Doctors urge flu shots for toddlers

MSNBC ^ | Dec. 2, 2002 | Reuters

[FormerLurker]

CHICAGO, Dec. 2 — The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday issued revised recommendations for flu shots, saying for the first time that youngsters between the ages of 6 and 23 months should be vaccinated.

[FormerLurker]

It appears that there is push going on for more shots. I don't recall a time where the flu was ever such a major concern. When I was a child, a flu was simply something you caught every so often and delt with. It was never a life threatening disease, and simply required some over the counter remedy and rest.

Being the fact that thimerosal, a organic mercury compound removed from pediatric vaccines due to its harmful effects on developing neurons, IS still present in the "flu shot", I'd say it's better NOT to vaccinate a young child against the common flu..

Below is some information on thimerosal, along with a table from the FDA which indicates that thimerosal IS still present in the influenza vaccine.

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Toxicity of Thimerosal An Organic Mercurial Added To Vaccines

What makes thimerosal so toxic is of course the fact that it is 50% mercury. Below is a link to a video produced by the University of Calcary showing how mercury destroys brain cells. It contains live footage of actual brain cell degeneration upon exposure to mercury.

How Mercury Causes Brain Neuron Degeneration

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The chart below is from the FDA website, "Thimerosal in Vaccines":

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Table 2: Preservatives Used in U.S. Licensed Vaccines-- 2002

Preservative	Vaccine Examples (Tradename; Manufacturer*)
Thimerosal	DT Td (several) TT (several) Influenza (several) Pneumococcal Polysaccharide (Pnu-Imune 23; WL)
2-phenoxyethanol and formaldehyde	IPV (IPOL; AP) DTaP (Daptacel; AP)
Phenol	Typhoid Vi Polysaccharide (Typhim Vi; AP) Pneumococcal Polysaccharide (Pneumovax 23; M)
Benzethonium chloride (Phemerol)	Anthrax (B)
2-phenoxyethanol	DTaP (Infanrix; GSK) Hepatitis A (Havrix; GSK) Hepatitis A/Hepatitis B (Twinrix; GSK) Lyme (Lymerix; GSK) [Labeled bacteriostatic agent]

*Manufacturer abbreviations:
GSK = Glaxo SmithKline; WL = Wyeth Lederle; AP = Aventis Pasteur; M = Merck; B=Bioport.

 

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Table 3: Thimerosal and Expanded List of Vaccines

Thimerosal Content in Some Currently Manufactured U.S. Licensed Vaccines
Vaccine	Trade Name	Manufacturer	Thimerosal Concentration1	Mercury
Anthrax	Anthrax vaccine	BioPort Corporation	0	0
DTaP	Tripedia2	Aventis Pasteur	<0.0002% (single dose)	<0.5 µg/dose
	Infanrix	GlaxoSmithKline	0	0
Daptacel	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
DT	All Products		0.01%	25 µg/dose
Td	All Products	Mass Public Health	0.003%	8 µg/dose
All other manufacturers	0.01%	25 µg/dose
TT	All Products		0.01%	25 µg/dose
Hib	ActHIB/OmniHIB3	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
	HibTITER (Single dose)	Wyeth-Lederle	0	0
PedvaxHIB liquid	Merck	0	0
Hib/HepB	COMVAX4	Merck	0	0
Hepatitis B5	Engerix-B	GlaxoSmithKline	<0.0002%	<0.5 µg/dose
Recombivax HB	Merck	0	0
Hepatitis A	Havrix	GlaxoSmithKline	0	0
Vaqta	Merck	0	0
IPV	IPOL	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Poliovax	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Influenza6	All	Aventis Pasteur, Wyeth-Lederle	0.01%	25 µg/0.5 mL dose (12.5 µg/0.25 mL dose)
		0.0004%	1 µg/0.5mL 0.5 µg/0.25mL
Evans	0.0004%	<=0.98 µg/0.5ml unit dose
Japanese Encephalitis7	JE-VAX	BIKEN	0.007%	35 µg/1.0mL dose (17.5 µg/0.5 mL dose
MMR	MMR-II	Merck	0	0
Meningococcal	Menomune A, C, AC and A/C/Y/W-135	Aventis Pasteur	0.01% (multidose) 0 (single dose)	25 µg/dose
Pneumococcal	Prevnar (Pneumo Conjugate)	Lederle Laboratories	0	0
	Pneumovax 23	Merck	0	0
Pnu-Imune 23	Wyeth-Lederle	0.01%	25 µg/dose
Rabies	IMOVAX	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Rabavert	Chiron	0	0
Typhoid Fever	Typhim Vi	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Typhoid Ty21a	Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute	0	0
Varicella	Varivax	Merck	0	0
Yellow Fever	Y-F-Vax	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Table Footnotes Thimerosal is 50% mercury (Hg) by weight. A 0.01% solution (1 part per 10,000) of thimerosal contains 50 µg of Hg per 1 ml dose or 25 µg of Hg per 0.5 ml dose. Aventis Pasteur’s Tripedia may be used to reconstitute ActHib to form TriHIBit. TriHIBit is indicated for use in children 15 to 18 months of age. OmniHIB is manufactured by Aventis Pasteur but distributed by GlaxoSmithKline. COMVAX is not licensed for use under 6 weeks of age because of decreased response to the Hib component. Merck’s Hepatitis B vaccine for adults still contains thimerosal as a preservative. Children under 3 years of age receive a half-dose of vaccine, i.e., 0.25 mL (12.5 µg mercury/dose.) JE-VAX is manufactured by BIKEN and distributed by Aventis Pasteur. Children 1 to 3 years of age receive a half-dose of vaccine, i.e., 0.5 mL (17.5 µg mercury/dose).

 

[FormerLurker]

For some reason or another, some cells in the table didn't come out the way the should have. As far as the influenza vaccine, the "Evans" brand should fall within the "Influenza" category.

Please refer to the FDA website for a correct depiction of the table...

[FormerLurker]

The video I linked is from the University of Calgary, not Calcary. Sorry for the typo..

[twigs]

This is insane! My daughter started taking flu shots when she was about 13 b/c of her asthma; colds got to be life-threatening for her. But they made her so sick--not flu symptoms, rather fever, pain, etc--that she refused to take them after several years. Her body is now coping with colds and illness on its own again and she no longer has to get steroids to recover. I'm sure they are life-saving for those who need them, but I would never unnecessarily give one to a toddler.

[Stingray51]

Yes, something is going on. It is the drug industry working in combination with the nanny state and business interests who don't want kids to miss time from "day care". The expense of time missed from work by parents caring for sick children was one of their big arugments for the chicken pox vaccine.

[FormerLurker]

This is insane!

I totally agree. It would most obviously cause more harm than good, both due to the thimerosal AND the vaccine itself..

[FormerLurker]

Yes, something is going on. It is the drug industry working in combination with the nanny state and business interests who don't want kids to miss time from "day care".

Something IS going on, and it doesn't look good. In actuallity, vaccines have CAUSED more disease than they've "immunized" against..

DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS CONDEMN VACCINATION

HISTORICAL FACTS EXPOSING THE DANGERS AND INEFFECTIVENESS OF VACCINES

[Delbert]

My wife and I were discussing this issue just yesterday with some concern. We have a nineteen month old daughter. I have never gotten a flu vaccine in my life, nor has my wife. The thought of injecting "dead antibodies" (is that true?) into me did neverdid sound too appealing. However our daughter, who is a healthy toddler does go to daycare and that in itself concerns me because of more risk of exposure. You folks seem to be experienced or knowledgeable in these matters, may I ask what your opinion is on this? thanks,dale

[The Energizer]

Acutally, flu (influenza) is a deadly disease that cause thousands of deaths each year in the country and many more around the world.

Many people in the US use the terms "flu" and "cold" interchangably.

[joesnuffy]

Once upon a time...Immigration was checked

Perspective citizens were detained on an island...where they were inspected and watched for a few weeks ..months if needbee...to see if they had any communicable diseases..

Now this is considered "bad form" its "discriminatory" (once meaning selective-but now a bad word)

Immigrants or illegal invaders.. zoom into community schools were they spread the disease of their homelands..which our kids may or may not have antibodies against...

I am not in favor of immunizations for the heck of it..but if there is a contagion on the horizon..and you live in an urban enviornment or dont home school...

The other choice is even more awefull...either way you could be screwed..neither choice is good...one is worse imo

[FormerLurker]

You folks seem to be experienced or knowledgeable in these matters, may I ask what your opinion is on this?

Due to the unwarranted risks involved with the vaccine, I myself would not want to expose MY young child to it. I can't give medical advice, but you may want to read the material that I posted and decide for yourself whether it's worth the risk.

[FormerLurker]

The other choice is even more awefull...either way you could be screwed..neither choice is good...one is worse imo

I don't know of any serious incidents involving a young child and the flu. I DO know of serious incidents involving adverse reactions to the flu shot however..

[FormerLurker]

Acutally, flu (influenza) is a deadly disease that cause thousands of deaths each year in the country and many more around the world.
Many people in the US use the terms "flu" and "cold" interchangably.

I've had both, and yes, the cold is not as bad as the flu. However, I'm still here, as well as everyone else I know that's had the flu..

[Delbert]

Thats my gut feeling about it, not get a flu vaccine, but for my daughters sake, I want it to be a well informed decision. Thanks

[twigs]

It's a difficult decision. I had to make it for my then-13 year old because of her asthma. She got sick each time she took it. The first time her fever went up so high that I kept her home for several days (she rarely misses school) and the next year she got terrible abdominal pains. She has never had the flu, but she has had bad colds. After two years she refused to take them--just too painful for her. Since then, any cold she's had (and she's had less), she's been able to recover on her own. I don't think, BTW, that has anything to do with the shot or lack thereof. Our doctor recommended it to youngsters with compromised immune systems.

[hgro]

Obviously you have never had influenza! Its a killer for many including my uncle.

[Theyknow]

Dale, If you have ever sat by the crib of a toddler in intensive care with the flu and secondary bacterial infection you would view the vaccine as a Godsend. That this is some kind of conspiracy is nonsense. There are credible issues which need to be explored, but vaccines save lives, misery and money.

[Delbert]

No I havent had to do that , nor do I want to. Usually a combination of symptoms including, bad cough, runny or stopped up nose, body aches , fever and chills gets called the flu from what I have experienced. What differentiates the Flu from just a really bad cold?

[Stingray51]

I don't know much about the subject. My philosophy is to avoid vaccines except when they prevent something you really, really don't want to get. So that would rule out the flu and chicken pox vaccines. I do believe reading that at least some vaccines were made from the tissue of aborted babies. But I don't remember the particulars.

[FormerLurker]

Obviously you have never had influenza! Its a killer for many including my uncle.

And just as obviously, you've never seen anyone with a adverse reaction to the shot. A relative of mine DID almost die shortly after recieving the shot one year. As far as your uncle, how old was he?