Down Syndrome and H1N1 Vaccinations for Swine Flu
I was recently reading the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) recommendations of who should be vaccinated against the swine flu which is caused by the H1N1 virus. According to the CDC report, the initial target groups for vaccination are:
- pregnant women,
- persons who live with or provide care for infants aged <6 months (e.g., parents, siblings, and daycare providers),
- health-care and emergency medical services personnel
- persons aged 6 months--24 years, and
- persons aged 25--64 years who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
According to this list, all children and young adults (up to age 24), with or without Down syndrome, should be offered the vaccine.
But what about people with Down syndrome over the age of 24 years? Although the recommendations mention medical conditions they don't mention specific diagnoses. So I started to do some digging to see what the recommendations are in regards to older individuals with Down syndrome.
I contacted the CDC directly and their representative kindly pointed me toward a footnote on their report, shown below, which clarifies what medical conditions qualify as a reason to get vaccinated. I have bolded the text that I think applies to people with Down syndrome.
Medical conditions that confer a higher risk for influenza-related complications include chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus) and immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus).
From my reading of this report, it appears that all people with Down syndrome, due to their cognitive disability and especially if they have a heart defect, should consider getting the H1N1 vaccine.
Do you plan on getting vaccinated or having your loved one vaccinated? Why or why not?
NICE RESERCH IM SCEARDFROME THE SWINE FLU AND TEREFAID FROME THE VACCINE AND ITS SAIDE EFECTS
I’m interested to know how a flu affects mental activity so that it should be a concern with mental retardation and Down SYndrome.
My guess is that those who have a cognitive disability are less likely to understand how sick they are and how dangerous the virus is making them less likely to seek help and get the proper care.
Sounds to me like the usual 80%/20% rule. Most things (organizations, schools, medicines, laws are made and tested for the majority and then the rest of us on the edges just have to tough it and sometimes fall in a hole I guess…what a shame!
My son with Downs is 47, in good health except for early Alzheimers for which he is taking meds. He also takes something to prevent gout. His doctor did not want him to get the swine flu vaccine because of the other meds…….