Vaccinate Your Children? Things to Consider.
06. Nov, 2009 
2 Comments
In many areas, vaccines for the seasonal flu and H1N1 are finally starting to come in. Probably the biggest concern for many parents is whether or not to vaccinate their children in the first place.
In a recent survey, more than half of parents said they were not overly concerned about getting their children vaccinated. Some said that the flu seemed mild and was not a big deal. Others voiced concerns about the safety of the vaccines.
On the one hand, health experts do not want the public to panic. They do suggest that if your child gets the seasonal flu, or H1N1, they will likely suffer symptoms from 1-5 days and then be back on their feet.
That said, there are still important factors to consider. For example, Seasonal influenza is actually more deadly than H1N1. (It kills 36,000 people in the United States each year and hospitalizes 226,000.) It’s most dangerous for the elderly, the very young and those with underlying medical conditions.
Identify if you have children who are at higher risk of serious disease from the flu and talk to your healthcare provider about a plan to protect them during the flu season. Children at high risk of serious disease from the flu include: children under 5 years of age and those children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Seasonal Flu vaccine won’t protect you against H1N1 or vice versa.
Whether or not you choose to vaccinate your children, remember to help them practice the typical methods for keeping safe and healthy, as outlined in our article Do-it-Yourself Tips to Avoid the Flu. There is also great information and breaking news at Flu.gov and CDC.gov.
While home remedies may help sooth symptoms, don’t rely on them as a cure. Many home remedy ideas have been circulating on the web from eating raw onions to putting hydrogen peroxide drops in the ear. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal says that none of these remedies have proven effectiveness to cure or prevent the flu.
We’ll look at homeopathic remedies in a future article. What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear them.
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I am so against these vaccines. IMO they break down your immune system. Its a billion dollor industry and docs get kickbacks, sorry no trust from me.
There are better ways to stay healthy, eat right, manage stress, get 10 min sunlight a day and exercise. More power than a vaccine, but not as easy to do. Our society wants the quick fix, pills fast food and shots in the arm.
Thanks for the alternative info Jennifer .