[Danica]

I thought his speech was informative and scary. I'm still so confused as to what to do about vaccinations, and i'm not sure how many of you are still on the fence, but this is worth watching.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/06/post-1.html#more

[Mrs. MC]

My personal opinion is that it is the same when you weigh the consequences of any other medication benefits and the possible side effects. Some really important medication will say prevent seizures but a person may lose their hair. You have to decide what is worse. I have worked with retarded people who are that way because of high fevers from measles, rubella etc. born before the vaccine was available. The thing that bothers me the most is people who refuse vaccinations put more people than their own child at risk so basically they are making decisions for everyone around them and that they come in contact with. People who argue this point usually are anti drug companies, believe solely on alternative medicine etc.

[ChristyR143]

Originally Posted by Mrs. MC

My personal opinion is that it is the same when you weigh the consequences of any other medication benefits and the possible side effects. Some really important medication will say prevent seizures but a person may lose their hair. You have to decide what is worse. I have worked with retarded people who are that way because of high fevers from measles, rubella etc. born before the vaccine was available. The thing that bothers me the most is people who refuse vaccinations put more people than their own child at risk so basically they are making decisions for everyone around them and that they come in contact with. People who argue this point usually are anti drug companies, believe solely on alternative medicine etc.

Sorry, but this is simply NOT true. It's actually the complete opposite. My children got chicken pox from a child at school who had recently received the vaccine.

You are also incorrect when you say that people who argue this point are anti drug companies, etc....I take my children to the dr when they are sick and medicate them with mainstream medication whenever necessary. I just did a ton of research on this issue before having my first son, and personally do not believe that the government has our best interest at heart where the whole vaccination/thimerisol issue is concerned. Because my children were not in daycare as babies, I chose not to vaccinate them as babies. It doesn't mean I don't feel there is some validity and necessity to some of the vaccines, and in fact, I intend to start selectively vaccinating them soon. But to say that all people who take a stance on this subject is anti-this and anti-that is wrong, as is your assumption that my children put yours at greater risk, when in fact, the exact opposite is the case.

[kittenslingerie]

I haven't decided what to do with regards to infact vacinations. I am very concerned about the possible autism link. I plan on researching the issue further before I make my final decision and could care less who agrees or disagrees with whatever my decision ends up being. I know 5 people who have young under 4 yrs old. Of the 5 children, 3 are autistic, scary and enough to make me think twice about anything that is a possible link to this condition.

[Mrs. MC]

Originally Posted by ChristyR143

Sorry, but this is simply NOT true. It's actually the complete opposite. My children got chicken pox from a child at school who had recently received the vaccine.

You are also incorrect when you say that people who argue this point are anti drug companies, etc....I take my children to the dr when they are sick and medicate them with mainstream medication whenever necessary. I just did a ton of research on this issue before having my first son, and personally do not believe that the government has our best interest at heart where the whole vaccination/thimerisol issue is concerned. Because my children were not in daycare as babies, I chose not to vaccinate them as babies. It doesn't mean I don't feel there is some validity and necessity to some of the vaccines, and in fact, I intend to start selectively vaccinating them soon. But to say that all people who take a stance on this subject is anti-this and anti-that is wrong, as is your assumption that my children put yours at greater risk, when in fact, the exact opposite is the case.

your children got the chicken pox because you did not vaccinate them, not because they got it from someone else who it didn't have enough time to work on. I don't beleive the govt has our best interest at heart either but without rules and regulations you have people doing whatever they want and we would have the black plague now if people didn't step in and do something. We would have people not taking any responsiblity and putting other people at risk. HAve you heard about outbreaks of the measles in communities because people have chosen not to vaccinate their children. They are putting other people, their children and elderly parents at risk.

[ChristyR143]

Originally Posted by Mrs. MC

your children got the chicken pox because you did not vaccinate them, not because they got it from someone else who it didn't have enough time to work on. I don't beleive the govt has our best interest at heart either but without rules and regulations you have people doing whatever they want and we would have the black plague now if people didn't step in and do something. We would have people not taking any responsiblity and putting other people at risk. HAve you heard about outbreaks of the measles in communities because people have chosen not to vaccinate their children. They are putting other people, their children and elderly parents at risk.

Have you never heard of kids getting the virus even after having received the vaccine? Because I have ... many times! Yes, I realize my children got the pox b/c I did not vaccinate them, AS WAS MY PLAN (I wanted them to have lifetime immunity, which the vaccine does not offer. It would be terrible for them to get it later in life once the vaccine wore off, if they happened to not get the booster or whatever). That is exactly my point. A child at school who had received the vaccine and was sent to school prematurely infected my children with the virus because the virus was still active in their system. Therefore....that vaccinated child was a risk to my children...NOT the other way around!

And actually, the people who do their own research on subjects like these and make up their own decisions, as opposed to blindly following what they are being told by whomever, ARE taking responsibility. Just because they don't make the same decision you make does not mean they are wrong. It means they came to a different conclusion.

And by the way, there is a reason the government allows for a religious/reason of conscience exemption from vaccines, so it is not true that it is a 'regulation' that everyone be vaccinated. People who take the proper measures to exempt their children are not doing a single thing wrong.

Like I said, I am not totally 100% against all vaccines, but I am against misconceptions and people who are uninformed spreading wrong information to those who do not know any different. The reality is that infectious diseases were on the decline before vaccines were ever introduced to the general public. This was due to improvment in sanitary conditions after WW2, I believe. Not saying that vaccines haven't helped...obviously they have. But we live in a different world than we did back then. We have free access to clean water and such, so to say that by simply not vaccinating we would go back to those days does not make any sense. A lot more came into play than just the invention of the vaccine.

[ChristyR143]

Originally Posted by kittenslingerie

I haven't decided what to do with regards to infact vacinations. I am very concerned about the possible autism link. I plan on researching the issue further before I make my final decision and could care less who agrees or disagrees with whatever my decision ends up being. I know 5 people who have young under 4 yrs old. Of the 5 children, 3 are autistic, scary and enough to make me think twice about anything that is a possible link to this condition.

You are very smart to do research before making your decision. In your research, you are likely to find that there was a study done once many years back that proved a definite link to autism and thimerisol, however, the CDC had that study destroyed. It sounds crazy, but it is the truth. If there were no truth to the thimerisol/autism link, then they would not have started removing thimerisol from some vaccines. However, since it is not cost effective to produce vaccines with no preservative, not all vaccines are thimerisol free, unfortunately. I do find it odd though, that the use of thimerisol was outlawed for veterinary vaccines back in the mid to late 90's. I guess the powers that be think it's okay for humans but not for animals? I also wonder. . . if vaccines are so great and safe and all that, then why does the government allow for an exemption? Just something to ponder.

At any rate, you can be comfortable with whatever decision you make and know you came to the one that feels right to you because you did your research. For that, I applaud you!

[Mrs. MC]

Can you please explain your reasoning. You are saying that a child who has parents who sent them to school after they vaccinated that child put YOUR child at risk who has no vaccination at all ? And you are taking that stance that your child was put at risk when you probably lied and said you were of a certain made up religion that doesn't believe in vaccinations, doesn't make sense to me. I am not a person who blindly follows what the govt tells me to do. I am just not a selfish parent who puts other people at risk because I feel like I am above vaccinating my child. I think that if people feel that strongly and don't want to follow the rules then they should home school their children.

[Swanky Mama Of Three]

deep breath friends, DEEP BREATHS. This topic is ALWAYS volatile, let's keep it respectful please.

[ChristyR143]

Originally Posted by Mrs. MC

Can you please explain your reasoning. You are saying that a child who has parents who sent them to school after they vaccinated that child put YOUR child at risk who has no vaccination at all ? And you are taking that stance that your child was put at risk when you probably lied and said you were of a certain made up religion that doesn't believe in vaccinations, doesn't make sense to me. I am not a person who blindly follows what the govt tells me to do. I am just not a selfish parent who puts other people at risk because I feel like I am above vaccinating my child. I think that if people feel that strongly and don't want to follow the rules then they should home school their children.

Wow . . .

Okay, first of all, NO, I am not a liar. The exemption that the government allows is for either religion or a reason of conscience, which basically means that you don't agree with it. You do not have to state which, it encompasses both. I have not insulted you, so I would appreciate it if you didn't insult me.

Second, let me see if I can explain this one more time, but in simpler terms. Let's say you and I go to a party and you bring your children to the party when they have a snotty nose and a cough. Obviously you know something is going on right? I bring my children to the party, our kids play together, and then a week later, my kids get a snotty nose and a cough. Your children infected mine with a cold, right? It's the same with a vaccine. Children tend to have after-effects of vaccines, such as fevers and what not. That means the virus that they have been injected with is working in their systems. Therefore, if that child who has just been vaccinated comes into contact with a child who has not yet been vaccinated for that same virus, the vaccinated child is putting the non-vaccinated child at risk. How on earth could you possibly believe that a child who has NO virus running through their system put a child who DOES have the virus running through theirs at risk??? It makes NO sense whatsoever.

And regarding your homeschooling comment...AGAIN, there is a reason that the state allows for an exemption, so I guess I could say the same thing to you, now couldn't I?

[kimberf]

I did quite a bit of research regarding the vaccine - autism connection. For me, personally, I saw enough evidence that it's not directly connected that that's not one of my primary concerns regarding vaccination. While I would certainly be concerned about environmental mercury and autism, there's only a very small trace amount of mercury in children's vaccines nowadays. Regardless, I've decided to space the vaccines out a little more so that my baby isn't getting so many at once, primarily due to concerns about aluminum toxicity. I'm also going to be cautious about only vaccinating when he's healthy. Not saying that there aren't other possible concerns, but the autism one isn't up there on my list. I thought this study on the MMR vaccine and autism in Japan was very helpful in alleviating my fears about that particular vaccine.

Regarding vaccinated children infecting non-vaccinated children, that can only happen with live virus vaccines (measles,mumps, rubella, chickenpox). Polysaccaride vaccines or engineered vaccines don't contain the virus and can't pass along the disease; the child never has the virus, just antibodies to it generated by sugars from the virus or killed virus. It certainly can happen with live virus vaccines, and was the reason for the last polio cases in the US -- a person received a live virus polio vaccine abroad (live virus polio vaccine is no longer used in the US) and passed on polio to several unvaccinated members of an Amish community in Minnesota. But again, this can only happen with live-virus vaccines.

[ChristyR143]

It is also my understanding that you actually can get mercury free vaccines, but that you need to ask for the package insert to make sure of what you are getting.

I have never been completely anti-vaccine. I do absolutely believe that they have a place in our society (well, most of them anyway). And I have always intended on vaccinating my boys once they got older. It really gets to me though, when someone says that unvaccinated children are putting vaccinated children at risk, because there is just no merit to that statement whatsoever!

Knowledge is power, and I believe that we should all arm ourselves with it and make our decisions based on what we find.

[harlem_cutie]

Time magazine had a great article on this topic 2 or 3 weeks ago. http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...808438,00.html

I choose to have my infant fully vaccinated but they will be spread out.

My nieces (8 & 9) are not vaccinated because my sister wants them to have lifetime immunity and just feels that this is the best decision for her family. *knocks wood* so far the girls have had no major illnesses and they rarely get sick.

[mh21]

I haven't done any research on the issue, but I don't think I'm putting my kids at risk of autism by having them vaccinated. I used to think that MMR had the risk of causing autism but I thought the theory that linked the MMR vaccine to autism was debunked? Also, every time my kids had their MMR shot I asked the nurse/dr about MMR, thimerosal and autism. I believe I was told that thimerosal wasn't used in children's vaccines any more, but was still found in trace amounts in adult vaccines, but honestly I don't remember. So I guess my post isn't much help. Anyway, of all the children I know, only one child is autistic.

[scarlett_2005]

My DD is coming up on her 1 yr shots(mid July) and honestly I have no idea what to do when it comes to MMR. Her pediatrician has insisted that there's no link but I'm still scared to death to give her that vaccine at 1 year. I just don't know what to do.