like you, we don’t want our children to become sick with a cold or flu, and certainly not the swine flu. We’ve gone to great lengths each cold and flu season here in Oregon which seems to be about 9 months long, to avoid the bad little bugs making their way through schools.

With both of our children starting school in a week, we can’t help but think about protecting them. We had a really tough winter this year, having 3 of us sick for 12 of the first 15 weeks of the new year. I’m pretty serious about not letting that happen again.

We’ve not given our children the flu shot since they were each over one year old so we wonder, is the danger of the swine flu really that much greater than the seasonal flu? We take our vitamins, try to get good sleep, move our bodies and wash our hands often all in an effort to keep our family healthy. Isn’t that enough?

I was hesitant to believe the media hype about swine flu, but I do want to make sure I’m protecting my family, so I did the research Here’s what I learned.
  

• Many influenza vaccines, including the swine flu vaccine, contain thimerosal. You know, mercury. There are thimerosal-free vaccines, so if you’re going to get the vaccine, talk to your doctor about options.

• Each year, an average 36,000 Americans die from flu-related complications. The CDC predicts that the worse case scenario for swine flu deaths could be 30,000 to 90,000. As of August 13, more than two million Americans are believed to have contracted swine flu and 477 had died, with 80% of those who have died having underlying medical conditions.

• Clinical trials are being conducted to determine effectiveness and how large a dose is needed with initial results expected in early October – when the vaccines will be available. While some experts are concerned that the vaccine could be administered to our children before test results are in, our government believes the new vaccine is safe because it resembles seasonal flu vaccines, which normally don't undergo trials either. "It's made by the same companies, using the same processes, with the same materials," says Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who’s overseeing the trials. Does that make you feel confident? Yeah, me either.

• If there are significant side-effects from these vaccines, the big pharmaceuticals are protected – not Americans. Federal legislation allows drug companies, health officials and anyone who gives experimental vaccines to Americans during a declared public health emergency, to be protected from liability if people get hurt. Comforting.

There are parents on both ends of the spectrum (and everywhere in between) on the vaccine topic and many feel very strongly about their decisions. We all do what we believe is right for our family.

What will you do?

Personally, we believe the unknown risks with the vaccine outweigh the protection it might provide. So far, the swine flu doesn’t appear to be as dangerous as it was initially predicted to be. So, for our family, this means that we’ll continue to fight off illness the old fashioned way, watch closely for any symptoms that need medical attention and teach the children good hygiene methods for school.

If that’s your choice too, here are the recommendations by the CDC for protecting your health, and others, against cold and flu:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective when soap and water aren’t available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Well wishes to you this cold and flu season.

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Comments

[Pinget]

Both of my sons, aged 9 and 13, had swine flu last week. School started back August 10, and my kids were out sick the third week of school. They both spiked a fever with a bad headache at the beginning. Then they felt bad and just wanted to lay around for about 2 days. The fever was continual for 7 days. They also had a runny nose and a phlegmy cough. But that's it. 15% of schoolkids in my area were absent from school due to flu last week, along with many teachers. Yet there are no stories of life threatening complications, and certainly no fatalities. My advice to everyone is just relax. I've heard people with regular flu say the stomach symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea) were bad enough they lost 10 pounds in a week. My kids had no stomach symptoms at all. So it seems this is an easier experience than regular flu. Knock on wood!

[Pinget]

Dr Andrew Wakefield, the researcher who claimed to have found the link between autism and mercury, later admitted he had lied about his results. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5683671.ece

[Gina]

I'm sorry to hear that your sons caught the swine flu - but so glad to hear that it wasn't what the media would like us to believe it could be. I'm sure there are some very serious cases but it does appear, based on what I've seen and heard, to be cases with additional complications.

The autism and mercury debate is one that will go for a while. Our pediatrician has provided mercury (thimerosal) free vaccines for us so it hasn't been a concern for us.

Thanks for your comment. I hope that it helps reassure other parents out there. It's certainly helped me sleep a little better.

[Daisy]

Tough decisions. You've thought it through and you've done your research, and that's the best way to make a choice.

[Margaret Back]

Gina,
Great synopsis and research. You might also want to check out germywormy.com for your kids. 12 of the first 15 weeks sounds horrible!

[Kristi]

Gina, Miss M and I are getting seasonal flu vaccines but I'm waiting until the H1N1 vaccine has been out there for 6-8 weeks before making a decision. As of now, I don't intend for our family to get it at all, but if the swine flu becomes epidemic and the vaccine is proving to be safe and effective (and we haven't already gotten sick) I may change my mind.

I've been getting seasonal flu shots most years for the past 20 and I think it makes a difference. But I can relate to your family's winter illness experience this year, we had a couple of years like that when M was 1 and 2, and it's just awful. (Mostly cold viruses blossoming into nasty sinus infections, making for much misery.)

In addition to the CDC's recommendations, I have a couple of others, if you don't mind:
1) get plenty of rest even when you're healthy
2) eat lots of fruits and vegetables, they really support a body,
3) do things that keep you happy, happiness is health-protective (sorry I don't have a link for that, but there has been research supporting this), and
3) if you or your child does get sick, STAY HOME AND REST, to keep from spreading the illness and to get well without being exposed to more germs. If you can manage to stay home until you're fever-free for 72 hours, it's best for everyone (I saw this published earlier this week, didn't bookmark it, sorry, I'll try to start doing that.)

[Gina]

Thanks for your note, Kristi. Those are great tips! Although my husband likes to argue against eating fruits & veggies to stay healthy since he doesn't care for them & rarely gets a cold, the research is there - undeniable! These are the right things to do. Rest being so incredibly important.

Since I'm on the school advisory council, I'm aware that a handful of kids in our small (212 students) school were sent home ill this week. The school is being very cautious but of course it makes me nervous. Marcelena is already sniffling & sneezing so we're all likely to get our turn soon.

Here's wishing for healthy immune systems this year!

Thanks again!
Gina

[Jodi]

This is a tough one and has been weighing on my mind heavily! Thanks for your insight and info!

At this point we are sticking with our (thimerosal free) seasonal vaccination. I am hoping that is all the defense we need. I am definitely with you in thinking that the old fashion way might be the best way to protect ourselves against this year's H1N1 issue. The unknown risks of the vaccine at this point are outweighing it's benefits.

[Gina]

Thanks for sharing your perspective, Jodi. It's a really personal decision and I just hope everyone does their research to make sure they're making the right choice for their family.

I have to admit that it makes me nervous when I hear about all the kids out sick from school, or canceled birthday parties, etc. I try to calm my fears in knowing that we have a fairly healthy family, other than common colds, and have the resources to fight the bad bugs.

And I make my kids wash their hands. A lot.