While most children are encouraged to get the swine flu vaccine, some babies should not get the H1N1 vaccination due to their age or to certain food allergies. Parents may also be concerned about the presence of thimerosal, a preservative used in many formulations of the swine flu shot that contains mercury.
Swine Flu Risks for Babies and Young Children
According to the CDC, all children under the age of five years are at a higher risk of complications from the swine flu virus. For this reason, the CDC recommends that all eligible babies and young children receive the H1N1 vaccine as soon as possible, in order to avoid infection.
Swine Flu Vaccine for Infants Under 6 Months
The swine flu vaccine is not provided to extremely young babies. Infants under six months of age cannot be directly vaccinated with the swine flu vaccine. For this reason, the CDC recommends the swine flu vaccine for all caregivers of babies under six months old, in order to protect the babies from potential infection. In addition to sheltering the infants from exposure to infected people, H1N1 infection may be prevented in infants under six months through the mother. Pregnant women who receive the vaccine may decrease the chances of the baby contracting the flu after birth.
Swine Influenza Vaccine Safety for Breastfeeding Mothers
According to the CDC, the swine influenza vaccine is safe for mothers who are breastfeeding. The vaccine prevents a mother from becoming infected with the swine flu and inadvertently infecting her baby. In addition, breastfeeding mothers who are vaccinated may pass some protection to their infant through the milk, providing a double measure of protection to infants.
Vaccine Manufacturer Recommendations
While the CDC recommends H1N1 vaccination for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, the vaccine manufacturers do not recommend the vaccine for these individuals, due to lack of testing.
H1N1 Vaccination for Older Babies and Toddlers
H1N1 vaccination is recommended for all children over the age of six months due to the high risk of complications. Older children in school, and children in daycare situations, are at a high risk of contracting the swine flu virus, due to the higher concentration of people in small spaces. In addition, many parents send their sick children to daycare or school, which spreads disease quickly through a school or daycare population. In order to prevent infection, children should be vaccinated against the swine flu.
Food Allergies and the Swine Flu Vaccine
Children with allergies to eggs should not get the swine flu vaccine, or any seasonal flu vaccine. Flu vaccines contain small amounts of egg protein, which may cause an allergic reaction in anyone with an egg allergy.
Mercury in the Swine Flu Shot
The swine flu shot received by children may contain thimerosal, which is a preservative containing mercury. Inhaled versions of the vaccine do not contain the preservative. Single-dose versions of the injected vaccine may not contain thimerosal, while most multi-dose formulations do contain this preservative in order to prevent bacterial and fungi growth.
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Benefits & Risks of Swine Flu Shots in Pregnancy
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References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Victoria Nicks - Victoria Nicks has a Master's Degree in IT, and extensive hands-on experience with various types of hardware and software.
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