Parents weigh pros, cons of H1N1 vaccine
The Autism News | English
By Brad Bauer | Marietta Times
Like clockwork, Jackie Greenwalt takes her infant to her pediatrician for regular checkups and immunizations.
But soon, Greenwalt and millions of other parents will be asked if they want their child to be given a new vaccine against a flu strain known as H1N1, or swine flu.
For young children, vaccination would require two shots on separate days. For children and everyone else, the vaccination would be in addition to a “regular” seasonal flu shot, which doesn’t guard against H1N1.
“I don’t know how I feel about more shots,” Greenwalt said. “She gets so many shots already.”
Health officials are concerned about a severe flu season this fall after the H1N1 virus first appeared in the spring and continued to cause illness, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. during the normally flu-free summer months.
As a result, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending pregnant women, people between 6 months and 24 years old and non-elderly individuals who have underlying conditions, such as asthma, respiratory illness or a compromised immune system, be vaccinated as soon as the shot becomes available, which is expected to be mid-October. Also, people living in households with infants under 6 months of age should be immunized, because the infant is too young to be vaccinated.
Absent from the H1N1 vaccine recommendations are the elderly, who are generally considered a high-risk group when it comes to seasonal influenza. But so far, young people seem to be most susceptible to the virus, health experts say. The elderly should still get a regular seasonal flu vaccination, which protects against common flu strains other than H1N1.
Kathleen Meckstroth, director of the Washington County Health Department, said she understands the fears of some parents to give their children additional medicines – especially when the virus has been mild for most who have been infected.
“The reason we have vaccines is for prevention,” she said. “With children, they do pass infection relatively easily and they have been shown to be vulnerable to H1N1. It has been relatively minor except for those who had underlying conditions.”
The concern, though, is if the virus mutates and becomes more dangerous.
“We don’t know if it is going to mutate, but if it would, the vaccine may lessen the severity of such an infection. So it may still offer some protection,” Meckstroth said.
Other concerns by parents are that some of the vaccines may contain thiomersal, a mercury-containing agent that preserves vaccines, but has been alleged to have a link to autism in children.
Meckstroth said there should be thiomersal-free vaccines available, but parents should ask their doctors if they are concerned.
“I know there has been concern, but there is no direct link between thiomersal and autism,” she said.
Greenwalt said she plans to discuss her options with her doctor at her child’s next visit. Her daughter, Elayna, 5 months, will be just old enough to get the H1N1 virus when it is expected to be released.
“If her doctor recommends it, she will probably get it,” Greenwalt said. “He probably knows best.”
Source: http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/515097.html
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