Vaccinations: Do your kids get them?

[MonkeyPie]

I just watched a back episode of Law and Order SVU, and it was about a woman who''s child died from the measles because another mom chose not to vaccinate her kid. I know that children that are home schooled are not required to get the MMR vaccine, only if they go to public school is it mandatory, but the episode freaked me out. My kids are SO getting vaccinated - why on earth would I put them at that sort of risk?

Anyway, my opinion aside, what do the rest of you think? Vaccines - good or bad?

 

[TravelingGal]

We''ve had a couple of recent threads on this you might be interested in.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vaccinations-has-anyone-declined-any.111793/

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/autism-and-vaccinations-need-info.103127/

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I didn''t go check the threads liniked, but here are my thoughts. The number of vaccinations has greatly increased even since our two older children were little. They are shooting these chemicals (several at a time) into the body of infants without really knowing what the combination may do to certain children. With such a huge increase in autism, I would certainly slow down the immunizations and spread them out. This has not been proven, and certain interested parties have MUCH to lose if a link between vaccinations triggering autism every comes out. But I just know babies who were perfectly normal until that 18 mo. series of shots. My advice to my daughter will be to spread them out and delay some of the vaccinations until the child is a little older.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

It is NOT mandatory for kids to have vaccinations if they attend public school. I'm not sure why people assume it is so when it is law that you can exempt for philosophical or religious reasons.

My kids have not been vacinated, but will be for the chicken pox if they do not contract that by age 12. Other ones like Tetanus seem silly because if a child steps on a rusty nail and is taken in, they get another tetanus shot.

When my kids a few years old, they probably will also get the MMR.

 

[icekid]

I do not have children yet, but when I do they will ABSOLUTELY be fully vaccinated. It is irresponsible not to do so, IMO.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Yes my daughter is. I feel the benefits outweigh the risks.

 

[neatfreak]

GOOD. I also feel it's irresponsible not to. Those who don't vaccinate rely on the "herd" immunity of others for their own children's safety-and as more and more parents choose not to vaccinate we are seeing a resurgence of DEADLY childhood diseases in communities (and often affluent ones). Very scary stuff-we aren't talking about chicken pox here.

 

[TravelingGal]

After a lot of research and admittedly a lot of anxiety on my part, Amelia is/will be fully vaccinated. From the evidence currently at hand, it is irresponsible and emotionally based IMHO not to vaccinate your child. As was pointed out on other threads , currently it is primarily in affluent neighborhoods with parents who are
"over parenting" who are not vaccinating their children.

 

[hlmr]

My son has had all his vaccine''s. But I have friends who have chosen for their teenage daughters to not have the HPV vaccine, and I understand the logic behind this decision. This vaccine has not been around long enough to ascertain whether or not is it more or less beneficial to the health of these young girls.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 5/23/2009 10:40:39 PM
Author: TravelingGal
After a lot of research and admittedly a lot of anxiety on my part, Amelia is/will be fully vaccinated. From the evidence currently at hand, it is irresponsible and emotionally based IMHO not to vaccinate your child. As was pointed out on other threads , currently it is primarily in affluent neighborhoods with parents who are
'over parenting' who are not vaccinating their children.

Okay, we all know I am the "coddling" parent here on PS. It's been said so in many posts and I finally succumb to that defination of my parenting and will be the one to represent those "affluent" (if only) neighborhoods that are over parenting and hovering and all that stuff. . .

That said, I do think that IF I knew for certain that vaccinations posed no risk, my kids would have had them all. At this time, I do not know that (in my heart) that my kids would be okay having being pumped full of all those additives, so I feel that it's best for my kids to wait until they're a bit older and have more body weight before having anything.

It's not like people are contracting Polio left and right. . .one pediatrician told me having the vaccination for that is "a wash." Other diseases, I'm not so sure. . .chicken pox, though. . .give me a break! It's not like we had the Chicken Pox Pandemic of 19XX that killed 50 million people and now need to protect our future generations from the same fate! As I said before, IF neither boys have had Chicken Pox by 12, they will get the vaccination.

 

[E B]

We will be vaccinating our child(ren), but I'm researching modified/delayed schedules.

 

[Clio]

All of my children are fully vaccinated, and I agree with others that it is irresponsible not to. Last month in my county, an unvaccinated person gave measles to several people, including an infant too young to be vaccinated. Completely irresponsible.

 

[hlmr]

What I really don''t agree with is the flu shot. I am so against it for average healthy people. I understand the elderly and anyone who is prone to illness getting it though.

 

[E B]

To change this thread up a bit, how would you all feel about public schools eliminating all non-medical exemptions?

 

[chrono]

Date: 5/23/2009 10:35:44 PM
Author: neatfreak
GOOD. I also feel it''s irresponsible not to. Those who don''t vaccinate rely on the ''herd'' immunity of others for their own children''s safety-and as more and more parents choose not to vaccinate we are seeing a resurgence of DEADLY childhood diseases in communities (and often affluent ones). Very scary stuff-we aren''t talking about chicken pox here.

Neatfreak, I''m with you on this one. To me, the benefits outweight the risks, so my boys are fully vaccinated.

 

[lyra]

My kids are grown, but they were vaccinated. When I was young I actually had measles and mumps, oh my! My mom and my doc thought I had leukemia because my symptoms were strange apparently (measles). My kids were raised at a time when you wanted them to contract chickenpox early to get it over with. No vaccine. My oldest got chickenpox, my youngest has some natural mutant immunity. She would get a few bumps upon exposure, but never developed the full disorder. I have the DPT shot on schedule and try to get my family to do it too. I have the flu shot every year, the rest of the family is not as keen, so they get sick and I do not. I even get a pneumonia shot. I''m just pumped full of vaccines and natural immunities! I think the delayed vaccination schedule sounds quite reasonable, and would recommend that over not having vaccinations at all.

 

[puffy]

my son is almost 18 months and he has had every vaccination that his pedi recommended and i did read about them all before hand. like tacori, i feel that the benefits of the vaccinations outweighed the risks. i was very hesitant on getting so many vaccinations at once, but the pedi reassured me that he will be ok and i had a long extensive talk with his pedi about the links to autism before he received the MMR shot.

 

[mrssalvo]

my kids have all them all on schedule.

 

[kennedy]

Date: 5/23/2009 10:56:47 PM
Author: MC

Date: 5/23/2009 10:40:39 PM

Author: TravelingGal

After a lot of research and admittedly a lot of anxiety on my part, Amelia is/will be fully vaccinated. From the evidence currently at hand, it is irresponsible and emotionally based IMHO not to vaccinate your child. As was pointed out on other threads , currently it is primarily in affluent neighborhoods with parents who are

'over parenting' who are not vaccinating their children.

That said, I do think that IF I knew for certain that vaccinations posed no risk, my kids would have had them all. At this time, I do not know that (in my heart) that my kids would be okay having being pumped full of all those additives, so I feel that it's best for my kids to wait until they're a bit older and have more body weight before having anything.


It's not like people are contracting Polio left and right. . .one pediatrician told me having the vaccination for that is 'a wash.'

There are very few, if any, advances in modern medicine that are without any risk. There's a risk to taking even the most benign medication; it's all about risk assessment -- do the benefits outweigh the risk? If so, by how much? Yes, vaccinations do pose a very small risk (although not necessarily the ones people are most afraid of, e.g. autism), but so do the diseases themselves!

I also wanted to say that the reason people aren't contracting Polio right and left is because people get vaccinated! If enough parents choose not to vaccinate their children, Polio, and other diseases, will almost surely come back. I'm not meaning to pick on you -- it's absolutely your choice to do as you see fit -- but as a parent of a vaccinated child, I have a hard time hearing parents of unvaccinated children minimize their importance. I certainly didn't like getting my daughter her shots. It's scary bringing your tiny little baby to the doctor to get injected with dead viruses. BUT it's because enough of us do it that your children are somewhat safe not getting theirs. I guess it would be nice if those in the anti-vaccination camp realized that (again, not directing this at you specifically). I really doubt any of us would want to live in a world where no one gets vaccinated.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 5/23/2009 10:35:44 PM
Author: neatfreak
GOOD. I also feel it''s irresponsible not to. Those who don''t vaccinate rely on the ''herd'' immunity of others for their own children''s safety-and as more and more parents choose not to vaccinate we are seeing a resurgence of DEADLY childhood diseases in communities (and often affluent ones). Very scary stuff-we aren''t talking about chicken pox here.

Well said, Neat and I agree.

My son is/will be fully vaccinated.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 5/23/2009 11:41:43 PM
Author: EBree
To change this thread up a bit, how would you all feel about public schools eliminating all non-medical exemptions?

I think it''s a good idea. A public school is just that - public. I think it is unfair to the children who have been vaccinated to possibly be exposed to deadly diseases just because some parent decides vaccinations are not necessary for whatever non-medical reason. I think it''s understandable to avoid vaccinations if the child is allergic to an ingriedient, etc. but to use religion as an excuse (?) (reason) to not vaccinate doesn''t hold as much weight in my book. Sort of like some of the weirdos out there that refuse medical treatment for their children due to religious constraints.

I wish I were better at putting my thoughts into words.....

 

[E B]

I agree, Diva. Unvaxed children put others in the system at risk (lower herd immunity, make outbreaks more likely) and that parent/those parents' decisions can quickly become everybody's problem. It isn't really a matter of "my child, MY choice" then, is it?

 

[packrat]

My kids are up to date. Just b/c you''ve been vaccinated against something, doesn''t mean you can''t still get it, but your chances are greater of contracting something if you aren''t vaccinated at all. I don''t want to take any chances with my kids if it''s something that I could have a part in trying to prevent. We all get the flu shot every year..tho this year we did the mist. None of these things are a 100% guarantee that we''re never going to get anything..but I can''t imagine how I''d feel if one of my kids got sick and something happened, and it could have possibly been prevented by being immunized. A lot of diseases don''t have outward symptoms right away, so when you''re infected, you''re out and about at school, the store, in the community, spreading it around. Public health and safety should come first, I feel.

 

[doodle]

My cousin somehow managed to not get chicken pox until she was 12, even though she went to day care, public school, etc. Because of her age, her case was significantly more severe than chicken pox typically is for a baby, she has vivid memories of how miserable it was, it took her over a month to get rid of it (during which she wasn''t allowed to attend school, so she also had to play catch-up when she finally returned), and she still has scarring. After seeing what she went through versus my own experience with chicken pox (when I was an infant; I have no scars,no recollection, and was totally over it after about a week because it''s so easy to keep a baby from scratching. Mom just put mittens on me, ha! And I had it so severely that I had pox on the inside of my mouth!), I will vaccinate my kids for sure, provided that the vaccine they are receiving is one that''s been around long enough to know what possible risks it could have, etc.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 5/24/2009 1:13:37 PM
Author: doodle
My cousin somehow managed to not get chicken pox until she was 12, even though she went to day care, public school, etc. Because of her age, her case was significantly more severe than chicken pox typically is for a baby, she has vivid memories of how miserable it was, it took her over a month to get rid of it (during which she wasn''t allowed to attend school, so she also had to play catch-up when she finally returned), and she still has scarring. After seeing what she went through versus my own experience with chicken pox (when I was an infant; I have no scars,no recollection, and was totally over it after about a week because it''s so easy to keep a baby from scratching. Mom just put mittens on me, ha! And I had it so severely that I had pox on the inside of my mouth!), I will vaccinate my kids for sure, provided that the vaccine they are receiving is one that''s been around long enough to know what possible risks it could have, etc.

I had it when I was 10. And the only places I seemed to really get it bad, was on the bottom of my feet and my hands. I had it all between my toes, too. It was so bad I couldn''t walk. It was ridiculous, and I remember it hurting when I tried to walk, but I don''t remember it itching at all. I have a couple scars, and they were the ones that skipped my hands and feet somehow.

If you live in a house in the boonies and will never be around other people, by all means, don''t vaccinate. But in this day and age when something as small as the flu can cause an epidemic, it''s ridiculous and selfish not to do it.

That said - I have never had the flu in my life, and never been vaccinated once I passed 3rd grade. But there''s no way for you, as a parent, to know whether your kid can handle that or not.

 

[swingirl]

If vaccines have anything to do with autism why are boys affected more than girls, 4 to 1? I would assume when people get their children vaccinated they do it equally to sons and daughters.

I vaccinated on schedule.

 

[softly softly]

Date: 5/24/2009 10:43:30 AM
Author: kennedy

Date: 5/23/2009 10:56:47 PM

Author: MC

Date: 5/23/2009 10:40:39 PM


Author: TravelingGal


After a lot of research and admittedly a lot of anxiety on my part, Amelia is/will be fully vaccinated. From the evidence currently at hand, it is irresponsible and emotionally based IMHO not to vaccinate your child. As was pointed out on other threads , currently it is primarily in affluent neighborhoods with parents who are


''over parenting'' who are not vaccinating their children.

That said, I do think that IF I knew for certain that vaccinations posed no risk, my kids would have had them all. At this time, I do not know that (in my heart) that my kids would be okay having being pumped full of all those additives, so I feel that it''s best for my kids to wait until they''re a bit older and have more body weight before having anything.



It''s not like people are contracting Polio left and right. . .one pediatrician told me having the vaccination for that is ''a wash.''

There are very few, if any, advances in modern medicine that are without any risk. There''s a risk to taking even the most benign medication; it''s all about risk assessment -- do the benefits outweigh the risk? If so, by how much? Yes, vaccinations do pose a very small risk (although not necessarily the ones people are most afraid of, e.g. autism), but so do the diseases themselves!


I also wanted to say that the reason people aren''t contracting Polio right and left is because people get vaccinated! If enough parents choose not to vaccinate their children, Polio, and other diseases, will almost surely come back. I''m not meaning to pick on you -- it''s absolutely your choice to do as you see fit -- but as a parent of a vaccinated child, I have a hard time hearing parents of unvaccinated children minimize their importance. I certainly didn''t like getting my daughter her shots. It''s scary bringing your tiny little baby to the doctor to get injected with dead viruses. BUT it''s because enough of us do it that your children are somewhat safe not getting theirs. I guess it would be nice if those in the anti-vaccination camp realized that (again, not directing this at you specifically). I really doubt any of us would want to live in a world where no one gets vaccinated.

Well said Kennedy. I totally agree. I think we often loose sight of just how harmful these diseases can be, especially to small children.

 

[vespergirl]

My son is fully vaccinated, but I did stagger them in order to reduce the side effects of getting several at once, so he ended up finishing his vaccination schedule a few months behind the other kids. He is at home with me full time (he''s 2 and a half) and the dr. told me there would be no risk to him or other kids to stagger and do the MMR a few months late (I did it at 2 instead of 18 months), so that''s what I did.

 

[D&T]

Both of mine are completely vaccinated and up to date... agreed with some others, that it is irresponsible for the ones that can be vaccinated but choose not to and consequentially spreading to the little ones who cannot get vaccinated yet.

 

[akw94]

Yes, mine is vaccinated. I''ll be honest, never fully researched whether to do so or not, just followed the recommended guidelines. As I''ve gotten older, from all that I hear, the benefits outweigh the risks.. but again, I say this w/o much personal research.