[chen75]

I'm really really torn with the decision!!! Aidan has never gotten any flu shots before. Last year he was still too young to get it. But this year he's 18mths and is old enough. I thought I had made up my mind to NOT get it, as there are too many uncertainties about the longterm side effects it has. But I then hear so many people are still doing it, making me wonder maybe it's not so bad?!?

I also hear that the swine flu isn't really any different then the regular flu, and that the media has just hyped it too much, making people scared to death about it. So many people have died from other flu's that the media has never reported on.

From what I've heard so far, the people that got it for their kids...they got a really bad fever for days, and can't keep anything down. My sister who had to take her son to the walkin at the hospital at 2am, met another mother there with her child. She told my sister that her daughter just got the shot couple days ago, and she's been having really high fevers. I just can't imagine putting aidan in that position

But being that he's a preemie, should I be doing it????? also with him being in daycare? I've read on the public health website that "the vaccine has not been widely tested on children less then 3yrs of age". So that kinda worries me

Did you get it/not getting it for your LO? what was their side effects from it? Are you not scared of the unknown side effects?

[army_wife1008]

Travis has not gotten it yet but I do plan on getting it for him. I was very uncertain about it at first too, but after doing research and talking with his Pediatrician and Pulmonoloist, I have decided that its the right thing to do for him.

It is true that its a new vaccine, but the flu vaccine is "new" and different every year because the strain of flu is always different. This is just another strain. Its also true that its just a flu and the media has hyped it up, but for Travis, "just the flu" is dangerous. Travis got the flu shot last year (at 6 mos old) and he has gotten it this year as well. He has never had any type of reaction to it but every baby is different.

Travis is not in daycare and I don't take him anywhere at all right now. Only for walks outside, but not to the store or anything. But I still feel like the risk of him getting H1N1 outweighs the risk of him getting the shot. I think its a decision you really just have to make for your own family. He will most likely be exposed to H1N1 this winter being in daycare but if you think he can handle the flu ok then maybe you don't want it. Its just a personal decision, weigh the risks and benefits.

[Delekatala]

We were doing it, but then we got the darned flu, LOL. So now I am going to ask the pediatrician if it is still the game plan.

I feel the hype is a bit excessive, but It really is worse than a regular flu. And After watching Lillian suffer I say get it. And I know she is lucky, she hasn't gotten as bad as some, my poor niece was in the hospital with bad bad fevers. We still are doing a lot of extra neb treatments for her, and she is having a tough time breathing. And the Tamiflu is horrible terrible nasty stuff.

[MaMaLuke]

Luke and Andrew got it last monday with no side effects. Everyone that I have spoken with had no side effects, if they got sick it is most likely something that they had going on already, unless it was the mist and then that is possible.

[MarieJ]

All of us got it on the 27th, sore arms, kids had low-grade fevers controlled by Advil and Tylenol, lasted 36 hours, then fine. H1n1 is worse than regular flu, we just flew out a 6 month old three days ago to a bigger peds hospital, intubated due to H1N1-it makes the lungs spongy and they get very sick. A 3 month old died in Ontario last week, too young to get vax, but the family got sick and gave it to the baby. Scary stuff. But you need to do what you feel comfortable with, DH and I couldn't live with ourselves if one of our kids died from a preventable illness, that's how we decided.

[Bluebayou]

Hughie Jr., Hughie Sr. and I all got our shots last Saturday, a little over a week ago. Hughie was fine and so was Hugh. I on the other hand got the shakes. a high fever and I was in rough shape the whole night. I was fine the next morning though. They give it to the children in two doses. I think if you do decide to get it, Aidan will be fine. I know how you feel though, I was torn too until I talked to Hughies doctor at womens college and she told me she highly reccomnded Hughie getting it because of his COPD

[Chatterbox]

I was adamant that I wasn't getting the shot for Cayden. Then I heard some serious horror stories locally. I researched, talked extensively with his nurse, doctor, friends, NICU friends/staff, etc. I shed LOTS of tears about it, but came to the decision that it was far better to get the vax versus not and him getting the flu. DH and I both work with the general public and are at high risk of bringing things home. It's a personal decision and it's tough. *hugs* Good luck!

[Seattlite]

Jim got his on Saturday (4 hour wait at his pediatrician's office, and Jim was one of the very last to get it before they ran out). He's had no side effects from it at all.