I think you need to ask your physician about that. I do think I’ve seen warnings for people who’ve previously had GBS to ask their doctors before getting the flu shot.

I hope that you can locate a pediatric neurologist with whom you feel comfortable. This is crucial for your child’s treatment, and there are several different, even conflicting treatment options in this type of scenario.

Treatment of seizure disorders must be on a case by case basis. I know you want to make the best decisions for your son’s health care. Finding a pediatrician, and a pediatric neurologist who can guide you through these kinds of decisions (such as vaccines) will be the best possible, and most rational course of action.

Keep advocating for your child, and attempt to locate physicians that share your parenting choices, and will take the time to explain their advise to you. What may be a correct treatment for one child with this disorder could easily be contraindicated in another child with similar symptoms and history.

But I think the question you are really asking is whether a child with a history of epileptic seizures should get this vaccine. While I haven’t read anything saying no, I’m not a neurologist and I really don’t know if there are any risks associated with the flu shot for patients who have seizures.

What would you do????

My son was dx’d with “shuddering attacks” as an infant. Basically, immature nervous system. He would crawl and freeze and shake for about 6-8 seconds. He would not respond to his name, even in a scolding tone. He was VERY twitchy when sleeping. Neuro dx’d as not seizures based upon the fact that it affected both sides of his body, but he did not lose consciousness. We were told that he’d outgow it by 18 mths. Last episode witnessed at 17 mths.

At his 3 yr well check, he was fit as a fiddle. He got HepB and flu shots. Two minutes later, he started rhythmic shaking and fell out. He hit his head and started crying. Two more similar episodes that week. Then another 2 weeks later and then another about a month later. Then, a few weeks after that, he was walking into the family room, stopped, starred, his eyes rolled back, his head slumped to the left and he slumped to the floor.

We took him back to the neuro and they did an EEG and sedated MRI. Both were negative. We went about life. My son was at this point, known for falling a lot and losing his place while in the middle of sentences (saying, “what was I talking about”).

Days before tunring 5, we woke to him having a full, tonic-clonic seizure. He had another at the same time (5am), one month later. He then had another EEG and this one showed seizure activity. He was put on Depakote. He then had a 24 hr EEG that showed abnormal brain wave spikes every 5-10 seconds. Once up to the full does of Depakote, his falling and speech interruptions stopped.

He went 18 mths w/o a TC seizure and then had 2 within 2 weeks, this past July. They increased his Depakote dose. He’s had absense seizures in school and is highly inattentive.

Now, here comes H1N1. Would you give vaccine with possible Gillain-Barre or other neuro effects or take chances with the virus…given his history? No doctor will advise me one way or the other. I’m scared.

Thanks for thoughtful input!

Kristine

Thank You for posting this. There is so much controversy over this Flu shot this year, schools closing, and just everywhere it is being discussed. My particular feelings on this are based on the fact that my step-father died in 2002 from GBS, 2 months after having a flu shot. That is when I became aware that it really can happen. I feel it is like a lottery , and we can all weigh the odds/chances.
I am also grateful to the post comment here about including more vitamin D in our lives. On the Doctor Oz Show last week, he also addresses the issue that we all need more vitamin D in our lives and how simple it is to get it. It is free and comes from the sun in the middle of the day for 10 minutes. I will not be gettin a flu shot. I am guessing that the nasal version would be more of an option to negate the possibility of GBS.

Thanks again for posting this.

Injoy,

Jaffrey