I don't hardly ever post on this board but this is where I generally lurk. I have a question for those who do not or will not vaccinate. DD is coming up on all the oneyear shots and I was wondering if you dont vaccinate do you always worry about your child getting one of these diseases? I'm afraid if I don't vax then anytime my kid goes to the playground or to play with a friend that she could get one of these diseases. Is ut jut a constant fear? Also, do you worry about the side effects of the diseases if your child got them? I heard there was a measlesout break at the super bowl and a mumps out break in Phoenix. I know this is. Hot button topic but I'm really curious.
Re: Moms who don't vax
Yes, I do worry about this, and that is why I DO vaccinate.
If you don't mind my asking, why did you decide not to vaccinate? If you are worried about this, why not just vaccinate?
BFP#2: EDD 2/11/14, MMC confirmed 7/15/13 (growth stopped at 6 weeks), D&C @ 12 weeks 7/25/13
I did vax my kids, but I think you should ask yourself what your reasoning is for not vaccinating your LO. Obviously there IS a risk (and not such a small one) that your child could be exposed to and catch one of these diseases, especially as more and more people choose not vaccinate. Not only is your LO at risk, but she will also be putting others at risk. The risks of the diseases and the effects of these diseases are so much greater than the very minimal risks of the actual vaccines. I would urge you to do more research via reputable, factual sites like the CDC, AAP, WHO, and AMA.
I put a lot of research into vaccines while I was pregnant. A LOT. I know someone who doesn't vaccine and that led me to research what was the best decision for our family.
I am 100% sure we made the right decision in deciding to vaccinate. The reasons you listed in the OP are why. I'm not willing to risk her contracting something deadly or spreading something to child to young to have been vaccinated. I feel like not vaccinating is not just a choice you make your family, it's one you potentially make for the families surrounding yours, and that's not right.
Yeah you should be scared. For real. Diseases that once killed people frequently were finally pretty much under control. Then a bunch of lying liars told you that the reason your child might someday have some sort of disability is because you decided to protect your child, and everyone else's, by simply vaccinating your own.
I wish this wasn't even a discussion.
From the CDC's website:
Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral illness that can lead to serious complications and death. Endemic or sustained measles transmission has not occurred in the United States since the late 1990s, despite continued importations (1). During 2001--2008, a median of 56 (range: 37--140) measles cases were reported to CDC annually (2); during the first 19 weeks of 2011, 118 cases of measles were reported, the highest number reported for this period since 1996. Of the 118 cases, 105 (89%) were associated with importation from other countries, including 46 importations (34 among U.S. residents traveling abroad and 12 among foreign visitors). Among those 46 cases, 40 (87%) were importations from the World Health Organization (WHO) European and South-East Asia regions. Of the 118, 105 (89%) patients were unvaccinated. Forty-seven (40%) patients were hospitalized and nine had pneumonia. The increased number of measles importations into the United States this year underscores the importance of vaccination to prevent measles and its complications.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6020a7.htm
/sanctimonious rant.
Yep. It's a pretty simple solution. Vaccines aren't a 100% guarantee but they are the absolute best way to reduce your child's risk of getting one of those diseases. And when a vaccinated child does get sick with one of these illnesses, they usually have a milder case. If you are concerned about vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccinating seems like the logical step here.
I have and will vaccinate my child. The main reasoning for vaccinations are to achieve herd immunity meaning, the goal is to protect the larger population not just the individual. Because people don't vaccinate you are opening up doors for outbreaks.. as more and more choose not to vaccinate then you are putting your child at risk. You should research what actually happened to the Doctors who 'claimed' they did a study and that vaccines were linked to autism, they are no longer Doctors it was a lie. There is no harm in being protective of your child and doing what you feel is best but I firmly believe there is waaaay more risk of losing your child to a deadly disease if you don't vaccinate than their to be a problem because you vaccinated.
The only one I am having a hard time getting my head round is the chicken pox vaccine. It really hasn't been out nearly as long as the others and I am not convinced of the long term effects. I think I will vaccinate but I am not particularly happy about this one. After doing a class on it I wish it were one I could opt out of. On the other hand I was raised where parents took there kids to 'chickenpox' parties and comparing to the past is not a healthy attitude that I have either. Doing this is not right just because our parents did it! times have changed and w know a lot more than we did now than then!
Figure out YOUR reasoning, do research and do what you think is best for your child and others around you.
This about sums up how I feel about vaccinating. Of course the most important thing to me is to keep my daughter healthy, and my research proved to me that the best way to do that is to get her immunized. Also, if I decided not to immunize, the chance of spreading something to a young baby who is not yet vaccinated or to an older child who can not get vaccinated due to allergies or autoimmune disorders is not something I'm willing to live with.
I think the vaccinating is good, and we are getting our LO vaccinated... but we are going slower. We didn't plan on spreading them out, and we were going to get them all on schedule. But LO had a reaction to his 2 month shots that caused some more serious side effects, and he ended up being on all sorts of antibiotics and steroids for 6 months to clear everything up. Because of all of that, we aren't getting his second round until his one year check up.
I agree with PP that said vaccines aren't just for your LO, but for your community as well. You never know when you are around someone else with a compromised immune system, and what if your unvaccinated child passes something deadly along to them?
For example, DD2 got the chicken pox at 9 months (vaccine is given at 12 months) because DH had shingles. My sister is severely disabled, and has a compromised immune system. Even though she has had two chicken pox vaccinations (2 shots are supposed to be 99% effective) she still caught them from my DD (they were around each other before we knew it was the chicken pox.) Any "normal" person probably wouldn't have gotten them with 2 vaccines, but she is different. I will say that she ended up having a mild case (my DD had a case of the horrible "classic" chicken pox), but I still felt awful for my DD giving it to her!
I wasn't going to Vax my kid. You know what happened to me? I spent every single day for about 7ish months worrying about my LO catching things. I was paranoid and it was no way to live life.
He got his first shots at about 7.5 months and has been getting caught up since.
I don't look down on people who don't Vax. I totally understand both sides of it, because I have been on both sides of it. I just did what I felt was right for my family both by not vaxing at the begining, and changing my mind later.
same here.. my mom tried to get us the chicken pox so many times.. I didnt get it till I was 15. Should have gotten the shot!
i work for a doctor's office and had the debate with the nursing staff here. I chose to have my son vaccinated because I am the kind of parent who would worry all the time. For me, the short term disadvantages (upset baby) were better than the potential long term disadvantages of the diseases.
I would talk to your ped about it. They can usually give you some good information to help you make up your mind.
I guess I am a little confused.....When I read your question, it sounded like you do vaccinate your child and were wondering what those who don't feel like. But then everyone on here is saying how "you should be scared" and "if you are so concerned then why don't you vaccinate?"
Either I misinterpreted what you are saying, or most of the PPs did... so just wondering which it is. Do you vax or not? Either way, I am not judging. Just curious based on the question and the responses so far.
Anyhow, I can't answer your question as I vaccinate also. I feel that if I can help lower the chance of my baby from getting these diseases then why shouldn't I?
Where can I get that bumper sticker?
This is what my mom believes too. We were vaccinated and my son is too. She definitely thinks that there is a connection, whether it is from the number of vaccines or how they are administered (too many too close together), something is not right. The USA has the highest rates of autism and we vaccinate for the most things of all the developed countries. I am not saying vaccines aren't good, because they do protect us, but some things could be changed. There are even blood fragments in vaccines. What's with that?
I have a feeling the incidence of autism in the US could be more linked to hormones and genetically modified foods we consume every single day than vaccinations. Vaccinations have been tested and studied, genetically modified corn? Not so much.
yes, completely this. I was under the impression that the OP does vaccinate. And now it is confirmed.
That's really interesting about the fetal cell lines. I never knew that. I do vaccinate, but that totally freaks me out and I don't agree.
Yep, I do worry about horrible, preventable diseases that could kill or maim my child, and in the past have wiped out entire populations pre-vaccinations.
That is why I'm not an idiot and I fully vaccinate my child on schedule.
This.
I agree with whatever PP mentioned it protecting your community. My DH was allergic to whatever was in the whooping cough vaccine and was paralyzed for 48 hours from the first dose. Because of that, he couldn't receive the second dose and is not fully vaccinated. People choosing not to vaccinate potentially puts others who cannot vaccinate at risk.
First, FBS (fetal bovine serum) is not an actual ingredient in the vax. It is one of the ingredients in the media used to grow the vax. It is part of the food for the cells growing.
Second, FBS is a protein isolated from cows blood.