Because there is no flu shot — H1N1 or seasonal — approved for infants under six months, and because infants are at high risk for complications if they do catch the flu, the next best thing is making sure that everyone around the infant is vaccinated.

But a new study out of the University of Washington, Seattle suggests that seasonal flu vaccines may be safely used in infants as young as six weeks old.

HealthDay reports that a group of 1,375 babies were given either a seasonal flu shot, which protects against three strains of the flu, or a placebo.  Adverse reactions to the shot were rare, and about 1 in 10 babies in both groups developed a mild fever in the days following the shot.  About half of the babies developed an immunological response to one of the three flu viruses.

Though more studies are needed, these findings could eventually lead to the recommendation that young infants get a flu shot as part of their regular vaccination schedule.

But would parents go for it?  Despite the fact that H1N1 caused a dramatic increase in paediatric flu deaths in 2009, response to the vaccine has been ambivalent at best.

Would you consider adding the seasonal flu shot to your infant’s vaccination schedule?

Photo: abbybatchelder, Flickr

The Australian Vaccination Network, which critics accuse of spreading dangerous and inaccurate information about vaccines, is being investigated after complaints the group was allegedly fundraising without a licence.

The Health Care Complaints Commission is also finalising a six-month investigation into AVN over allegedly giving medical advice without the authority to do so.

Furthering the group’s demise is the recent announcement that founder Meryl Dorey will resign this year to spend more time being a “mother, wife and activist” and an admission that the organisation has run out of funds.

Ms Dorey runs AVN from Bangalow, a northern NSW region with one of the country’s highest rates of unvaccinated children (and a large “hippie” contingent.)

Last year the Australian Skeptics awarded Ms Dorey the Bent Spoon Award for highest achievements in what they call ‘pseudo-scientific piffle’.

Entrepreneur and pro-vaxxer supporter Dick Smith is another one who won’t be sorry to see the organisation collapse.

“This can only be a good thing,” he said. “I knew she was having an effect on parents of young children by sending information out about the risk of vaccination and people were following that.”

Ms Dorey has vowed to keep fighting the vaccination issue and has urged someone to step forward to take on the role as President. She has asked supporters to contribute 1% of income to keep AVN going, perhaps prompting those fundraising complaints.

We’re all for free speech and transparent information about vaccines, but it doesn’t seem like this was being provided by the AVN.

Source

Significant changes in the two most common strains of the bordetella pertussis bacteria (which causes whooping cough) have been detected, and researchers have named a change in the type of vaccination as a cause for the bacteria mutation.

Australian children were given a broad-acting “whole cell” vaccination against whooping cough (also known as pertussis) up to 1997, but this then phased out and replaced with a more targeted version which was thought to have fewer side effects.

While the whole cell vaccine contained hundreds of antigens, which gave broad protection against many strains of pertussis, the (targeted) acellular vaccine contains only three to five antigens.

Researchers think that the use of the acellular vaccine may be one factor contributing to the genetic changes in the bacteria.

In the wake of a medical panel’s announcement that the autism/MMR study’s author, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, acted unethically in building the “evidence” that’s been used to support an entire crowd of anti-vaxers, the Lancet issued its announcement today.

Published in 1998 in The Lancet, the study claimed eight out of twelve children vaccinated with the MMR innoculation began showing symptoms that fall somewhere on the autism spectrum within days of getting the shot.

The support for Wakefield’s “findings” has been circling the drain since this time last year, when an in-depth investigation from by British newspaper The Times purported that Wakefield fabricated much of his research.Previous studies had already disproven his theories, but the attacks on Wakefield’s methods have been particularly damaging – prompting the medical panel’s look and ultimate declaration of unethical practices just last week.

In a press release issued by the Lancet today, its editors note, “Following the judgment of the UK General Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise Panel on Jan 28, 2010, it has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al are incorrect, contrary to the findings of an earlier investigation. In particular, the claims in the original paper that children were “consecutively referred” and that investigations were

“approved” by the local ethics committee have been proven to be false. Therefore we fully retract this paper from the published record.”

Considering there are children who have died as a result of non-vax policies, is this too little, too late?

Image: blw photography, flickr

The General Medical Council didn’t look into the purported link shots/autism link — that study has long since been discredited. Rather, it looked into Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s research methodology and found that he acted with “callous disregard for the distress and pain the children might suffer.”

Wakefield was found to have performed invasive tests, such as spinal taps, on children, despite the fact that such tests weren’t in the best clinical interest of those children. They also found he had neither ethical approval — nor the relevant qualifications! — to perform these tests.

He also failed to disclose that he had been paid by representatives on behalf of parents who suspected their children had been harmed by MMR shots.

Two of Wakefield’s colleagues were also implicated in the probe.

More than a decade ago, Wakefield suggested in a study that there is a link between the MMR vaccine and autism, causing more than a decade-long drop in the shots and new outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella.

His findings — long since discredited — sparked heated debates in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada, among other rich nations, over whether immunisations were responsible for increased reports of autism around the world.

Wakefield continues to defend himself, saying doubters should review the proceedings to determine whether they were fair. He said the science should continue in earnest.

Many parents continue to support the doctor and a crowd of them showed up to the public reading of the GMC’s findings. A  number of them shouted in outrage as the panel’s leader read out the results of their investigations.

It’s interesting — not to mention alarming — that despite his study having been discredited and the journal that originally published it, “Lancet,” had long since apologised for its publication, that negative attitudes about vaccines continue.

What keeps parents from immunszing their kids? If you’ve been reluctant — or downright refused to get your kids shots — I’m curious why? What is the lingering doubt? Or do you support Wakefield, his research and his methodology?

Photo: DailyMail.co.uk

Oh, and to then have your kids and whoever else lives with you come down with it? That sounds like a couple of months of absolute misery to me.

But really, how bad could it be? Pretty bad.

The NY Times features Aubrey Opdyke, who was in a coma and nearly died from the swine flu, the saddest part being that her 27-week-old fetus, who was delivered via emergency c-section during yet another lung collapse of the mother’s, did die.

Now, we’re going to ignore the part about the woman smoking during pregnancy. The article doesn’t make any connection between her smoking and the degree to which she and the fetus suffered from the flu’s symptoms. But I’m not going to ignore the part, deep into the story, where the woman’s physical therapist — you see, this once competitive swimmer is now having to do PT so she can WALK! — says she won’t get the flu vaccine.

Here’s an excerpt:

“We have friends who get flu symptoms and say, ‘Oh, I’m not going to a doctor,’ ” Mr. Opdyke added. “And we say, ‘Do you not understand what we went through?’ I can’t imagine why there’s so much nonchalance.”

That nonchalance strikes close to home.

As they said this, Ms. Opdyke was doing her daily physical therapy, struggling to lift one-pound weights. Her therapist interrupted to announce that she opposed flu shots.

“Have you ever read the labels?” she asked. “They’re so full of toxins.”

Asked if she realised that a shot, had it existed in June, might have saved her client and her baby, she frowned and went back to her clipboard.

While I’m not in favour of requiring medical workers to get the shot, as one hospital recently tried to do, I am stunned that there are so many who won’t. What’s the argument?

Any pregnant women out there not getting the vaccine? Anybody already had it? Thoughts? Experiences? Encouragement?

Photo: NY Times

Dear Measles,

As parents increasingly choose not to vaccinate, this kind of scenario comes up more often; theoretical questions begin to feel practical. In communities where not all children are vaccinated, what are the risks?

The good news is that most of the diseases our children are immunised against aren’t real risks anymore; vaccines have been so successful that some horrific illnesses (like polio) have been all but totally eradicated. Without a breeding ground, the diseases can’t keep on keeping on. This is one reason people argue that it’s selfish not to vaccinate: is it ethical to reap the benefits of other people’s vaccinations without returning the favor?

We decided to ask Dr. Saha, the pediatrician who advised us on From the Hips about the specific risks.

His take: Polio may not be a problem, but some diseases are still around, including pertussis, pneumococcus, and haemophilus influenzae type B. If your child is being vaccinated on the schedule, he will have been largely immunised against these diseases already, even without the last shot in the series (which is due at 15 months). The measles and chicken pox vaccines are given at 12 months, so your son may actually have received these as well.

Chicken pox happens, but in babies it is not severe (not fun, but not dangerous). [Read more about the chicken pox vaccine here.] Measles is very, very rare. According to Dr. Saha, a baby is also protected from measles if his or her mother is immune (as a result of prior infection or vaccination) as the antibodies cross the placenta.

You can ask your son’s doctor whether she keeps to the schedule or uses her own, and let her know your concerns. She should have the best idea of where you are immunisation-wise, and be able to help you assess the situation from there.

Regarding whether or not to raise this issue with the other parent: What do you hope to accomplish? Do you want to learn about her choices? Debate them? Confront them? Knowing that the risk to your child is likely very minimal, it seems that a conversation might be more trouble than it’s worth.

Of course if you want to open up the debate for reasons beyond your own personal safety, fire away. It’s a free country, as they say. Just remember that it’s free for both of you. And that though your beliefs and methods may clash, you share the same goal: keeping your kids safe.

Have a question? Email parentaladvisory@babble.com.au

But here I am with a tender left arm after having the flu shot yesterday. Why?

Well, I’d done plenty of research, but a friend laid up with the (non-swine) version of influenza pushed me out of my lackadaisical behaviour.

Being bed-bound for a week is not something I have time for right now. Nor fever, chills, dizziness and terrible joint pain requiring strong painkillers (which I may not even be able to take while pregnant.) A lot of us say ‘the flu’ when we really mean a nasty cold, but the difference is enormous. Could I look after a toddler in that state? No.

As for the official reasons pregnant women should boost their flu immunity with a vaccination, here’s what I found:

• Pregnancy affects a woman’s immune system. These changes can increase the risk for complications from the flu, such as bacterial pneumonia and dehydration, which can be serious and even fatal. Pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalised from complications of the flu than non-pregnant women of the same age.
• If mothers are immunised against influenza during pregnancy, their babies are less likely to develop influenza as newborns. When babies develop influenza in the first few months of life they are likely to become quite ill.
• Women who catch the flu during pregnancy may be up to seven times more likely to have a child with schizophrenia
• High fevers during pregnancy may cause brain damage in the foetus

Of course, vaccination is not the best choice for everyone and you should talk to your doctor about possible complications from the flu shot. But if you’re going to be in your second or third trimester during the winter flu season, it’s something you should investigate. For only $20, it’s a choice I was happy to make.

A disease without a known cause appears to be rampaging through a community that has already weathered much hardship. Let's hope someone can help solve the mystery and bring them some much-needed help.

Photo: Allen Brisson-Smith for The New York Times

But the debate is far from over. Though those three cases received all the media attention, the fact is that since 1988, the U.S. Vaccine Court has awarded millions of dollars to 1,322 families whose children suffered
brain damage from vaccines. For many children, that brain damage led to Autism Spectrum Disorders.

That’s what happened to Bailey Banks, now 10 years old. Bailey attends an autistic school and receives autism services from the state. His lawyer successfully argued that the MMR vaccine directly caused Bailey’s
condition.

Special Master Richard Abell, speaking for the court, wrote, “Petitioner’s theory of PDD (pervasive developmental delay) caused by vaccine-related ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) causally connects the vaccination and the ultimate injury.”

He went on to write, “Pervasive Developmental Delay describes a class of conditions, and it is apparent from the record that the parties and the medical records are referring to Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).”

PDD-NOS was added to the list of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the 1980s.

So do vaccines cause autism? Not in every child, of course. But vaccines can cause brain damage in some children that can lead to autism. Vaccines can also aggravate an underlying condition that can lead to autism, as in the Hannah Poling case. Bailey and Hannah’s parents would tell you yes, vaccines do cause autism.

You can read more about Bailey’s lawsuit and the Vaccine
Court on The Huffington Post, where Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and David Kirby argue that despite what many people would like you to believe, the vaccine debate is still very much alive.

Photo: Generation Rescue (part of an ad that ran in USA Today)