The Great Vaccine Debate

Melissa - posted on 08/24/2009

I've been trying to decide which one is the best route. Honestly, no matter which side you're on you can find bits of info here and there to back up your claim. Who's to say which way is the right way? None of us know for sure. 100%...without a doubt. You just choose what's best for you and your family. Some Dr's say yes. Some say no. It's hard to even take what they say as truth, because they're not always right and sometimes bring in their own opinions. My children aren't being raised the way their Dr. wants them to be.

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2009

Sorry Jessica - not trying to make you feel bad. I guess when someone has decided THIS is the best route, for their kids and humaity - its hard to see the other side, like yours. I still don't see it. But then I don't agree with the religious groups that say all medicine is evil and unnecessary either. Actually it just makes me angry they would deny their kids medical care... but thats a different issue.



I hope your kids stay healthy. For everyones sake.

Jessica - posted on 08/24/2009

I choose not to get my vaccinated as a health choice. I have very healthy children and unless I'm mistaken there hasn't been a recent outbrake of polio in my area for a while now so I don't plan on that being a problem. I am part of a growing community of people that believe that if you take care of your body and live a healthy lifestyle your bod can take care of itself. Honestly I don't have to defend myself in my home town so I find it kind of absurd that I should have to on the internet.



Before anyone says anything, I am aware that this a debate forum I have been part of many and even though my opinions on child rearing differ greatly from many on this forum I have never taken offense but when you say that I don't care enough about my children to keep them healty because its not your chosen lifestyle that's a little much.



I am also nine mths preggo and right now everything pisses my off so that could be a reason as well.

Sharon - posted on 08/24/2009

Quoting Loureen:

Quoting Sharon:

Quoting Jessica:

Oh yay I get to be the odd woman out! I do not and will not vaccinate my children. We believe in alternative medicine and our kids are very healthy. I know I am in the minority on this forum but it is my choice. I don't believe that vaccinations cause autism and if they do contribute to the disease I am unaware so that is not in my reasoning.

Loureen I understand your concern and I think the mother who sent her child to school ill is an idiot. I think in any situation, whether vaccinated or not, sick children should not be sent to school.

The only thing that would make me reconsider vaccines would be if they were completely green, wich will never happen because it would drastically decrease the shelf life.

I still don't understand why you won't try to keep your kids healthy.  There is no healthy living style beyond utter seclusion that will prevent your child from contracting polio.

And the idiot mother who sent her child to school with rubella.  She is a HUGE idiot.  Who knows where else in public she took her child exposing how many pregnant women to his germs?

How many spontaneous abortions is she directly responsible for?  How many pregnant women were with their toddlers at the pediatricians office when her child was there?

And she KNEW her child was contagious.  How many diseases out there are contagious but not evident?  I don't even want to look it up because it'll freak me out.  I used to know this. 

 

 

I wonder , if she is found to cause death through negligence could she be charged for murder ???

My kids probably will never come down with any of those diseases but if I had a toddler who broke out with one before his shot schedule were complete - I'd want it traced back to ground zero break out child and if it were crippling, scarring, brain damaging, required hospitalization - I would sue the fricken shit out of the parents. 

. - posted on 08/24/2009

We currently have a measels out break in my city. We had a letter from our son's doctor a few weeks ago advising us to get our son's MMR (measels mumps an rubella) started earlier. So last Wednesday our son got the first of four injections. He has three to go.

It was on our news recently that only 83% of kiwi kids are immunised, compared to 94% of some countries.

Alot of children in New Zealand are not being immunised, thefore, when they go to pre/school they are putting others at risk.

Swine flu- one woman who came back from holiday in Australia, contracted the virus, didn't put her self in quarantine and ended up infection people in her family, work force. One buisness had to be closed for a week, schools have been closed.

Obviously they were no vaccines for swine flu at that time, but this woman had the symptoms and didn't put herself into quarantine there fore infected alot of people. I'm sorry but I call that irresponsible.

I must add, she went to the doctors after more then a week of return.

?? - posted on 08/22/2009

I vaccinate because I trust my doctor. I did research online and in medical books that she gave me and some medical journals she gave me too - both for and against and in the end I was throwing my hands up goin SERIOUSLY I DUNNO THIS ONE YES THAT ONE NO but all of them ok but most of them no but maybe here but not there.



I finally just said "Lori, you're the doctor! What should I do?" And she said she would suggest that I vaccinate and gave me reasons. She gave me valid reasons pros and cons, in the end I decided I'd rather know I protected him the best I could, rather than learn to live with knowing I didn't do something I could have if he were to ever fall sick.



The only one I was 'worried' about more than the rest was whooping cough because when I was a baby I was allergic to the whooping cough vaccine and ended up sick because of it - not severly but still sick none-the-less.

Charlie - posted on 08/22/2009

Quoting Sharon:

Quoting Jessica:

Oh yay I get to be the odd woman out! I do not and will not vaccinate my children. We believe in alternative medicine and our kids are very healthy. I know I am in the minority on this forum but it is my choice. I don't believe that vaccinations cause autism and if they do contribute to the disease I am unaware so that is not in my reasoning.

Loureen I understand your concern and I think the mother who sent her child to school ill is an idiot. I think in any situation, whether vaccinated or not, sick children should not be sent to school.

The only thing that would make me reconsider vaccines would be if they were completely green, wich will never happen because it would drastically decrease the shelf life.

I still don't understand why you won't try to keep your kids healthy.  There is no healthy living style beyond utter seclusion that will prevent your child from contracting polio.

And the idiot mother who sent her child to school with rubella.  She is a HUGE idiot.  Who knows where else in public she took her child exposing how many pregnant women to his germs?

 

How many spontaneous abortions is she directly responsible for?  How many pregnant women were with their toddlers at the pediatricians office when her child was there?

 

And she KNEW her child was contagious.  How many diseases out there are contagious but not evident?  I don't even want to look it up because it'll freak me out.  I used to know this. 

I wonder , if she is found to cause death through negligence could she be charged for murder ???

Sharon - posted on 08/21/2009

Quoting Jessica:

Oh yay I get to be the odd woman out! I do not and will not vaccinate my children. We believe in alternative medicine and our kids are very healthy. I know I am in the minority on this forum but it is my choice. I don't believe that vaccinations cause autism and if they do contribute to the disease I am unaware so that is not in my reasoning.

Loureen I understand your concern and I think the mother who sent her child to school ill is an idiot. I think in any situation, whether vaccinated or not, sick children should not be sent to school.

The only thing that would make me reconsider vaccines would be if they were completely green, wich will never happen because it would drastically decrease the shelf life.

I still don't understand why you won't try to keep your kids healthy.  There is no healthy living style beyond utter seclusion that will prevent your child from contracting polio.

And the idiot mother who sent her child to school with rubella.  She is a HUGE idiot.  Who knows where else in public she took her child exposing how many pregnant women to his germs?

How many spontaneous abortions is she directly responsible for?  How many pregnant women were with their toddlers at the pediatricians office when her child was there?

And she KNEW her child was contagious.  How many diseases out there are contagious but not evident?  I don't even want to look it up because it'll freak me out.  I used to know this. 

Joy - posted on 08/18/2009

I vaccinate because after doing research and asking questions to my doctor(s) I felt that the benefits far outweigh the risks. My main reason is also that vaccinations keep at bay a lot of nasty diseases that killed millions throughout history. With the population level of our planet being so much greater than it was during the times when those diseases raged, I feel like if we all stopped vaxing then there would be millions of deaths eventually, due to the return of diseases that could have been prevented by a simple shot. I don't want to be a part of any kind of "future disease armageddon". That's just how I see it though. Not trying at all to be offensive to anyone who doesn't vax. :)

Sara - posted on 08/18/2009

No, no, I just wasn't sure what you meant by that.



Thanks!

Jessica - posted on 08/18/2009

I just don't think it is a sole reason not to vaccinate. Alot of people fall back on this as their only reason and since there is still so much debate over whether or not vaccines cause autism it hasn't made much of an impact on my decision. Hope this makes sense, mths preggo and exhausted.

Sara - posted on 08/18/2009

Quoting Jessica:

 don't believe that vaccinations cause autism and if they do contribute to the disease I am unaware so that is not in my reasoning.

What do you mean by this statement, Jessica?  Just curious...

Jessica - posted on 08/18/2009

Oh yay I get to be the odd woman out! I do not and will not vaccinate my children. We believe in alternative medicine and our kids are very healthy. I know I am in the minority on this forum but it is my choice. I don't believe that vaccinations cause autism and if they do contribute to the disease I am unaware so that is not in my reasoning.



Loureen I understand your concern and I think the mother who sent her child to school ill is an idiot. I think in any situation, whether vaccinated or not, sick children should not be sent to school.



The only thing that would make me reconsider vaccines would be if they were completely green, wich will never happen because it would drastically decrease the shelf life.

Sarah - posted on 08/18/2009

There was an outbreak of German Measles at my eldest daughters nursery while i was pregnant with my youngest. The damage it can do to unborn babies is SCARY!
(baby was fine by the way!)
:)

Lindsay - posted on 08/18/2009

My kids are vaccinated and will continue to be! I agree that if you choose an alternate schedule, that's so much better than opting out. We have done all of the immunizations including chicken pox, flu, and menengitis. They won't be getting the H1N1 but will get a regular flu shot this fall. I'll never forget going to pick up Madeline and Cooper from Daycare last Nov. and the Health Dept. was there. One of the teachers was in critical care in the hospital with Menengitis. I was never so happy to have them up to date on their shots as that day....

ME - posted on 08/18/2009

I did A LOT of research before consenting to vaccines...but in the end, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. I have put off some of them for a while if my child was already not feeling well, or cutting 2-3 teeth at the same time, just because it felt cruel...my pediatrician didn't argue with me at all...she just said to make sure to remember not to fall too far behind...

Jenny - posted on 08/18/2009

I know there's no defined link but I'm betting the drug companies would rather bury some people than let it leak out if there is. I have met too many people who saw the change happen to their child before there eyes due to vaccines and I am very anxious every time I have to go through that with my child.

JL - posted on 08/18/2009

My children are vaccinated and I think child immunizations is not just a personal health decision but also a public health issue. I have yet to read a medical analysis report with significant evidence that proves to me that there is a clearly defined link between autism and vaccinations. From what I have read what I understand is that there are a host of factors that maybe the cause for children with a prediliction toward autism. I would prefer if people would use alternative vaccine schedules instead of nixing vaccines in general.

Sara - posted on 08/18/2009

I think that NOT having your child immunized is a public health issue, not purely a "personal" family issue because it does affect the people around you. That is my problem with the anti-vax crowd. They play it off like it doesn't make a difference to anyone else, when that's simply not true. Plus, I feel like there really is no good evidence to support NOT vaxing your child. I, like you Kate, agree that autism and vaccines have no link. I have not yet read one convincing argument against vaccines. Most of the crap out there is simply misinformation. I have no problem with alternative vaccine schedules, but for the love of God...get your kid immunized!!!! I could never live with myself if my daughter got sick from something that could be prevented.

Sarah - posted on 08/18/2009

I definitely pro vaccination! For me, i think the risks FAR outweigh the cons.
We don't get vaccinated for Chicken Pox here.
As for the swine flu one.....i think i'd be VERY hesitant.
:)

Jenny - posted on 08/17/2009

I vaccinate the main ones but skip all the new additions. I skipped the Chicken Pox one for sure and all flu vaccines.



Traci, I'm more scared of the H1N1 vaccine than of the virus. Same with in the 70's, the vaccine killed more people than the virus did. Wash your hands and don't sneeze in people's faces and you'll save many more than vaccinations will.

Traci - posted on 08/17/2009

I won't be getting the H1N1 vax for my kids...it just hasn't been out long enough for me to feel comfortable with it. In the 70's they vaxed a bunch of people and more people ended up dying from the shot than they did the flu. I'm not one to get my kids even a regular flu shot, but after last year...I'm almost thinking about it. We are usually such a healthy family, barely ever getting colds and the flu is unheard of in my household. But last year my oldest started Kindergarten, and we were sick on and off all year long! I even got the flu! I can't remember the last time I had that, if ever! Kindergarten is nothing but a giant petri dish in my opinion, so I'm entertaining the idea of a flu shot. We'll see...

Evelyn - posted on 08/17/2009

Oh I definitely vaccinate. I feel the benefits WAY outweigh the risk. I am a little skeptical of this new swine flu vaccine though because it hasn't been tested. But because my daughter had RSV as an infant and several cases of bronchitis, she will be on the priority list to get it. (She has illness induced asthma) I'm still not sure and will be discussing this at length with our pediatrician. What do you ladies think of the vaccine? Will you be giving it to your children/getting it yourselves?

Charlie - posted on 08/17/2009

I vaccinate !! people these days do not remember the horror people went through pre Vaccine if they did they wouldnt so quickly dismiss the importance of it .
Thousands of children locked in iron lungs is scary and sad , i would hate for that to come back .
I say, if you don't want to vaccinate your kid go live in the wilderness where you cant infect and spread disease to those too young to get their shots and too old to deal with infection .
Sorry IMO it's selfish , i had a woman send her child to school with Rubella while i was pregnant , she knew he had it , after one miscariage you can imagine i was terrified , even though i had my Rubella shots i still had to stay away from work for over a month .
Had i somehow contracted Rubella and my child died or been severely disabled , i would have been LIVID !! to say the least .

Sharon - posted on 08/17/2009

Hahaha super hot topic no one wants to touch.



Ok no proselytising, just my testimony.



I vaccinated my three kids on a modified shot schedule.



My mother was vaccinated, my father was vaccinated, my MIL, FIL, their 6 kids, their 12 grandchildren were vaccinated, and none of us died or developed autism. Can it happen? yeah I think so. One of these days they're going to find out that some kids with gene such-n-such or prediliction to such-n-such will/can develop autism when their systems are stressed.



I think its wrong to shove so much into an infants system so fast. So I used a modified shot schedule. I caught merry H-E- double hockey sticks from the pediatrician but I pointed out - at least they're getting their shots.

Jocelyn - posted on 08/17/2009

i vaccinate, but i am torn sometimes. i don't agree with using animal products (many are egg based) because i am practically a vegan, i don't like the use of mercury at all, and i do think that our children are being over-vaccinated (like the vaccine for the chicken pox, unnecessary imo) i do think that the DTaP is very important. i will not be vaccinating my child against Hep B until later in life, and (as of now, i'm waiting for more studies and more time to go by) i will not be giving my daughter gardisil (if i have a daughter that is) i also don't believe that vaccinations cause autism.

Traci - posted on 08/17/2009

I vaccinated all 3 of mine. I don't claim to be a doctor, but there are so many variables in terms of what can be causing autism...I just don't know. I personally know 2 kids with it, and I really feel for their families, it's a lot of work! I should ask them what they think about the great vaccine debate....