Deputies Hold Boy Who Fled Flu Shot

WHEELING - It took the strength of two sheriff's deputies to keep a middle schooler still enough to receive a shot of the swine flu, or H1N1, vaccine at a recent clinic.

During a regular Wheeling-Ohio County Health Board meeting Tuesday, health department Administrator Howard Gamble told board members about the student's attempt to flee Wheeling Middle School during a vaccination clinic held there last Friday.

He noted the boy's mother could not bear to watch the scene and left the gymnasium. Out of apparent fear of receiving the injection, the student ran out of the building. The school's resource officer, Ohio County Sheriff's Deputy John Haglock, coaxed the boy back inside. Once at the shot station, however, Haglock apparently needed some help keeping the boy still, and another deputy assisted.

"He tried to run. I looked over and saw two sheriff's deputies holding a kid down," Gamble said. "Mom took off, she couldn't take it. You had one nurse with the needle, two deputies holding him, one nurse is grabbing hands - because that's what they want to do, to go after the needle. And that's the last thing you want."

Source: www.news-register.net...

I think this is actually terrible. They had to hold this poor kid down.

I wonder whats next? Hmm...

The child's mother just let them do this? I'm concerned about her ability to be a parent actually.

"For the most part they go very easy. As far as the shots, every once in awhile you have to hold down one or two - but that's why mom is there or dad is there," Gamble said.

Wake up!

For those that don't TAKE the TIME to go to the source here is the rest of the story

Gamble said as soon as the nurse gave the boy his injection and told him he was done, he hopped up like nothing had happened.

"For the most part they go very easy. As far as the shots, every once in awhile you have to hold down one or two - but that's why mom is there or dad is there," Gamble said.

He added after the meeting that Friday's incident was the only time Ohio County deputies have held a student during a shot.

"They're mostly there for parking and directions. They also know the kids. ... They were our first line of contact when setting up the clinics," Gamble said.

Neither Sheriff Pat Butler nor Haglock could be reached for comment. A sheriff's department official said Haglock is on vacation for the next two weeks.

During a clinic Tuesday at Bridge Street Middle School, similar scenes took place - though not quite as dramatic and not involving officers of the law. A couple sets of parents could be seen keeping their children from wiggling away while a nurse quickly administered the vaccine.

Ten-year-old Austin Price, the son of Jennifer and Josh Price, decided to take the shot standing up and with no assistance from his mom or dad. He even smiled for a photograph.


Seems to me it was just a kid afraid to get a shot...nothing more, nothing less...I would not question the parents ability without knowing the WHOLE story...this was NOT a MANDATED shot scenario...just a clinic with a child who didn't want the "pinch" or "ouchy"...So, I suppose I am a bad parent for holding my writhing child during their immunizations? NOT...

Gimme a break....

Originally posted by rockhndr
Seems to me it was just a kid afraid to get a shot...nothing more, nothing less...I would not question the parents ability without knowing the WHOLE story...this was NOT a MANDATED shot scenario...just a clinic with a child who didn't want the "pinch" or "ouchy"...So, I suppose I am a bad parent for holding my writhing child during their immunizations? NOT...

Gimme a break....

So....your telling me, its okay to be held down for a vaccination?
No person, young or old, should be held down for anything.

They had to coax him back into the room. The media doesn't say what they told him, just that they had to tell him something to get him back into the room.

Did you even read the article?

Even if the kid was afraid....the mom couldn't even watch these people take over a childs own will!
Oh yeah....this wasn't posted as a MANDATED shot scenario.
Thank you.





[edit on 11-11-2009 by havok]

My son now 23 will not take pills, or shots of any kind, he had to have surgery when he was 14 for chronic nose bleeding, to have the IV in his arm three people have to hold him down, still the nurse gave up and the anesthesiologist had to do it himself.

He used to become very violent at the site of a needle.

He will refuse any pills including pain killers even when he fractured his foot on a skateboarding accident at 16 he went through the whole deal without any pain killers.

I guess some people are this way even through adulthood.

I would disagree about the parent not wanting to be there. When growing up, for every shot I had to take, till I was 17, my mother was there, to help keep me calm, as most children are terrified of shots. The fact that she left, should have been an indication for them to not give that child an injection until she could be present. I feel sorry for her child, cause the next question would be, what would happen if her child ends up in the hospital, is she not going to be there to help keep the child calm? What about trips to see the doctor?

If you read some of the comments on the site, they are either hilarious or disturbing.

"Don't vaccinate me, bro!"

"The SS are now strong arming our children.

What next?

This is the new world order and the FOURTH Riche! "

"They should have used the tazer on him."

Those were the funny ones. The others who defended the action were disturbing. It bothers me that people are like that.

I agree that it is Much Ado About Nothing. It's not an H1N1 issue but a fear of needles issue.

We are talking about a Minor Child who does not have the legal right to dissent when their Parent of Legal Guardian makes a legal choice for them.

If the Sheriff Deputies had to hold down a grown man, who is of the Age of Consent, then we'd have a different story. This would be about the violation of someone's rights and we should be irate about it.

However, the mother of the child signed a Consent Form and the child was fearful of the needle. No harm no foul.

I agree that the mother's choice in having her child vaccinated for H1N1 should be questioned, but it is her legal right to have made that choice for her child.

I know that of the few occasions my daughter has had to face a needle at the hand of a doctor they've had to sedate her with gas (oral sedatives just made her hallucinate). Some children just don't cope well with needles...but then again, some adults don't either.

reply to post by rockhndr


I saw no one refer to this as mandated shot scenario. I did read the story, I was appalled. My comments and the quote I posted stand.

reply to post by fraterormus


Notice the media's take on it. They are definitely wanting "hype" here.
"Hold down boy who fled FLU shot"

Why would this make the headlines and front page? Media hype!

If it was, according to the media, just a fear of needles, then why even print it? Or post it on their website.

Thats the whole conspiracy!

Nurses are supposed to be patient advocates, doesn't matter the age. This is clearly unethical, cops is one thing, but a nurse should do better.. they need to protect the young.

reply to post by Seiko


I respectfully hear you and the OP, and apologize...I should not have assumed the post was in regards to a mandated clinic...or any form of mandated vaccine by the "holding down scenario"...

Taking the swine flu shot was voluntary right?