I‘ve been pretty careful to ask La Jolla Girl’s pediatricians on both continents (we used to live part time in Hong Kong) if her vaccines have thimerosal in them. The answer was always no, so I just assumed that the flu vaccines in the US all didn’t have any. That is not the case. Thanks to my Twitter friend @blissnine, who owns a concierge service in San Diego for pregnant women (www.blissnine.com), I read this article from the CDC mentioning safety of thimerosal in flu vaccines. I had just seen a sign in the window of a local pharmacy saying that flu shots have arrived and I was thinking about having the family vaccinated before preschool starts in a few weeks.
What is Thimerosal?
Thimerosal is a preservative used in some vaccines which effectively prevents bacterial and fungal contamination of the vaccines. Thimerosal is about 49% ethylmercury.
Did You Say Mercury?
Yes. The CDC says that the low level of mercury, a neurotoxin, found in vaccines containing thimerosal is safe. I remember being told when I was pregnant that mercury I ingest is passed on to the fetus so I cut waaaay back on fish. Mercury makes me nervous, even though the CDC says I shouldn’t be where flu vaccines are concerned. The CDC says flu shots are safe for both children and pregnant women. Children under 2 years old are more likely to be hospitalized due to flu complications as are people 65 and older.
Risks?
Some parents and health officials believe that there is a link between autism and thimerosal in children’s vaccines. Your body is supposed to be able to clear the “safe” level of thimerosal in vaccines within about 6 weeks. Some researchers that support the link between thimerosal and autism, believe that some people are genetically unable to clear the “safe” level of mercury. There was a period between the late 1980s and about 2003 where kids received multiple vaccines containing thimerosal in “safe” doses. Some argue that incidences of autism, ADHD and other speech or language delays increased in kids vaccinated in multiple doses during this period. Others will say that there is no conclusive evidence to prove it. Here’s what the National Association of Autism says about thimerosal.
Good news!
Thimerosal is being phased out of vaccines and is no longer in pediatric vaccines manufactured for the US market. However, it is still in most flu vaccines due to manufacturing capacity. As capacity increases, the use of thimerosal will decrease. You can try to find someone that dispenses thimerosal free flu vaccines. FluMist, is the nasal flu vaccine and it’s thimerosal free. You might want to ask your Dr about it – www.flumist.com. Click here to see what the CDC says about FluMist. Also, if there are only trace amounts of thimerosal in a vaccine, the FDA allows companies to call it thimerosal free.
San Diegans!
Click here to see where you can find FluMist and other flu vaccine options.
I’m not a Dr so read up and consult yours before you act. I read there is also a H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine coming to market in a few months that will have a thimerosal free option.
If you can’t find a flu shot without thimerosal or if your insurance won’t cover a thimerosal free version, will you have your children vaccinated anyway?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the info – we do the flu mist for our little one and personally one of the best things they’ve come up with!
.-= Kat´s last blog ..S.W.S =-.
Wow. That is crazy information. Crazy scary! You know, it has been so long since Kaish was a baby and getting regular vaccines that I never think about this stuff any more. Great post : ) Stopping over from SITS
.-= Life with Kaishon´s last blog ..Crisis Averted! =-.
Twitter: bearbunch
August 29, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Oh wow. Thanks for the info!
Stopping by from SITS.
.-= Mommy Bear´s last blog ..Parenting Advice =-.
Wow, great info! I split up the dude’s vaccines, so he doesn’t get too many in one sitting, but I always wonder if I should be doing more. It’s such a difficult dilemma.
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..BonBon Deal of the Day =-.
I started following your blog after discovering it on your SITS day, and I love all the useful information you provide! I never would have known this!
.-= Samantha´s last blog ..Stirring Up Something Good =-.
Thanks for the info. I have done lots of research on Autism as I was a compounding Pharmacy Technician, prior to my disability, and made lots of supplements for autistic children over the years. I have read several of the Nat’l Autism Assc. articles on what causes autism and they lack a lot of actual medical fact, so please do research from reputable sources such as the CDC (which you referenced) and the NIH (National Institute of Health) which has TONS of information that is easily understood. I think it is VERY important for parents to look into everything that our children put into their bodies, but I think sometimes associations and celebrities can make “mountains out of molehills” when there really isn’t something to be fearful of.
Thank you so much for bringing this to the attention to all of us.
.-= Lorie Shewbridge´s last blog ..Monochromatic Monday – August 31,2009 =-.
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