Flu shot: increase tics or no impact?

[Vajra]

We are trying to decide on whether to have our son, age 5, the flu shot this year. He has motor tics, but did not have an increase following the flu shot last year. Our homeopath advises against his getting the flu shot. However, the risks from getting the flu can be severe, especially in a chld. Our doctor's office offers thimerisol free flu shots and because we are concerned the potential severity of a bout with the flu we are considering having him get this vaccination. We are wondering if others have had problems with their child's tics worsening after thimerisol-free flu shots. Thanks.

[CSP]

vajra,

 

I'm glad to hear you are going to go with the shot from a DR. I have a friend who is a nurse and she goes around to different places giving the flu shot and was told that if anyone wanted to get a thimerisol free shot they would need to see their r. for it. So just an FYI don't just go anywhere to get the flu shot you must ask if it is free of thimerisol.

 

So your child is not sensitive to eggs? That would be my concern. Our ped said not to ever have my kids get the flu shot, not because of tics, but because she really believes the kids need to get the flu and have their own body fight it off. I know that is not true for all children some do need the flu shot.

 

One of the girls I work with she is 18 had to have the flu shot this past weekend because her dad had to make sure he did not get the flu because of I think white blood cells or something. I'm not sure what she said was wrong with him, but her whole family had to have it. She did not feel well and said her arm really hurt, she is 18 and said this would be the last time she ever gets it. She does not have Ts or anything very smart girl and want to go to Penn State.

 

CP

[kim]

Vajra,

 

I don't know what your child's medical history is, so there may be a reason that you are concerned about the flu?

 

My boys have never had the flu vaccine so I can't really comment on tics. I would encourage you to do a little research on the flu vaccine though, just so you have a realistic risk/reward ratio to base your decision on.

 

Here's an article that you might want to read. I just pulled it up quickly. There a TONS more. Just pay attention to the phrase "flu like illness," read from several sources (CDC website too). You might try to find the actual Cochran review of the flu vaccine. I think you may be surprised at what you find.

 

 

 

http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/FluV...yEffective.html 2004

 

lot's of thread here on flu vaccines, you might have to go back a few pages or use the search feature, not sure if it's being discussed as I haven't been there in quite a while

 

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=47

[kim]

edit- to remove double post

[Betty04]

We are trying to decide on whether to have our son, age 5, the flu shot this year. He has motor tics, but did not have an increase following the flu shot last year. Our homeopath advises against his getting the flu shot. However, the risks from getting the flu can be severe, especially in a chld. Our doctor's office offers thimerisol free flu shots and because we are concerned the potential severity of a bout with the flu we are considering having him get this vaccination. We are wondering if others have had problems with their child's tics worsening after thimerisol-free flu shots. Thanks.

 

 

My son had the flu shot last year, thimersol free. He had an explosive onset of tics within 24 hours and has never been the same. We were advised to never give the flu shot again and his reaction was reported to the CDC as an adverse event. I don't think this would happen with every child with tics but for some I think it is a risk.

[guy123]

I've been debating whether or not to get a flu shot this year.

 

I never noticed it made my tic worse, but I sure do seem to always get a bad sore throat within 0-30 days of getting one (3 years ago I got a sore throat that night that lasted for over 2 weeks... of course my sore throats ALWAYS last forever and are so painful I have to take codiene and/or vicodin just to be able to talk/swallow).

[guy123]

I made an appointment at Walgreens next Friday to get a mercury free flu shot

 

It's a little more expensive but it's worth it, I think. The brand is Afluria.

[patty]

IMO, unless your child have some health concerns, i would not consider the flu shot as suggested by your homeopath. Also, the flu shot does not guarantee not catching the flu. Most people on a chronic remedy do not get seriously ill since they are fairly healthy.

 

Is your son taking any remedy from his homeopath for his motor tics? If so, can you provide some detailed info as i am very interest it for my child. How long has your son been on the remedy? Any noticeable emotional or mental changes? And is it helping your son's motor tics?

 

Thx!

 

Pat

[Vajra]

just a follow up. we ended up having my son get the thimersol free (you need to insist on the single dose application as opposed to the serum drawn from a multi-use vial) and he did not have any increase in tics, thank goodness.

 

It is difficult to know if the homeopathy is helpful or not because we have made so many other changes (Gluten free, dairy free, lower salicylates, lower oxalates, mostly corn and soy free, and lots of vitamin supplementation based on Great Plans Lab testing and food changes based on ImmunoLabs IgG food sensitivity results. The homeopath does not reveal the remedies by name. However, she (the homeopathy) has been very accurate about some of her predictions (ex, this we cause a brief increase in symptoms followed by period of decrease, or this one will jump start his growth spurt followed by a slight increase in tics and then a low symptom period. She is treating the other behavioral issues as well which she things are inter-connected). So, in general we are definitely continuing with the homeopathy, but can't identify it as the main thing that has helped.

 

Be sure to find a homeopathy who specializes in children and has treated lots of similar cases before. One person I called initially said she had never treated tics but would be willing to try.

 

 

IMO, unless your child have some health concerns, i would not consider the flu shot as suggested by your homeopath. Also, the flu shot does not guarantee not catching the flu. Most people on a chronic remedy do not get seriously ill since they are fairly healthy.

 

Is your son taking any remedy from his homeopath for his motor tics? If so, can you provide some detailed info as i am very interest it for my child. How long has your son been on the remedy? Any noticeable emotional or mental changes? And is it helping your son's motor tics?

 

Thx!

 

Pat

[patty]

Does your child's homeopath do one remedy at a time then change the remedy as the condition change?

 

Also, does your homeopath have experience treating with tics or TS and other neuro issues? I am in the process of looking for a family homeopath and find it difficult to find someone i trust.

 

Is your child on a liquid or pellet remedy? And when your childs tics increased, was it short lived like a couple of days then subside? I want to do homeopathy but afraid what may come up.

 

Thx for your feedback.

 

Pat

[Vajra]

The homeopath is a "classical" homeopath which means she does one remedy at a time.

She also treats autism spectrum and ADHD (and I'm sure lots else but I only know about this)

She also recommended some common sense behavioral changes.

 

she uses a single daily remedy (pellets) and then briefly has special remedies (could be pellets or pellets dissolved in water for a liquid remedy) for various purposes.

the increases in symptoms were short lived and seem so to only happen if the remedy was the correct one for ultimately improving the tics, so I would not avoid homeopathy for this reason.

you could wait until the next school break so there is less school disruption.

 

 

Does your child's homeopath do one remedy at a time then change the remedy as the condition change?

 

Also, does your homeopath have experience treating with tics or TS and other neuro issues? I am in the process of looking for a family homeopath and find it difficult to find someone i trust.

 

Is your child on a liquid or pellet remedy? And when your childs tics increased, was it short lived like a couple of days then subside? I want to do homeopathy but afraid what may come up.

 

Thx for your feedback.

 

Pat

[kim]

I made an appointment at Walgreens next Friday to get a mercury free flu shot

 

It's a little more expensive but it's worth it, I think. The brand is Afluria.

 

Afluria does come in both a thimerosal containing and thimerosal free version, so please make sure that it is a prefilled syringe and not drawn from a multidose vial. If it's more expensive and you have specifically asked, you should be ok, but I would ask to see an insert anyway. Ok, so I'm not exactly trusting anymore

 

 

http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:JNT1fZ...;cd=1&gl=us