Should we vaccinate?

Denise - posted on 09/12/2012

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/biologicsbl...



this is from the FDA insert for one of the vaccines listed side effects. Page 11

Julia - posted on 08/10/2009

http://www.nvic.org National Vaccine Information Center



It's your choice and your decision to live with. That being said, if some injury does occur - good luck suing and being compensated for it. It wasn't long ago when the drug companies nearly stopped producing vaccines b/c their legal fees and damage awards were too high. In an effort to protect the 'common good' legislation was passed "immunizing" these companies from liability. You actually have to go through 'vaccine court' in order to sue. You cannot have a trail by jury. Damages were recently awarded to a family who's child's autism was proved to be caused by vaccines. But, guess who paid the damages??? US taxpayers. The money came from a special fund set aside just for vaccine injuries. This was an incredible victory and, legally speaking, a damn near impossible one to win. It costs a fortune to litigate anything.



With no liability to the drug companies, where is the incentive to create safe products. Should we rely on their common decency? Their truthfullness in producing ALL their studies, not just the favorable ones? FDA testing procedures are hopefully flawed. Many FDA and CDC officials that 'push' through different drugs end up (not long after approval) working for the drug companies with HUGE salaries? coincidence? or big business? (aspartame is the best example of these issues... the CDC has received more consumer complaints for this product than anything else and it's still on the market and the person that 'approved' it went to work for the company not long after approval, and no doubt the arrangements were in place well in advance)



As for Thimerosal (mercury preservative) while PRODUCTION of vaccines using this preservative was recently banned, nothing prevented the drug companies from using up and depleting their supplies of already produced vaccines - some of which contained up to 95% mercury. There was no recall. It's estimated that these 'reserves' have all been used up, but who knows for sure? I didn't stay away from mercury during my pregnancy to inject my daughter with it during her most tender years of development - call me a cynic, but it just doesn't pass my smell test.



I have not vaccinated my daughter for religous reasons. We do not accept blood transfusions and we do not accept vaccines with monkey brains, or chicken DNA, or whatever other foreign matter that are used to make them for the same reasons. I personally am not satisfied with the studies that "prove" no side-effects. Where are the LONG TERM studies? How do you know that 'arthritis' or 'cancer' or whatever else you may contract 25 years later is not caused from all those childhood vaccines?



Remember the Spanish Flu pandemic? That was caused by a mutation in sick soldiers who were vaccinated - essentially, it was the vaccine that killed millions b/c the vaccine created a new flu strain that no one had any immunity to.



I worry more about my child getting sick from the vaccinated kids. If your vaccines work, then my child poses no danger to anyone who is vaccinated. She will not be the one to create a mutated strain with the vaccination. If your vaccines work, there would not be outbreaks of measles at schools with 100% vaccination rates. If your child is sick when they get their vaccinations, they might just create a new disease that renders the current vaccinations innefective and kills millions. Perhaps it's better to keep the vaccines in reserve in case of an actual emergency? Western medicine has always been a reactive, emergency based medicine, developed in times of war. Let our immune systems do its job. Let it build up in your child and develop properly in your young child. Every time a child encounters a new pathogen (and that includes vaccinations) it's immune system is 'stunted' while it learns to defend itself.



As for vaccine contamination. Well, not long ago a batch of vaccines (small pox, i think) was sent to a lower class country to aid in their vaccination campaign. The local government decided to test a few of the vaccines on rats before shooting theim into their citizens. Every rat died. This was due to a contamination in the vaccine batch and could have killed every person innoculated. They say the procedures in the labratories creating vaccines are fail safe. Clearly they are wrong.



Im not one to blindly accept truth. They don't call it the 'practice' of medicine for nothing. It is not perfect by any stretch.



How long ago was it that they commonly prescribed antibiotics for ear infections? How many have serious gastro-intestional problems perhaps caused by too many antibiotics? The CDC recommends tylenol for ear infections to alleviate discomfort and discourages the use of antibiotics. Why are so many children still regularly prescribed anti-biotics for ear infections? How many parents know enough to tell their doctor they don't want to give their child antibiotics unless absolutely necessary?



How long ago were doctors endorsing smoking?



As for selective vaccination, well, you cannot claim a religious exemption in most US States unless you refuse ALL vaccines. So, for many, selective vaccination is not even an option.



And for anyone who disagrees - you are entitled to your opinion and should do whatever you feel is best to protect yourself and your family and I will do the same for mine. These are my opinions and only the tip of the iceburg (and a quick recollection) of the vast research I have poured over. I personally am not satisfied with the 'pro-vaccine' movement and have chosen to dissent from it. My religious beliefs support my philosophical beliefs and this works for my family.



If you do vaccinate, Nature's Sunshine has a homeopathic remedy called "vaccine detox" that may help rid the body of the heavy metals and toxins and other potentially harmful vaccine ingrediants.



www.naturessunshine.com



Best wishes!

Krystal - posted on 08/10/2009

Quoting Sara:

Quoting michal:

If you vaccinate think about it. On the suggested schedule there are times when they give 3 and maybe even 4 different vaccines, if you include oral polio. These are little immune systems and when my child was a baby I felt that was a little overwhelming. Why can't they spread them out so as not to bast the poor just newly operating systems!?

Children are exposed to many foreign antigens every day. Eating food introduces new bacteria into the body, and numerous bacteria live in the mouth and nose, exposing the immune system to still more antigens. An upper respiratory viral infection exposes a child to 4 - 10 antigens, and a case of "strep throat" to 25 - 50. According to Adverse Events Associated with Childhood Vaccines, a 1994 report from the Institute of Medicine, "In the face of these normal events, it seems unlikely that the number of separate antigens contained in childhood vaccines . . . would represent an appreciable added burden on the immune system that would be immunosuppressive." And, indeed, available scientific data show that simultaneous vaccination with multiple vaccines has no adverse effect on the normal childhood immune system.

A number of studies have been conducted to examine the effects of giving various combinations of vaccines simultaneously. In fact, neither the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) nor the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) would recommend the simultaneous administration of any vaccines until such studies showed the combinations to be both safe and effective. These studies have shown that the recommended vaccines are as effective in combination as they are individually, and that such combinations carry no greater risk for adverse side effects. Consequently, both the ACIP and AAP recommend simultaneous administration of all routine childhood vaccines when appropriate.

There are two practical factors in favor of giving a child several vaccinations during the same visit. First, we want to immunize children as early as possible to give them protection during the vulnerable early months of their lives. Second, giving several vaccinations at the same time will mean fewer office visits for vaccinations, which saves parents both time and money and may be less traumatic for the child.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/6mis...

 

I understand what you are saying, but if your child does have an adverse reaction after receiving several vaccines, how do you know which vaccine they reacted to? Plus, some of the vaccines have the same side effects so you could end up with a baby who gets the worst because the experience the side effect times 3(or however many shots they got.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"Unless you are planning on Home Schooling, the public school systems will require the appropriate vaccinations before a child can attend."

That's a lie.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

Also - you that likes to call people an "idiot" - you may want to learn to spell, using "your" for "you're" makes you look like the idiot! I went to government school too, it's no excuse!

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

I am done with this conversation. People need to be aware that the data is not easily found on the web unless it supports vaccines. If you want to know the truth, get a copy of "Vaccine Safety Manual" by Neil Miller. It is not an anti-vaccine book, just a book of facts. Unlike the pro-vaccine books, there's not a single fact in this book that is not referenced.



Or, you can just keep believing the propaganda forced on you by those who were trained by pharmaceutical company approved textbooks.



My generation didn't get all these vaccines. My stepson is 30 years old and he did not get all these vaccines. The rate of disease among the non-vaccinated is the same as the rate of disease among the vaccinated. If that doesn't hit home with you people then ask yourself how many autistic kids you know that were not vaccinated. How many never vaccinated babies that you know died from SIDS? You don't know any do you? I know plenty of never-vaccinated children and I can attest that they are NOT dying from any self-limiting diseases. Maybe that's because their immune systems have not been assaulted with vaccinations!



And if you work in the "research" field - you would benefit greatly by reading the compiled data that puts any pro-vaccine data you find in a whole new light. But if you know it all already, then don't get the book and take your chances. Just remember that nobody in the pharmaceutical industry would ever ask you to research any topic that would harm their sales or their stock values. So get the book and do the research yourself. I understand it's not paid research, but I've been at this for years and have never received a dime...and there's plenty more like me. The CDC is getting worried, so much so that they need a new plan. A new media plan to spread more hearsay and more scare tactics. Think about that when you stand up for deadly and mind altering vaccines!



http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/08/cdc-m...



It's very enlightening, read it. This was the only reason I came to this thread tonight. I wish I had time to debate but all I really wanted was to plant a seed and get parents interested in finding their own data - instead oft relying on pharma-mafia data put into the heads of doctors and nurses all over this country.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"Even if your child wasn't to die from one of these preventable diseases (polio, measles, mumps, etc), think of their potential suffering."

I suffered from these self-liming diseases, I'm still here and I'm happy to know that I have life-long immunity. Vaccines do not offer life-long immunity. Not even with the boosters, titers will prove that.

Maybe it's the clueless people who need to think of their potential "suffering". Since, after all, it's the clueless people who think that Polio, Measles and Mumps are fatal diseases. They are not. I have CDC documents stating the fact that they are not fatal diseases. Measles and Mumps are self-limiting as are most of the vaccine preventable diseases.

COMPLICATIONS from Measles and Mumps can be fatal if you and the hospital staff overdose your child on Tylenol and NSAID's. Measles and Mumps can ALSO be fatal in adults. That is why it was once referred to as a "childhood" disease. All that has been changed by the vaccine program.

Parents need to be aware that their vaccinated children can still get the diseases and if they do, the use of Tylenol and NSAID's becomes a dangerous scenario. Many doctors don't know that because most young doctors have next to no experience with treating complications which can arise from these disease. Emergency room staff is also clueless when it comes to disease and the use of NSAID's and Tylenol.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"Your an idiot! You need to vaccinate your kid. You do it on time now on the schedule recommended by the pediatrician or you will have to have this kid play catch up when it comes time to attend school."

TRY READING something useful for the first time in your life! Any person willing to call someone an idiot when they are clearly incredibly misinformed is just laughable!

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"but colleges now require immunizaions for incoming freshmen.
Be very selective as to what you are reading"

Yes! Do be very selective because some people pretend to know the law when they are absolutely clueless in that subject. If you read hearsay and group-speak on parenting boards at least back it up with some actual READING of the law. The law is different in every state but currently, your decision to keep your child healthy by NOT vaccinating will not keep your kid from getting into college, nor will it keep him/her from getting a free education.

Scare tactics are not helpful, at least read yourself before spreading the hearsay!

Holly - posted on 08/09/2009

Your an idiot! You need to vaccinate your kid. You do it on time now on the schedule recommended by the pediatrician or you will have to have this kid play catch up when it comes time to attend school. Unless you decide to home school, but even then the CDC will be watching you and you will end up giving the vaccinations anyway. So do it now.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"I got chicken pox as an adult and I had it everywhere on my body inside as well..couldn't swallow for 3 days."



And that's exactly what will happen to those adults who were vaccinated as children when the vaccine wanes into adulthood. Boosters fail just like the first vaccine can fail.



"The reason they have the chicken pox vaccine is to wipe out people contracting shingles later on in life."



Well if that's their reason then why didn't they pull it when young children and pre-teens began coming down with the *adult* disease? Shingles didn't effect young children in the past like it does now since we've started vaccinating for the chickenpox. Even in the vaccine trials, kids came down with chickenpox even after being vaccinated. That didn't stop them from rushing it to the market though.



My own chickenpox-vaccinated child came down with chickenpox and it wasn't the mild case the doctor said it would be either. (They lie when they try to make you believe that the vaccinated kids only have a "mild" case.) My never vaccinated daughter got her chickenpox from a vaccinated kid and had a very mild case. She was exposed to over 20 nonvaccinated children and not a single child came down with the chickenpox. Why is that? She was exposed to those kids during her most contagious days (prior to the rash) and not a single kid got the chickenpox. So that is where I learned to not believe everything I hear, and that is when I learned that the CDC is full of itself. Later I learned why the employees of the CDC are such liars - because they are allowed to profit from pharmaceuticals, that's why. Conflicts of interest abounds!



"My mother and MIL both got it and it is quite debilitating. I also have seen shingles on someone and it is not very nice."



I agree that shingles IS horrendous. What your doctor won't tell you (because his pharma-approved textbooks didn't tell him) is that when an adult who had chickenpox as a child is exposed to a child with the chickenpox, it's like the adult gets a natural booster-shot against Shingles and every exposure helps to keep shingles from surfacing. Shingles is worse on an adult who has not been exposed to chickenpox during their adult lives. This will be the majority of adults very soon because my generation...you know the ones who DIDN'T die from chickenpox - are the last of the generations of kids who got the natural disease. Kids who get it today often get it from the vaccine shedding.





The misconception that the chickenpox vaccine keeps shingles away is a sad, sad joke!

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

".And I also strongly suggest taking your baby to a chiropractor. When the spine is in proper alignment the nervous system (and thus the entire body) is able to function at its full potential. This makes it better equipped to fight off common, minor illnesses like the flu. I definately would go with a well adjusted spine over a flu shot any day."

I totally agree and what people don't know about sunshine will go a long way in improving their health also. People tend to forget that drugs are not the only option. They don't make you well, they make the symptoms improve, but they don't heal. Having a healthy body and feeding it healthy food is the way to good health, drugs are the way to poor health in most cases. Some do have their place, but seldom and rare in my opinion.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"It wasn't till after she was turning blue and choking on her own spit did we realize whooping cough was on a rise because so many people were chosing to not be vaccinated."

That's a big fat lie or maybe your doctor is brainwashed to believe what the pharma companies tell him to believe. If you don't agree then show me the science which proves that the non-vaccinated population can cause ANY disease. The truth is that the Pertussis Vaccine has a tremendously high rate of primary and secondary vaccine failure.

Cobb county parents know the truth:

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/metro/...

When my babies were born, I knew that Pertussis (Whooping Cough) was extremely dangerous to a young baby. I also knew that the vaccine wasn't used in babies that young because of death and brain damage caused by the DPT for decades before they reformulated it. I also knew that the whooping cough vaccine had a very high failure rate. So I kept my young babies away from highly populated areas during the cold and flu season until their immune system was more developed. There is evidence that the myelin sheath (a very important part of the central nervous system) is not fully developed until after age 2. Yet the professionals see fit to vaccinate a child within a day or two of birth. I just have to wonder, what does the underdeveloped nervous system do with the Hep B vaccine at only hours old? The act of vaccinating a baby that young is contradictory to the very essence of how vaccines work. It's no wonder that the Hep B vaccine (for a sexually transmitted disease) has shown to fail so often when titers are done just recently following vaccination!

You may already know this but a person vaccinated against pertussis can carry the disease without ever showing symptoms of the disease. I'm sorry you had to go through that but even if everyone around you was vaccinated a year before your baby was born, the baby still would have gotten it most likely. There are tragic stories all around us and if parents only knew half of what I know about vaccines and their damage then they would want to know more. It's sad, it's shocking and most of all its infuriating to know that we put our trust in people who either don't care or just don't know.

Coincidentally, two thirds of all SIDS cases occur within three weeks of the new and improved DPT vaccine (DTaP). Yes, yes I know it's just a "coincidence". Just like the 1 in 150 cases of Autism which occur right after a round of vaccines. Just like the febrile seizures and mental retardation that used to occur within hours of the DPT...it's all just a coincidence.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"I feel that if you don't vaccinate your children you have to be prepared to keep them away from places where there are small babies who are too young to be vaccinated."

Hopefully it will intrigue you to look further into this when I tell you this. I want parents to do their homework and not be afraid of this subject. It's the only reason I spend time doing this but unfortunately I won't have time to revisit this board for a while.

I was not vaccinated for many of the childhood disease. I got the natural disease, which meant I have life-long immunity (this is the case with most of these diseases, but not whooping cough). Having life-long immunity meant that when my babies were too young to be vaccinated, my immune system protected them from those diseases that I got naturally. Today's mom did not get those diseases and the vaccines won't protect the newborn. Besides, vaccines wane over time so even the vaccinated mom often has a false sense of security thinking she's protected when she's not.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"Invasive disease due to "haemophilus influenzae" type b (Hib), such as meningitis, was prevalent until just a few years ago when conjugate vaccines that can be used in infants (in whom most of the disease was occurring) were finally developed. Since sanitation is no better now than it was in 1990, it is hard to attribute the virtual disappearance of Hib disease in children in recent years to anything but the introduction of routine immunization."



"Prevalant"??? I guess it might shock you to learn that it is hard to attribute the INCREASE of Hib disease in children in recent years to anything but the introduction of routine immunization.



You've been lied to, and you've bought it, hook line and sinker. There's a few out there who are very glad you contributed to their bank accounts.



In 1975, Japan stopped vaccinating babies with DPT. During the next several years, Hib-meningitis mortality rates dramatically declined. (Mortality statistics, Japanese Ministry of Health)



The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP news, November 1987) has warned doctors to warn parents to look for signs of the disease in their children following vaccination. In other words, that vaccine and previous vaccines have CAUSED THAT INCREASE of Hib which occurred just prior to the Hib vaccine being used.



Hib vaccinated children are 2 to 6 times more likely than non-Hib vaccinated children to contract Hib disease during the first week of immunization. (Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 1988;7:149-156 and Journal of Infectious Disease 1988;158(2):343-48).



Ain't it just like the greedy pharmaceutical companies to create a vaccine to prevent what another vaccine causes? Yep, and they've got plenty of drugs for Diabetes, Asthma, Allergies and ADD ready and waiting! Don't they also make Autism drugs? The irony of it all!

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"most diseases could be pretty much wiped out if everyone got them just like they did with TB many many years ago!!!!!"

You really should check into things like this. Don't believe everything you hear, read it for yourself, from a respected journal. You won't find one that says a TB vaccine wiped out TB...

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"Vaccinations do not cause autism, for anyone that has a child with autism, i feel for you, but its genetic, the fact that they were immunized was coincidental."



You may want to alert the media right after you educate the white coats with your knowledge.



It's simple math. 1 in 150 is not a coincidence. 1 in 60 (as with NJ boys per some of the articles I've read) is not a coincidence. And the Somali Immigrant population probably feels like you just slapped them in the face when you say something like that. 'Cause you see, in their country, the rate of Autism is NOTHING compared to the rate of those Somali Autistic children who came to the US and got vaccinated!



http://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpres...

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"So let me make sure I've got this straight - you're saying that the researchers knew that vaccines caused asthma, so when they set out to do a study, they made sure that their sample size of unvaccinated children was too small to draw any conclusions? because they wouldn't want the 'truth' about vaccines it get out? And you say this happens all the time? Wow. I know you maintain that this isn't a conspiracy theory, but it sure sounds like one to me. You're said now that scientists, the government, pharmaceutical companies, and Google are in collusion to some degree in an attempt to make sure no information gets out to the public about the 'dangers' of vaccines, even though they are aware of the risks. That's a conspiracy theory."

I've not used the word "collusion" and I know I've never referred to anything done by the government as a "conspiracy". You really shouldn't waste your time trying to put words in someone's mouth.

If you held the patent on a vaccine and you were on the committee to approve the vaccine, AND you stood to make a LOT of money when the vaccine is put to wide spread use - then how likely would it be that you would vote "no" to approve the vaccine?

That's no conspiracy, it's fact.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

"The 'government studies' that you refer to did not pass off children who did not receive the MMR as unvaccinated. The only way one might draw that conclusion would be from not reading the article very carefully."

There is not one single study done by the government or the vaccine industry which compares never vaccinated children to vaccinated children. Not one.

Dana - posted on 08/09/2009

Everything I said stands, I can only hope that people will use their heads and read all that is available to them. I know in my heart that one day all these lies are going to backfire and if that's what it takes to stop all this naivety, then so be it. I think this discussion over a CDC memo says it all...

http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/08/cdc-m...

Naomi - posted on 08/06/2009

it is your choce, but i dont agree that my child has a risk of getting a disease from a child that should have been vaccinated and didnt. most diseases could be pretty much wiped out if everyone got them just like they did with TB many many years ago!!!!!

Krystal - posted on 08/05/2009

Wow... I just read all the other replies... I just want to point out that one of the most prominent studies about the link beteween Autism and vaccines was "fake". The European doctor who conducted it was payed off by parents in order to sue drug companies. Also, medical professionals are looking for other names for SIDS. Turns out most cases of Sids are not unexplained. They are usually due to suffocation from one of several factors that we are all made very aware of now. I also want to point out as a pharmacy professional that I wouldn't use any drug (vaccine or otherwise) that hasn't been on the market for 10 years or more. The FDA is unfortunately underfunded and thus gets money from biased sources. This means that special interests are pushing through approvals far quicker than they used to go through. If you haven't noticed, that is why drug recalls and reviews (and lawsuits for side effects not found until after the drug was on the market for 5-10 years) have become so prevalent.

Angie - posted on 08/05/2009

I think if the doctor does drop you...screw him...You and your doctor need to be on the same page. I also think the doctor should be respectful of your wishes as the mother!

Krystal - posted on 08/05/2009

What you have to ask yourself first is "Are the risks and side effects of vaccinating greater than the risks and complications of getting the disease?" My husband is a chiropractic student and is very much into holistic health. We struggled with the question of whether or not to vaccinate as well. In the end, we chose some vaccines and an alternate schedule so our daughter wouldn't get so many chemicals at one time. Check out the "All About Vaccines" article on Fit Pregnancy. http://www.fitpregnancy.com/yourbaby/bab... ...And I also strongly suggest taking your baby to a chiropractor. When the spine is in proper alignment the nervous system (and thus the entire body) is able to function at its full potential. This makes it better equipped to fight off common, minor illnesses like the flu. I definately would go with a well adjusted spine over a flu shot any day.

Nicole - posted on 07/26/2009

As far as those of you that think you have to get your children vaccinated in order to send them to school, check the forms for school very carefully. I found on the bottom of my vaccination form in fine print, that all I had to do was check a box that said for personal or religious reasons, I choose not to vaccinate my child. The state of WI does not REQUIRE vaccines to be give, they just make it seem that way. Each state may be different though, so just do your homework and be comfortable with your decision.



This is a very heated subject and everyone has a right to their opinion and choice. But each parent has to make their own choice and should not have to defend their choice once it is made!

Nicole - posted on 07/26/2009

I have also chose not to vaccinate my children. My first daughter was vaccinated through the time she was 5 and then I stopped. My next baby, I chose not to have any vaccines given after leaving the hospital. I don't think the pediatrician will drop you but it is their job to convince you to do it. Just know that the decision you have made not to vaccinate is the right one for your family and don't let anyone put fear in you to change your mind. Fear and worry can make you sick also.

Sam - posted on 07/26/2009

hi there. you need to be secure in your choice or you will always run on fear of what those who disagree with you will think and say. be informed. read read read and cite your research if you come up against walls. and have faith in your instincts. there are so many of us here who support you in your choice. x

Lorrie - posted on 07/25/2009

I understand everyones choice on not wanting to vaccinate but let me tell you my story. My child was 3 mo. old and caught pertussis. It wasn't till after she was turning blue and choking on her own spit did we realize whooping cough was on a rise because so many people were chosing to not be vaccinated. The doctor told us when we couldn't handle it anymore take her to the hospital. She couldn't keep anything down and became hydrated. She turned completely blue before she would take a breath. God blessed us with only two days in the hospital but we had to deal with a horrific choking cough for three months. I can not put into words how horrible this condition is. I would cry and hold my breath everytime she would cough wondering if that would be her last breath. A child contracted the same disease a couple of weeks after mine and was in the intensive care for three weeks. Please think hard about your decision!!

Lorrie - posted on 07/25/2009

I understand everyones choice on not wanting to vaccinate but let me tell you my story. My child was 3 mo. old and caught pertussis. It wasn't till after she was turning blue and choking on her own spit did we realize whooping cough was on a rise because so many people were chosing to not be vaccinated. The doctor told us when we couldn't handle it anymore take her to the hospital. She couldn't keep anything down and became hydrated. She turned completely blue before she would take a breath. God blessed us with only two days in the hospital but we had to deal with a horrific choking cough for three months. I can not put into words how horrible this condition is. I would cry and hold my breath everytime she would cough wondering if that would be her last breath. A child contracted the same disease a couple of weeks after mine and was in the intensive care for three weeks. Please think hard about your decision!!

Brenda - posted on 07/25/2009

I never had chicken pox vaccine that is available today. I got chicken pox as an adult and I had it everywhere on my body inside as well..couldn't swallow for 3 days. The reason they have the chicken pox vaccine is to wipe out people contracting shingles later on in life. My mother and MIL both got it and it is quite debilitating. I also have seen shingles on someone and it is not very nice.

Shannon - posted on 07/25/2009

This is a touchy subject. Your doctor should not 'drop' you as a client, as it would be unethical. I do recommend that you do research from evidence based journals when making your choice. As a health care professional myself, I would recommend on continuing the immunizations, as that is how we erradicate diseases and prevent life-threatening diseases. There are potential side effects to vaccinations, as there is with ANY medication or treatment. Nothing is a sure deal in life. In my experience, vaccination benefits outweigh the risks. However, it is your decision. I have heard compelling arguments on both sides. I know you love your child and will pick what best suits your family!

Kelly - posted on 07/24/2009

I also read Dr. Sear's "The Vaccine Book". It really helped me make a decision and be more comfortable with the choice.

Vicki - posted on 07/24/2009

HI Ashley - I was worried sick when faced with the vaccinate decisions. I highly recommend Dr. Sear's book "The Vaccine Book". It helped me a lot. I made myself crazy with everything you can find on the internet. We have a 17 mo old and are doing some, not all vaccines, and are spacing them out. This is what we are comfortable with. You will find your comfort level too. :)

Kelly - posted on 07/24/2009

I was torn as to whether to vaccinate my son based on all the arguments I've heard. I do agree there is a possible link to Autism but I also feel that the research against the link is just as strong. In the end, we decided it was best to go with vaccinations. I personally believe this is the best and safest choice for my son. There is a risk either way, of course. My personal feeling is that IF there is a link between Autism and vaccines, it's due to how many vaccines are given at one time and not the vaccines themselves. If you choose to have them done, make sure to stay on-schedule with them so your child doesn't receive too much of a toxic load on her system at once. If your doctor chooses to drop you because you choose not to get the vaccines, then you should find another doctor. I can't remember what the link is but there are websites that can connect you with doctors who support your choice.

Wendy - posted on 07/24/2009

I got both my boys immunized and they are fine but on my side of the family 3 out of five grandsons have some form of Autism. It is your chose and there are other docs that would support you on this. Make sure you do the research and make the best chose for your kids. If i knew then what i know now about it i would have not had it done.Just to see what my sister-in-law goes through everyday with having to boys ages 4 and 5 . I don't know if i could have been as strong as she has. There is alot out there on the subject .

Jennifer - posted on 07/24/2009

I have to agree with Angela Keller (14 July). Vaccinations are a good thing. Boulder CO is a pretty "organic" town...check out for yourself their rates for whooping cough and other diseases we have vaccinations for.

You can home school your children, but colleges now require immunizaions for incoming freshmen.

Be very selective as to what you are reading

Stephanie - posted on 07/24/2009

I am a chiropractic physician and have read BOTH sides of the argument. I have 3 children and the first 2 are patially vaccinated and the 3rd- now 18 months has not had nor will he even 1! I respect what vaccinations are trying to do- keep our kids from getting sick- BUT the chemicals that are in them are poison and to be injected into the bloodstream is not a normal mode of transmission (mouth and nasal passageways are) Our children's immune systems need to learn how to fight!

Kelly - posted on 07/24/2009

I am a very easy going person when it comes to others personal choices of lifestyles with the saying "as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else" but not vaccinating your child can potentially hurt them as well as putting the general population at risk. We are lucky not to have these life threatening diseases be such a concern anymore...thanks to so many people being vaccinated. Autism and vaccinations have not been proven to be linked. If you have some concerns, certainly discuss staggering the vaccines with your ped. Even if your child wasn't to die from one of these preventable diseases (polio, measles, mumps, etc), think of their potential suffering.

I also am careful about choosing organic foods and lifestyle as I am able to afford (husband doing PhD), but there are some threatening natural things out there too...like forest fires and communicable diseases. I think we owe it to our children to help promote the positive and avoid the negative.

Orenda - posted on 07/23/2009

Go to www.abundalife.com

This is a great place to get facts about the dangers of vacinations. You can even call the doctor, he was the first person to refuse vaccinations in the armed services because of personal and religious beliefs. I vaccinated my first 2 kids because I did not know how to get around it. But my last 2 I did not after all my research. They are by far my healthiest kids since birth. The key is to getting as much knowledge about this subject as possible. My doctors do not like that my kids are not vaccinated, but oh well. If they gave me problem, then I would find one that respects my choice.

Jean - posted on 07/23/2009

Me again! You might want to check out this information> I found it very compelling in understanding the process if not answering the question.


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articl...

Jean - posted on 07/23/2009

Whatever you decide on this complex issue know this. If you're child shows symptoms of a reaction to a vaccination you must medically document it, (get her to a hospital er), within five hours of the vaccination or loose rights to sue the drug company. The element in question in the vaccinations is the preservative used and the last statistic I read is that one in six children are affected. Of course, only those who seek treatment within five hours are counted. Good luck with your decision. I am a grandmother helping my daughter research this issue. There is not an easy answer.

Katrina - posted on 07/23/2009

I know exactly how you feel. I have five children, and all five have developed normally except for number four, our son, which by the way started at the 18month vaccination. He was speaking before that point, and then for some reason, after that 18 month vaccination, he just stopped overnight. I have him in aggressive speech therapy and has NOT been diagnosed with autism yet, but I do suspect that he has some form. I would talk frankly with your pediatrician, and if he/she doesnt respect your wishes, look for one that will..

Jaymi - posted on 07/23/2009

I just started reading these comments and I wanted to add something. When my oldest child was born, we vaccinated not knowing much about it. He was fine, and still is at age 7. Thirteen months later I gave birth to premature (31 weeks) boy/girl twins. We still vaccinated and didn't think anything of it. When my twins were 2, my boy twin was diagnosed with autism. I have read the research both denying and placing blame on vaccinations. I see both sides, and, even though I am almost a RN (4 months) and have had them pushed at me in nursing school, I am a little skeptical of all of the research on both sides. I really don't believe my son's autism was "caused' by vaccinations. They may have contributed, but I am not sure. Although he babbled at appropriate times, he never really developed language and eventually started with the repetitive behavior and such. His twin sister also received the exact same vaccinations and is okay. Now at age 6, he is improving somewhat with language and social skills, but is now having aggression issues, but that is another story. On the other hand, I have met other parents who are very sincere that have been convinced of the strong connection of vaccinations and autism. One told me that her child was developing normally, went one day and received four different shots, and was a completely different child several hours later. The main problem is that most diseases and disorders have known causes. Down syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome onumber 21, for example. It has common and obvious facial characteristics. We don't know what causes autism. There is no blood test or brain scan or anything that can positively identify it. This is very frustrating for parents. We want to know why. From my research, I believe that there is a genetic component that disposes a child towards it, and then something environmentally might push them towards it as well. According to the CDC, autism now has a prevalence of 1 in 150 children (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/faq_pre...). The increase in autism cases is controversial, but it can't be ignored. Autism can be devastating for families. I know I went through the grief process for years. I can completely understand people's fears. My advice is to find a doctor who supports you in your decisions, with vaccinations or other issues. By the way, when I had my fourth child two years ago, my husband and I decided to vaccinate, but very slowly. He is caught up now and is fine, but, if nothing else, it gave us peace of mind. Yeah, he might of gotten a couple extra shots, but he doesn't remember them now and I think it was worth it.

Sue - posted on 07/23/2009

It is your choice!!!!!!!! Your doctor should not drop you if he does report him to the medical board. I choose to vaccinate all vaxcines including HPV and my kidlet is perfectly healthy but that was my choice as it should be yours.

Sue - posted on 07/23/2009

It is your choice!!!!!!!! Your doctor should not drop you if he does report him to the medical board. I choose to vaccinate all vaxcines including HPV and my kidlet is perfectly healthy but that was my choice as it should be yours.

Angela - posted on 07/23/2009

I feel very strongly about vaccination. I have mixed feelings about the doctors surgery though. My youngest is six months old today and is not yet fully vaccinated against some child hood illness' that may not be fatal to older children, but would be to some one so small. I feel that if you don't vaccinate your children you have to be prepared to keep them away from places where there are small babies who are too young to be vaccinated. I don't think that the doctor has the right to drop you as a patient, but I do think they have a right and responsibility to make sure your children are kept away from babies when they are sick.

Sofie - posted on 07/23/2009

here in belgium ONLY the polio vac is mandatory, all the rest you choose yourself. i had my doubts, spoke with my doctor and gave my child SOME vacs (not the standard scheme but spreaded) he considered useful. (i'm not a doctor after all) so there is a middle way too :) i do think there is a tendency to overvaccinate, which i do not consider healthy. so i do think you should consider the subject (off course pharmaceutical industry will do everything to convince you to give all the possible vacs!) but that doesn't mean all vacs are poison and stupid to give. some are just good, some are quite useless, as written before on this subject this is the case with the HPV

SO PLEASE people (well, some of you at least), it's not black and white....

Diane - posted on 07/23/2009

This is quite a debate and I, for one, am glad I no longer have this decision to make. Both of my children have had their shots, of course my son was born in the late 80's before this was really an issue. I do however have a niece, Haylie, who at ages 1 & 2 seemed completely healthy and had a sparkle in her eyes in pictures. Suddenly around age 3 she lost that sparkle in her eyes and her ability to communicate. You guessed it - diagnosed with Autism. Fortunately, she is very mild and at age 17, is in a mainstream high school in special ed classes. I do think that Haylie was predisposed to this because her grandmother & an aunt on her dad's side "just aren't right" - they have never been diagnosed with anything to my knowledge but they aren't very sharp and are not good communicators. The problem is this... your child could be predisposed but you may not know it. There are so many folks opting not to have their kids vaccinated and we haven't seen an increase in these kids getting sick, have we? I would think it would make the news if and when this happens. It will be interresting to see. Do what you and your husband and pediatrician thinks is best and pray for protection.

Ruthanna - posted on 07/23/2009

Wow! Lots of strong opinions! LOL Well I have personal experience! My parents did not allow my siblings or myself to be vaccinated. To this day (and I'm 29) I have not been vaccinated and have NEVER gotten any weird diseases and neither has any of my siblings. I think it was a gift to us as it helped us realize that it isn't always necessary and it has empowered us to make our own choices with our children. When my doctor advised that my 4 pound preemie daughter needed a hepatitis shot post-haste I knew that I could fore go that. Babies immune systems are not fully developed and (in my opinion ;) ) should not be subjected to unnecessary mass injections! My doctor informs me every visit of the need for injections but hasn't pushed beyond that or given me any attitude. I appreciate that she is doing her job and wanting to make sure that I am confident in my decision. We plan to re-evaluate when she is 2 and her immune system can handle more. There is no rush! Also, most states do have provisions in place which allow children to attend school whether vaccinated or not. So that shouldn't really enter the equation........... Stay true to your mother's instinct and research and don't allow any other strong opinions sway you! (even mine :D )

Rachel-Louise - posted on 07/23/2009

don't our children need vaccinations though????