When my son got his 6 month (IIRC) shots, right into his legs, I yelled “Dear GoD! That’s gotta hurt! The kid’s not gonna walk for months!” The nurses were not amused, but my wife had giggle fits for an hour.
Kid was a bit groggy, no rashes, slight fever. SLEPT IN!!!
Just before our son was born a couple non-vaccinated kids caught something that is included in the vaccines and died (I don’t recall what it was). It’s a crap shoot, the odds are slim that your kid would catch one of the illnesses covered, but even slimmer that the shots would have an ill effect.
I wasn’t insinuating that people with religious objections were ignorant rubes. There are sizable groups of kids who have not been immunized; I simply don’t want my child to get sick because of these kids.
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I can’t. Many childhood diseases can be fatal or disfiguring. I can’t live with myself if Aaron should come down with one of these diseases, especially if it’s preventable with a simple vaccine.
For me, it was a simple risk-benefit analysis. There isn’t enough data to show a link between vaccination and developmental problems like autism for me to justify not vaccinating. I understand, however, that there are those who don’t wish to do so. That is a choice that every parent has to make. My choice was to vaccinate.
Both my kids are vaccinated too… except for the chicken pox vaccine. I just don’t feel that there’s enough information out there about it to make me feel comfortable giving them that shot. What if the chicken pox vaccine becomes ineffective after 25 years? Your child then runs the risk of having them as an adult and possibly having serious complications from them.
I also worry that my kids might be the only ones in my area that are not vaccinated and therefore will probably never be exposed to the virus as a child and will catch it when they’re adults. Either way it seems I’m not making the right decision. :eek:
Like MsRobyn, I was aware of the anti-immunization arguments, but my risk/benefit assessment led to the choice to vaccinate. The only side effects were that he was cranky for a day after each round of shots. Baby Tylenol helped.
I think that those who choose not to vaccinate are relying on those of us that do vaccinate to limit the spread of these diseases. I hope that those who choose not to vaccinate aren’t counting on it, though, because Karma is a cruel bitch sometimes.
There wasn’t much of a question when my young’n was in need of shots. I did it because I remember the polio victims at school and saw enough on TV to do it, and because it was the law. However, my uncle chose not to vaccinate all his kids (who were born or growing up in the 50s). I found that to be pretty unbelievable.
Sorry – Robin, I wasn’t really responding to you, last time this topic came up, I was told I was an unethical something or other for choosing not to immunise based on herd immunity.
My decision is based on the fact that my kids are diagnosed on the spectrum. If any of the theories about ASD and vaccination, thimerosal etc are correct then my kids are at a greater risk than a kid who is not on the spectrum or who is not genetically disposed to be on the spectrum. While I think every parent has the right to review the evidence and make an informed choice about vaccination, I am aware that we are relying on herd immunity. I don’t buy the argument that there is no such thing as herd immunity and that vaccination did nothing to stamp out diseases (and yes there are anti-vaccination proponents who argue precisely that).
I’m not counting on my kids being immune – I am praying that when they finally do catch something, that it will be a mild case. Neither of my children have caught a damned thing in their lives. Even when measles and chickenpox have gone through the vaccinated kids at P the Younger’s childcare centre, he has remained well. As they get older, this is becoming more and more of a worry to me.
I lose sleep over this issue – I’d love to be able to simply look at the evidence and make a decision which I was completely happy with. As it is, I struggle, neither decision feels completely easy and right.
And I know there is a bit of an issue with my saying I don’t vaccinate because of autism when my kids are not vaccinated and are already dx’ed on the spectrum. P the Elder has a very debatable diagnosis. His therapists are split about 75/25 over whether he truly is or not. P the Younger was developing normally until he contracted salmonella and there was neurological damage and gut damage. He was unequivocally autistic 2 years when he was diagnosed. He’s been on a gluten free diet for 18 months now and his developmental paed says he is in recovery.
Could you imagine if it were your child and there was the slightest, remotest risk the vaccination could send them back into autism? to lose them again? He didn’t call me Mum until he was 4.
I don’t know that Hep B is a requirement for university, and I’m not sure about middle school, but I’m was old enough that I didn’t have the repeat MMR until the summer before I went off to college - there was something about my age group where they were given too soon and didn’t take (?).
But the reason I’m doubtful about the Hep B as a requirement is because I did not have to provide proof of that immunization (or get it, as the case would be) before I started grad school at a public university this fall. I did have to provide immunization records proving that I’d had all the MMR shots though.
Did you have your kids vaccinated? Why or why not?
All three kids (2/4/6 yo) are on schedule for their vaccinations.
If you did, what sort of reactions or side effects did you see?
A couple of minor high temperature for a couple of hours. These with Panadol. The most common treatment was an ice cream.
If you didn’t, was your Ped. supportive? How about family and friends? N/A
Would you do the same over again?
Yes, emphatically
It’s a highly emotive debate here.
Australia has only about 53% of children fully immunised. Overall, about 95% of parents involve their children some participation in the immunisation program. Complacency is the main reason programs aren’t completed.
However, in some areas vaccination program participation rates have fallen to 40%. These aren’t isolated, economically disadvantaged areas with poor access to health. These are “middle Australia” regions where parents are conscienciously not having taking their kids immunised. The north coast of NSW is one area where this attitude is prevalent/dominant.
We are seeing increased instances of some childhood diseases like Wooping Cough. I concur that as immunisation programs take affect, the only exposure to (and hence risk) of these diseases becomes the vaccine. But I don’t understand their logic and their “bugger you, I’m all right Jack” attitude pisses me off well beyond redemption.
Hep B vaccinations was recommened by my university only if the student wants to continue a career in any of the health sciences. I had the series when I was 12, I wonder if their effect has decreased enough that I should get a booster later on or not.
I would like to point out that, whether the kid is vaccinated or not, 18 months is when the autistic symptoms normally kick in. Let me rephrase that - kids who have never been vaccinated for anything in their life have acquired autism, and do so at or about 18 months. The onset of the disorder and the timing of the shot are, almost certainly, a cooincidence.
Could you live with yourself if your child was permanently impaired or killed by a disease that could have been prevented?
You are correct - vaccinations do carry a risk. So does going without vaccinations. In a certain percentage of children, such “mild” diseases such as chickpox can cause encephalitis, which can lead to brain damage or death. And, if you have ever had chicken pox you are at risk for shingles later in life, and excruciatingly painful disorder. Measles can cause brain damage or kill. Whooping cough is fatal a certain percentage of the time. That is, after all, why we came up with vaccines in the first place - to prevent disease, disability, and death.
I would certainly encourage parents to research vaccines. There ARE instances where vaccines should not be given. For instance, I do not take flu shots myself because I am allergic to the shot - it is more likely to hospitalize me than the flu is. That’s a legitimate medical reason to take a pass. However, if I did not have that problem I wouldn’t hesistate to take the vaccine. Children with immune system problems, or who are being treated for cancer, can not be immunized. And so on and so forth.
When you do vaccinate your children, be alert for problems and have them taken in immediately - most of the time there is not an issue, but if there is prompt treatment is vital.
Well, see if you actually read what I wrote, that is precisely how I view the issue. The difference is that I have decided that the option of not vaccinating and taking the risk of diseases is one I can live more easily with than the risk of exacerbating the autism.
If you totally and utterly dismiss all the research on the connections between vaccination and autism, then your logic stands up. If, however, you see that there is possibly some validity in the research, then it becomes murkier.
And Broomstick? Do you really think that TM and I don’t fully understand and comprehend all the stuff you’re so carefully explained to us.
I thought I’d bump this thread to convey this new information published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which says a new study shows no link between autism and the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. “Some physicians had feared the measles portion of the MMR shot might trigger the disorder, because it often kicks in at 2 or 3 years old, about the time the vaccine is given.” (quoted from US News and World Report; Nov. 18, 2002; where they referenced the NEJoM study.)
I can understand how you arrived at that decision, and support your right to make a such decision, without agreeing with your decision.
I don’t dismiss it. Neither do I believe it is conclusive.
I work in the medical research field. Yes, there are studies indicating a link. There are just as many studies saying there is NO link. While I have not sat down an done an exhaustive analysis of all studies published, nor has anyone else where I work, it is clear from my position that any link - if it exists at all - is quite small and far from proven.
MY conclusion is that if I had a child - autistic or not - they’d be vaccinated unless there is some contraindication. YMMV.
I don’t have anyway to know how thoroughly you researched this question, what sources you used, or all the factors that went into your decision. Most people do NOT understand how much uncertainly there is in medical research, or how the media skews the reporting on such research.
Absolutely, it needed to be investigated whether there was a link or not, but right now the majority of the evidence says not.