If you are like me, you debated with yourself (and probably your spouse) about whether or not to take advantage of the vaccination program in District 15 Palatine schools last week. If you are like me, you were squeamish about having a live virus sprayed up your kid’s nose, knowing that the “dead” virus shots were being saved for the kids with chronic health conditions (like my asthmatic eldest child). If you are like me, you talked to your pediatrician and others in the health care field, before you finally decided to sign the consent form.
If you are like me, you are now nursing a sick child who is exhibiting all the classic flu symptoms – fever, headache, cough, congestion, runny nose- a day after the nasal spray was administered.
My pediatrician says it is just a “side effect” and that its not really the swine flu. But I say if it walks like a duck and coughs like a duck, it’s the flu. I have reported my kid’s “adverse reaction” (come on, let’s just call it what it really is!) on the CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at the link below:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/
If your child is suffering from flu-like symptoms after having the LAIV (nasal spray), consider completing the online report. The CDC needs to know how many kids are getting sick from the nasal mist. I have no idea if my child is an isolated case, so I would be interested in any feedback from parents out there in the D15 community about how their kids have reacted to the nasal mist.
And my asthmatic older daughter who received the shot in the arm? She feels great!
Let’s get those chicken eggs working on making more safe killed virus vaccines. If people can get polio from a live polio vaccine, they can get H1N1 from the H1N1 LAIV.
Posted by maryvanek 
District 15 School Board Watcher 