Safe Alternatives To Swine Flu Vaccinations For Our Children
It does seem that the fear of the Swine Flu is everywhere. As a parent, this leaves us with lots to be concerned with. It seems the more we learn about vaccinations, the more hesitant we are to go about them blindly. As conscious parents wanting the safest alternatives available for our children, we choose to research lots, and then make educated choices that suit our families needs the best.
So, we reached out to the highly respectable Dr. Natalie Geary, a top pediatrician in New York, to ask about the swine flu. We got her honest and professional opinion on these questions: “Should we really be worried about the swine flu? Should we vaccinate our children and ourselves?”
Swine Flu: Should we worry? Should we vaccinate?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the global spread of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus. This reflects that the virus has spread to other parts of the world, but it does not mean that the virus has changed or become more severe. However, a bit of a panic has occurred since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu and parents are eager to find out about the vaccine and whether it is important for their children to receive it. The truth is that the H1N1 flu is not so terrible now but the fear is that it will mutate and create more severe disease in the fall. AS a result of this concern, the government is working hard to create a vaccine- and pushing it through testing faster than is usual for a human vaccine. So is it safe?
The H1N1 Flu Vaccine Ingredients and Possible Side Effects
The H1N1 flu vaccine is due to be available in October, probably in both a nasal spray and a shot. This will be a separate vaccine from the regular seasonal flu vaccine.
The best advice I can give at this time is to watch and wait. Although some people have already been injected with the new vaccine, the details of the vaccine are not yet readily available. For example, what ingredients go into this new vaccine? Will it contain Thimerasol or Mercury? What are the side effects of the vaccine, short-term and long-term? In the 1970s when a swine flu vaccine was developed, there was a significant rise in Guillain-Barre reactions (GBS: temporary muscle weakness and/or paralysis).
For patients in my practice, this is the advice I am giving: keep in close touch with your pediatrician, especially as we approach the flu season next fall. Read the newspaper reports about the clinical trials of the vaccine with a grain of salt- the media has really created a panic where there needn’t be one as yet. More people die of the “regular flu” than swine flu- having had swine flu myself this spring I can tell you it is no fun, but with rest, fluids and good care, most otherwise healthy people can get through it just fine. I definitely suggest waiting at least until the second round of safety trials are done, to see if there are GBS reactions. If the studies prove the vaccine to be safe, then perhaps I will recommend. But those results wont be available until November.
Mandatory Swine Flu Vaccinations
The bigger concern is whether the government will make the vaccine mandatory. Mandatory is very different than required. As you all know, schools require vaccines for your child unless you sign a particular waiver. Mandatory is very different- it means that you wont have a choice at all.
The latest American Academy of Pediatrics report (www.aap.org) does not seem to believe it will be mandatory. However, some news reports from the government seem to say otherwise. That said, there will only be approximately 120 million doses, so the priority will be for those at highest risk of suffering a severe case of the H1N1 flu (or those most likely to spread it to others): Pregnant women, health care workers, and children 6 months and older. Parents and anyone caring for infants, anyone with high-risk medical conditions (such as heart, lung, or immune diseases), and young adults ages 19-24.
Safe Alternative Precautions To Take Towards Swine Flu Prevention
Best advice: keep in touch with your child’s doctor and practice good health hygiene.
The CDC recommends:
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands
• Put used tissues in the trash.
• Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Wash with soap and water, or with alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school, and limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them. People should stay home at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100°F), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
People cannot get swine flu from pork or pork products.
And, as always, be sure your child is eating well and sleeping well to maintain a strong immune system.
Thank you so much Dr. Geary for your honest opinon here, and for sharing your expertise with our readers!
About Dr. Natalie Geary. M.D.
 Dr. Natalie Geary was trained at Harvard University and John Hopkins School of Medicine. She did her residency in Pediatrics at New York University/Bellevue Hospital. After finishing her residency, she joined NYU’s premier private practice before moving to Santa Fe with her family.She has also studied holistic medicine and Ayurvedic therapies. In addition to traditional pediatric care, Dr. Geary provides breastfeeding counseling, nutritional counseling, nutritional analysis and allergy counseling in her office in Manhattan. She is a guest lecturer at schools, medical groups and wellness centers.
For more information, visit Dr. Geary’s website. |
Vitamin D As A Natural Remedy For Flu Prevention and Natural Immune Boosting
Personally, we are doing quite a bit of traveling right now and so exposure to airports and crowded public places are happening for us. Due to this increased exposure potential, I was also happy to learn about Vitamin D as a tested and proved immune booster and natural way to prevent the dreaded flu.
Natural News recently published a post documenting findings of the positive effects of Vitamin D as being used for a natural defense against influenza.
Category: 0-1 yr, 1-3 yrs, 3-5 yrs, 5+ yrs, Immune Boosting, Natural Remedies, Vaccines
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