Comments on What Do I Know; I'm Just The Babysitter: Fear Is Not Your Friend

Thanks for this post. Our daycare provider is &qu...

2009-11-01T02:28:11.291-05:00

Thanks for this post. Our daycare provider is "requiring" all kids to have this vaccine. We don't want our kid to get it. We haven't broached this topic with our provider yet... any advice?

Just to add to my above comment....most emergency ...

2009-10-27T20:40:52.889-04:00

Just to add to my above comment....most emergency departments in the country are only testing patients who are sick enough to require hospital admission for H1N1. Patients who are well enough to go home are not being tested because results take about 48 hrs to come back and are therefore not useful in the emerg setting (ie. the results won't change the ED doc's treatment). Docs are telling patients they have the flu and when asked that yes, it is likely to be H1N1 (because that is what is most commonly coming back from the nasal swab testing being done). This would be the reason for the 'discrepancy' in numbers that Judy noted above. Just think of your tax dollars being used judiciously in this area!

Very controversial topic...no unexpected opinions ...

2009-10-27T20:27:01.904-04:00

Very controversial topic...no unexpected opinions coming from this blog so far. The H1N1 vaccine can't be thrown in the same mix as regular immunizations though (which I just have to add - the research studies linking some vaccines with autism are methodologically flawed and are not a reason not to vaccinate....the reason those precious unvaccinated Canadian children out there can live healthy lives without immunizations is because of the safety provided by the rest of us - from herd immunity - what a disservice for them when they grow up and want to travel!).
H1N1 causes a relatively mild flu in most people and has definitely been oversensationalized by the media. However, this flu strain is particularly deadly in young children (compared with most types of flu which target the elderly). Kids between 6 months and 5 years are at greatest risk of becoming infected, and if infected they are at greatest risk of becoming severly ill, requiring hospitalization, and dying. Those at greatest risk are kids btw 6 months and 2 years of age, especially those who attend any form of day care. Based on this information gathered by Canada public health and the CDC in the US is seems to be prudent to vaccinate young kids. The decision, I guess, is whether you'd rather take the relatively small risk (with potentially devastating consequences) of your child contracting H1N1, or the relatively small risk of vaccination related adverse effects (without devastating consequences).

Thank you, thank you thank you Judy. I really need...

2009-10-27T18:27:07.101-04:00

Thank you, thank you thank you Judy.
I really needed this. You are my hero, I'm so proud of you for sticking with your belief system.
I was opposed to the H1N1 vacc until today when I read the story about the 13yr old boy. I have a medical background and the story just did not make sense to me, I need more information. That seems to be the problem here on PEI, we need ALL of the information, every news station, gov't website and newspaper has conflicting information so we are unable to make an INFORMED decision because we are lacking the information to do so.
You have given me courage to keep my children's tiny little arms safe from the vaccine.
Again, my family thanks you!
Adrien Sherry

I think the difference with the H1N1 hysteria is t...

2009-10-27T17:26:49.459-04:00

I think the difference with the H1N1 hysteria is that it is affecting and killing children. Truthfully if everyone thought back to past years and the flu's that have gone through most of the people who passed away were elderly. It most often hit nursing and retirement homes, and as awful as it is that the elderly were dying for some reason it didnt seem to be as big of a deal. Now that H1N1 has been affecting children and pretty much by passing the regular targets, parents and the media alike are worried and warning parents. I understand your decision to not get the shot but did go and get it for myself and my daughter today. I did research myself as well and have decided this is what is best for my family.

I am not overly concerned with this strain of the ...

2009-10-27T15:49:06.958-04:00

I am not overly concerned with this strain of the flu. My husband had type A flu (the same type as H1N1 but not that specific strain)and while it was bad...it wasn't nearly as bad as the media and the government makes us believe. The kids in my care came every day he was sick, because by the time we realized it was the flue they were already exposed...no one else got sick AT all. I require vaccinations for enrolling in my care, but I would simply not accept a family if they chose to not vaccinate...rather than "force" a parent to do something against their beliefs. I did ask parents to get their kids a flu shot; but they all do anyway. I am proud of you for sticking to your guns...and I say a prayer for that child, his family and all the true victim's of H1N1!

Great blog today Judy! My kids have had the basic ...

2009-10-27T15:39:18.760-04:00

Great blog today Judy! My kids have had the basic vaccinations but that's it...no chicken pox vaccination, no flu shots or any other ones they're trying to force/scare parents into getting. Filling our bodies with all these unnecessary vaccines is not a good thing...is this not why we have super bugs...because we don't give our bodies a chance to fight anything naturally...we always turn to drugs to fight it for us.

I read about the boy that died in Ont. but it said it was not confirmed that he died directly from H1N1 and they were still looking into the cause.

I'm not a dcp, I'm only following your blo...

2009-10-27T15:12:05.832-04:00

I'm not a dcp, I'm only following your blog because I've read your posts on cpo.

I just want to thank you though because as a parent I also had my doubts about the vaccine for my 7 month old but now I feel much better about not getting her done.

I wish I had had the cahones (sp?) to refuse to vaccinate her period because I also have my misgivings about those, but luckily she did not have any reactions so far.

Anyway, just wanted to thank you and say great blog!

Is Dr. Mercola the head bobbing dude they had on C...

2009-10-27T14:51:29.059-04:00

Is Dr. Mercola the head bobbing dude they had on CTV news this afternoon telling everyone how they should get their kids vaccinated because what if one of them were to die and then we'd all say, if only we'd done the right thing and gotten the vaccine! I found him distracting to look at whoever he was. I do not plan on vaccinating my family. We are in the middle of an outbreak in my city in Saskatchewan. Our heath districs has over 50 confirmed cases and well over 10 percent of the student population in our city's schools are out sick at the moment. For days on the CTV news they show the same clip of our hospital and our high school saying how bad it is here etc etc. I've had lots of sickness here with my own kids, myself and daycare kids. Hand Foot and Mouth disease is going around here as well. i'm not bothered. Yes all this stuff is contagious but we're dealing with it, no one is panicking and I'm not turning kids away. And there is no way I'd demand kids be vaccinated or don't come here lol, although that might be a good way to get out of this business altogether :)

So Judy, wow, I give you credit, no vaccinations for your kids? Wow, i know only a handful of families who do that today. My boys have always had the regular immunizations from public health and neither have suffered any adverse reactions, although you hear so many talk about the relation of immunizing and autism or other health issues. As far as flu shots though, none of my family has ever bothered with these and we usually make out okay. It is disturbing to hear about that 13 yr old boy though, so sad for his family how quickly it happened. My kids were complaining about sore necks the other day but I think they're okay. Each kid missed a day of school, one last week, one the day after thanksgiving. Notes came home yesterday from the school division stating each kid must be out for 5-7 days if they are sick. One of my daycare families is dealing with this right now, she sent her kid back to school yesterday and she was called to come get her because it hadn't been 5-7 days. luckily she is a great mom and would never ever think to pawn her 'sick' kid off on the babysitter :)

You rock! My kids will take the flu any day over a...

2009-10-27T14:48:21.075-04:00

You rock! My kids will take the flu any day over a bunch of chemicals that will never leave their system.

I am starting to see the "Disagree" reac...

2009-10-27T14:45:28.264-04:00

I am starting to see the "Disagree" reactions come in. I can't say it was unanticipated!