the new flu vaccine this year

[Guest Diane]

Can anyone at all tell me if they know the ingredients of the new flu vaccine this year?

 

Every year I feel torn between giving my sons the flu vaccine, which may expose them to some mercury and possibly other tic-worsening ingredients, and not giving them the flu vaccine and running the risk of them getting terribly ill with the flu, and having that worsening their tics. Every year I don't know what to do!

 

For years my older son's winter illnesses would hit him hard - his fever always goes very high and he hallucinates and has deleriums. It is awful to watch and awful for him to endure. Of course, the sicknesses are always accompanied by a heavy waxing of his tics. The last two years I have given him the flu shot, and for the most part he has bypassed most major flu's.....but I am well aware that the flu shot itself may have some tic-triggers and other bad stuff. He was also getting ear infections regularly which made him very sick (he has had pneumonia more than once and even had atelectasis (partial collapse of a lung) due to his sicknesses). (Ear tubes cured him of this problem).

 

Advice from anyone re this is greatly appreciated

[Guest Susanna]

I was just debating this issue myself. I usually get my son the flu vaccine because of his asthma. This year I am up in the air as to what to do. To start I plan on calling his pediatrician to see if they have a mercury-free flu vaccine available.

[Claire]

Unfortunately, half of the flu vaccines have thimerisol (a mercury-based preservative), which is a real no-no, especially for kids with tic syndromes.

http://mercola.com/2004/may/22/flu_vaccines.htm

(This news was in cnn.com also)

 

Remarkably, the CDC doesn't allow mercury in kids vaccines anymore--except these flu shots. It must be the 'risk of death' trade-off for the risk of neurological issues. Even so, last year's flu vaccine was for the wrong virus, if you recall.

 

I believe that Chiron no longer puts them in any vaccines, even the flu ones, but you need to check for yourself. I believe you can have the doctor show you the label for the vaccine to make sure.

 

I don't give them, but if I felt compelled, I would go early and check labels. Our DAN doctor wanted us putting off all new vaccines for a year while healing occurs (even non thimerisol ones)--but fortunately my son isn't due for 4 more years. Of course my son is older and had been innoculated for more severe things--we just weren't sure on hepatitis B, but he was.

 

FYI, our son used to get terribly sick whenever he got a cold, either croupe or bronchitis. He missed so much school that his 2nd grade teacher told me about echenecea. We have taken it at the first sign of a cold for going on 4 seasons now and not once did the cold last more than a day or two and very mild. We just did it again. Also, he takes the zinc lozenges at the first sign, which create an anti-viral environment at the back of his throat. I think the studies are under the vitamin names here...

 

http://healthinfo.healthgate.com/GetConten...&chunkiid=33802

 

Anyway, the combo of these two has eliminated more serious developments for BOTH my son and me. So much so that this is one supplment he willingly takes at the first sign of a cold--even my skeptic is now a believer in this. Oddly, my husband refuses, and now he is the only one to get bad colds.

 

Nothing is 100%, but worth a try.

 

Finally, handwashing reduces illness by 40-50%. We keep something in the car for when I pick him up at school or anywhere. I just wish I had more influence over lunchtime handwashing.

 

Claire

[Guest Diane]

Susanna and Claire

 

You just reminded me, I am going to check with our local Health Department for the ingredients. My sons did not seem to have any reaction with the last two flu vaccines, but I do not want to be building up levels of bad stuff in them. I wonder if the Canadian vaccines are slightly different than the ones given in the US? I will let you know what I find out from our local health department.

 

And Claire, thanks for reminding me about Echinachea and zinc lozenges. My mother has long been touting their benefits to me. However, I found that Echinachea gave me headaches (I get migraines) so I lost interest in them, but they are certainly worth trying for my son. Thanks again for reminding me of these natural alternatives!

 

And Susanna, my oldest son also had asthma - it was severe, but again we eliminated all the asthma triggers (dust, mold, pets etc.) and got an expensive (but worth it) ultra allergen filter on our furnace and his his asthma has gone away. He still has allergies though, which are greatly alleviated by what we've done for his asthma.

[LuluGirl]

Hi Diane,

 

Just wondering if you have your son on a good vitamin regime. Since I put mine on one they have very rarely been sick. About the recurring ear infections, have you tried to eliminate dairy from his diet? Many, many people are allergic to dairy and it is thought to contribute to ear infections due to all the extra mucous that it creates.

 

Just a thought - off track of the flu vaccine but thought I'd throw it out anyway just in case!

 

Lulu

[Guest Diane]

Hi Lulu girl

 

My son is almost 14 now and his ear infections have been subsiding, but you certainly make a good point. I wish I had thought of that in previous years. If I notice his ear infections starting up again I will replace his milk with something else (he loves his cereal - morning, noon and night). thanks for pointing that out

[Guest Jean]

Hi All,

 

Just want to share this with you. I found out that Elderberry (from Karuna) and Pro-Liquid Bioflavonoid together work very well for cold (i.e., running nose, nose congestion, mild cough). Taking them right after you feel the sign of cold. I got them from my son's ND. My son just caught a cold last Saturday, and he's doing fine now without taking his asthma meds. As a note, there are many brands of Elderberry. Only the one from Karuna works (at least for us). Our ND also recommends to take EmergeC on regular base to help immune system.

 

Jean

[Guest Jean]

BTW, I'm also wondering if I should let my son to take the vaccine this year. I am very interested in hearing all your suggestions.

[Heather]

This is a very personal decision. My naturopath's advice is not to take it, although she always says the choice is yours. Her theory is that if the immune system is strong then the flu should not affect you much. The people who have weakend immune systems are the ones who suffer the worst cases of the flu. I am just being deligent with the multivitamins right now to make sure they are healthy going into the flu season.

 

Heather

[Guest Susanna]

I'm still torn about this as well. I called my son's ped. office and they do not offer the mercury-free vaccine. If it weren't for his asthma this would be a non-issue. The past few winters his asthma has been much better, but that also coincides with his getting the vaccine. I am currently leaning toward getting him the vaccine since we're still working on getting his vitamin regimen down.

[Chemar]

I personally would not go anywhere near a mercury containing vaccine for any of my family.

 

Buiding the immune system, even in people with respiratory problems like asthma, is a very effective defence against flu.

 

A healthy diet with supplements like elderberry, echinacea, zinc, vitamin C, beta carotene, grapeseed extract, goldenseal is an excellent immune booster.

 

I know it must be hard when your child has asthma as the flu can be very severe for them, but honestly, the lingering effects of mercury in general and on tics/OCD in particular, are IMHO far worse. When the flu is over, it is over.......but the mercury is there for a very very very long time.

[Heather]

I am in agreement with Chemar that I would not go near a vaccine containing mercury. My understanding is that there are a certain number of flu vaccines made without mercury and it is possible to request a "mercury free" flu vaccine. My choice is still not to vaccinate but I do understand that someone with an asthmatic child may have a hard choice to make provided the vaccine does not contain mercury.

 

Heather

[Heather]

Also, echinacea can be detrimental to someone who is suffering from PANDAS. Echinacea is an immune booster and for someone who has PANDAS which is an autoimmune disorder, it can worsen tics. I found out the hard way last winter when I gave Will echinacea and his tics went wild. I have read since then that echinacea should never be given to someone with an autoimmune disorder.

 

Heather

[Claire]

Susanna,

 

Why are you restricting yourself to this doctor?

 

Do you have an HMO or PPO? If HMO, then I realize insurance won't cover the shot. If PPO you can call around to all the pediatricians in town--as them if they carry the Chiron brand--or call Chiron to verify this is true and ask for for distributor in your area.

 

I have to echo Chemar and Heather--for children with immune issues/tics and definitely since you know his glutathione is low, getting a shot with mercury is asking for more trouble. Elevated Mercury depresses the immune system and perpetuates these issues. Can you at least have him get a mercury test first if the only shots your own doctor has have mercury in them? Aren't they only $40 or so if you pay out of pocket? What does your naturopath say? Maybe he/she knows of other vaccine sources? Remember, the CDC outlawed mercury in children's vaccines for safety reasons--e.g. mainstream medicine agrees the risks are high. Their recent decision re the flu vaccine is based on a statistical trade-off (and likely politics), not on your child.

 

Our passion on this matter is that we believe that mercury is a key factor for many of our kids. The study Chemar posted discussed the linkage with tics, which is more documented than the linkage with autism. I understand that you want to avoid more antiobiotics and serious illness, but I did the echinacea/zinc for 3 seasons (3rd, 4th and 5th grades) before even doing a rigorous vitamin program this year and it worked. Pure and simple. And again, my son would get bronchitis/croupe very badly 3x each season before this--and now zero.

 

I have to believe it is worth checking for a non-thimerisol vaccine in your area.

 

Claire

 

ps In the meantime, again, double blind studies have shown that zinc lozenses and echinacea do make a difference (and I am hearing more about elderberry (Jean, Chemar and the man at our vitamin store) and hear is what I found.

 

http://healthinfo.healthgate.com/GetConten...&chunkiid=21688

 

Elderberry

Sambucus nigra

Principal Proposed Uses

• Colds and Flus

Other Proposed Uses

• HIV Support; Herpes

 

Native Americans used tea made from elderberry flowers to treat respiratory infections. They also used the leaves and flowers in poultices applied to wounds, and the bark, suitably aged, as a laxative. The berries are frequently made into beverages, pies, and preserves, but they have also been used to treat arthritis.

 

What Is Elderberry Used for Today?

A product containing elderberry, as well as small amounts of echinacea and bee propolis, has been widely marketed as a cold and flu remedy. Weak evidence suggests that this mixture may stimulate the immune system and also inhibit viral growth.1 In a preliminary double-blind study, the combination therapy significantly reduced the recovery time from epidemic influenza.2 Elderberry is being studied for potential activity against other viral illnesses as well, including HIV3 and herpes.4

Dosage

Elderberry-flower tea is made by steeping 3 to 5 g of dried flowers in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. A typical dosage is 1 cup 3 times daily. Standardized extracts should be taken according to the directions on the product's label.

Safety Issues

Elderberry flowers are generally regarded as safe. Side effects are rare and consist primarily of occasional mild gastrointestinal distress or allergic reactions. Nonetheless, safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.

[Guest Susanna]

As I said I am really torn. I don't mind paying out of pocket for this. I have sent my son's homeopathic pediatrician an e-mail inquiring about her ability to get me a mercury-free vaccine..I'm still awaiting her reply. Chiron's website makes no mention of a mercury-free vaccine....they have four different flu vaccines available per their site, three of which are for non-US sale, and the one for the US specifically mentions thimerosol. Of course their offices are closed today so I'll make a call on Monday to confirm.

 

If I choose not to vaccinate and choose the suuplementation route instead, how do I go about it? Do you supplement with zinc, etc during the entire flu season or just at the first onset of illness? How much zinc do you give? Is it just zinc lozenges at the onset of illness or zinc tablets themselves daily? Also, thanks Heather for the "heads up" about echinacea as I believe PANDAS somehow played a role in my son's tic onset.

 

If I can find a mercury free vaccine I will definitely have him vaccinated, if I can't then I just might give it a try without any vaccine and see how it goes.

 

Thanks all for your input.