Hope this isn't to controversial of a topic but....

Discussion in 'The First Year' started by chocomilko, Mar 17, 2008.

  1. chocomilko

    chocomilko Well-Known Member

    I have really been torn about vaccinating my babies. I have a friend who is the anti-vaccine Nazi. She is furious that I even would consider vaccinating. I have done research, but it seems that the research is so biased. The Center for Disease is ran buy the food and drug administration so they are of course biased. How do you know? how many of you mamas vaccinate, and how many of you don't? And what are your reasons for doing so. I am genuinely concerned about this topic.

    Lets keep it nice ladies ;)
     
  2. Kyrstyn

    Kyrstyn Well-Known Member

    Controversial it is! I most definitely vaccinate my children to protect them from deadly childhood diseases. There was just a measles outbreak in San Diego, so its absolutely still around. Im not willing to take a chance with my childs health, especially when a lot of the facts I have seen for not vaccinating don't outweigh the potential risks of vaccinating.
     
  3. xavier2001

    xavier2001 Well-Known Member

    We have decided to vaccinate our babies, there are just so many bad diseases out there. I have done the research as well, and there is nothing definitive either way, the studies that say that vaccines are safe outweigh the ones that say that they cause autism or other problems but it is so confusing b/c all the research is biased. I don't want to sound offensive, but the bottom line is that I would rather have an autistic baby than a dead one so I choose to vaccinate.
     
  4. ladybutterflyrose

    ladybutterflyrose Well-Known Member

    We vaccinate. We feel comfortable b/c the vaccines no longer contain Thimerosal. Also, we don't want the babies getting the sicknesses that the vaccines protect against.
     
  5. Saramcc

    Saramcc Well-Known Member

    We vaccine, we'd never have it any other way. too many illnesses out there. Leaving babies vulnerable to it is dangerous.
     
  6. Saramcc

    Saramcc Well-Known Member

  7. lharrison1

    lharrison1 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    My babies are getting their 2 month vaccines on Thursday-My 3yo dd has had all her shots and is very healthy.
     
  8. Mimsy

    Mimsy Well-Known Member

    We do selective and delayed vaccination. Yes, there are many diseases that can kill babies. However, the vaccinations schedule in the US is made for convenience, and not always for babies' health. We do the DTapHib and meningitis, and will do the MMR after 2 years. I don't think that babies need Hep B at birth unless they are at risk, and I don't think that the chicken pox vax is necessary at all. We live in the Netherlands, and the vax schedule here is, IMO, much more realistic - babies get about 10-12 vaccinations between birth and 4 years. On thimerosal, I think that it is good that they are not using it, but there are still many other ingredients with the potential to harm babies. I am not a hard-line anti-vaxer by any means, but I do think that we are putting far too many chemicals, metals and disease components into our tiny babies' bodies. I made my decision by by trying to balance the risks of each disease in terms of exposure etc and the risks of multiple vaccinations. I am open to them getting vaccinations at later ages (I got the rubella vax at 10 years old - why do babies need to get it now?) if they don't get some diseases naturally, but I don't think that they need anywhere close to all the vaxes on the US vax schedule.
     
  9. Becca34

    Becca34 Well-Known Member

    I am pro-vaccination, but like a pp said, I feel like the U.S. schedule is too aggressive. Vaccines no longer contain thimerasol, but they do contain aluminum, and the current combination of shots far exceeds the government's "safe" guidelines for that....

    We plan to get all the vaccinations, but on a delayed schedule. For one thing, the body doesn't produce bile until about 6 months, and bile is necessary to rid the body of toxins. So, we started at 6 months with everything besides rotavirus (that one you have to start at 2 months, otherwise you can't get it -- and since my older DD contracted nasty rotavirus at 15 months, I was keen to avoid it with the twins).

    Anyhow. We're working our way through them, a shot or two at a time. The babies will be mostly updated on vaccs by the time they start preschool, and definitely done by the time they start kindergarten.

    I highly recommend The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears -- pretty straightforward info, especially about how the different brands of vaccines are made, the controversial ingredients, etc. I also liked What your Doctor May Not Tell You about Vaccinations (or something like that) by Stephanie Cave, although that one is a little more alarmist.

    IMHO, there's no question that vaccines do a good job at preventing and/or eradicating diseases...but I am more comfortable with doing them only one or two at a time, especially as my babies' immune systems get stronger with age.
     
  10. fuchsiagroan

    fuchsiagroan Well-Known Member

    My babies have gotten all their vaccines on schedule. The shots no longer contain thimerosal (mercury), and like pps said, I find the thought of rubella or polio much more scary than the thought of the vaccines.

    For me, there is also a component of civic-mindedness. Parents who choose not to vax their kids are essentially getting a free ride from all of us who do vax. As long as enough kids are vaxed, it's hard for the diseases to get a foothold. But if you cross the threshold and there are enough non-vaxed people out there, guess what? Welcome back polio.
     
  11. rmetzger

    rmetzger Active Member

    I’m going to apologize for both the length and somewhat militant tone. Whatever your choice, this is not intended to create a firestorm nor do I wish to engage in lengthy debates with anyone on a private basis. This is my opinion and mine only. My major point is research on your own. Question the motivations of each study. Because of the overwhelming amount of research available in this day and age (at our fingertips as we speak), it is difficult to critically evaluate each source as well as we would like. Dr. Sears' Book is excellent and I recommend it as well.

    First off, the reason you vaccinate is not to protect just your own children, it's to protect all children. Vaccination programs work when a majority or critical number of persons receive the vaccination. Vaccinations protect the masses from the individuals. While this may seem coercive or cruel, try to remember the last time we had an outbreak of polio? Rubella? These are real diseases and they are eradicated not because we have drugs to treat them once you are infected, they are eradicated (in the US and other 1st world nations) because a critical mass of the population received vaccinations that prevent the disease from gaining a foothold in the first place.
    Secondly there is no causal or even correlative research that links vaccinations and autism. Parents and popular media basically forced the NIH to study this supposed link. Even if they were linked (no correlated evidence or causal evidence--> please see studies at the end of this email), the additive that supposedly caused autism has been removed from 90% of vaccines (thimerasol). Additionally, you can request that your pediatrician administer thimerasol-free vaccinations if you are worried. Even Autism Speaks, the major organization for parents and professionals dealing with autism, concluded that thimerasol and vaccinations are not linked to autism.
    Thirdly, new studies are showing that signs of autism are apparent as early as 6 months. The seminal study is centered on responses at 1st birthdays but follow-up studies are being conducted as early as 6 months.
    Fourthly, we are not even sure why the rates of autism are increasing. It is clear that the rates of identification are increasing and the diagnosis has expanded to include a wide range of inappropriate social behaviors and interaction patterns. This is the current focus and direction of most research with comparable research going on as the to genetic links of autism.
    Lastly, it's insulting when people malign the scientists at NIH and the FDA as puppets of the government. While they don't necessarily have control of how their research is released, they are honest, hardworking scientists who are making peanuts compared to what they could make at a pharmaceutical company or university. They put in years of schooling and make sacrifices to do research for the public good of all Americans. If they are biased, they are biased towards finding scientific correlation and causation between disease and its causes. If you want to be angry about something and blame bias, be angry that we fund abstinence programs instead of actual sex education programs- that is a policy decision not a scientific decision based on the biased belief that we can forstall teens from having premarital sex or contracting STD’s by not teaching them about their bodies and safe sexual practices.

    Be aware that not vaccinating exposes everyone else’s children to harm, not just yours. Clearly, I vaccinated my children and intend to do so through the remainder of their childhood years. I agree that a delayed vaccination schedule is a great compromise and am in the process of working with my pediatrician regarding one.
    I am not a scientist. I am a special education teacher and have worked with numerous children with autism. In my anecdotal experience, I know several non-vaccinated children who have autism and have it severely. It’s not research but it sure is persuasive.

    Just like any other decision, you have to make your own choice based on the best research available and your motherly instincts. I’m currently questioning the whole plastic and bisphenol-A. I’m not sure what to do but I’m researching (on my own) and making sure I question the background of the research. We all have to critically consider the choices we make.

    Good luck to you.


    Hey- I just noticed my links disappeared (research studies). Email me if you want them!
     
  12. TFine

    TFine Well-Known Member

    We have been vaccinating on schedule. However, we are choosing to put the MMR one off until they are over 2, most likely closer to 3. It is a decision we made based on a high number of autistic children in DH's family. For us we just feel safer this way!
     
  13. Trishandthegirls

    Trishandthegirls Well-Known Member

    Vaccination has been a big topic of conversation in my house and we did a lot of research. We ultimately decided to go ahead with all vaccinations, but delay a few and split up ones that have more severe reactions. I'm not worried that vaccinations cause autism, but I do think that there's no reason to push vaccines as aggressively as we do in the US.

    Just FYI - the study that linked vaccines to autism was done in 1998 by a British surgeon named Andrew Wakefield who studied 12 autistic children. He found that there was MMR residue (I can't remember what exactly he called it) in the stomach linings of these children, and thus concluded that something in the MMR vaccine triggered autism. The study has been replicated hundreds of times by other scientists using thousands of children. None of the later studies found any evidence that the MMR vaccine (or any other vaccine) caused autism. Wakefield has pretty much been discredited, but everyone still remembers his study. It's like a front page newspaper story talking about a scandal. People remember it... but don't remember the retraction printed on page four of the newspaper a week later.
     
  14. Laura56

    Laura56 Well-Known Member

    My best friend does not vaccinate her kids. She has 3 living children now.. an 8 year old boy and 5 year old b/g twins. They lost their daughter when she was 2 1/2 years old. My best friend was 5 months pregnant with her now 8 year old. Her daughter had a severe reaction to vaccinations. She got her 2 month vaccinations and it brought something out in her and it ended up killing her in the long run. She never lifted her head, she was on oxygen and a feeding tube at the end. Her doctors all tried to diagnose her with something and they couldn't do it. Many of them said that it was her vaccinations bringing out something in her that was already there and her susequent children would have a 1 in 4 chance of the same thing happening. They have vaccinations to a couple of things that her pedi said didn't have any chance of any side effects but otherwise they don't have anything. She feels that she would rather have the chance of getting one of the diseases than having her kids go through what her first went through. She was poked and prodded and tested and in and out of the hospital for 2 1/2 years. She was in pain a lot and finally lost the battle. My best friend is less worried about the diseases than the horrible outcome she had before. Granted this is all very rare. But not everyone does it because they are worried about autism.
     
  15. Becca34

    Becca34 Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Trishandthegirls @ Mar 17 2008, 01:13 PM) [snapback]672832[/snapback]
    Vaccination has been a big topic of conversation in my house and we did a lot of research. We ultimately decided to go ahead with all vaccinations, but delay a few and split up ones that have more severe reactions. I'm not worried that vaccinations cause autism, but I do think that there's no reason to push vaccines as aggressively as we do in the US.

    Just FYI - the study that linked vaccines to autism was done in 1998 by a British surgeon named Andrew Wakefield who studied 12 autistic children. He found that there was MMR residue (I can't remember what exactly he called it) in the stomach linings of these children, and thus concluded that something in the MMR vaccine triggered autism. The study has been replicated hundreds of times by other scientists using thousands of children. None of the later studies found any evidence that the MMR vaccine (or any other vaccine) caused autism. Wakefield has pretty much been discredited, but everyone still remembers his study. It's like a front page newspaper story talking about a scandal. People remember it... but don't remember the retraction printed on page four of the newspaper a week later.


    The Dr. Sears book talks a lot about this. The bottom line is that we really don't know what causes autism, but I think the assumption is that there is likely a genetic component as well as an environmental one -- but again, we really don't know.

    I don't know if you've seen the recent Hannah Poling court case -- a judge ruled that her autism WAS in fact caused by vaccines. Her parents are a neurologist and a lawyer....it's causing a firestorm here in Georgia, as you can imagine.
     
  16. KCMichigan

    KCMichigan Well-Known Member

    We vaccinated our girls...some delayed (they were preemies- delayed to adjusted age). But now at 2 they are all caught up.

    Talk to your Pediatrician- heck talk to more than yours, get a second opinion if you want from another Pedi or Developmental Specialist. If your friend is NOT a doctor than they are just a well meaning friend without the expertise that Pediatricians have (they vacc hundreds of kids, do research,etc).

    Many parents are scared of vacc'ing for medical, religious, and personal reasons- that is their choice and right. The risks you take vacc'ing/not vacc'ing are real and exist- as a parent each one of us makes an informed descion for our children. Talk to your doctors, talk to your spouse/signifigant other and then decide what to do. There are risks for both sides of the argument and you simply have to decide which risks you are willing to take- neither option is worry free.

    If it is a sore subject- just tell your anti-vacc friend that 'vaccines' are a personal choice and though you appreciate her opinon, you are going to consult with your Pediatrician ( this will give you a way to drop the topic and leave little grounds for discussion).

    HTH! DH and I debated vacc'ing and we decided it was right for our family- being preemies, the delayed schedule helped meet their fragile immune systems needs and the fact that we wanted them protected from possibly deadly illnesses. Our Pedi suggested vacc'ing- did not force it- and was open to delaying certain ones as long as we were viligant about avoiding public exposure/good handwashing/no travel when they were small and not vacc'ed yet.

    KC
     
  17. AmynTony

    AmynTony Well-Known Member

    we vaccinated on schedule without hesitation...

    if you want to understand how critical it is to others to vaccinate your children ask Nifty (Renee) - she'll tell you the story (I can't find the original post) about her daughter and several of her classmates that weren't vaccinated...I won't hijack her and her daughter's story but it was quite significant...
     
  18. jjokitty

    jjokitty Well-Known Member

    We are definitely vaccinating. I am in favor of people discussing the issue with their dr to determine if all the vax are necessary for their child and what the best schedule is but ultimately I think vaccines are a very good thing. Just ask someone who lost a child to polio. The only virus that has been eradicated from the world is Smallpox (although it still exists in a few labs and could be used as a bio-weapon, but anyway...) so all these diseases that you don't think about anymore still exist somewhere in the world. With all the world travel that goes on these days it would be easy for something nasty to re-enter the US. Plus there is still no scientific evidence that vaccinations have anything to do with autism. I'm not saying they don't, just saying they have no evidence of it, so at this point it is speculation. You can have vaccine reactions but serious ones are rare.

    Jen
     
  19. seamusnicholas

    seamusnicholas Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Tammy Fine @ Mar 17 2008, 12:54 PM) [snapback]672791[/snapback]
    We have been vaccinating on schedule. However, we are choosing to put the MMR one off until they are over 2, most likely closer to 3. It is a decision we made based on a high number of autistic children in DH's family. For us we just feel safer this way!


    Same here.
     
  20. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Mama Chunk @ Mar 17 2008, 11:41 AM) [snapback]672762[/snapback]
    I’m going to apologize for both the length and somewhat militant tone. Whatever your choice, this is not intended to create a firestorm nor do I wish to engage in lengthy debates with anyone on a private basis. This is my opinion and mine only. My major point is research on your own. Question the motivations of each study. Because of the overwhelming amount of research available in this day and age (at our fingertips as we speak), it is difficult to critically evaluate each source as well as we would like. Dr. Sears' Book is excellent and I recommend it as well.

    First off, the reason you vaccinate is not to protect just your own children, it's to protect all children. Vaccination programs work when a majority or critical number of persons receive the vaccination. Vaccinations protect the masses from the individuals. While this may seem coercive or cruel, try to remember the last time we had an outbreak of polio? Rubella? These are real diseases and they are eradicated not because we have drugs to treat them once you are infected, they are eradicated (in the US and other 1st world nations) because a critical mass of the population received vaccinations that prevent the disease from gaining a foothold in the first place.
    Secondly there is no causal or even correlative research that links vaccinations and autism. Parents and popular media basically forced the NIH to study this supposed link. Even if they were linked (no correlated evidence or causal evidence--> please see studies at the end of this email), the additive that supposedly caused autism has been removed from 90% of vaccines (thimerasol). Additionally, you can request that your pediatrician administer thimerasol-free vaccinations if you are worried. Even Autism Speaks, the major organization for parents and professionals dealing with autism, concluded that thimerasol and vaccinations are not linked to autism.
    Thirdly, new studies are showing that signs of autism are apparent as early as 6 months. The seminal study is centered on responses at 1st birthdays but follow-up studies are being conducted as early as 6 months.
    Fourthly, we are not even sure why the rates of autism are increasing. It is clear that the rates of identification are increasing and the diagnosis has expanded to include a wide range of inappropriate social behaviors and interaction patterns. This is the current focus and direction of most research with comparable research going on as the to genetic links of autism.
    Lastly, it's insulting when people malign the scientists at NIH and the FDA as puppets of the government. While they don't necessarily have control of how their research is released, they are honest, hardworking scientists who are making peanuts compared to what they could make at a pharmaceutical company or university. They put in years of schooling and make sacrifices to do research for the public good of all Americans. If they are biased, they are biased towards finding scientific correlation and causation between disease and its causes. If you want to be angry about something and blame bias, be angry that we fund abstinence programs instead of actual sex education programs- that is a policy decision not a scientific decision based on the biased belief that we can forstall teens from having premarital sex or contracting STD’s by not teaching them about their bodies and safe sexual practices.

    Be aware that not vaccinating exposes everyone else’s children to harm, not just yours. Clearly, I vaccinated my children and intend to do so through the remainder of their childhood years. I agree that a delayed vaccination schedule is a great compromise and am in the process of working with my pediatrician regarding one.
    I am not a scientist. I am a special education teacher and have worked with numerous children with autism. In my anecdotal experience, I know several non-vaccinated children who have autism and have it severely. It’s not research but it sure is persuasive.

    Just like any other decision, you have to make your own choice based on the best research available and your motherly instincts. I’m currently questioning the whole plastic and bisphenol-A. I’m not sure what to do but I’m researching (on my own) and making sure I question the background of the research. We all have to critically consider the choices we make.

    Good luck to you.
    Hey- I just noticed my links disappeared (research studies). Email me if you want them!



    Well said!! You are exactly correct.. I am a preschool teacher and I have a hard time thinking of kids in my class who are NOT vaccinated.. It makes me very nervous!! It makes me nervous for the other kids and it makes me nervous for me and for my kids.... SCARY!

    You are right. It is something that people do not just for themselves and their kids but for everyone!! :)
     
  21. jjokitty

    jjokitty Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Becca34 @ Mar 17 2008, 12:20 PM) [snapback]672847[/snapback]
    I don't know if you've seen the recent Hannah Poling court case -- a judge ruled that her autism WAS in fact caused by vaccines. Her parents are a neurologist and a lawyer....it's causing a firestorm here in Georgia, as you can imagine.


    Let me preface this by saying I have not done extensive research on this case but here are my impressions from the small amount of info I have read and heard:

    From what I understand, there was no ruling in this case. The fund that helps pay for vaccine reactions simply conceded the case so it never went to a judge. Also I believe she does not have autism, she has a disease which has symptoms similar to autism. Something where her the cells do not process molecules properly and they lead to a build up of toxins? They claim she had a reaction to the vaccines which worsened a pre-existing condition. In other words she already had a disorder and the vax made it worse. I don't believe they were suing to place any blame on the vaccine manufacturer, they were simply applying for money from a fund set up to assist those who have been injured by a vaccine (even if the vaccine itself was not faulty). I also read that the parents are not against vaccines and still support vaccination.
     
  22. angie7

    angie7 Well-Known Member

    My twins are completely vax free, they have not had a single shot nor will they ever (and yes, they are going to be going to public school). And that decision was made after many, countless hours/days/months/years of research (and not the no-vax scary sites, but actually through mostly the CDC databases)

    OP- come join us at www.mothering.com--they have a vaccine section that you may find very useful. There are no vaxers, delay/selective vaxers and pro-vaxers on this site. They each give you a good dose of their opinion and the facts to support their claims.
     
  23. arhowry

    arhowry Member

    Our b/g twins are 41/2 months...our ds has been diagnosed with epilipsy (tonic-clonic seizures) that he started to get exactly 7 days after their 2month shots the seizures are still not under control and they believe it was a bad reaction to the pertussis vaccine part of tdap. he won't ever get the pertussis form again but we also choose not to give it to our dd (as the cdc website says children that cried 3+hrs after a shot or a parent/sibling has seizure reaction should not get it).....i'm more willing to chance the whooping cough than being in hospitals for 8 weeks with a diagnosis that may never go away and can be diffecult to control. i wish i had researched the stats a more before they got the shots....i have a friend that works at children's hospital of philly and told me that the so called "rare side effect" is not so rare at all...it's just not reported as being caused to related to the vaccine. Our babies will now get just a td shot. I will not be giving them the MMR because it can have the same reactions as the pertussis.
     
  24. Becca34

    Becca34 Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(jjokitty @ Mar 17 2008, 01:39 PM) [snapback]672904[/snapback]
    From what I understand, there was no ruling in this case. The fund that helps pay for vaccine reactions simply conceded the case so it never went to a judge. Also I believe she does not have autism, she has a disease which has symptoms similar to autism. Something where her the cells do not process molecules properly and they lead to a build up of toxins? They claim she had a reaction to the vaccines which worsened a pre-existing condition. In other words she already had a disorder and the vax made it worse. I don't believe they were suing to place any blame on the vaccine manufacturer, they were simply applying for money from a fund set up to assist those who have been injured by a vaccine (even if the vaccine itself was not faulty). I also read that the parents are not against vaccines and still support vaccination.


    I think she does "officially" have autism, but you're correct, she has some sort of mitochondrial disorder that manifests itself with these symptoms -- the parents are still unsure whether she had the underlying disorder before the shots, or whether the shots caused it. The governent is saying the former....

    I, too, am just going by what I read in the newspaper about it, and may not be remembering it accurately -- but I know people are up in arms about this case! I don't think all the details have been disclosed, either, as the settlement was reached last fall, and it's just now coming to light.

    What bothered me about the article in our paper was that it said the gov't paid out $91 million last year in compensation to families whose kids had been injured by vaccines. I know about VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system), but that seems like an awful lot of "adverse events."
     
  25. Trishandthegirls

    Trishandthegirls Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Becca34 @ Mar 17 2008, 11:20 AM) [snapback]672847[/snapback]
    .
    I don't know if you've seen the recent Hannah Poling court case -- a judge ruled that her autism WAS in fact caused by vaccines. Her parents are a neurologist and a lawyer....it's causing a firestorm here in Georgia, as you can imagine.


    Actually, the Georgia case found that Hannah Poling's underline mitochondrial condition combined with her body's reaction to vaccines caused her autism. The vaccine alone didn't cause the autism.
     
  26. rmetzger

    rmetzger Active Member

    [/quote]What bothered me about the article in our paper was that it said the gov't paid out $91 million last year in compensation to families whose kids had been injured by vaccines. I know about VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system), but that seems like an awful lot of "adverse events."
    [/quote]

    They are paying out for healthcare for a lifetime.... so split up and paid out longitudinally, it's not that many cases. Sad to say that their health needs will be that expensive over the lifetime of their disability.
     
  27. kristy horner

    kristy horner Well-Known Member

    Quick and brief- yes we do...after the babies had RSV, not preventative by a vaccination..we saw how terrible it is and scary for your babies to be very very sick....that is scary enough to me to want to protect them from as much as possible...I am a bit concerned by all the "autism", etc...talk but there just isn't enough convincing info to sway me in the opposite direction...
     
  28. AshleyLD

    AshleyLD Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Mar 17 2008, 07:56 AM) [snapback]672672[/snapback]
    Controversial it is! I most definitely vaccinate my children to protect them from deadly childhood diseases. There was just a measles outbreak in San Diego, so its absolutely still around. Im not willing to take a chance with my childs health, especially when a lot of the facts I have seen for not vaccinating don't outweigh the potential risks of vaccinating.

    DITTO!! I do not want to chance my babies getting a deadly disease.
     
  29. meganguttman

    meganguttman Well-Known Member

    My boys got their 6 month shots today. We're up to date on all vac's so far, but something is making me doubt the MMR shot. I haven't done any research on it yet, it's just a gut feeling that tells me I need to either separate it or delay it. If I don't listen to my gut and something goes wrong (shot related or not), I will always blame myself. I have 6 months to get my research done!

    I've found all of your opinions very interesting. Thanks for sharing everyone!
     
  30. Mimsy

    Mimsy Well-Known Member

    QUOTE
    Well said!! You are exactly correct.. I am a preschool teacher and I have a hard time thinking of kids in my class who are NOT vaccinated.. It makes me very nervous!! It makes me nervous for the other kids and it makes me nervous for me and for my kids.... SCARY!

    You are right. It is something that people do not just for themselves and their kids but for everyone!!


    You know, my kids get vaccinations, and I am certainly not anti-vax. But this rationale has never made sense to me - if you vax your kids because you believe that vaccinations work, then why would you be worried about an unvaccinated child getting the disease? Presumably if you trust the vax and think it is necessary, then your child will be protected by it. If you are worried about your vaccinated child catching something from a non-vaccinated child then it means you admit that vaxes don't always work. So you may take the risk of vaccinating your child, only to have them catch X disease anyway. So if there are risks either way, each family has to weigh for themselves what has the greater risk for them - the vaccine or the disease. If you are trying to convince people to vaccinate their children, the "You should vaccinate your child so my vaccinated child doesn't get that diseae from them." is not in the least bit persuasive.
     
  31. benderboys

    benderboys Well-Known Member

    We've had all vaccincations on schedule. Honestly, it never occurred to me to not vaccinate my kids. After reading this, I think I will research the MMR. Thanks for a great post.
     
  32. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Mimsy @ Mar 17 2008, 01:56 PM) [snapback]673139[/snapback]
    You know, my kids get vaccinations, and I am certainly not anti-vax. But this rationale has never made sense to me - if you vax your kids because you believe that vaccinations work, then why would you be worried about an unvaccinated child getting the disease? Presumably if you trust the vax and think it is necessary, then your child will be protected by it. If you are worried about your vaccinated child catching something from a non-vaccinated child then it means you admit that vaxes don't always work. So you may take the risk of vaccinating your child, only to have them catch X disease anyway. So if there are risks either way, each family has to weigh for themselves what has the greater risk for them - the vaccine or the disease. If you are trying to convince people to vaccinate their children, the "You should vaccinate your child so my vaccinated child doesn't get that diseae from them." is not in the least bit persuasive.


    Perhaps it doesn't "make sense" to you WHY it would make me nervous to have unvaccinated children in my classroom but as you know (I would think) not all vaccinations work for everyone.. People still get pox w/ the chicken pox vacc etc etc... It is NOT fool proof--- so.. draw your own conclusion here. A vaccine is NOT A GUARANTEE of anything but without it--- you're worse off IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING.. Correct??

    Anyway, I don't care one way or another-- If there was no use for vaccines why is polio gone now? Are we going to bring it back? Sometimes facts are friendly and that's all we need to know. People need something to get riled up about and right now it seems to the the BPA thing (which I also don't buy), and also this... Whatever gives people something to talk and argue and defend... It's all just a matter of opinion really.
     
  33. MrsBQ02

    MrsBQ02 Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Becca34 @ Mar 17 2008, 04:35 PM) [snapback]672749[/snapback]
    I am pro-vaccination, but like a pp said, I feel like the U.S. schedule is too aggressive. Vaccines no longer contain thimerasol, but they do contain aluminum, and the current combination of shots far exceeds the government's "safe" guidelines for that....

    We plan to get all the vaccinations, but on a delayed schedule. For one thing, the body doesn't produce bile until about 6 months, and bile is necessary to rid the body of toxins. So, we started at 6 months with everything besides rotavirus (that one you have to start at 2 months, otherwise you can't get it -- and since my older DD contracted nasty rotavirus at 15 months, I was keen to avoid it with the twins).

    Anyhow. We're working our way through them, a shot or two at a time. The babies will be mostly updated on vaccs by the time they start preschool, and definitely done by the time they start kindergarten.

    I highly recommend The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears -- pretty straightforward info, especially about how the different brands of vaccines are made, the controversial ingredients, etc. I also liked What your Doctor May Not Tell You about Vaccinations (or something like that) by Stephanie Cave, although that one is a little more alarmist.

    IMHO, there's no question that vaccines do a good job at preventing and/or eradicating diseases...but I am more comfortable with doing them only one or two at a time, especially as my babies' immune systems get stronger with age.


    this exactly. (well, minus the rotavirus part.) There's no harm in spacing the vaccines out. We will be getting MOST vaccines (I'm skeptical about Chicken Pox) but in my mind, why bombard your sweet little one's immune system when you don't have to? Also, if you do vax one at a time and your child has a bad reaction, you'll know exactly which vax did it. Good luck- this is definitely a fire topic, but do your own research and go with your gut.
     
  34. excitedk

    excitedk Well-Known Member

    Vaccinating on schedule with no qualms whatsoever. The side effects are rare, and most are not severe....whereas what we are vaccinating against can kill/maim
     
  35. 4kids4Cat

    4kids4Cat Well-Known Member

    Mama Chunk, I love your informational post on page one. :good:

    QUOTE(Becca34 @ Mar 17 2008, 10:20 AM) [snapback]672847[/snapback]
    I don't know if you've seen the recent Hannah Poling court case -- a judge ruled that her autism WAS in fact caused by vaccines. Her parents are a neurologist and a lawyer....it's causing a firestorm here in Georgia, as you can imagine.
    No; her mitochondrial disease was possibly exacerbated by vaccines.

    Regarding the above-mentioned case:
    Analysis: Vaccine-Autism Link Unproven

    I think the key wording in the original article, when this case first came out a couple of weeks ago, is, "autistic-like symptoms" - not Autism - which could easily be indicative of the Mitochondrial Disease: QUOTE
    Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection.

    Even Hannah Poling's father said he wasn't anti-vaccine.... he would have just spread the shots out more, as the stress to her body (fever, etc.), given her Mitochondrial disease, was too much for her cells to handle. And that's why the family was awarded the money, in this case. It had nothing to do with actual autism.

    More informational links:
    Mitochondrial Diseases
    Mitochondrial Disease
    United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation: About Mitochondrial Disease
    And from the Mitochondria Research Society:
    Mito Facts and THE MITOCHONDRIAL GENETICS MAZE

    Also, some threads on the genetics of autism, in the Health Issues and Special Needs forum:
    More evidence that Autism has strong genetic link
    Interesting articles on how genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in laying the neurological foundations of autism
     
Loading...
Similar Threads Forum Date
AMIRDRASSIL, THE DREAM'S HOPE RAID BOOST General Sep 19, 2023
I hope to be back! Pregnancy Help Jul 13, 2013
I hope you don't mind The First Year Mar 23, 2012
Hopeful but scared Pregnancy Help Jan 9, 2011
Yay! I think (hope) we're STTN The First Year Nov 12, 2010

Share This Page