Do you vaccinate your children?

QUOTE
there are recent active cases of the bubonic plague New Mexico.


AND what an AWFUL thing to have... I did a report on it in Science class in Highschool... ICK!

 

QUOTE(Mellizos @ Apr 20 2007, 05:48 AM) [snapback]227930[/snapback]
I tried to read the link, but couldn't take it seriously from the 1st paragraph.
1. Cholera, dysentary, typhus and plague still exist. Yes, even plague. They haven't been eradicated. They rarely occur in the US because of clean water and controls on bed bugs, but they are occasional to common in the 3rd world. So, yes, sanitation and medical care helped control them in the US, but that leads me to question#2.
2. And what do these diseases have to do with smallpox eradication? The diseases aren't related. Maybe it comes from the mistaken belief that smallpox is transmitted by lice or bed bugs. But reputable medical sources say that is not true.
3. So how can I take this source seriously when their opening summary paragraph is so flawed?

Very good points. I thought about this last night, after I shut down my computer.


QUOTE(cajuntwinmom @ Apr 20 2007, 08:02 AM) [snapback]228130[/snapback]
"cholera, dysentary, typhus, plague"

I just want to add that these disease are all causes by bacteria, these are not viral infections. Most of the vaccines are for viruses, since it is very difficult to treat viral infections such as smallpox, typhoid, measles, diptheria, polio. Tetanus is the exception.

Absolutely. For many viruses, there are no treatments.

And I want to address the fourth paragraph in the same link:QUOTE
Before health agencies and schools of public health were completely taken over by allopathic medicine, the great legacy of the sanitary reformers—Max von Penttenkofer, James T. Briggs, Dr. John Snow, Edwin Chadwick, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Southwood Smith—was that they were able to eradicate cholera, yellow fever, tuberculosis, typhus, typhoid, scarlet fever, diptheria, whooping cough, measles and the bubonic plague long before vaccinations were developed or routinely used.

Ummmm, they did? :nea:
Here is an interesting article on Whooping Cough: Unvaccinated children help spread the disease.
"Before the original pertussis vaccine was introduced in 1949, the incidence of whooping cough was 150 cases per 100,000 Americans. The vaccine dropped it to 1.5 cases per 100,000, but it has been creeping back up since 1983, as more parents shun the vaccine for their children."

 

QUOTE(Angelasbabes @ Apr 16 2007, 10:17 PM) [snapback]222603[/snapback]
Mine is absolutely!

I will say, however, that I've waited on the chicken pox shot as long as I can. So, instead of at the age of 18months or 2 years, I wait until they go to school, when it's required. It's a shot that I think shouldn't be given until they're teenagers.


I'd like to know why?? Most kids that get chickenpox get it before they are teenagers...so what sense is there in making them wait that long?... I really waffled on the chicken pox vaccine... but a few years ago I got shingles...it was not fun...and now I'm more susceptible to getting shingles again... (shingles comes from the chicken pox virus that lies dormant in my system from having it as a child.) My hope is that by giving my kids the vaccine they will never get shingles.... I'm not sure if it works this way...but I'm hopeful that it does. I did wait to start my kids on their vaccines until they were 2 months old... I don't believe in starting them before I know what my own child's "norm" is.... I wouldn't know if they were having a bad reaction if I didn't know how they normally behaved...

 

QUOTE(Susanna+3 @ Apr 20 2007, 07:17 PM) [snapback]228530[/snapback]
I'd like to know why?? Most kids that get chickenpox get it before they are teenagers...so what sense is there in making them wait that long?... I really waffled on the chicken pox vaccine... but a few years ago I got shingles...it was not fun...and now I'm more susceptible to getting shingles again... (shingles comes from the chicken pox virus that lies dormant in my system from having it as a child.) My hope is that by giving my kids the vaccine they will never get shingles.... I'm not sure if it works this way...but I'm hopeful that it does. I did wait to start my kids on their vaccines until they were 2 months old... I don't believe in starting them before I know what my own child's "norm" is.... I wouldn't know if they were having a bad reaction if I didn't know how they normally behaved...


I need some education. I never had chicken pox as a kid, or atleast I don't remember it. I recently was vaccinated against chicken pox. Anyway, so you had chicken pox as a kid or you got the virus but it lied dormant in your body? I got the vaccine because I have heard that getting shingles is very bad and potentially dangerous for adults and I was at risk for not having the vaccine or having had the disease.

 

QUOTE(LmSjt915 @ Apr 19 2007, 04:33 AM) [snapback]226347[/snapback]
I am not relying on anyone else to keep my children healthy. I do not believe in herd immunity, it's a crock.

As for the comment about how many times I take my dd's to the doctor for illnesses, it has been 4 times for BOTH of my children since BIRTH. They are 19 months old now. They haven't been to a "well child" in over 9 months. The only times they EVER got sick was when we went to the doctor for a well child visit. I am lucky that my girls don't have to be in daycare, and I am well aware that may have something to do with their good health, but I also believe it is because they have a healthy intact immune system that hasn't been messed with.

What is the risk I am exposing other people to? You still haven't clarified that. You just keep saying a "risk"? I would like to know specifically what you mean by that.


I just wanted add here that I don't think the number of colds our children get have anything to do with this whole debate... my kids have gotten all their vaccines and in all three of their cases each of them only had 1 cold their first 18 months.... I just think it's silly to brag about our kids immune systems... much of that has to do with where you take them and what their exposure level is.... So if we're going to get into a silly contest about how healthy our kids are I just wanted to throw in my silly "evidence" that vaccines don't cause more colds! I'm glad your kids have been healthier than average....but that's where we get averages from in the first place... it's hardly good, solid evidence one way or another... I think some of the emotion in this debate comes b/c people do have emotional reason to vaccinate or not to vaccinate...when we start throwing these emotional reasons into our arguments as if they make solid reasons for other people to vaccinate or not to vaccinate then emotional response will also run high. Gee, I could throw in the arguement that my grandfather lost a most beloved sister at age 16 due to TB and that's why I vaccinate.... but truthfully, I vaccinate for my own kids....not anyone else... you need to make your own choice, and I do believe that you should have the right to make that choice... But why not simply state that you make that choice for your own personal, emotional, and what you view as solid scientific evidence..without feeling the need to convince others based on emotional non-evidence. Most people will accept your reasons for not vaccinating your own children whether your reasons are scientific or emotional...but they will never be convinced for their own children with anything less than solid scientific evidence...which you will have a difficult time finding in this case. I think the non-vaccinators here have offered enough evidence to convince me that they have made the choice that is right for their family..with clear family history of reaction, etc... But why not stop there... It's to your benefit that other kids are vaccinated "guinea pigs" and it keeps your non-vaccinated kids safe...so I wouldn't go out of my way to argue against vaccinators.... God bless you and your kids... I hope none of the kids represented here ever get sick from any of these diseases or possible side-effects.

 

QUOTE(cajuntwinmom @ Apr 20 2007, 07:36 PM) [snapback]228564[/snapback]
I need some education. I never had chicken pox as a kid, or atleast I don't remember it. I recently was vaccinated against chicken pox. Anyway, so you had chicken pox as a kid or you got the virus but it lied dormant in your body? I got the vaccine because I have heard that getting shingles is very bad and potentially dangerous for adults and I was at risk for not having the vaccine or having had the disease.


I had chicken pox as a kid.... the virus never goes away once you have it though...it kind of sleeps in your system and it can be re-triggered... I had a mild case of shingles...but it was enough to require pain medication and caused a great deal of fatigue...smack dab in the middle of my twin sister's wedding weekend... I was also told that it wasn't contagious...but within a week of visiting with me both my BIL, who was young and healthy, and my grandfather got really bad cases of shingles... kind of too coincidental for my liking... In my grandfather's case it came near to blinding him...and it seemed to trigger a downward decline in his health which he never really came out of..... I'm glad I don't have too much of a guilt complex over it! I did talk to my doctor about whether it was contagious..and I did give my grandmother the option of my staying away... Not to mention that chicken pox can cause scars...my twin sister and I had a very mild case of chicken pox...but she still got a scar right in the middle of her forehead that has never gone away. She keeps her bangs cut...

 

I know that many of you who don't vaccinate have linked autism and ADHD to vaccinations but have you seen the news reports where they think it could be caused by ULTRASOUNDS? Ultrasounds are much more common nowadays than they were when we were growing up. An uneventful pregnancy has at least one if not more while high risk and multiple pregnancies have MANY more...Maybe ultrasounds cause SIDS, Autism, ADD and the like... The point I am trying to make is that the medical community DOESN'T KNOW what causes many of these afflictions. I personally wouldn't want to risk one of my children getting a possibly deadly but preventable disease so I vaccinate.

 

More information on Whooping Cough from a pediatric website: HERE


QUOTE
From kidsgrowth.com.. http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=838

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE
STOPPED VACCINATIONS ?

Vaccines are responsible for the control of many infectious diseases that were once common in this country. However, the viruses and bacteria that cause vaccine-preventable disease and death still exist and can be passed on to people who are not protected by vaccines. Vaccine-preventable diseases have a costly impact, resulting in doctor's visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths. Sick children can also cause parents to lose time from work.

Part I: Polio, Measles , Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Meningitis, Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Polio

Polio virus causes acute paralysis that can lead to permanent physical disability and even death. Before polio vaccine was available, 13,000 to 20,000 cases of paralytic polio were reported each year in the United States. These annual epidemics of polio often left thousands of victims--mostly children--in braces, crutches, wheelchairs, and iron lungs.
Development of polio vaccines and implementation of polio immunization programs have eliminated paralytic polio caused by wild polio viruses in the U.S. and the entire Western hemisphere.
In 1999, as a result of global immunization efforts to eradicate the disease, there were about 5,000 documented cases of polio in the world. In 1994, wild polio virus was imported to Canada from India, but high vaccination levels prevented it from spreading in the population.
Measles

Before measles immunization were available, nearly everyone in the U.S. got measles. There were approximately 3-4 million measles cases each year. An average of 450 measles-associated deaths were reported each year between 1953 and 1963.
In industrialized countries, up to 20% of persons with measles are hospitalized, and 7% to 9% suffer from complications such as pneumonia, diarrhea, or ear infections. Although less common, some persons with measles develop encephalitis, resulting in brain damage. It is estimated that as many as one of every 1,000 persons with measles will die.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world and is frequently imported into the U.S. In 1998, most cases were associated with international visitors or U.S. residents who were exposed to the measles virus while traveling abroad. More than 90% of people who are not immune will get measles if they are exposed to the virus.
If vaccinations were stopped, 2.7 million measles deaths worldwide could be expected. In the U.S., widespread use of measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles compared with the pre-vaccine era. If we stopped immunization, measles would increase to pre-vaccine levels.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Meningitis

Before Hib vaccine became available, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in U.S. infants and children. Before the vaccine was developed, there were approximately 20,000 invasive Hib cases annually. Approximately two thirds of the 20,000 cases were meningitis, and one-third were other life-threatening invasive Hib diseases such as bacteria in the blood, pneumonia, or inflamation of the epiglotis. About one of every 200 U.S. children under 5 years of age got an invasive Hib disease. Hib meningitis killed 600 children each year, and left many survivors with deafness, seizures, or mental retardation.
Since introduction of conjugate Hib vaccine in December 1987, the incidence of Hib has declined by 98 percent. From 1994-1998, fewer than 10 fatal cases of invasive Hib disease were reported each year.
This preventable disease was a common, devastating illness as recently as 1990; now, most pediatricians just finishing training have never seen a case. If we were to stop immunization, we would likely soon return to the pre-vaccine numbers of invasive Hib disease cases and deaths.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Since the early 1980s, reported pertussis cases have been increasing, with peaks every 3-4 years; however, the number of reported cases remains much lower than levels seen in the pre-vaccine era. Compared with pertussis cases in other age groups, infants who are 6 months old or younger with pertussis experience the highest rate of hospitalization, pneumonia, seizures, encephalopathy (a degenerative disease of the brain) and death. From 1990 to 1996, 57 persons died from pertussis; 49 of these were aged <6 months.
Before pertussis immunizations were available, nearly all children developed whooping cough. In the U.S., prior to pertussis immunization, between 150,000 and 260,000 cases of pertussis were reported each year, with up to 9,000 pertussis-related deaths.
Pertussis can be a severe illness, resulting in prolonged coughing spells that can last for many weeks. These spells can make it difficult for a child to eat, drink, and breathe. Because vomiting often occurs after a coughing spell, infants may lose weight and become dehydrated. In infants, it can also cause pneumonia and lead to brain damage, seizures, and mental retardation.
The newer pertussis vaccine (acellular or DTaP) that has been available for use in the United States since 1991. These vaccines are effective and associated with fewer mild and moderate adverse reactions when compared with the older (whole-cell DTP) vaccine.
During the 1970s, widespread concerns about the safety of pertussis immunization led to a rapid fall in immunization levels in the United Kingdom. More than 100,000 cases and 36 deaths due to pertussis were reported during an epidemic in the mid 1970s. In Japan, pertussis vaccination coverage fell from 80 percent in 1974 to 20 percent in 1979. An epidemic occurred in 1979, resulted in more than 13,000 cases and 41 deaths.
Pertussis cases occur throughout the world. If we stopped pertussis immunizations in the U.S., we would experience a massive resurgence of pertussis disease. A very recent study found that, in eight countries where immunization coverage was reduced, incidence rates of pertussis surged to 10 to 100 times the rates in countries where vaccination rates were sustained.

QUOTE
from kidsgrowth.org .. http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articl...ail.cfm?id=1064


Why Get Vaccinated?
Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus are serious diseases.

Diphtheria

Diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat.
It can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and even death
Tetanus (Lockjaw)

Tetanus causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body.
It can lead to “locking” of the jaw so the person cannot open his mouth or swallow. Tetanus can lead to death.

Pertussis (Whooping cough)

Pertussis causes coughing spells so bad that it is hard for infants to eat, drink, or breathe. These can last for weeks.
It can lead to pneumonia, seizures (jerking and staring spells), brain damage, and death.
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines prevent these diseases. Most children who get all their shots will be protected during childhood. Many more children would get these diseases if we stopped vaccinating.

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines

DTP vaccine - Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis and has been used for many years

DTaP vaccine- Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis ;Newer than DTP; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends DTaP over DTP This is because DTaP is less likely to cause reactions than DTP

Related vaccines - Combinations: To reduce the number of shots a child must get, DTP or DTaP may be available in combination with other vaccines. DT protects against diphtheria and tetanus, but not pertussis. It only is recommended for children who should not get pettussis vaccine.

What are the risks from these vaccines?

As with any medicine, vaccines carry a small risk of serious harm, such as a severe allergic reaction or even death.
If there are reactions, they usually start within 3 days and don’t last long.
Most people have no serious reactions from these vaccines.
Possible reactions to these vaccines:

Mild Reactions (common)

Sore arm or leg
Fussy
Tired
Fever
Less appetite
Vomiting
Mild reactions are much less likely after DTaP than after DTP.

Moderate to Serious Reactions (uncommon)

Non-stop crying (3 hours or more) . . .100 of every 10,000 doses
Fever of 105 or higher . . . 30 of every 10,000 doses
Seizure (jerking or staring) . . .6 of every 10,000 doses
Child becomes limp, pale, less alert . . .6 of every 10,000 doses
With DTaP vaccine, these reactions are much less likely o happen.

Severe Reactions (very rare)

There are two kinds of serious reactions:

Severe allergic reaction (breathing difficulty, shock)
Severe brain reaction (long seizure, coma or lowered consciousness)
Is there lasting damage?

Experts disagree on whether pertussis vaccines cause lasting brain damage.
If they do, it is very rare.
Most experts believe serious reactions will be more rare after DTaP than after DTP.

What can be done to redice possible fever and pain?

Give your child an aspirin-free pain reliever for 24 hours after the shot. This is important if your child has had a seizure or has a parent, brother, or sister who has had a seizure.

Should some children not get the vaccine?

Tell your doctor or nurse if your child:

Ever had a moderate or serious reaction after getting vaccinated
Ever had a seizure
Has a parent, brother, or sister who has had a seizure
Has a brain problem that is getting worse
Now has a moderate or severe illness
Your doctor or nurse has information on what to do in this case (for example, give one of these vaccines, wait, give medicine to prevent fever).

What if there is a moderate to severe reaction?

What should I look for?

Any unusual conditions, such as those in item 3
What should I do?

Call a doctor or get the child to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccination was given.
Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine
Adverse Event Report (VAERS) form, or call VAERS yourself at: l-800-822-7967

In the rare event that you or your child has a serious reaction to a vaccine, a federal program has been created to help you pay for the care of those who have been harmed. For details about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, call 1-800-338-2382 or visit the program’s website at http://www.hrsa.gov/bhpr/vicp/

Ask your doctor or nurse. They can give you the vaccine package insert or suggest other sources of information. the information of death Call your local or state health department’ immunization program. Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Call 1-800-232-2522 (English) Call 1-800-232-0233 (Español)

 

Misconceptions About Vaccines:

1. Diseases disappeared before vaccines were introduced
2. Most people who get sick have been vaccinated
3. Many vaccines cause serious adverse events
4. Vaccines cause many illnesses and deaths
5. Vaccine-preventable diseases are rare
6. Multiple vaccinations overload the immune system

Vaccine Truths
1. Vaccines are one of the most important public health achievements
2. Public concern about vaccines is pervasive
3. Fear of vaccines can lead to public harm
4. Vaccines are not 100% safe
5. Parents want what is best for their children
6. The public has little understanding of the vaccine development process
7. Risk perception is critical
8. There are anti-vaccine champions
9. Questions remain
10. The decision not to vaccinate is an active decision to accept the risks of disease

Courtesy of Gary S. Marshall, MD
Link Here

 

Jamie, thank you for all of this excellent information! :clapping:

 

QUOTE(cajuntwinmom @ Apr 20 2007, 07:36 PM) [snapback]228564[/snapback]
I need some education. I never had chicken pox as a kid, or atleast I don't remember it. I recently was vaccinated against chicken pox. Anyway, so you had chicken pox as a kid or you got the virus but it lied dormant in your body? I got the vaccine because I have heard that getting shingles is very bad and potentially dangerous for adults and I was at risk for not having the vaccine or having had the disease.


I had a very mild case of chix pox as a 4 yr old (3 pox). I had shingles when I was 16. My doc said that the virus laid dormant after my outbreak as a little one until something triggered it in my teen years. He also said that I'm prone to get shingles again. Not sure if its related, but my father has also had them.

QUOTE(Susanna+3 @ Apr 20 2007, 08:29 PM) [snapback]228641[/snapback]
I had chicken pox as a kid.... the virus never goes away once you have it though...it kind of sleeps in your system and it can be re-triggered... I had a mild case of shingles...but it was enough to require pain medication and caused a great deal of fatigue...smack dab in the middle of my twin sister's wedding weekend... I was also told that it wasn't contagious...but within a week of visiting with me both my BIL, who was young and healthy, and my grandfather got really bad cases of shingles... kind of too coincidental for my liking... In my grandfather's case it came near to blinding him...and it seemed to trigger a downward decline in his health which he never really came out of..... I'm glad I don't have too much of a guilt complex over it! I did talk to my doctor about whether it was contagious..and I did give my grandmother the option of my staying away... Not to mention that chicken pox can cause scars...my twin sister and I had a very mild case of chicken pox...but she still got a scar right in the middle of her forehead that has never gone away. She keeps her bangs cut...


I also had shingles and chix pox. I was told, however, that it WAS contagious. Specifically, I was told to avoid small kids, pregnant women, and old people. The small kids bc I guess they can get chix pox from exposure. I think the preg women and old people was because of complications like miscarriage and your grandfather's near blindness. That's awful that you weren't told it was contagious!

 

QUOTE(missmomoftwins @ Apr 17 2007, 07:05 PM) [snapback]223982[/snapback]
Thank you for making all of us that do vaccinate our children sound like horrible people...telling us that we poison our children with deadly toxins. I am sorry, but that is the way you make it sound. If you choose to vaccinate...fine. If not...that is fine too (if that is what you see best for your family). But don't criticize those that do.



Is that autism rate for children or all ages? It is amazing that when I was born in 1978 and was vaccinated completely and very few people that I know that are this age have any of these problems. Perhaps there is something else that is causing these issues and it's not the vaccines. There have been no studies that can say "yes we are 100% sure that vaccines cause autism." And until then, I will continue to vaccinate my kids.


DITTO! I was born in 1976 and do not know any autistic individuals in my age group.

 

QUOTE(LmSjt915 @ Apr 16 2007, 05:13 PM) [snapback]222595[/snapback]
My vote was "no never" and I know I am the minority here. I don't have time to get into detail at this moment (have to feed the girls dinner), but I could never forgive myself if something happened to my girls BECAUSE of vaccines.


See, now that's very interesting, because I could definitely forgive myself if something happened to them because of the vaccines, because I would know that I made the choice that was best supported by all of the information available at the time. If that decision turns out to be wrong, I'll live with it.

 

QUOTE(rubyturquoise @ Apr 18 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]224894[/snapback]
Yes, I am up to date on my vaccinations. Well, except smallpox. Had that one as a baby (showing my age), but they don't give that one any more.


I'm up to date also. Actually I've had an extra MMR. I had my first at my one year appt., which happened to be scheduled one day before my birthday. When my mom registered me for school, they said that wasn't good enough. I had to have a certain number after I turned one, so they gave me another one. Then I had to have it again for college. So I've had all the recommended throughout my life, plus an extra MMR shot. No autism, no ADD, no nothing else for that matter.

I think this thread (and all others like it) really show how common it is for anecdotal stories to influence us more than hard evidence. This is true on both sides of the issue, and it's just human nature. How many of us have used examples just like mine above in support of our position. Like mine, I've had an extra MMR and haven't had any problem, so it must be safe. Or, my sister didn't get vaccinated and she's autistic, so there must be no connection. Just a hypothetical. But I think it's human nature for us to be more swayed by personal stories than by science. How many of us know that one person whose sister-in-law never wears a seatbelt because her cousin was in an accident and would have died if she hadn't been thrown from the car because she wasn't wearing her seatbelt (or something similar)? This ignores the overwhelming scientific evidence that it's safer to wear a seatbelt than not, but a personal story is more powerful than science a lot of times.

I'm not referring to anyone or to any position in particular here (in fact I haven't even read most of the posts yet), but as a one-time psychology student I just find it fascinating how influenced we are by personal stories, even if they are contradictory to broader evidence. I'm not immune to it either. No matter how much science I read telling me it's important to vaccinate my kids, I also always can't help but give almost as much weight to the fact that I've had an extra MMR shot and am fine!

 

So how did this post get resurrected anyway?! I was just reading along thinking it was new and then finally saw it was started almost a year ago! Well, I wasn't on TS last April, so I guess I needed to catch up and throw in my 2 cents on what is apparently a frequent, ongoing debate!

 

A link was posted in a related thread

 

I have not read all the posts but my mind was made up when I saw the "ER" episode where they had a kid with polio (?) I think? And Noah Whily (what was his name?) said "People in third world countries would give everything they have for any of these shots for thier kids." I do fear autism. And I do wonder if there is a connection or not. But I also believe I live a cushy life and have no idea how awful these other deseases are BECAUSE of the benefits we have of immunizations. So yes, they are vaccinated even though I cry every time. I actually prefer to give my older kids shots. At least I can explain it to them an offer them bribes (Ice Cream) those poor babies are so trusting and SOOO scared!

Edited to add: for what is worth: I do give them the Chicken pox vaccine but it is mostly for ME. I had chicken pox 3 times. YES 3 times. The last almost killed me - had I not lived in Boston and had the specialists at the Floating Children's Hospital in Boston where I lived for a month, I would have died. That time my chicken pox turned into Scaleraderma (I have no idea how to spell it!) which is related to Chicken pox, shingles, and all herpes syplex 3 viruses - and almost killed me. They told my parents that if I lived, I'd have severe brain damage from the high temps they could not keep under control in the three weeks I was in the Hospital. MY DH says I DO have brain damage (the doctors say I don't.) But I did loose all my hair after this at 13 from the high temp. (YIKES! Not a good time to go bald!)
I immunize them to protect ME and others like me. Then my oldest got Chicken pox anyway, but it was sooo light it was worth the immunization anway.

 

I haven't read all of the posts in this thread because it is late and I need sleep. I do vaccinate my children because I have seen some kids recently getting diseases that are preventable by vaccination. I do understand why people do not vaccinate. We all go a chiropractor each week and they have the research all over the office about the dangers of vaccinations. Once we get done with the regular childhood disease vaccines we won't get the optional ones. I do not get the flu shot and never will.......the vaccine itself isn't dangerous, it is the preservatives and carriers that sythesize the vaccine into the body that are the culprit! (At least according to the articles plastered all over my chiropractor's office.)

 

Fully vaxed here, although I did decline Hep A, since it's not a recommendation in our country and we were moving back. On the other hand, chicken pox is not in the schedule here, but they did have it before we left the States. They're one shot behind here, so most likely I'll postpone the MMR until at least 18 months, and have them catch up on their 4th DaTP+Hib (here at 11 months, US at 15 months) first.

 

For anyone looking for an unbiased book about vaccine pros/cons, side effects, preventable diseases, etc. "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Sears is excellent.

We do vaccinate but on a delayed schedule. I started out on the regular schedule until I learned about the high levels of aluminum in vaccines. My baby does not need 1000 mg of aluminum in one sitting so we spread out the vaccinations. He also won't be getting the chicken pox vaccine until he's much older and will be getting the MMR as a M, M, and R. Since we do have a lot of illegal immigrants here and the possibility of rare disease arriving in that fashion, vaccinating is important in this area of the country.

 

Here is a very recent news article about measles. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20...n13measles.html

Some interesting facts from our provincial government's website:http://www.phsa.ca/Immunize/Main/ImmWhyImmunize/default.htm

Did you know? More babies die of measles per year worldwide than are born in Canada each year.
Did you Know? Aluminum is present in breast milk and in infant formula in similar amounts as vaccine. This amount is very small and extremely safe for infants.