The New York City Board of Health recently approved a new regulation mandating that children under the age of five receive a flu shot. “The rules will apply to kids from six months to four years and 11 months who attend daycare centers and school-based programs.” The regulation will go into effect January 2014 and affect approximately 150,000 children.
Parents have questioned the implications of this ruling, including what they should do if their child gets the vaccine and has an adverse reaction to it. Some of those parents have reached out to the Thinking Moms for support.
While not all of our children have been vaccinated, many of the Thinking Moms’ children have had some sort of vaccine reaction. It’s because of our children’s experiences, and what we learned afterward, that we want to share this post. Here are some thoughts on what we’d do if it were our children’s health on the line.
**Please remember, we are not doctors, nor do we play one on TV (or the internet!). If you or your child are in need of medical attention, seek advice from a provider as soon as possible.
If It Were Our Children’s Health at Stake . . .
Where there’s a law, there’s sometimes an exemption. So, if we had the choice to not get the flu vaccine because of our child’s health or individual needs, we’d first research vaccine exemptions. News sources say that NYC parents can “opt out” due to medical or religious reasons, implying that it’s relatively easy. In practice, however, that is anything but true. TMR’s Professor will be writing more on that subject next week.
If Exemptions Were Not an Option . . .
If we could not get an exemption and had to instead prepare for a vaccination, we’d read the flu shot package insert, reread the Professor’s blog on this controversial vaccine and continue to do a buttload of research on vaccine safety and vaccine reactions, as well as how to detox from vaccines.
While doing all that reading, we’d also make sure that our children were at optimal health with nary a sniffle. We’d do this because we know that the flu vaccine contains some highly toxic substances. Our kids’ immune systems need to be ready to handle them.
One flu vaccine, licensed for children aged 2-8, is FluMist. Its active ingredients are: four influenza virus strains that are weakened (A(H1N1), A(H3N2), B Yamagata lineage, and B Victoria lineage).
The inactive ingredients include: monosodium glutamate, gelatin, arginine, sucrose, dibasic potassium phosphate, monobasic potassium phosphate, and gentamicin.
Someone shared Dr. Russell Blaylock’s helpful protocol for preparing for a forced vaccination. Included in Dr. Blaycock’s list of tips are also suggestions for post vaccination. More information can be gathered through Dr. Thomas Levy’s article as well. Knowing what to do prior to a vaccine is important. So is knowing what to do after getting one. With all those extra man-made substances swimming in our kids’ bodies, we’d also be on the lookout for some of the extras known to come with vaccination: side effects and adverse reactions.
Side Note . . .
Interestingly, in getting this post ready to publish, we looked at the 13 flu shots that the FDA approved for the 2013-2014 to see what was currently on the market. Of those 13 options, only two were approved for children as young as six months old (which is the age NYC mandates children to be vaccinated against the flu). Pre-Thinking Mom days I would never know to look up a vaccine, let alone read the 20+ pages of its package insert. Post-Thinking Mom days, I now know that if I had a six-month old, I’d insist on making sure my doctor used only what was approved for my child’s age.
What Does a Vaccine Reaction Look Like?
It’s important to recognize a vaccine reaction. Vaccine reactions can be seen anywhere from immediately to weeks and months later, and even, as we are learning now, years later. The CDC shares the following information on flu vaccine reactions.
“Inactivated Flu Vaccine:
Mild Problems
- soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
- hoarseness; sore, red or itchy eyes; cough
- fever
- aches
- headache
- itching
- fatigue
If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1 or 2 days.
Moderate Problems
Young children who get inactivated flu vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) at the same time may be at increased risk for seizures caused by fever. Ask your doctor for more information. Tell your doctor if a child who is getting flu vaccine has ever had a seizure.
Severe Problems
- A severe allergic reaction could occur after any vaccine (estimated less than 1 in a million doses).
- There is a small possibility that inactivated flu vaccine could be associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), no more than 1 or 2 cases per million people vaccinated. This is much lower than the risk of severe complications from flu, which can be prevented by flu vaccine.
Active (Live) Virus Flu Vaccine:
Mild Problems
Some children and adolescents 2-17 years of age have reported:
- runny nose, nasal congestion or cough
- fever
- headache and muscle aches
- wheezing
- abdominal pain or occasional vomiting or diarrhea
Some adults 18-49 years of age have reported:
- runny nose or nasal congestion
- sore throat
- cough, chills, tiredness/weakness
- headache
Severe Problems
(A severe allergic reaction could occur after any vaccine (estimated less than 1 in a million doses).”
Of course, there are a host of other possible reactions, including encephalitis, seizures and paralysis. Those do not appear to be specifically listed on the flu vaccine table injuries that are recognized by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) , but would be problems we Thinking Moms would absolutely consider to be severe.
Another severe reaction not posted on that CDC link above is death. We know that death following a vaccination is possible and wonder why the CDC didn’t choose to include that on that list. Because we love to share here, and have learned so much from each other’s experiences, we’d also encourage parents to read and reference the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) while keeping a watchful eye on their children post vaccination.
Now, if a vaccine reaction is detected, time is of the essence. The steps we’d take if it were our child would be to immediately seek medical attention, stabilize the child, and then detox when they can handle it. We’d also insist that the doctor report our child’s vaccine reaction and demand a medical exemption from any further vaccinations.
All Clear
If your child receives a flu vaccine and is one of the lucky ones, dodging the vaccine injury bullet, we we will be thrilled. Truly.
Not all of our children were so lucky, in fact, my son’s flu shot was one of the ones that took his speech away almost nine years ago to the day. That shot was also one of the ones that pushed him deeper into regression, a regression I am still trying to pull him out of. With what I’ve learned since his vaccine reaction—and while managing all of the negative side effects, secondary illnesses and strain it’s put on our family’s lives—I hope to give other parents the scoop on vaccines that I never had.
For those in New York City who may be negatively affected by Bloomberg’s latest, please know that we are hoping for the best. Also know that we are here for you if, God forbid, you end up facing the worst.
~Mamacita
For more by Mamacita click here.
Hello, I am the mother of a 18 months old. I was against vaccines from the beginning, I was able to avoid hepB at birth but at the 2 months old viit Iwent to the pediatrician from hell in NYC (tamar magnas FYI) who gave my baby 3 shots after I clearly told her I wanted to space them out. Obviously I switched doctors. Since then I went to maybe 6 doctors, I finally found one who agreed to an alternative schedule although was not happy about not vaccinating at all. Obamacare arrived and my baby’s insurance changed, so his doctor, another closed mind doctor who denied any connection between the last Dtap shot and the runny nose, wheezing and barking cough my baby developed after the shot.
I am writing to ask if you know of any pediatricians in NYC who wont scare the heck out of me in order to give my baby shots and gets the extra bonus the Pharmaceutical companies brainwash them for.
Also, I would like to have more info about getting a religious exemption for school when time arrives.
Thanks
Just reread after having my senses assaulted at the local drug store with flu signs in every darn aisle. I walked out and I refuse to give these pimps my hard earned bucks.
Now What really pisses me off is the last paragraph in an article that was informative
but said how you all be there if the shot goes wrong in the last paragraph. HOW SICKENING.
WHAT BS– WHERE IS ANYONE TO HELP WITH THE THOUSANDS IN BILLS FOR RECOVERY THAT MAY NEVER COME AND THE GRAVE NEEDLESS SUFFERING OF THE VICTIM AND THEIR FAMILIES. WHY DONT YOU MAKE ANY MENTION OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, THE NUREMBERG CODE, HIPOCRATIC OATH(these are to protect us from our bodies being state owned)
AND THE REAL REASON FOR THE VAC PUSH $$$$$$$$$ WILL YOU LET YOUR KIDS JUMP OFF A BRIDGE IF SOME GOV OFFICIAL TELLS YOU—- get the point
NOW MAKE THIS A REAL REVOLUTION NOT JUST A COUPLE BROADS PLAYING IN CYBER SPACE. now back to busting my hump to recover my vaccine injured child cause no board could bother to warn me and I was vaccine indoctrirnated until G-d woke me up.
cg, I understand your anger, but you are seriously wrong-headed for screaming at US. We are among the most outspoken advocates for vaccine choice that exist in the world. (Seriously, look up UNICEF’s report on anti-vaccine influencers in Eastern Europe.) You will ONLY alienate people you seek to influence if you call the people who ARE warning parents names for not doing it soon enough to have influenced YOU. Again, if your comments continue like this do not expect them to be published.
What about the vaccine Nazi state of NY. It is hellish trying to get a waiver here. Glad about Eastern Europe/UNICEF
Have you seen the article in the Post Sunday December 16th
page 12 on the forced flu vaccination. The mother said how the parents are not an organized political faction in the first paragraph- so true in NY. Why do I say this, we need serious help/leadership against these vaccine Nazis in ny. When I spoke with a NVIC rep she told me most parents couldn’t be bothered or just cave into vaccines in ny. Yesterday I met a women whose relative was being threatened by her dr for not vaccinating. I try to give all the info I have out to parents on this subject. I hired the best in the field to protect my rights. This can be a hardship to the average family and most people have no idea where to find help to protect their right not to be forced vaccinated. I like to add forced vaccination of the children is just the beginning. Next it will be all of us not just health care workers. SO HELP IN NY PLEASE
As for my vaccine injured child, it is a tragedy, that was so avoidable. So until you know all the facts of her case you should change your tone. This mothers’ heart cries everyday not only for her child but all the others injured from vaccines due to denial, denial denial, greed, and feebleness.
P.S I pass out you theme pages right and left but it takes organized effort of many together and we don’t have that in NY
cg, I feel for you and for ALL parents of children with vaccine injury, no matter what the “facts of their cases.” That’s one of the main reasons why we do this. It’s not my tone that is in need of a change, it is your own. I am not calling anyone names, nor am I screaming at them in all caps.
I LIVE in New York City and I have religious exemptions for my children. I agree that it is “hellish” getting an exemption here, that’s exactly WHY I said you should STOP insulting people who don’t manage it. Just because they aren’t successful or they give up after trying harder than most people have to, doesn’t make them “sheep” or “wimps.” And you won’t get them to join YOUR fight by calling them names.
A fight, by the way, that I fight harder than most. (I didn’t see YOU on the steps of City Hall speaking to the press in the middle of a snowstorm, did I?) I agree that we need better organization, in EVERY aspect of the battle. However, you don’t GET better organization by criticizing the hell out of the people who are in the trenches fighting your battles. What you get is people saying, “That’s the way you feel about it? Well, screw you!” and giving up to go live their own lives in peace. If you want people doing work on your behalf, you’d better change your tune.
Hi. I know that this article was published a few years ago, but I’m hoping someone will still see this message and be able to help me. I live in NYC and am trying to obtain a religious exemption waiver for my 6th grader. He has already had all previous vaccinations, as it wasn’t until more recently that I became aware of the reality of vaccines. So the DOE is trying to deny my religious exemption request because they say him obtaining previous immunizations doesn’t stand true to my religious beliefs. I have to schedule an appointment for an interview regarding appealing their decision with the Health Director by Friday in order for my son not be excluded from school. I’m not really sure what my next step should be. Any help or advice that anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Ashley,
Fortunately, I’m the editor of the blog and I happen to live in New York City and have religious exemptions for my children. New York City is pretty much the toughest place in the state to get an exemption in the toughest state to get an exemption, so there’s that. I’m glad you’ve got an appeal scheduled. DON’T let them bully or intimidate you. The fact is that they are in the wrong for setting up as a tribunal in the first place to JUDGE the sincerity of your religious views. Not all that different from the Spanish Inquisition when you think about it, and certainly unconstitutional, but for now you’re stuck with it. I think the people who run the program KNOW on some level how very iffy their status is, so if you can go in even remotely confident in the fact that these are your religious views and you are entitled to them, whether or not they have changed or the implementation has changed since your child was young is not relevant. You are only concerned with what your religious beliefs are now. When questioned do NOT use an argument about the safety, unless it’s something along the lines that you were unaware there were risks and if you had known it would always have been against your religion to risk your child’s good health (totally making this up, but I’m hoping you get the idea). This is JUST to determine whether your religious beliefs are “genuine and sincere,” so the most genuine and sincere RELIGIOUS argument you can make is what you should say and nothing more. From what I hear, if you do the appeal you have a good chance of getting it approved because you have indicated that you are willing to make a bit of a fuss. That sends a signal that they generally heed. If you think you’ll need further help or some hand holding, Rita Palma of My Kids My Choice helps people through this process quite a bit. You can find her at this website: http://www.mykidsmychoice.com/.
Thank you so much for your quick and reassuring response. You have definitely strengthened my confidence and I will certainly reach out to Rita Palma and the My Kids, My Choice organization. I appreciate your help and positivity!! Best to you always!
You’re welcome. Good luck!
What kind of sheep allow there children or selves to be vaccinated against their wills. Smacks of Nazi Germany and forced medical procedures. Guess the sheep forgot the constitution and how to fight back. An activist from NVIC said so many NYers just cave in. What happened to all the big mouth bi……hes . Yeah sheep in NY when it comes to thinking. In total digust.
P.S. I’m still so pissed off at all the wimps who couldn’t be bothered to show up the anti forced vac rally— canceled cause of NO snow day
P.S Ask your dr about his Hipocratic oath and make him sign an agreement if your child is damaged by vacs he has to pay up. Let’s see how he wants to vax then.
cg, we do not approve of name calling on this site. It will do you NO good whatsoever to call people “sheep” or “wimps” because they don’t do things exactly as you think you would. The fact is that remaining vax-free in NY City is made purposely difficult and your judgment is helping no one. If you continue to insult people, especially people on your side, your comments will be deleted in future.
Someone asked does it matter where my baby gets the flu shot? Definitely not at the place that gives you a discount on their groceries if you get the flu shot there.
But that’s beside the point. That’s like saying do you want your poison in gel cap or liquid form. We’re talking a BABY, for heavens sake! Vulnerable, undeveloped-immune system baby! A little person that, no matter what comes out of Mayor Bloomin’ slick PR machine, will never keep him away with screaming, head-banging agony.
Angry? You better believe it.
By the way, happy birthday, RTJ! Keep fighting!
I just have to add here that studies have not shown flu vaccines to be effective AT ALL in children under two years of age, which makes this mandate all the more insane. This meta analysis of all the existing data concluded that in that age group it is no more effective than a placebo: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22895945 (It also concluded that even in healthy adults it barely works.)
It’s also worth noting that a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed an enormous increase in respiratory infections for 9 months post vaccination, including H1N1, among school age children who got the flu vaccine. http://gaia-health.com/gaia-blog/2013-06-02/flu-vax-causes-5-5-times-more-respiratory-infections/
Even if you are forced to have your children vaccinated against the flu, I think it’s important to share this information with everyone who is part of carrying out this logic-void mandate. The more people who become educated (educators, day care workers and owners, doctors, nurses, parents), the more voices for reason there will be. And don’t forget to get the lot number and all related info to the vaccine so that if there is a reaction, it can be followed up on and reported (VAERS).
Excellent info, Jill. Thanks.
Only 2 vaccines are approved for infants 6 months old?
Are these 2 vaccines thimerosal-free or thimerosal-preserved?
Because that REALLY needs to be part of the discussion.
We are told over and over again that pediatric vaccines have been thimerosal-free since 2001, but that’s not true–vaccine manufacturers began to make thimerosal-free versions of previously thimerosal-preserved pediatric vaccines
in 2001, but they continued to sell and distribute the thimerosal-preserved multi-use vials until at least 2004.
AND THE FLU SHOT WAS NOT CLASSIFIED AS A “PEDIATRIC” VACCINE, SO THIMEROSAL-PRESERVED CONTINUES TO BE ADMINISTERED TO INFANTS, CHILDREN AND WOMEN IN ALL STAGES OF PREGNANCY.
And since we’re talking about how thimerosal-preserved vaccines continued to be given to infants and children after 2001, this is a good time to remind everyone that the official autism rate of 1/88, as announced by the CDC this year, is based on studies from 2008–WHICH WERE ON CHILDREN BORN IN 2000. Which means that they all got thimerosal-preserved vaccines. Lots of them.
Taximom, I share your outrage on this subject, however, it is illegal in NY state for vaccines for pregnant women and children under 6 to have thimerosal. That doesn’t mean, of course, that the law is observed. It has been my intention to actually call local pediatricians and obstetricians to find out which vaccines they stock to see if they follow the rules.
What a shame they are trying to push the vaccines even more and people aren’t doing there research. Thank goodness they are still leaving the religious and medical exemptions open. It’s when they try to take away those exemptions that our rights are being violated. Where abouts in the south do you live?
Laura, on the subject of medical and religious exemptions, stay tuned… Planning a post in the near future on the difficulty of obtaining those exemptions in NYC.