Could the flu shot cause neutropenia?? Serious answers only!?

Question

Last year when my daughter was ten months old she received her first dose of the flu shot (a series of 2). Roughly a week or two later after getting the flu shot, she developed a high fever and the doctors concluded she had neutropenia. Her neutrophil levels were so low that she was hospitilized for a couple of days. It took five months for her count to return to a normal level. She has not had an episode since. They think it was autoimmune. Her doctor wants to give her a flu shot again and I have declined. Am I putting my daughter at a higher risk by not getting it. I am also leary about getting the chicken pox immunization. Are there any doctors or nurses out there that can help me out. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

neutropenia develops over time, it doesn't happen quickly enough for it to have been caused by the flu shot, it could have been exacerbated because the flu shot stimulates the immune system, so if her immune situation was already having a problem that would have made it worse. If her blood counts are now normal, there is no reason not to give her the shot, so your worries are unfounded and you do put your daughter at risk. As for the chicken pox vaccine, not giving it to her, leaves her open to contracting chicken pox, which is varicella virus, the agent which causes herpes, again, you leave her at risk for a life long infection . Reconsider.

Answer 2

Flu vaccines though rarely, can cause severe blood abnormalities like thrombocytopenia and severe neutropenia.
You should talk about this with your pediatrician and i strongly recommend you find a pediatrician who is specialized in infectious diseases (infectologist) to try to come up with alternatives so she can follow her vaccination schedule safely.

Answer 3

I agree with "the_only_solorose" a.k.a "kay_floo". It was not the flu vax that caused the neutropenia. The underlying cause needs to be investigated, established and treated.