Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by margaret and nicole on January 31, 2010 at 9:56pm

Hi Heather,
I don't think it is causal exactly--I'm sure it will be years before there is any science to pin our opinions on either way--but I do think that adding an immunization to a compromised system can tax the system and allow for illness or disease to emerge. I developed Lyme disease (which is obviously caused by an external factor/tick bite). But I was bitten two years ago, had trouble getting diagnosed correctly despite a bunch of symptoms, and then developed a virulent strain a couple weeks after my shot and was finally diagnosed. I had a nagging suspicion about the shot and searched on line and found many people whose dormant Lyme went virulent after some immunization or another. I think it will take years if not decades for the medical community to have the kind of science they need in order to be able to say one way or another.

Permalink Reply by Mya & Christine on January 31, 2010 at 10:29pm

Come to think of it, my daughter started losing tremendous amounts of hair soon after receiving the Flumist on 10/26 and then an H1N1 injection the following day on 10/27.

Christine

Permalink Reply by margaret and nicole on February 1, 2010 at 7:15am

I think it is similar to how so many of our kids developed alopecia after an illness or virus, right? My daughter developed it after being hospitalized for RSV. An immunization is a virus, dead (in shots) alive (in mists) but still something else for the body to grapple with and in some cases, enough to let something else take hold.

Permalink Reply by Lillian (Tracy-mom) on February 1, 2010 at 9:55am

My 9 year old developed alopecia following several asthma attackes. Like others, I believe anything that triggers an immune response could cause AA to be triggered. The fact that doctors still deny possible links to their shots shows just how arrogant they are. When you don't know what causes something how can you say for sure what doesn't cause it. Maybe its the lawers that keep the doctors from admitting that there could be a link. It wouldn't surprise me. I'm highly leary of western medicine these days so no one in my family gets shots anymore.

Tracy

Permalink Reply by Angie, Gracie's mom on February 1, 2010 at 12:34pm

If you register your child on the Alopecia Register, one of the questions they ask is did immunizations precede the onset. Now my ped said that there is no link--at her 2 year WC this is the only time I have questioned immunizations and their schedule w/ either child, but I have a feeling that the researchers are looking at this as a possible link, otherwise why ask the question? My daughters loss started soon after all her immunizations at 1 year. May be a coinicidence, but also like some of the other posts, I believe virus' play a role. She was sick this week w/ a cold and losing hair again.

Permalink Reply by Heather & Miss Scarlett on February 1, 2010 at 5:03pm

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I agree that anything that taxes the immune system can trigger an autoimmune disorder. I don't understand the way the medical community thinks on this; every person's body is unique in minute, nuanced ways, you cannot say unequivocally that one thing is definitely not to be considered because everyone's different. We did not do the H1N1 because we had noticed the hair loss by the time they could get the mist (my husband is anti-shots).

I tell you what, it was their first and probably last flu shot - regardless of what the docs think. I only ever questioned the varicella before, and then only because our twins (including Scarlett) were exposed when their sister got chicken pox (2 yrs post-vax).

Thanks again, Ladies!!!!

Permalink Reply by Ellie on February 3, 2010 at 5:47pm

My daughter started losing her hair after she started taking a thyroid medication. Dr. said that there is not a link but I think something is up with that.