Babies: 3 - 6 Months

s/o Vaccines

We vaccinate DD on the regular schedule. However, we have a friend who does not vaccinate her son at all. He's 7.

He hasn't been to our house since DD was born because I worry about him bringing something over.

Two questions:

1) Is this a rational fear? I mean, even though my DS is vaccinated, he could still bring the virus home for measles or something, right?

2) If it is rational, how long do you think I should keep him away?

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Re: s/o Vaccines

  • I don't know, either.  I'm interested in the responses.  I have a teacher friend who told me yesterday she hasn't had her son get any shots past the 4 month ones because she is afraid.  Her son is 14 months.  I feel bad that I don't want him around DD, but I'm not going to take a risk.  I feel that once she's had all her vacs, she'll be fine, but she isn't done with them yet.
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  • lmpdjclmpdjc member
    My BIL & SIL have a baby 4 weeks older then Dylan and they aren't vaccinating.  It makes me nervous...I would assume we should keep them apart until all of Dylans vacs are done, but thats not very realistic.
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  • sometimes vaccines do not work.

    But, I would not have my child around someone who choses to not vax their kid simply because I would not associate myself with such a person. If they cannot vax for medical reasons, then I would probably be ok with it after DD finished her vaccines.

  • Here's the thing. I believe it is a rational thing to worry about, however, I am not going to go up to mothers with children and ask them if they have their child vaccinated. I don't believe that is my place. I believe it is very important to do so, but the truth of the matter is that a lot of people aren't now and we take our kids out everyday into the world; the store, library, doc offices, schools, etc and there are hundreds of kids who have not been vaccinated. Thinking about it more like this makes me think that it is a little irrational, but that is JMO. Also, MMR is something that babies cannot even be vaccinated for until they are older. I figure if they are going to get sick, they will and it sucks. I just wanted to make that point, but let's be clear here that I do worry about my son getting sick, yet I am not going to stop him or others from playing with him UNLESS they are noticably sick.
  • I would keep him away at least until 18 months.  At 18 months, most of the vaccines are done.  DS isn't protected from the virus until all the vaccines in the series are complete.  For example, since HIB has four shots, DS isn't protected until one year old when the last shot of the series is given.

  • bb80bb80 member
    imageIrishBrideND:

    sometimes vaccines do not work.

    But, I would not have my child around someone who choses to not vax their kid simply because I would not associate myself with such a person. If they cannot vax for medical reasons, then I would probably be ok with it after DD finished her vaccines.

    exactly

    we are following a delayed schedule (Dr. Sears)

    but not vaccinating at all??  bleh

     

  • bb80bb80 member

    stupid bump

  • bb80bb80 member
    imageIrishBrideND:

    sometimes vaccines do not work.

    But, I would not have my child around someone who choses to not vax their kid simply because I would not associate myself with such a person. If they cannot vax for medical reasons, then I would probably be ok with it after DD finished her vaccines.

    exactly

    we are following a delayed schedule (Dr. Sears)

    but not vaccinating at all??  bleh

     

  • bb80bb80 member
    imageIrishBrideND:

    sometimes vaccines do not work.

    But, I would not have my child around someone who choses to not vax their kid simply because I would not associate myself with such a person. If they cannot vax for medical reasons, then I would probably be ok with it after DD finished her vaccines.

    exactly

    we are following a delayed schedule (Dr. Sears)

    but not vaccinating at all??  bleh

     

  • Well, we've been friends for years. And she's a good friend. It never came up in conversation until I was pregnant with Lily. I couldn't exactly say, "Well, you've been a good friend for years, but peace out." But, she knows why her son can't come over.
    This is a test. This is only a test.
  • CTri17CTri17 member

    we are also delaying, Lucy will be getting her first shot at her 6 mo appointment.

    We have a friend who has chosen not to vaccinate at all, while I don't agree with her I am not going to not se one of my dear friends and her child.

    She breastfeeds, she stays at home and does other things as well as suggested by their naturopath.

    If she was sick, we wouldn't go over, other than thatI'm not concerned.

    Someone said last night that in their middle school she notices that the non-vax kids are sick all the time. How could that even be true? Vaxes do nothing against any other type of sickness so is she just projecting or do those kids just get sick a lot, and is it really more than the vaccinated kids. Personally, I doubt it.

    The likelihood of a non-vaccinated child carrying something is very small, and your child will have partial immunity until all shots are completed. So if you are concerned then I guess I wouldn't go near them until those are completed but how would you know? (in most cases)

    Also things like MMR aren't done until 1+ years, what if anyone is carrying measles, your child isn't protected right now, but you still take babies out and about.

    Like I said we are delaying vaccinations- not because of autism but because it is a lot for a little baby who is changing so rapidly to handle, she will be nearly fully vaccinated by the  time she goes to school (I say nearly because we won't do chicken pox and rotavirus we can't get because she is too old)

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  • CTri17CTri17 member

    we are also delaying, Lucy will be getting her first shot at her 6 mo appointment.

    We have a friend who has chosen not to vaccinate at all, while I don't agree with her I am not going to not se one of my dear friends and her child.

    She breastfeeds, she stays at home and does other things as well as suggested by their naturopath.

    If she was sick, we wouldn't go over, other than that I'm not concerned.

    Someone said last night that in their middle school she notices that the non-vax kids are sick all the time. How could that even be true? Vaxes do nothing against any other type of sickness so is she just projecting or do those kids just get sick a lot, and is it really more than the vaccinated kids. Personally, I doubt it.

    The likelihood of a non-vaccinated child carrying something is very small, and your child will have partial immunity until all shots are completed. So if you are concerned then I guess I wouldn't go near them until those are completed but how would you know? (in most cases)

    Also things like MMR aren't done until 1+ years, what if anyone is carrying measles, your child isn't protected right now, but you still take babies out and about.

    Like I said we are delaying vaccinations- not because of autism but because it is a lot for a little baby who is changing so rapidly to handle, she will be nearly fully vaccinated by the  time she goes to school (I say nearly because we won't do chicken pox and rotavirus we can't get because she is too old)

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  • While I can't respect your friend's choice to forego vaccines (unless for medical reasons), I can't say that it's realistic and/or rational to isolate this one vaccineless child from your baby.....

    Many adults are not up to date with their vaccines either, and they carry just as much risk to a small child/baby as an unvaccinated child. (I think...could be wrong).  

    However, it is your baby are you need to do what is comfortable to you!    If you know of a risk and want to eliminate that one risk (ie. unvaccinated friend's child) than do so!    It's entirely up to:)

  • my SIL has three kids and she hasn't gotten vaccinations for ANY of them. they are ages 7, 5 and 2. our time spent around them is limited, however when we are together the "what if" is always in the back of my mind.
  • I will admit my response was extreme and probably not practical.

     

    This topic just makes me so upset, I tend to overreact.

     

    But I would find it VERY hard to stay friends with someone like that.

  • 1. I don't know about rationality, but it would concern me as well. Now that I think about it, my 8yo nephew isn't vaccinated, and DD will see him when she's about a year old. And it makes me a little nervous. But we take our kids all over the place before their full complement of vaccines, so the risk must be fairly small.

    2. If you're that concerned, and your friend is OK with the limited contact, I'd wait until your DD is fully vaccinated.

    ETA: You can always ask your doctor (and I don't know why more people don't run this scenario by their dr). S/he should be able to give you a better idea of the risks involved and how cautious you should be, if at all.

  • The likelihood that your child will contract something that you would normally vaccinate for, from this friend's child, is SLIM. Not everyone gets vaccinations - that's how it's always been, because there's always been a lingering fear about the dangers of vaccines. BUT - what people forget, is that when most people vaccinate, it drastically decreases the chances of non-vaccinated children catching anything. It's something to do with "the herd." In essence, if most people are vaccinated, then a non-vaccinated person/child would have to come in contact with another non-vaccinated person carrying the disease (which is highly unlikely.) The real problem with not vaccinating comes when MOST people don't vaccinate, because then the disease can rapidly spread through "the herd." 

    You probably have nothing to worry about. I would though, keep the kid away if he/she was sick. Otherwise, there's not really anything to be worried about. 

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  • imageDr.Loretta:

    1. I don't know about rationality, but it would concern me as well. Now that I think about it, my 8yo nephew isn't vaccinated, and DD will see him when she's about a year old. And it makes me a little nervous. But we take our kids all over the place before their full complement of vaccines, so the risk must be fairly small.

    2. If you're that concerned, and your friend is OK with the limited contact, I'd wait until your DD is fully vaccinated.

    ETA: You can always ask your doctor (and I don't know why more people don't run this scenario by their dr). S/he should be able to give you a better idea of the risks involved and how cautious you should be, if at all.

    Good idea. DH is taking her to her 6 month appointment. I'll give him a list, lol

    And IrishBride...it irritates me, too. Mostly because of the lack of research that people do and then spread propaganda....kind of like politics... Wink

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  • It isn't an irrational fear at all.  An  non-vaccinated child can get Lily sick.  The measles outbreak in California was caused by a single non-vaccinated child who brought the disease into the country from Switzerland.  We live in a very high immigrant population with much higher than average numbers of diseases reported. 

    My pedi will not see patients who aren't vaccinated because of the extreme risk to his other patients.   (His words)

    All it takes is for this little kid to be exposed to lets say Diptheria (which is very easily spread). Some people can have it and not show symptoms for several days.  He comes over and plays with your kids.  And then, god forbid, your DD  could have a potentially life threatening disease which was 100% preventable.

    I am very passionate about this.  I  think it is negligent on the part of the parents to not vaccinate their children.  I think if their children become sick from a preventable disease then they should be charged with at the very least neglect. 

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  • imageteelaman:
    BUT - what people forget, is that when most people vaccinate, it drastically decreases the chances of non-vaccinated children catching anything. It's something to do with "the herd." In essence, if most people are vaccinated, then a non-vaccinated person/child would have to come in contact with another non-vaccinated person carrying the disease (which is highly unlikely.) The real problem with not vaccinating comes when MOST people don't vaccinate, because then the disease can rapidly spread through "the herd."


    I have a big problem with this.  So these people who feel that vaccines are dangerous want to take advantage of the responsible people around them to keep themselves protected.  Unreal.

    Whatever - apparently a lot of people now aren't vaccinating, which is why we're seeing pertussis in Cali, among other things.  I feel bad for the kids, I'm sure they wouldn't want that, even if it wasn't fatal to them.
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  • imageJamieS2006:
    imageteelaman:
    BUT - what people forget, is that when most people vaccinate, it drastically decreases the chances of non-vaccinated children catching anything. It's something to do with "the herd." In essence, if most people are vaccinated, then a non-vaccinated person/child would have to come in contact with another non-vaccinated person carrying the disease (which is highly unlikely.) The real problem with not vaccinating comes when MOST people don't vaccinate, because then the disease can rapidly spread through "the herd."


    I have a big problem with this.  So these people who feel that vaccines are dangerous want to take advantage of the responsible people around them to keep themselves protected.  Unreal.

    Whatever - apparently a lot of people now aren't vaccinating, which is why we're seeing pertussis in Cali, among other things.  I feel bad for the kids, I'm sure they wouldn't want that, even if it wasn't fatal to them.

    "I'm not going to vaccinate my kid because it's unsafe, but you need to vaccinate yours so mine doesn't get sick."

     

    This is a test. This is only a test.
  • HotSauce,

    I don't think that is irrational at all. I would keep my LO away from that child because of the same fear. It is quite silly not to vaccinate, IMO. All my research (I am a toxicologist) has shown  there is a higher chance of children getting a serious disease without the vaccine than having a reaction to the vaccine.

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  • imageJamieS2006:
    imageteelaman:
    BUT - what people forget, is that when most people vaccinate, it drastically decreases the chances of non-vaccinated children catching anything. It's something to do with "the herd." In essence, if most people are vaccinated, then a non-vaccinated person/child would have to come in contact with another non-vaccinated person carrying the disease (which is highly unlikely.) The real problem with not vaccinating comes when MOST people don't vaccinate, because then the disease can rapidly spread through "the herd."


    I have a big problem with this.  So these people who feel that vaccines are dangerous want to take advantage of the responsible people around them to keep themselves protected.  Unreal.

    Whatever - apparently a lot of people now aren't vaccinating, which is why we're seeing pertussis in Cali, among other things.  I feel bad for the kids, I'm sure they wouldn't want that, even if it wasn't fatal to them.

    I don't think that's necessarily the intent of the "herd" idea. Mostly it comes from the idea that there are certain people within society that aren't able to get vaccinations (for example, our infants aren't fully vaccinated yet; for medical reasons; religious reasons, etc.) are still "protected" because the rest of society is.

    But, the problem does come in where people who could get vaccinations, like you said, choose not to. That's why outbreaks like those in California happen. And that's why my kid's getting vaccinated.

     

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