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The H1N1 vaccine: will your child get it?

At least once each day I hear about either an unfortunate child or adult death from the swine flu or media coverage discussing the deaths. Following that information, of course, is the recommendation that we all get our children vaccinated to prevent them from getting and spreading H1N1. 

Coming from a parent who's son is on an alternative vaccine schedule, it probably sounds strange to hear that I'm on the fence about this vaccine. But both of my kids get their annual flu vaccine (thimerosal-free, of course). If I trust that vaccine, why should this one be any different? 

Reports (from who? from where? I'm not sure - just "media reports" I've heard lately) declare this vaccine to be as safe as any other flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is, as MSNBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman commented recently, "A condo." She said we should think of the H1N1 vaccine as the same condo but with different furniture (where the furniture is the strain of flu this vaccine is supposed to help prevent). Sounds good, right? Makes me want to trust that the manufacturer just took out their old "flu shot" recipe and dropped in a new ingredient; pork, if you will. 

But then I read that popular TV doc, Dr. Oz's wife and children won't be getting the vaccine: 

 Even Dr. Oz, host of “The Dr. Oz Show” said, in a recent CNN interview, his wife and children would not be getting the vaccine. 

Perhaps that article was a bit misleading, though. According to another site that interviewed Dr. Oz: 

 "I don't want to make a commitment on that until we see the final data," Dr. Oz told News 4 WOAI.

Which means he is withholding judgment rather than deciding not to get his family vaccinated at all. In fact our own pediatrician, a many who is completely gung-ho about vaccines in general and only tolerates my alternative vaccine schedule for my son, said nearly the same thing: he plans to review the research and, if it shows what he thinks it will show, he'll get his young child vaccinated too. 

The jury I'm on is still out. I'd like to read more, learn more and just have a better gut feeling about injecting my children with this vaccine. Both of their cousins have had what was suspected to be the swine flu and it was a mild illness that ran its course in about 3 days. Of course there is no way to know how my own children will react to H1N1 should they contract it so that is a bit of a fear factor and something that pushes me to consider this vaccine. 

So tell me, will your child receive the H1N1 vaccine?

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[photo credit: SXC]

Should H1N1 worries force hospitals to restrict child visitors?

My niece is about to give birth to her third child in about a month. She was informed, recently, by the small-town hospital where she'll deliver that her two older children (9 years and 1 year) will be unable to visit her. 

It appears that her hospital isn't the only one taking precautions as part of the efforts to stem the spread of swine flu to pregnant patients, those in labor and delivery and premature and newborn infants. 

Understandably, my niece is upset. She doesn't want to have to wait days to see her boys and introduce them to their new baby sister. But she understands the potential risks involved and also doesn't want anyone put at risk. Only she and her husband and their parents will be able to visit her and her new baby in the hospital. The rest of our family will have to wait a day or two or three to meet our newest addition.

I suppose that's a small price to pay to help keep those most at risk of swine flu (H1N1) away from potential exposure. But will it really accomplish much? I suppose we'll have to wait out this winter to see how it all unfolds.

Are you nearing your due date? What is your hospital's policy regarding child visitors? How would you feel if your own kids couldn't visit you and your newborn in the hospital?

[photo credit: SXC]

Talking about TV

There was an article in our local paper this recently about whether or not children, and specifically babies, should be allowed to watch TV. Before my daughter was born I decided that I didn't want her watching any TV until she was at least two, as recommended by the AAP. But life has a way of swaying even the most decided of minds and when work and housework needed to be done I admit that I turned Sesame Street on a few thousand times to keep her busy. It's not my proudest parenting achievement but I also don't think it hampered her development in any way. In fact, would you stone me if I think it helped her vocabulary a little? Now Delaney's three and she still watches TV, some days more than others. Her brother is seven months old and, while I'm not propping him in front of the set, he's usually in the room when Delaney's watching her "shows." I don't think being around the TV is hurting him either, as long as he's exposed to other things too (the very occasional sound of silence, his adoring mother's loving coos, his sister's laughter). But I have read about studies saying that having a TV on can slow a baby's ability to learn language (something about how they can't distinguish language when there is speaking coming from different sources in addition to background noise). So far, I'm not convinced that's true. And really, do you know any adults who are more successful and happier than others solely because their parents didn't let them watch TV? I mean really. How happy can a person be if they've never seen Project Runway? Not very happy at all I'd venture to guess.

What do you think? Do you let your baby watch TV? Do you think it helps or hampers their development? And, Project Runway...best show ever, right?

[photo credit: SXC]