Childhood Vaccinations...?

[Kstornado11]

There is a topic going on down in GC concerning vaccines,and a town in Maryland who is threatening legal action for parents who don't vaccinate,or keep them updated:
http://www.blacklistednews.com/view.asp?ID=4783

I know there are a lot of parents here,and I'd like to get some more opinions on the subject. My oldest 3 are immunized,but the baby (5 months yesterday) has only has his 1st shot. All the hubbub I have read about the dangers scares me,as he had SO many problems when he was born,and I am afraid because of all the reports of autism & other problems supposedly related to vaccines.

[chickenista]

I immunize, but I used to live here he was almost the only one. My only hint to immunization issues is to make sure the nurse uses a "single dose" shot. I believe that the shots that are drawn from a multi use bottle are not as safe..or rather they have preservatives in them where as the "single shot" mini vials or pre measured shots do not. Now I have no documentation for this or links..it is just what I have heard over the years, including medical professionals.
The area where I was raised was relatively poor and behind the times... I know people who have had polio.. my father had measles as a child and the fever from it has caused him to wear glasses from then on..Ocular pressure raised due to fever or something.. the person I know that had polio is now suffering from the syndrome that affects polio kids in adulthood..she is now and forever will be wheelchair bound.
All of the diseases that the vacs protect against are stll fodder for stories ad memories among the older generations here and I was adequately concerned to get my kid vaccinated. I worried and stayed up the night before and after fretting, but I am still glad I had it done.
The only shot he is missing is the chickenpox vaccine( how stupid..without chicken pox scars to search for and compare, what will the young lovers of this coming generation have to do?) He caught chicken pox at on year and six weeks of age from someone who had just had the vaccine. Yippee. Whoohoo!! No vaccine and too young to scratch!!!!

[Kmac15]

I do not want to bash anyone who decides to not vaccinate.
My policy is until someone can tell me more people are getting sick from the shots than died from the diseases they prevent my child is getting his shots.

I will take my chances with modern science

[culpeper]

I think vaccination should remain a personal choice of parents, but I also think of the millions of lives which have been saved by vaccinations. Sure, some people react badly to them, but they are rare, and as sad is it may be, the fact remains that the benefits far outweigh the downside. Let's face it, vaccinations have eradicated countless diseases from entire countries - this can hardly be a bad thing, surely? I sure as heck don't want to live through another pandemic like the polio one of the late 1940s-early 1950s!

My kids were vaccinated with whatever was offered. In Australia, vaccinations for most diseases are offered free to school-age children.

The point is, most of the vaccinations given to children are for preventing KILLER DISEASES. We need to look at the bigger picture, despite a few tragedies along the way. Better a few tragedies that whole populations of them. It's a sad fact of life.

[lorian]

Had a child that had a SEVERE reaction and consequences from a vac.
Had a friend whose baby DIED from a reaction.
Had a girl in church who was in a wheelchair for the rest of her life from a reaction.
Have a friend whose child is DEAF from a reaction.
Have a nephew with AUTISM from a reaction.

After the first child that had a reaction..........no more vaccinations for my kids!

[BethW]

Originally Posted by culpeper

Sure, some people react badly to them, but they are rare, and as sad is it may be, the fact remains that the benefits far outweigh the downside...The point is, most of the vaccinations given to children are for preventing KILLER DISEASES. We need to look at the bigger picture, despite a few tragedies along the way. Better a few tragedies that whole populations of them. It's a sad fact of life.

Nicely put. If a parent worries about the vaccines they can opt for the single-dose vaccinations as well as separate vaccinations rather than the combo vacs. I've worked with autistic children for nearly 20 years and as a school psychologist, I've looked hard at the research between vaccinations and autism...not the popular articles, but the actual data, and I'm comfortable with what I see. If I had been fortunate enough to have children, I would have vaccinated them, and the researchers I know with children have indeed done so.

[uyk7]

I can understand giving certain vaccines. Many vaccines should not be given until the kids are older (such as Hep B) and they can decide for themselves (Hep B infects: IV drug users, people with multiple sex partners, or health care workers---not little children). IMO, some vaccines, such as the chicken pox or the new gardasil (sp?) should not be given at all. Bottom line, it should be the parents choice, not the governments. I know at one time the individuals who recommend these vaccines were also receiving money from the drug companies and probably still are today.

[Seeria]

For a variety of reasons, we no longer immunize our children. The #1 reason we stopped: our first turned autistic 3 days after her MMR shots.

That is our choice which might not be right for you.

[Heidi's_Goats]

My choice not to have them receive specific vaccinations is a moral issue.

The clinics that I have talked to here are no longer ordering "single-dose" vaccinations. They say it wastes their money because they have to throw them out before they are all used up.

Most of the vaccinations that my kids receive are "single-dose" just because they do not contain aborted fetal cells. Same reason I do not support March of Dimes.

[Becca65]

Both my girls are vaccinated, I can't imagine not doing it..

[Chuck]

It's obvious they work most of the time, as we've all but wiped out things like measles, smallpox, etc.

The rare child that gets a reaction is, I guess, the cost of doing away with a disease. But what a terrible cost if that child is yours!

I'm okay with immunizations, despite the "risk," but I don't judge those who feel otherwise. But I think they should be willing to admit that their children can probably live their un-vaccinated lives without fear of smallpox and measles, simply because the rest of us allowed our children to take that risk. Kind of like the pacifist who enjoys peace through the efforts of those of us willing to make war to defend it...he's free to follow his own conscience, but he should be doubly thankful for the sacrifices others have made that allow him to do so.

[Vashti]

Like Chuck said, the way vaccinations work is that it's better for the individual child NOT to vaccinate, but better for the world for everyone to vaccinate.

My two older children are vaccinated, however, I've decided to be as educated as possible as a mother, so I've done a bit of research regarding all kinds of things like vaccinations, home birth, proper health care & diet, etc. During my reading, I found that my opinion changed regarding vaccinations, so I am not vaccinating my youngest two until they are 3-4 years. Most other countries don't vaccinate until the children are older due to possible negative reactions. I'm also going to insist on single shots only, no mixed shots. I plan on researching every shot individually, so that I can properly weigh the benefit and risks for each to make my decision. I feel it's my duty to my children to do so.

The only vaccination that I'm not giving the older two is the new vaccine against HPV/Cervical cancer for girls. From what I have read it has not yet been properly tested, and I don't want my 11yo to be a guinea pig. I'll wait a couple of years and possibly get it when she's around 14 or so after there has been more research/testing and to see how it affects the world populace.

[DocM]

Children immunized here, with nary a reaction, but in no way would I ever condone a government demanding that parents immunize children, regardless of how safe they are, how few children have reactions, how much worse the diseases are that they protect against, and how I had mumps as an adult, probably caught from one of my non immunized students (never had it as a kid). There is no credible link between immunization and autism. The rise in autism is the result of a progressive attitude towards diagnosis.

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Chuck

It's obvious they work most of the time, as we've all but wiped out things like measles, smallpox, etc.

The rare child that gets a reaction is, I guess, the cost of doing away with a disease. But what a terrible cost if that child is yours!

I'm okay with immunizations, despite the "risk," but I don't judge those who feel otherwise. But I think they should be willing to admit that their children can probably live their un-vaccinated lives without fear of smallpox and measles, simply because the rest of us allowed our children to take that risk. Kind of like the pacifist who enjoys peace through the efforts of those of us willing to make war to defend it...he's free to follow his own conscience, but he should be doubly thankful for the sacrifices others have made that allow him to do so.

smallpox yes..but measles still poses a very real threat to children around the word...the 2005 outbrek of measles in the USA was a result of an unvaccinated teen picking the disease up in Romania and spreading it at a church gathering.....it was the largest outbreak since the 1990's outbreak and was confined to the unvaccinated population.....the unvaccinated may fly under the radar for awhile but the ease of global travel easily brings these diasease back home.......there are examples of this with polio as well...

....our own history, as well as other countries, have demonstrated how easy it is for these diseases to rear their ugly head.....as soon as vaccination rates fall the disease crops up...and unfortunately kids get injured and die in the process....

...measles, and polio, could share the fate of smallpox but it will require due diligence and vaccination....there is no other way to rid the planet of these diseases....

[Ann-NWIowa]

I'm old enough to remember the polio epidemic. I also remember measles, mumps and chicken pox from when I had them. I know of many men sterile from mumps. People with vision problems from measles. Birth defects from pregnant mother's who had measles. Even healthy children die from childhood diseases. Unvaccinated adults also get all of these diseases and some become very ill with them.

As long as the majority of people do vaccinate their children, those who choose not to will probably not endanger their children...as long as they live within a vaccinated population. However, with the large population of illegals who are unvaccinated it might be difficult to protect your children from exposure. If enough people do not vaccinate at some point in time these diseases will reoccur.

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by BobK

smallpox yes..but measles still poses a very real threat to children around the word...especially given the ease with which worldwide travel is accomplished these days....did you know that while measles deaths have decline 60% in the last few years there are still ~350,000 deaths each year from this vaccine-preventable disease....that is two children every three minutes....

....our own history, as well as other countries, have demonstrated how easy it is for these diseases to rear their ugly head.....as soon as vaccination rates fall the disease crops up...and unfortunately kids get injured and die in the process....

...measles could share the fate of smallpox but it will require due diligence and vaccination....

For anyone who thinks that measles is a "minor" disease:
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/vaxli...aslesdeaths.htm

Today is November 15, 2007
300510 children have died of measles somewhere in the world since January 1, 2007.

The number of dots on this page is approximately the same as the number of children who die each year from measles*. Anti-vaccination liars would tell us that measles is harmless and the vaccine is very dangerous. Tell that to the parents of the children who die every day at the rate of two every three minutes.

Things have been much worse, and one of the first pieces of good news in 2007 was the announcement by the WHO that global measles deaths had been reduced by 60% in little more than five years. The number is still 345,000 too high...

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[rainbowmoon]

no way will I vax my children!

[rainbowmoon]

Originally Posted by Ann-NWIowa

I'm old enough to remember the polio epidemic. I also remember measles, mumps and chicken pox from when I had them. I know of many men sterile from mumps. People with vision problems from measles. Birth defects from pregnant mother's who had measles. Even healthy children die from childhood diseases. Unvaccinated adults also get all of these diseases and some become very ill with them.

As long as the majority of people do vaccinate their children, those who choose not to will probably not endanger their children...as long as they live within a vaccinated population. However, with the large population of illegals who are unvaccinated it might be difficult to protect your children from exposure. If enough people do not vaccinate at some point in time these diseases will reoccur.

I live right on the border of mexico and do not vaccinate. not worried.

[LynninTX]

This is an individual family decision.. we can all post our choice on here and we can post some of why we made our decision, but none of us can make this decision for you. There are a wide range of opinions. And facts on both sides require some *faith* in who is presenting the facts...

Do lots of research on all sides.
Consider the sides seriously.
If you are religious... pray about the decision.


We personally stopped vaccinating 16 yrs ago. This is our personal decision for our family.

[booklover]

I respect the reasons for vaxing and those against it.

I think the one piece of data that allows me to sit the fence on this one is the fact that people who die/are permanently disabled from these diseases are already immuno-compromised. They have poor diets and are undernourished, usually living in countries without adequate medical care. For the average american citizen, who is properly fed and has access to adequate medical care, the threat of a bad reaction from the vaccination is greater than the threat of permanent injury from the disease.

I selectively vaxed dd, mostly because we travel abroad a lot. She's 5 and has been to over a dozen countries. Two of these countries still have outbreaks of some of the more serious diseases and have less than adequate medical care. She has a strong immune system, as she is well nourished and her body fights of the minor bugs pretty well, but I didn't want to take chances knowing that she'd be in situations where medical care was sub-par if she did contract something.

I do have to say that I get irked at the medical community because they lead people to believe that vaccinations last forever. They don't tell you that you might not be immune (the vax doesn't work for some people), and that they wear off after a few years.

To each his own. My best friend doesn't vax. I do. I can see both sides and I think it's important to respect people's decisions.