about the week part II

• Thursday the boys went to have The Flu Mist. Last year they ran out, and we opted out of the shot. Neither boy has ever had the flu shot. Vaccines are like politics to me, I tread lightly when discussing them. Opinions are either for or against usually - and I'm somewhere in the middle on unknown territory. While I agree that they have their place, I also understand that thermasol is somehow linked to Autism. I don't believe that vaccines cause Autism, but I do believe after reading medical studies from reliable resources that it can and has been proven to increase the likelihood in some children. Again, I'm a skeptic, and I always will be. Our oldest child was long ago diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and it makes us even more apprehensive in general. These things can't always be avoided, genetics play a role and since his biological mother was adopted we're not even sure of his complete medical genetic history. So, his ASD is very high functioning and very few people would ever know it was a concern, but even so - we're not willing to increase his odds. Very few people understand our perspective on being cautious, but no one is responsible for our kids but us. Secondly, a concern w/ vaccines and/or prescribed meds in general with our youngest (my own biological child) is my personal medical history with idiopathic anaphalactic shock. Medications trigger my severe allergic reactions, and some vaccinations are also known to cause "anaphylactoid" reactions. These reactions include total respiratory failure, and potentially a fatal outcome. My brother died from anaphalactic shock and his first reaction occured 5 days short of 1 year to the date of his death, his 4th reaction took his life. These reactions occurred at random, and to this day the only fact we have is that the last reaction was due to fire ant venom, the other reactions are unexplained but likely insect related. My mother has a severe allergy to medications and little J has had his own severe allergic reactions 2 times in the past 2 years, and our ped. has us keeping a allergy journal on him now. We don't live our life in a panic or in complete fear, but we're justifiably apprehensive. Thankfully, our pediatrician is equally apprehensive and 100% supportive of our quest to do what's safest and best for our children. For something that seems to just be the average thing to do, like get a flu shot or even take a pill - doesn't seem so average to us at all. Most people stay for 10-15 min after "the mist" but we stayed longer. Both boys did great, neither one of them seemed to mind the nasal spray at all, and the little one thought it tickled. Had the Flu Mist not been available, we'd have skipped it again this year (they've never had it before). I'm 32 years old, and the only time that I've ever had the flu vaccine was the only time I've ever had the flu. Weird huh? I guess I'm weird. After researching some, and speaking w/ the ped. I learned that the flu vaccines given protect against 2 or 3 strains only - there are 50 known strains of the flu. Interesting stuff. Fingers are crossed that the Mist protects my kids.