for those who haven't personally experienced...

mistresscox · April 2009

Yes, I'm going to beat a dead horse here. Some of you say that because you have personally experienced Autism in your family and that is what makes up your mind re: vaccinations. But remember, there are worse things than Autism running around this world.

As someone who has taken care of children in the PICU (pediatric ICU) for diseases that are preventable with vaccines I would just like to say that I've never had one of those parents say "well, at least he/she doesn't have autism. Good thing we DIDN"T vaccinate."

Granted I wasn't around them 24-7, so maybe sometime in the course of their child being on a breathing machine, on several different medications to support basic fuctions (like blood pressure), a feeding tube sticking out of their mouth, and a tube going into their bladder they DID say that-but I'm just throwing it out there that I definately never heard it. Just FWIW.

Vaccinating your children should be an informed decision. Let me retype that for those that may have missed it-an INFORMED DECISION! If you choose to keep your child from being vaccinated just be ready with sound medical research to back it up-because yes you will be called out on it repeatedly throughout your childs life.

KateandEd · April 2009

I haven't done extenstive research on this so I am not trying to get all involved in this without all the available facts, but FWIW....

doesn't NOT vaccinating your children keep them from doing certain things like...going to public school? I'm not sure about primary school years, but I certainly remember having to hand in all my vaccination records from the beginning of time to attend state university?

Again, not that this is the most important thing in the world, especially if you are planning on home schooling, but wouldn't this come up sooner or later?

lunamanzana · April 2009

Yes

beating a dead horse is better than one needlessly sick child

lunamanzana · April 2009

KateandEd:
I haven't done extenstive research on this so I am not trying to get all involved in this without all the available facts, but FWIW....

doesn't NOT vaccinating your children keep them from doing certain things like...going to public school? I'm not sure about primary school years, but I certainly remember having to hand in all my vaccination records from the beginning of time to attend state university?

Again, not that this is the most important thing in the world, especially if you are planning on home schooling, but wouldn't this come up sooner or later?

Unfortunately, a lot of parents have started lying about their religious beliefs to get around the requirements.

mistresscox · April 2009

No, unvaccinated children can attend public schools. The parents just have to go in and sign a form with the school nurse (and possibly have a note from the pediatrician-not sure about that) saying that they have made the CHOICE to not vaccinate. Which is how mumps is making a reappearance lately-even if 5 kids in a school are unvaccinated and ONE brings it to school the other 4 are now susceptable. And it is a REALLY freaking ugly disease-no parent should ever have to go through that.

manda_mullins · April 2009

I don't know much about the school issue (I was primarily home-schooled), but when I went to culinary school last year, my Mom couldn't find a record of my having the Rubella vacc, so I had to have it on orientation day or could not attend.?

CadencenBraedynsMommy · April 2009

EXCELLENT point!! As I am not a mother who would subject my child to a lifetime of possibilities of diseases that could be controlled by a mere vaccination, if there are mothers or fathers out there that choose that route, it shouldn't be because that is what the "cool" group is doing, but because they are, like you said, "informed" and completely ready to defend their decision for their child's ENTIRE life. Keeping in mind that most public school systems will not take a child who is not vaccinated. Autism is a scary thing, and what causes it is still a mystery. But not vaccinating your child because you think you're saving them from a lifetime of trials and tribulations, just take a second to think of what you are subjecting your child to and everythign you are not protecting them from. And who knows, they could still develop autism because the cause is not entirely known.

manda_mullins · April 2009

mistresscox:
No, unvaccinated children can attend public schools.? The parents just have to go in and sign a form with the school nurse (and possibly have a note from the pediatrician-not sure about that) saying that they have made the CHOICE to not vaccinate.?Which is how mumps is making a reappearance lately-even if 5 kids in a school are unvaccinated and ONE brings it to school the other 4 are now susceptable.? And it is a REALLY freaking ugly disease-no parent should ever have to go through that.?

?

I had mumps when I was a kid. I can verify, it's horrific. ?

KateandEd · April 2009

mistresscox:
No, unvaccinated children can attend public schools. The parents just have to go in and sign a form with the school nurse (and possibly have a note from the pediatrician-not sure about that) saying that they have made the CHOICE to not vaccinate. Which is how mumps is making a reappearance lately-even if 5 kids in a school are unvaccinated and ONE brings it to school the other 4 are now susceptable. And it is a REALLY freaking ugly disease-no parent should ever have to go through that.

THIS pisses me off. Do what you want with your own kid, but don't make mine sick! Sorry, but I just got reeeeeeally angry. So much for living in a developed country...more like developing morons.

Chrysallys · April 2009

lunamanzana:
KateandEd:

I haven't done extenstive research on this so I am not trying to get all involved in this without all the available facts, but FWIW....

doesn't NOT vaccinating your children keep them from doing certain things like...going to public school? I'm not sure about primary school years, but I certainly remember having to hand in all my vaccination records from the beginning of time to attend state university?

Again, not that this is the most important thing in the world, especially if you are planning on home schooling, but wouldn't this come up sooner or later?

Unfortunately, a lot of parents have started lying about their religious beliefs to get around the requirements.

You can get waivers in certain states for philosophical beliefs as well so don't assume they are lying.

emlady · April 2009

I was one of those who made my decisions based on adverse reactions of kids I know in real life. It wasn't autism, though. FWIW, I do plan to vaccinate selectively and delayed but am much more skeptical now.

hol · April 2009

What makes me upset about parents who don't vaccinate is that they ruin herd immunization. Because effectiveness of a lot of these vaccines is only 80%+, MY vaccinated kid lying in that less than 20% might catch a deadly disease because the child of 2 uninformed parents gave it to him/her.

liongish119 · April 2009

I think you need vaccinations to enter all schools- so you'd have to home school if you choose not to vaccinate.

DH and I decided that we are going to vaccinate because we feel that the evidence still overwhelmingly supports vaccines as a good thing- like protecting against terrible, life threatening diseases like polio.

mistresscox · April 2009

KateandEd:

mistresscox:
No, unvaccinated children can attend public schools. The parents just have to go in and sign a form with the school nurse (and possibly have a note from the pediatrician-not sure about that) saying that they have made the CHOICE to not vaccinate. Which is how mumps is making a reappearance lately-even if 5 kids in a school are unvaccinated and ONE brings it to school the other 4 are now susceptable. And it is a REALLY freaking ugly disease-no parent should ever have to go through that.

THIS pisses me off. Do what you want with your own kid, but don't make mine sick! Sorry, but I just got reeeeeeally angry. So much for living in a developed country...more like developing morons.

hehe, lucky me-I had to get a bunch of boosters because I work in an ER and you never know if kids have been vaccinated until you've already had contact with them. Yeah, I totally agree with you here-thanks for putting me (and now my BABY) in jeapordy because you "don't believe in modern medicine" but need care in the ER. Pick a philosophy jackass! (Sorry for the rant-I was questionably exposed to rubella 2 weeks ago because the parents didn't "believe what little research was available to support vaccinating their child". Thank God *I* was immunized properly!)

Aliliv · April 2009

I know there are exceptions to the rule and some people need to NOT vaccinate due to medical reasons - but that decision should come from lots of research and discussion with their doctor... I'm all for delayed schedules if that will give parents piece of mind. But, I also believe (and I may be alone here - or get flamed, etc.) that vaccinating your child is a social responsibility and parents should have their child vaccinated unless there is sound medical reasons, etc. But, this decision should come about based on medical advice, not necessarily personal "research." Most of us are not equipped to interpret many of studies done - we'd have to have a lot of knowledge of statistics, data grouping, etc...

DaisyAdair · April 2009

I delay vax, but my kids will be caught up by age 2. I just don't want them getting a bunch at once - geez, at my pedi office they do SIX at the 1yr visit and most of them are combos. No way! Too much, so we break them up.

I always laugh when I see the Pampers commercials where, if you buy a bag of Pampers, they provide a vaccine to a child in a country that doesn't have them. Here we are....access to these things....and shunning them, while people out there are dying from these diseases and begging for them.

I feel I do have a social responsibility, but I have to balance that with what I feel is right for my kids. I do NOT feel getting 4+ vaccines at one time is beneficial to my kids. Like I said, they will be caught up by age 2. They don't go to daycare, so I don't worry....and by worry, I don't mean THEM getting sick. I would be more worried about them sickening another child...that's really my main concern with the decision I made. I accept responsibility for MY kids getting sick if I choose to delay vax, but my main worry is causing another child to get sick with my decision. So, although I'd LOVE to sign my oldest up for a program, I haven't yet and I won't for a few months until she's up to day (she'll be up to date in June).

My little one is up to date with all of the early stuff and now the other stuff will be delayed and she'll be caught up at 2, as well.

It's not an either/or. There are many, many options in between.

KateandEd · April 2009

DaisyAdair:

I delay vax, but my kids will be caught up by age 2. I just don't want them getting a bunch at once - geez, at my pedi office they do SIX at the 1yr visit and most of them are combos. No way! Too much, so we break them up.

I always laugh when I see the Pampers commercials where, if you buy a bag of Pampers, they provide a vaccine to a child in a country that doesn't have them. Here we are....access to these things....and shunning them, while people out there are dying from these diseases and begging for them.

I feel I do have a social responsibility, but I have to balance that with what I feel is right for my kids. I do NOT feel getting 4+ vaccines at one time is beneficial to my kids. Like I said, they will be caught up by age 2. They don't go to daycare, so I don't worry....and by worry, I don't mean THEM getting sick. I would be more worried about them sickening another child...that's really my main concern with the decision I made. I accept responsibility for MY kids getting sick if I choose to delay vax, but my main worry is causing another child to get sick with my decision. So, although I'd LOVE to sign my oldest up for a program, I haven't yet and I won't for a few months until she's up to day (she'll be up to date in June).

My little one is up to date with all of the early stuff and now the other stuff will be delayed and she'll be caught up at 2, as well.

It's not an either/or. There are many, many options in between.

I commend you for being informed and not exposing other children to potentially harmful diseases. If everyone were informed and not jumping on a trendy bandwagon I would be ok with it...but I think we all know that isn't the case.

sacaku · April 2009

first off.. let me say i agree that children must be vaccinated... i don't agree that they have to follow a certain set schedule - that there is validity in alternative schedules.

my question is... have there been a lot of people posting that they are refusing to vaccine all together. i read back through some of the threads and didn't see any - mostly were pro vaccines (some for the dr.'s schedule others for an alternative schedule)

i only ask b/c i too don't understand that point of view and would like to hear why they feel the way they do.

emlady · April 2009

I haven't seen anyone on here say they weren't going to vaccinate at all.

Mama Jan · April 2009

Yes

Thank you for this. We have chosen to vaccinate according to our pedi's schedule and it really makes me angry that my child can be exposed to preventable diseases (that he is not old enough to vaccinate for) because other people have chosen not to vaccinate.

Some of my girls over on 12-24 have had experience with this and it really upsets me.

Want a personalized experience?

for those who haven't personally experienced...

Re: for those who haven't personally experienced...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards