Immunizations-To Do or NOT to Do

Part of your decision making process needs to include the future of your child.

Not immunizing your child now can affect their ability to travel the world and work in certain fields.

Your decision now can affect your grandchildren. Rubella may not be dangerous to an adult, but to a fetus it can be deadly.

Polio can be crippling or deadly. Chickenpox is not the "safe" childhood disease we've been lead to believe. Influenza is most dangerous to infants and the elderly, and kills more people than you'd expect every year.

Most of us are safe from these diseases because we've been immunized, but an increasing number of immigrants and foreigners admitted to the US on work visas ARE NOT. They may carry these diseases with them, and infect those who have not been immunized.

The US is no longer a safe haven from many diseases, and the decision to not immunize has more long lasting affects - into adulthood - than it appears you are currently considering.

Take counsel of your fears, of course, but consider the ramifications to your children later in life as well as now before you make a final decision.

And as far as the response encouraging you to LIE about why you are not immunizing your children...If you really strongly believe in what you are doing you should never have to LIE about it. That kind of advice is morally bankrupt and simply "taking the easy way out". That's hardly the kind of example you want to set for your children.

Hi K.,

I can appreciate your fear due to some of the conflicting information that is available out there. What I would recommend to you is looking into all the sources available. The initial study that stated there was a link to MMR and Autism has since come back stating that the study was paid to make this claim. There has also been a recent study to see if thiomerisol free MMR vs thiomerisol containing MMR has lowered rates of autism in the last few years for a subset of children- conclusion was that there was no decrease in the number of autism with the thiomerisol free vs thiomerisol (mercury containing vaccine). The other thing that is pretty helpful with Autism clarification is that China did not use MMR vaccine yet they had equal rates of Autism among their children as we had here in the US several years ago. Wanting to do what is right for your daughter is wonderful. I commend you for that. I am a mother as well and I appreciate your concern. I would just caution you to look into all the sources prior to making your conclusion- a great website about vaccines and safety issues is www.cdc.gov type in vaccines or even MMR / Autism. Another great website to learn about things is aap.org. The one thing I would tell you about the cough syrups is that they never did get FDA approval for use for children younger than 6- it acutally went thru congress as a loop hole. I am a Pediatrician and I do not recommend them nor have I ever because they do not work but also more importantly due to the potentially toxic effects if administered incorrectly. Another great book I would recommend to you is "what every parent should know about vaccinating their child". The reason people speculated that MMR was linked to Autism in the 1st place is the earliest symptom we used to use for diagnosing autism was language delay. This is typically first noted around 15-18 months - just the same time we recommend MMR. The bigger issue I believe is identifying what causes Autism. As of right now many theories exist but no clear cut answer has been found yet. I can only tell you what we know and we as a scientific community know that CHina has the same rates of Autism as the US despite not giving MMR years ago in a study. I hope this helps. What I often recommend to parents who are still very concerned is to hold off the MMR until the child is 2 1/2 or 3 and we know they have met all their milestones so it is less stressful. I hope this helps. Ultimately you need to do what you think is best for your child and only you can decide that.

My hubby and I have our children immunized, my MIL has not immunized the last 3 of her 6 children. I have to admit being very biased b/c I work in healthcare and I am appalled at the shift in attitude toward medicine. Doctors, government, schools, daycares, etc. (or whoever you want to blame) are NOT out to hurt your children! We have successfully rid our communities of horrible, disfiguring and fatal diseases by immunizing. You can find arguments to fit whatever your particular 'side' all over the internet...that doesn't make it sound medical advice. That said...I agree that in SOME cases, people are far to reliant on medicine when it isn't necessary or, at times, harmful. You always have to weigh the risk/benefit ratio when discussing medicine and nobody's opinion should outweigh your own God given mommy instincts. However, don't let common sense go out the window, either. Extremes are never the answer. My husbands siblings have been SO extremely sick with diseases that immunizations would have ABSOLUTELY protected them from. I find it odd that my MIL won't immunize, but when the illness comes on, she runs to the doc for the weeks and weeks of powerful antibiotics that it takes to cure the illness! To me, it makes no sense. Anyway, I would only beg of you to KEEP doing the research...as the link to autism you made reference to is from the preservative 'Mercury'. Vaccines are now available without that particular additive, which in my mind makes all the difference.

My personal opinion is if you are making decisions based on what you whole-heartedly believe to be best for your children, then you are a good mother! We will never all agree on all topics, but we all agree that we want healthy, strong, independent, successful children. I do think you are in for a long road of being the minority on this topic and you may face obsticles because of it (such as daycare) but that in itself is no reason to conform. Personally, I disagree with your decision PARTIALLY, but I applaud you for going out of your way to do what you believe to be best for your child!
~L.

I know this is a h*** o*e as we have been programed to think immunizing our children is protecting them... but we really have to step out of the box and see what is truth and what is greedy pockets. Like fluoride for cavities. Fluoride doesn't stop cavities and is poison pure and simple. It stops the thyroid from receiving nutrients for all you people with thyroid problems. So does chlorine in the water. Why do they do this? I don't know... but who ever they are I want to be one step ahead of them taking responsibility for myself being as there are cancer, heart, etc epidemics. Well, back to immunizations. I had 8 children and none of them had any immunizations. All are perfectly healthy and 2 are in their 30's. The proof is in the pudding. Instead of the false claim that putting a small amount of the disease so that your body can resist it later when it comes in full force which is stupid.... why not just throw away the s.a.d. diet (standard, American, diet) and build up your children's immunity so they can have a body that will fight off diseases like it was created to do. One time there was a mumps scare at school. My children were asked to stay home for a while because they didn't have immunizations. My kids thought this was great. Amazing. If the immunizations really worked why would they be worried about my kids infecting the school if they did catch the disease? Maybe cause they don't work? A thought... May God bless you with wisdom to do what is right with the children He has blessed you with.

I know this is a tough topic, but I am having so much trouble keeping calm when I see so many people seemly making up connections between their children contracting or not contracting something due to vaccinnations. I've read "I got my kid immunized, and he got ADHD/autism/etc" That is like saying, "well I left my house this morning and I got a promotion at work!" With the rise of autism being diagnosed (mostly from redifining autism and testing more kids), that doesn't mean your child will be more apt to it based on receiving a shot. You can read all of the SCIENTIFIC evidence out there, and you can't rely on a few parents that say their child received an autism diagnosis after having a shot - when they have no proof the child would not have been diagnosed if he hadn't had the shot. Anyway, it scares me to see so many people out there who don't immunize their kids. It makes me happy that most people know the benefits - namely NOT dying from a serious communicable disease (measles/polio). These diseases are not eradicated yet due to situations like these. I am THRILLED that schools and daycares require shots to have children present, it's one more way to protect my daughter (who is fully immunized, on schedule) and another way to have her not lose any friends that die from easily prevented diseases. I love children very much and I hate to see any suffer because of things their parents choose for them. Myself and all of my friends, their children, etc have all been vaccinated, as I am sure many people I've met throughout my life have been. None of us have autism or other assumed-vaccine-linked illnesses. So until science can prove my child has a .00001% chance of contacting a disease from a vaccine (like autism or ADHD) and a 100% chance of not contracting a deadly disease that that vaccine can 100% prevent (measles/polio), I will take the chance and have my kids with some manageable problem other than not have my child alive.

Many of my friend do not immunize their children. We do. After talking to several traditional doctors and wholistic doctors, and have had worked in an autistic instiution for lots of years, we made the decision to immunize. And I am not trying to persuade anyone either, I just will let you know what we discovered after doing 3 years of research now...
There is no ONE factor that can be traced to autism. The disorder of autism has expanded HUGE in the last 5 years (just like 15 years we never heard of ADHD, ADD, etc). And if you ever read the DSM III dignosis on autism, we all would fall under it as having SOME form of autism.
A lady who I studied under while going for my Masters Degree in counseling (who happened to have a doctorette in childhood disorders)told me that when she was pregnant with her first child 40 years ago, women were told not to drive cars. In fear that the fumes would produce down syndrome (we now learn that it is a chromosome- not an environmental factor).
As far as the daycare center, good luck with that. Many take the stance that if we all do not immunze our children these diseases that we have prevented for years will return. Ones such as polio, measles, etc.
Until their is a uniformed decision and finding on immunizations it is a battle and struggle that parents are going to go through. Continue to do what you want, remember you are the parent, not the government!

K. I commend you on choosing to step back and do some research to make an INFORMED decision on this issue. You are a great mom! I will send a message to you privately - we have an international speaker coming to our community on this very issue.
When looking at the research that does exist, the conclusion I have come to is that I trust the human body's natural ability to fight of disease more than I trust a doctor...they don't know my child like I do and from what I have learned, it is more important to have children build Natural, lifetime immunity to a virus/disease - because your body will produce T-fighter cells that can help the child fight off Cancer and other illness now and into the future. It's an ASSUMPTION to say that after Vaccines were introduced that the diseases disappeared...if you take a bigger snapshot of time, you will see that due to better hiegene and cleanliness, all of these diseases (polio, smallpox, Diptheria, etc..)were already on the way to extinction - way before the vaccine was implemented...Vaccines did not get rid of them...the only reason they exist today is probably BECAUSE of the vaccines.
This is a very heated topic - and I encourage everyone to really research it before making a decision...and don't make it out of fear - make it by educating yourself so you KNOW exactly what is happening to your child.
Here are some websites to check out:
www.909shot.com
www.mothering.com
www.vaclib.org
www.callingtheshots.info
www.lc.org
www.generationresucue.org
www.knowvaccines.com

Listen to your gut - when some studies were done on Autistic children...they found that the Measles Virus (from the MMR shot) lined the child's intestines...
Vaccines work, but not the way we want them to, they create an antibody response instead of an 'immunity for life' response. An antibody creates a marker on the virus invading the body so the body can destroy it. When a body has too many antibodies floating around, they attach to organs and then the body 'attacks these organs' - hence the rise of autoimmune disorders...
Don't take anyone's word for it...I encourage everyone to do their own research!!!

I know that many people feel very strongly about this subject . But there is no evidence to support that there is any link between autism and immunizations. I work in clinical research and know that this has been actively studied worldwide for years, they have been giving the MMR for almost thirty years now and millions of people have received it. My son has had his as I personally think it would be so much worse to see your child suffer through a potentially life threatening disease that could have been avoided. I respect your decision whatever it may be, but I implore you to read and research for yourself the scientific information that is readily available on the internet.

Hi K.,

You should go on PubMed (NCBI) and read some real journals papers published by scientists who work on viruses. This way you can see two things; characterization of the effects of various viruses in children, and how vaccines are actually developed, made, and tested. Many people who replied to your post offered real advice; however, as well intentioned as it may have been the science is off. For example, you draw a comparison between cold medication and vaccines when they are totally different issues.One person stated that T-cells develop the ability to fight cancer, which is partially true but much more complicated than that ( only some cancers, and only some of the time). Many children react to vaccines, many do not. There is no real evidence that vacciences casue Autism or other behavioral problems, just as much as there is no evidence that eating organic food prevents common American diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
We are an all natural family, we only eat organic food, use organic soap and household cleaners, ect. My pediatrician is a DO who practices holistic medicine, and gives us natural treatments. The only medication my son has ever taken is Echinachea in the winter months and wcidophillus when he was tiny for an upset tummy. Besides the common colds he has never been sick, never gotten an ear infection. He has had all his vaccinations. He had slight fevers after several of them, which is good and normal as it indicates his immune system is working. He never had a bad reaction so it is hard for me to imagine not getting the rest of his vaccines. I considered not immunizing him, but as a scientist I couldn`t outweigh the benefits even though I belive in and rely on more natural remedies and a healthy diet to ward off bugs and build a healthy body.
You should seriously do some real scientific research before making a descision and discuss this at length with your pediatrician. I would even reccomend talking with more than one ped--I can give you the name of mine, I am sure he has many patients who choose not to vaccinate as he is a holistic practitioner.
I study virology, cell and developmental biology for my doctorate at The Medical College of Wisconsin. Good luck. Think hard.
M.

Dear K.,
I have been in your shoes, feeling huge concerns about immunizations. I took some time to research via publications, internet, talking to doctors. I prayed about it. It was reaaly a struggle. The conclusion I came to was to immunize my children. (This was on my fourth child; I have 7). This last week I took my oldest to a new pediatrician (new to us). I happened to ask her about immunizations because there has been an outbreak of pertussis in the city where this doctor practices. There are four physicians in her practice; in all of the years they have practiced they have never had a single child who was affected negatively by immunizations. However, apparently the children that they are treating for pertussis right now are those who have not been immunized. I feel grateful for my choice because while there could be risks associated with the shots, I feel grateful to be able to protect my children against very serious challenges, such as deafness, blindness,or other impairments that could result if I didn't immunize them. I know my great aunt, so suffered from polio as a child, and consequently her entire life, would probably have been so grateful to have had access to the immunization when she was born. I know this is a personal decision, and I wish you the best on deciding what is best for your family. Take care!

Hi K.,
I know it is a terrifying thing to watch your child be injected with a foreign substance! I never understood the fear until I became a mom.
There are different vaccination schedules you can request that spreads out the vaccinations, has them given a slightly different times. Check out the "Institute for vaccine safety" or the "Dr. Sears Vaccine book." They might be good resources for figuring out some other options that may seem safer.
I have not yet researched as much as I would like about the subject.
Also, you can ask for "thimerosal free" vaccinations, that do not have that preservative in them (that has been one theory linking vaccines to autism).
It is a personal decision, you are not a bad mom for asking these questions and wanting the best for your baby, it is a sign of a great mother!
Good luck!
N.

You are a wonderful mother!!!!!! Most parents don't even think twice about this. They just get immunizations because that is what people do. When my first child was born, we went through this whole issue. What to do?! So at that point, we decided for some and against others. I very much understand your point of view. As we've journeyed down the parenting path doing research and hearing news discussion, we've decided to get most immunizations. We decided this more on a "community" basis rather than a personal basis. If the majority of people decide not to immunize, there is a greater chance of these diseases coming back and spreading. For the greater good of society, we have decided that we will immunize. Our kids are 4 1/2 and 2 and we've had no problems yet with any shots. You're right, there are risks. And you are the only one who can make this decision for your child! Don't let anyone pressure you or intimidate you. Do what you determine is best!

K., as both a grandmother and a nurse, I urge you to reconsider foregoing immunizations. Immunizations can protect your little girl from some very serious illnesses. Chicken pox can kill as well as menningitis. Rubells can damage the heart and hearing. Mumps can lead to infertility in boys. I tell these things not to scare you, but to give you food for thought. Without immunizations, your daughter must rely on the concept of "herd immunity" for protection. This means she get some protection from the children who are immunized IF enough of the group are immunized. While ther are risks with any vaccine, overall they are dafer than getting the disease. Polio has been virtually wiped out by vaccines. However, without their use, we could see a resurgence of this terrible disease as well as many others. I hope that you will find food for thought in my words. Whatever you decide, good luck! Liz

It seems as if you have already decided what to do concerning your child and the shots. I can tell you if you do some simple research that you will find that there is no medical link to vaccinnes and autism. It's shows like Montel Williams and others that hype up that myth, and a little research can statistically prove to you that there is no link. Where that myth came from is from vaccinnes decades ago that contained a certain amount of mercury, which may be linked to autism, but even that isn't proven. There is no longer mercury in the shots and if there is it is such a small amount that it can already be found in the human body. The MMR vacinne is very important to children, as I'm sure you know, and if you think it's been hard to find a daycare, finding a school that will allow a child to attend without vaccinations is almost impossible. As for the children and cold medications thing, I spoke with my children's doctor about this because they both had nasty colds and she said that the medications themselves are safe, the warning is out there because many parents don't know the correct dosage to give their child, often overdosing which causes the medical problems. You can only do what you feel is the right thing for your child, but I would suggest that you do extensive research before you decide against immunizations. Plus, at 13 months, you've only got 2 left at the 18 months mark, so that might be something you would want to take into consideration also. By no means am I trying to talk you out of your decision, but I think a major decision like this should be as researched as possible before the final decision is made. I hope this information helps and that you and your husband find a solution that you both are comfortable with.

You go girl! You be strong! You are right, this is a major decision but it is yours to make. Don't let anyone else, not even your family or your doctor, make this decision for you. My husband and I decided to wait on immunizations altogether until she turned one, and then to wait until we see how those go before we issue the next set. I feel that more people need to do the research and understand the potential side effects of all their decisions regarding their child's health. If you did your footwork, and you've read the articles, then you've done your daughter justice.

You are a bad mommy if you make decisions without thinking.

In other words, YOU ARE A GOOD MOMMY!

Dear K.,

You are dealing with a difficult choice. I have two children--one, a four-year-old boy with autism, and the other a 15-month-old girl who is, from all the signs so far, not autistic. I chose to vaccinate her and plan to continue to vaccinate her. I've studied a lot of the material on autism and its causes, and there are a lot more questions than there are answers. From what I've read, though, a child won't develop autism unless he or she has a genetic predisposition to the disorder. Whether there are environmental factors that influence the development of autism is a matter of great debate.

For my part, even though my daughter is at a higher risk for autism because she has an immediate family member who is autistic, I am more concerned about the diseases she could contract if she were not vaccinated. Just this past December my son, and then shortly thereafter my daughter, were exposed to chicken pox. Neither of them developed it, perhaps because they had both been vaccinated against it. I do think there is a lot of rumor and confusion about this issue, and I really do believe that vaccines are safe for the vast majority of children. But you have to follow your insticts for your child.

I hope that is helpful feedback. I certainly don't think you are a bad mother for making this choice--I would say you are a concerned mother who wants the best. Good luck with battling for your choice.

Hi K.,

I am 100% with you. We have a 3 month old baby and we are being selective about which immunizations to give her. (We are not getting the MMR, Hep B or Varicella and maybe not Rotovirus and we are spacing out the others)

I recommend you get The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. It lays out what is in every vaccine, what the risks are, etc. I know you will face resistance on not getting certain immunizations but stay tough and do what you feel is right. Immunizations are great for public health but not if they put your child at risk for autism or other neurological side effects.

Good luck!
-R. in Wisconsin

there is absolutely NO link to autism from immunizations that has been proven in ANY type of scientific way. there have been several very large studies (england, sweden and even a recent one in california) involving thousands and thousands of children folowed over years and there is NO association. besides the agent that was implicated, a preservative containing mercury called thimerisol, has been removed for nearly a decade in most countries, including the US (with few exceptions, some flu shots may still have it, but there are thimerisol free flu shots too)
autism rates are increasing worldwide despite the removal of thimerisol.
no one knows what causes autism, the current thinking is it is partly environmental (eg toxins in the environment) in a genetically susceptible person...meaning there are probably some kids pre-disposed to get autism and the something triggers it off...but no one knows at this point.
please get your kids vaccinated, some of these disease can be devastating, even deadly. childhood mortality rates have plummeted since mass vaccinations were initiated.

I know you are doing what you think is best for your daughter, and I respect that. We all love our children and want to make the best choices for them to keep them safe and healthy. However, there was a time when children rountinely got diseases like Polio (I know a person who has no use of his legs because of it)and whooping cough (a baby that was too young for a vaccination got whooping cough and died in our area recently). Vaccinations have prevented diseases like these from being rampant like they once were. You need to remember, by not vaccinating your child, not only are you exposing her to disease, but other children as well; the more people that choose not to vaccinate, the more chance those dieases have of making a comeback.
As far as the autism link, I was concerned about this as well, so I investigated it. As far as I could find, there was only one study that made any connection, and there have been many studies since that show no correlation at all. Also, what I understand is the most "dangerous" part of a vaccination is the Thimerisol (sp?, the preservative put into multi-use vials, which contains mercury. You can avoid this by requesting single-use vials when your daughter gets her shots. They do not put this preservative in single use vials. I hope this doesn't make you angry, I just wanted to provide another view.

Please immunize your daughter. The hurdle you are facing with finding a day care is the smallest one--getting into school when she's of age will be even bigger. I remember feeling angst about immunizations when my son was her age as well, I think it's a common feeling. However, the diseases that vaccines are available for are awful--do you want to leave your daughter open to that? There is NO CREDIBLE SCIENTIFIC BASIS for linking autism to vaccinations. In fact, the scientific community is finding more evidence of a genetic link. Haven't you had this conversation with your pediatrician? Ask for "thimerasol free" vaccines--the ones without the preservative that contains mercury. Good Luck!

I will not critize, because it is your choice, but I must say, you really should get your child immunized, the chances of your child contacting any of the diseases is minimal, but why take tha chance? I have 7 kids and could never fathom not getting them, there are so many people who come to our country, it would only take one person with an ifectious disease to start an outbreak, are the chances low? Yes, but we also thought we would be safe from planes flying into the twin towers. Know having got that off my chest, very few schools/daycare/public forums will admit children who are not immunized, it is just going to be a hard road and a lot of research until you can find one who will, some hospitols even require a childs immunization records be brought with you every time you take them in. So if that is your choice then just get out there be patient something will turn up.

K., it is strictly parents' choice, this is true.
I can only share what I did: I have three kids, none of them ever never got any shots, at all. More to it, my daughter was born in the woods, complete wilderness, no doctors, no medical help. It is extreme, I know, and i do not say it is right for everyone.
As for our family, no diseases, no problems with health except for the regular flu which is good, as it keeps the immune system active, and then also, only natural remedies, such as herbs, warmth, honey.
For the organizations such as school, I signed a paper, that i have religious reasons for refusing immunization shots.
I do not belong to any official religion, but I am very 'spiritual' as they say, believing we are children of the Nature itself and cannot dismiss this fact.

the choice is yours, I just let you know there are such people out here, who make their decisions against the common trend.

oh, my kids are 17, 23, 25 now, all healthy and happy;
when still at school, they had almost straight A's without me pushing them, and now very successful in life.

They just released a study this week about Thirmesol (mercury) in vaccines. It has been largely removed from vaccines since 1999 and the # of children with autism continues to rise. They haven't found a correlation between vaccines and autism, etc. in my opinion. I have chosen to vaccinate my children. You need to choose what's right for you.

C.

With all the medicines available now, we have this false security that doctors can treat diseases. That's not true. There's nothing they can do to cure a virus, except support the body with fluids, etc, and hope for the best. Every time my son (1 1/2) is sick and feverish with a virus, I thank God for vaccines and that I know it's not something that will kill him or permanently disable him.

A cemetery in my neighborhood has a marker with 8 names on it, all children who died before the age of 4. What a tragedy that family had to bear. The names were from the late 1800's, before antibiotics and vaccines. We don't know what it was like, so we take it for granted.

If you have a close family member with autism, check it out. If not, I would do what you were talking about, and get the vaccines one at a time. Your daughter will learn to hate the doctors office, but it's better than her getting sick, with a rash, and you don't know if it's going to cause her to be deaf or blind. These are serious diseases, and the more people are not vaccinating, the more likely we are to see them return.

Before you go with your gut, learn how to recognize logical fallacies. Those are arguments that sound good (and can sway our "gut"!) but can actually be misleading. That will give you wisdom as you digest all the conficting information out there!

Blessings as you give your daughter your best!

First off you sound like a great mother. No one is denying that. You need to make an informed opinion, not just a gut feeling. I work in the medical profession and I am become a registered nurse. I say to you please immunize your daughter. I just took microbiology in college. The microbiology class was so informative to me. Immunizations are very important to the WHOLE population of people not just your child. It explain this simply, that if we stop taking these vaccines, the population (herd) immunity will become low and there will be greater chance of developing and spreading the mumps, measles and rubella. Believe me you DO NOT want your child to get these.
You need to look at this way, how will this benefit my child. The doctors are not telling you are a bad mother. Some children cannot take shots because their own immunity is low, if that be the case. Immunity is important to have, it fights against colds, viruses and bacteria. We start developing immunity right at birth and keep on till our death. People should know what they are talking about before they give advice. There is no proven research that autism comes from vaccines, plus it does not cause "auto immune diseases". Viruses do that not the drugs. Sorry if I sound preachy, I didn't mean to be. I feel very strong on this subject. We need more public awareness on why this is important, not just being told to DO it. We need to know why we have to do things. Doctors can seem to be stand offish at times but really they don't mean to be. Good luck on researching this. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

YOu know the doctor's office tryied to make me feel like a bad mother for not getting the chickenpox shot for my seven year old daughter and so did the schools when she was enrolled. I felt the same way you do now. When my three year old needed hers I got them both done. I felt that they were going to get the chickenpox and if people weren't stupid to give thier children asprin then there wouldn't be a problem. I have since started to work in the health care feild in the past three years and come into contact with all kinds of crazy stuff that was why I choose to get the chickenpox shot for my girls. I know that this sounds bad but the risk of not getting the MMR is more dangerous then the might be side effects.

Dear K.,
Hello! I send my warmest regards and hope for your family's safety and health. I completely understand the fear involved in giving your daughter immunizations. I know that it is a difficult decision to make because I have had similar views and fear of modern medical treatment. I hope that you will not think me presumptuous for I do believe that you want what is best for your daughter. One year ago, on Feb 13, My daughter was born at home, in a tub, butt first. I had a 'wonderful' midwife who only believed in all natural therapies and so on and so forth. She was an extremist, and preached ardently against the hospital. I found the birth to be the most amazing experience of my entire life! Unfortunately, my daughter suffered a severe brain injury during the birth. She was transfered to PCMC from Cedar City. I was terrified, but I know that the treatments there and hereafter have saved her life. I had bought in head over feet into what those people had told me about modern medicine. I still do believe that home is the best place to birth, for all it's wonderful benefits. I have learned, though, not to take that view to an extreme. When anyone takes a view to the extreme it is no longer about treating you or your daughter, the patient, it is about their soap box. Be very careful of what you buy into.
"Autism is a developmental disability that affects several areas of the brain: including the cerebellum, hippocampus, and limbic system, beginning at a very young age." _John Ratey M.D .

Autism is a sensory/emotional disorder where they cannot stand to feel certain textures, touch from others, or social contact.

The vaccinations I believe are a blessing. Sometimes nature just isn't enough. I think that you should do some more research on the other side of the fence. Talk to a couple of doctors and see what they have to say, idseases like Polio and the measles are still out there.
Frankly, from my research your daughter would seem to get autism easier from daycare, then vaccinations. Strong social connections with those that are closest seem to be the best way of avoiding this disorder, if there is any way to avoid it at all. (not to say that mommies who put their kids in daycare don't develop strong connections.)
All I'm saying is don't buy into everything you hear-from someone who has felt the same way and learned a powerful lesson from it.
Some say that vaccinations don't work, some say they cause more harm. I am sure that you want nothing but the best for your child, and i believe that you are more than capable of making those decisions. Just stay open.

Dear K.,
I feel you need to trust your instincts on this one, no matter what anyone else has to say on the matter. There is currently an enormous amount of pressure from the medical community and society in general to immunize your children. However, there is a growing body of evidence, that supports NOT immunizing because of the long-term effects of vaccinations that are extremely detrimental. Here's a link from a report from the CDC about the connection to autism and vaccinations:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GreaterJoy/message/2134

Another link that discusses neurological damage and vaccinations:
http://www.mercola.com/article/vaccines/neurological_dama...

www.citizens.org is another link about the problems associated with vaccinations.

I, personally, have witnessed problems in my own family with vaccinations. A first cousin lost all of her hair all over her body at the age of 3 due to a reaction to immunizations. It has never grown back in.

My mother's parents refused to have their children vaccinated (long story). So she'd never had any vaccinations until she was about 68 years old and wanted to travel with her choir to Russia and the Armenia. She was required to have an entire grouping of vaccinations. Up until her vaccinations she had rarely ever even had a sick day - no colds, flu, etc. Since then, she's been sick constantly. She has begun to develop arthritis and all kinds of aches and pains. And now she's beginning to show beginning signs of memory loss. I'm urging her to see a Naturopath so we can hopefully, through the use of homeopathics, cleansing and diet, get the vaccination residues stripped from her system. There are new studies out, linking flu vaccinations after age 65 with an increase in Alzheimer's disease.
If it were me, I'd never vaccinate. Period. I did with my children (unfortunately), because I didn't know any better. My children are not vaccinating my grandchildren and I'm so grateful.

This is a personal choice. Do your homework and trust your instincts. Do not be persuaded by peer or doctor pressure. Do your own research and make up your own mind.

Blessings,
M.

http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/concerns/mmr_autism_fac...

I found this link helpful. And there are other very helpful links about immunization and about Autism at the bottom of the page. I have had similar agony over vaccines, though my son is younger than your daughter. It has to do with gut feelings too as well as having two close friends not immunize their kids yet. Its crazy to feel like we could hurt our kids no matter what we choose. I hate it. But I find that science is comforting. For example, I know they changed the polio vaccine from the old live virus oral one because one child in 2 million got the virus and one was too many. And they haven't used mercury in pediatric vaccines in about 8 years. I still have fear every time my son gets a vaccine but I have much more fear about the devistating effects of the illness he could get if we didn't vaccinate him. Trust your gut but ask yourself where the feeling might come from. I wish you tons of luck with this. I need it too.

Just to add a little something... there have been many studies about the link between autism and vaccinations, with no solid scientific evidence that there is any correlation between the two. On the other hand, several studies in France and Australia have found a correlation between epidurals and autism. Another reason for the huge increase in cases of autism may be better recognition of the symptoms as well as the development of autism spectrum. For instance, my best friend's younger brother, who is now 23, was recently (in the past 5 years) diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. For most of his life, there was some question about what was going on with him, and it was only recently that a name was put to his behavior.
That being said, you have to decide for yourself whether or not you're going to immunize your child. There's certainly anecdotal evidence both ways - a lot of people present themselves as evidence that there's no need to vaccinate because they weren't vaccinated (or their kids weren't) and everyone's happy & healthy. But there's also people who have lost their children to "harmless" diseases like chicken pox and pertussis.

Good luck on whatever you decide!

I too am concerned about the MMR shot and the link to autism I have heard about. I asked my son's pediatrician about it and naturally she told me it is safe and there isnt any links to autism. But, she also told me that they test for autism at 12 months (that's the earliest that anyone can see signs of the disorder). so being that your daughter is already 13 months I would ask the pediatrician to look for signs of autism to make sure she doesnt have it already. If they do see any problems the sooner they treat it the better. Hope this helps.

Daycares are like schools they cannot legally say no because of vacs. We are not vacing anymore. a good website would be www.mercola.com to help you read more about it. I am in DePere, and have childcare experience, and the classes. The waiver is just at the bottom of the immu record they give you, as it is the same as schools. Just fill it out on the bottom, and turn it in. tell them if they give you a problem that they need to go over the state laws again and see that they can't turn you away because of that. Want to talk, contact me!

I wait until they are a year before I have them immunized. My first daughter was current with all of her shots before she went into kindergarten, and that was not starting until her 12 month check up. I don't have a ton of advice on it, but wanted you to know you aren't the only one sketchy about immunizations. Yes, I know they're important. But why on earth does my newborn need a HEP B shot? Even the nurses agreed with me. I do feel a little hesitant leaving them exposed, but I feel more hesitant filling they're tiny bodies with those chemicals. I'm just really careful about taking them places during the first year. So far, so good.

Just a note to tell you about MMR vac. I have a multi handicapped child. She is profoundly deaf, blind in one eye, legally blind in the other, developmentally delayed, and mild C.P. Reason she is this way? Ruebella! Some umimmunized child gave it to me when I was pregnant. So I am all for the MMR's I don't want any one to have to deal with all we have over the years.

I wrote a series of articles based on vaccine package inserts that might interest you.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/53191/alisa_elizabe...

(you have to scroll down a little to get to my series)

At any rate - we do not vaccinate at all and we made that decision on science, history, facts about diseases (such as how many were in fact going away before their vaccines were introduced) and our own intuition.

You know your children better than anyone else. Of all the sources I listed, trust your intuition the most! Good luck and God bless!

Dear K.,
Thankfully, in the State of Michigan you CAN sign a waiver. I've raised three wonderfully healthy boys, all without any vaccinations..and they are all thriving. Ages 23, 20 and 17. My husband is a chiropractor, and is a believer of allowing children to develop their immunities naturally. He feels if one must vaccinate, certainly they could wait until the child was older. An INFORMED decision is always the best one. There are many books out there that explain why NOT to vaccinate. I've read quite a few and a real good reference book is: A Shot In The Dark. The Michigan Chiropractic Association has a lot more references, too. There is a group, I think...M.O.M
(mom's opposing mandatory vaccinations) Read and be informed. It is not an easy decision to stand on, but you CAN find support for what you believe is best for your child. It IS a personal choice!

Hi K.

I agree wih you about the links to autism. What I have have been doing with my daughters is ask for shots that are Thimerosol free. The Thimerosol (mercury-used as a stabilizer) is what is potentially harmful in therms of Autism. Sometimes you have to wait longer to get these shots and sometimes they are not available (it depends what the State gets in and distributes to pediatricians and other clinics). Good luck, it is very worrisome. The problem with OTC cold meds for ages two and under seems not only to be overdoses, but also these meds can cause the heart trace in some infants and toddlers.

Good luck!

Hi K.
I have not immunized my son at all. You are not alone with this choice. I know a lot of parents who have decided to do the same thing. I feel the same as you everyone has a choice. I think that www.909shot.com has good information. Check it out if you haven't already. Have a great day!

I know this is an old post, and that you've made your decision. The latest studies show that there is a much stronger link to the specific areas of intelligence of the parents than to any external factor. In other words, your child can't CATCH autism, they're born with it.
The study was done because there is a huge percentage of autistic children in the Silicon Valley. They did environmental studies to see if there were any chemicals or anything like that. Then they studied the parents of the autistic children. Turns out that the majority of them were computer geeks with high IQ's in that particular area of intelligence (technology, etc). It appears that when geeks get married, they have a genetic tendency toward autistic kids.
It makes sense to me. Autistic children are very intelligent in one or a few areas. But the lack the ability to handle interpersonal situations. I'm simplifying autism greatly, but my description doesn't sound too far off from "super computer geek," does it?

You may want to consider not just opting out but spreading out and delaying the shots. I have done some research on immunizations and children's reactions when I was in graduate school and I work with children with autism for a living. I am waiting until my children are 3 for the MMR. Other shots I am only giving the ones that are necessary. During the visits I ask how many shots are supposed to be given and then ask to spread them out. If the child is due for 2 shots I only allow one and then see how the child does and then go back in a couple of months later for the second one. It is not popular with the physcicians but it is important to me to protect my children. Hope this helps!

Hi K.,

I think if you have a strong feeling one way or the other, you should trust your instinct. I immunized my child and have had no problems, but I never knew any risks or asked any questions. I think for my next child I will wait until they are over 2 before I immunize. It seems like autism associated with immunizations occurs when the child is between 18 months and 2 years. Other countries immunize later in childhood and have drastically lower rates of autism. You're the one who has to live with your decision, so don't let anyone else tell you what to do.

M.

doing what you feel is right is great. its called great parenting. but in the same case are you going to put your daughter in a bubble for the rest of her life because there are things that are dangerous or scary in the world? Im not saying that you are a bad parent for not immunizing your child what I am saying is that you need to think about the other reprocussions on not immunizing.

I have immunized both my children, and their have been no ill effects-- 1 teen, one pre-teen. I also know people who have opted out, and their kids are healthy as well.

You are not a bad mother. As parents we have to follow our heart, because most of the time there are no right or wrong answers--just different opinions!

GL:)

I feel you are doing the right thing by not getting the shots. I have been doing some research on the subject myself and if I had known then what I know now I would never have gotten the shots for my childern (they are grown now). I believe that some of the problems they have are due (in part if not all) to the immunization shots that they had as babies. There are many health sites that will give information on this subject. One that I like is mercola.com. Stick to your discision to not get the shots. We still have free will in this country. Take Care and God Bless, T.

I'm a mother of 3. Twin girls and a sigleton boy.

When my twins were babies, I chose not give my twin girls any of the reccomended shots. I felt too, there was more risk from the shot.

One daughter went to spend 2 weeks with their grandma that summer to give me a break.

The one at home, she had a regular check up with her doctor. In the waiting room, a child next to me was very sick and coughing so I moved.
4 days later my daughter had the same cough- only alot more violent! She was coughing and had so much mucus her lips would go blue from lack of oxygen.
I took her into the E.R. several times and she was diagnosed with the flu. I had never in my life heard of the flu causing this bad of a cough!

By that weekend she had stopped breathing twice! I can't ever remember being so scared in my life! I thought my child was going to die during one of these coughing fits!

I was on the phone one night with a close friend and she reccomended I go to the E.R. and she would call her children's doctor to come look at my daughter.
He did come in to look at her, all he heard was her cough and he knew what it was. He diagnosed her with whooping cough, and an x ray of her chest confirmed it.
My daughter was admitted to the ICU, and her room flagged because whooping cough is very catchy!
And adults can carry it without having the symptoms, so we were quarrantied to our house.

This doctor was a doctor from a country where whooping cough immunization is not offered. He told me that every year in that country hundreds of children die each each from whooping cough, and I saw firsthand exactly why so many children do die of it!
My daughter is alive today because of that doctor knowing what was wrong with her, and ensuring the ICU medical team could help in her care.

Alot of the other pediatricians (?Spelling) in that hospital came in to observe my daughters cough, because they hadn't heard true whooping cough before.

That was the worst experience of my life,I felt so helpless and I also felt alot of shame and regret because all I had to do was ensure my daughte got a simple shot to prevent my daughter from getting this violent illness.

After we were released from quarantine I went and got my other daughter and had her doctor give her all her shots.

And my son has all his immunizations too.

In my opinion, I would rather risk some possible side effects of the shots, than have my child pass away because I was being ignorant in thinking my child wouldn't catch any illness OR that they would make it through.

Just a few years ago, in the state I live in now there was an epidemic of whooping cough and a few children died. It made me sad to find out some of those children didn't have the shot to protect them.

We quit vaccinating our daughter at about the same age. Our reasons are a little different, in that we discovered they contain ingredients that go against our religious beliefs (I still would have stopped for other reasons, but the religious part was the end of the discussion with my husband). In my opinion, vaccinations have not been proven dangerous, but they have not been proven safe either, especially over the long term. It's a hard decision to make, but I'm comfortable with the decision we made. Remember that you can continue to do research (there are tons of books, websites, articles etc. both for and against vaccines)and if you change your mind, you can always get the vaccines later, but you can't take them out of your child once you put them in.

I've done a lot of research on MMR. My mother-in-law has been very against it since my nephew got it when he was 12 or 18 months and he came home a completely different person. Now, he's been diagnosed with ADHD. From what I've read, the biggest concern is that they're giving it too young now. I have three kids and with the oldest two I've just told my doctor I want to wait until they were 2. Another concern is just to make sure that the shot that they use has no silver in it. You just have to ask them about that. The silver has been causing problems.

It is not easy to go against the grain and you will take some heat. You have to live with your choices as a parent, no one else, and that is why you get to make them.

I have a 20 yr old daughter who had a reaction to her immunizations. Because of this I did not even start my other children on theirs until they were 2. I usually had them caught up by the time they entered school. That being said, I had to walk away from many Dr, preschools and people who believed that they had any say in these decisions.

My sisters all have grown children that have not been immunized, ever, and that was their decision.

After much research, I did make the decision to immunize after age 2. I felt their systems were stronger and I could better communicate with them if there were side affects...I did not have any problems with her or any of the others after that initial time.

Give yourself some time. You know what is best for your child and your family!

K. there are great books out there r/t not giving immun. Check with your Chiropractor or health food store. I did not give my kids thier immun. till they were 2 because thier spinal cords are not developed until then, I felt more safe after that. I am proud of you. Get one of the books. P.

Hi K.,
It's kind of funny how strongly people feel about this subject. Whether you are for or against it seems like there isn't any middle ground. Personally I immunize but I have a friend that doesn't. I always talk to my ped and I trust her and have had no problems with shots. If you feel strongly to not having immunizations it is your choice and you aren't a bad mom for it. Good luck.
Chris

Questioning choices for your child, especially when it comes to the medical field in NO WAY makes you a bad mother. That's your job...to make sure that the decisions you make are in the best interests of your child. I also had questions about immunizations and I did a lot of research into them. After researching independently and talking with friends who have autistic children and are very active in awareness, I found the the MMR was safe and made the decision to immunize my children with the mmr and other vaccinations.

A good friend of mine decided with her first child to not immunize against whooping cough. She had a family history of epilepsy and there were some reports that some aspect of that particular vaccination could trigger progression/onset of epilepsy, particularly when administered in a certain timeframe. She felt that she should wait to vaccinate her daughter. Many other parents around the country had also opted to not have their children vaccinated, but many did so because they felt pertussis wasn't an issue anymore, not because of any compelling medical reason. Then, around the country there were large outbreaks of whooping cough. Personally, I felt that the benefits of vaccination for my kids, who did not have any sort of similar family history, outweighed the risks, but my friend made the right decision to ask more questions and do more research, because ultimately, each parent is responsible for their own child's welfare. You can get a lot of good information at www.cdc.gov (Center for Disease Control) or www.aap.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), or even on WebMd.

For all three of my children we delayed the MMR shot until they were two. All the pediatricians were absolutely comfortable with this. They say there is no link now with MMR and autism, but I felt that certainly my children's little bodies could handle the MMR shot better when they were a year older. And I and my pediatrician would know by age two if the child already had autism. One pediatrician admitted that he felt the MMR is given at age one because if the recommendation was for age 2, most parents would forget. I hope this helps. Mumps, Measles and Rubella are serious illnesses and the world is very small these days. You should consider this vaccination, if your child has not had it already. Also, I do wish people would not be so quick to disclaim another mother's intuition or firm belief when they claim the MMR changed their child in any way. We should support each other and make the world a safe and loving place to view our concerns. There is much to be learned from all. And from mother to mother, of all the the circles in the world, that should be the most unabashed and safest place to express ourselves.

We are fighting the same thing right now. We start shots on Monday with our 2 month old son. I'm just terrified that something will happen. I believe in vaccinations, I trust that they are helpful in preventing the illnesses and possible death BUT, I don't like the fact that they use any metal fillers in the vaccines and that they give them so much at once. How are their little systems supposed to tollerate all that medication and metal? We do plan on having him get his shots but we are requesting at the very least they be thimerosal (mercury) free. I am also going to ask that they only do one shot at a time. If it has to be a combination shot with 3 different vaccines then it has to be but I'm not putting him through 3 combination shots for a total of 9 shots in one day! That to me seems crazy! I know I had my shots 30 years ago, but they didn't do as many at once as they do today. I too feel very unsure that I'm doing the right thing for our son.

I see there are already a bunch of responses, so I hope you see this.

None of my three children have the MMR, and the younger two have no vaccines at all. Even if there is no link between MMR and autism, there are SO MANY other reasons not to vaccinate. Just reading through the list of ingredients on the package insert is enough to convince me that I am not interested in vaccination, particularly for young children and babies. So, I support your decision.

I am surprised that you are having trouble finding a daycare who will take the waiver. I am pretty sure it is illegal for them not to take it, especially if it's a daycare center. I'm not sure if home daycare providers are allowed to exclude based on this or not. We had our kids in a daycare in Houston, and no one batted an eye when we gave them the exemption form. Now we have them at Adventure Time in Provo, and again, no one has batted an eye.

This has so many responses already that I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up. If you want to talk to me about Adventure Time, email me - it's woolhatkatie at gmail dotcom

Edited to add: I thought this was a local Provo board, but it appears you're getting answers from all over - my answers may not be relevant if you're not in Utah.

I support your decision not to immunize your child right now. We are doing the same thing with our 11-month-old boy. I waited until he was 6 months old to even start shots and to "catch up" he had shots at 7 and 8 months. By his 9-month well-baby visit, I had decided not to proceed any further. I too am very leary of the MMR vaccine and all the vaccines for that matter. My doctor fully supports my decision and she encouraged me by saying that if I changed my mind I could alway vaccinate later. It is okay to do this. The longer time goes on, it seems the more is found in vaccinations that is harmful to babies. According to most doctors, there is no evidence to support that vaccines lead to autism, but there is not evidence that it does not either. I totally believe the mothers whose children have developed autism when they say their babies were fine before the MMR and then afterwards they were not. I know there is no medical evidence but I believe that mom's know their babies and their behaviors and when something is wrong, we know it! So I fully back you up. I went to the Dr. Sears website, www.askdrsears.com, to see what he had to say. I read his books and trust his advice. He had some good things to say that weren't bashing vaccines, but it also helped me feel a little better about what I was doing. It certainly isn't mainstream parenting. For what it's worth I hope this helps.

I completely understand how you feel! My husband and I are following an alternative vaccine schedule recommended by Dr. Sears. I'm not sure if you've already been told about this book (I didn't read through all the responses) but I would highly recommened "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Sears. He also talks about ways to get the MMR vaccine seperated. I think vaccines are important but I don't agree with the current "recommended" schedule. I have always had a bad feeling in my gut about it as well. Good for you for listening to your intuition! I think you are doing the right thing for you baby.

Hi K.,
I respect everyone's right to choose what is best for their child. I for one am much like you. And I wish the information about the immunizations and autism were a little more public. My mom is an Occupational Therapist... she has worked with Head Start and schools in several states and has tons of experience helping autistic children. The correlation between the increase in immunizations over the years and the increase in autism are side by side on the charts. Just talk to a parent of an autistic child and find out if they were developing fine up to a certain point and then went to get their shots and thier child changed almost over night... its scary.
Anyway, I personnally choose to immunize but I do it cautiously. I never allow my daughter to get more than one maybe 2 shots at a time ever and the MMR is always always done by itsself. The binding agent in the older MMR was mercury based, they just changed the binding agent about two years ago but dr.'s were allowed to use up the supply of the old ones that they had before getting the new one. I wish I could remember what it was called but I can easily find out if anyone wants that information.
Anyway alwasy ask for the new version of the MMR. The dr.s office also shouldn't charge you an office visit if you are just going in to recieve a shot that you chose to postpone.
These little bodies can only handle so much, you see the effects when the kids have fevers and are not themselves after a shot.

I do trust my dr. but I do not think there is any harm in knowing that the autistic community as a whole believes there is a very obvious connection between immunizations and autism. Not all cases of autism are related but there are significant numbers that are.

I believe any mom who is trying to do what is best for their kid no matter what is a good mom. Choosing to immunize or not choosing to does not effect a mom's status as a good parent. We all have to make the decisions we are comfortable with. I hope that helped a little and I really hope I didn't come off preachy. Good luck!

Go with your gut! I agree that shots are not always the best thing. Both of our kids have not had any shots yet, though I may do a TD for them just because tetanus can be so debilitating. My kids did come down with Pertussis, but they did pretty well considering. It was a long 6 weeks of the cough, and sometimes at night they had hard coughing spells, but we were there for them and did everything we could to keep them comfortable. So, the TD is the better option. I have ready many books and know at least two families who have 4 or more kids and stopped giving them shots after their first kid had them. They found that their immunity was less than the other kids. So, I agree with you. Have you seen 909shot.com? It is a good site. Everyone may want to take a look at it and see what the Dr's don't tell you. Please be encouraged that you are doing the right thing for your family.

Whatever you decide, you should definitely listen to your mother's instinct. We've decided to do a selective, delayed vaccination schedule for my daughter, meaning we waited until she was over 1 year old before giving her "routine" shots, and even then we've decided to give them to her one at a time. Many of the adverse reactions are associated with multivalent or many shots, including shots w/multiple vaccines (i.e., MMR is one shot, 3 diseases = multivalent). A 2 mo. old on the recommended schedule gets about 8 pathogens injected into her body at one time, not to mention the combined mercury of the vaccinations if you get them w/thimerosol (which many dismiss, but it's 1/2 weight mercury and mercury is a known neurotoxin. It's reasonable to conclude the possibility of real harm.) Basically, it's too much, too soon, in my opinion.

The important thing is to educate yourself about the diseases, the vaccines, and the schedule. I read a really great book called "Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide" by Aviva Jill Romm. It doesn't suggest one way or another (vax or not), but the author admits to preferring the more natural, less vaccinating community. Another moderate book that looks really great (but I haven't read it) is "The Vaccine Book: Making The Right Decision For Your Child" by Dr. Robert Sears (Dr. Sears, Jr.). It appears to be slightly on the side of more mainstream medicine and offers an alternative vaccination schedule.

Good luck with everything. I hope you make a decision that YOU feel comfortable about.

I have done it so far with mine but my Mom is against them, I've never had any immunizations. Im fine, Im healthy, was just like any other kid. Whether you do it or not is totally up to you!

I feel the reason that the U.S has had less pandemics/ outbreaks is because of immunizations. Talk with your pediatrician about your concerns. Look online with the CDC or your dept. of public health. Immunizations are protecting our children.

hello K.
like all mom we think about what to do for our kids how to keep them safe what is best for us as a family being a mother of five all my children have had there shots and 92 percent of them were on the guid line of health dept with theexception of the mmr shot we made sure that was the only one they were getting that day a nothing eles was giving in the form of injection for two weeks and the other one we did not take part in was the chickenpox one not a mandatorie one and not life thereating thing there is a little bit of my oppion hope i didn't come off wrong .........sometime are GUT''fealing is all we have as parents so do what you feal is best ps my gut" fealing told me not to let my now 18 yr old go out with friends one nite and the friends i didn't let her go with wrap there car around a phone pole

K., don't be h*** o* youself. It is such a difficult decision to make. After spending so much time reasearching it myself, my husband and I decided not to vaccinate our two children. There is so much info out there, and after submersing yourself in statistics and the lastest research, I think it just needs to be a gut decision. The truth is they don't know that vaccinations are safe. They said they were when mercury was added, until they discovered the years of damaged kids. What else is in them? All we can do is make the best decision possible for our kids. Good for you for following your heart. I think that is the best way to parent.

K.-
I am in the exact situation as you. My kids are 2 & almost 4. I am coming up the next round of shots for my daughter & wondering if I should just do it so she can get into preschool with no problems. We are moving to Utah in the next year though so there is a philosophical exemption. Trust your instincts & read up about it. It is so scary & I regret doing it. Especially ones like the chicken pox shot, they do not provide life long immunity like the real chicken pox would. Instead it leaves kids suceptible to it at a more vulnerable time, adulthood. All of it seems like a large experiment to me, even in measles cases when the outbreaks happen 90% of the people are vaccinated. I don't think humans can completely control everything like they would like to & this is a way to attempt to. There are many other factors that have contributed to the decline of diseases like better nutrition, sanitation etc. Best of luck to you & know there are plenty of other mother's out there like you listening to their mommy instincts! I see a lot of people are making references to the mercury too, it is partially true it is not in the vaccines anymore. They still make it with the mercury, but purify it out so there is only trace amounts. Also do you really think they are going to destroy lots they already have made that contain mercury in them? The drug companies & the doctors? That would be a lot of lost money & they are not required to do so. That is one of the biggest flaws with the no autism link with mercury theories. That is not the only substance I am worried about though, what about formaldehyde, ethyl glycol (antifreeze), aborted fetal tissue etc that is in vaccinations. It is definitely something to question & I personally do not think doctors are a good reference since that is like asking a car salesman about a car they are selling...
Brekka

I've heard you can get the immunizations without the elements that make them risky. Ask your doctor--and if they say no, ask another doctor! Good luck!

Dear K., I have three kids two with autism. My first daughter, who has autism, when she got her shots her hair fell out in clumps and she went from saying a few words to none. My son too. So with my baby we have opted out of the regular shots. I have tons of support though my school and daycare and my ped. are on the same page with me geuss I am luckey there. My daughter is 18 months and she seems to be fine. I am not saying it is the shots. I have many friends (one who is a chemist) that do not immunize. There are many countries that do not even start shots till the children are two. My belief is there is not enough testing for the amount of shots they are given at such a young age. For SOME people their immune systems can not handle it. I was not immunized and am 31 and fine. I have lived through chicken pox. My mother is 69 and lived through mumps and other sickness'. I know that there are a lot of moms that will oppose me, but it is something I feel stronly about. This is only your choice. You may want to look at Jenny Mcarthys' new book. She has a lot of info there. Think about it hard before you make your decision. Good luck, M.

I would just like to clarify that thimerosal is not the only "bad ingredient" in shots. Aluminum (a neurotoxin) and formaldehyde are present in almost all shots including the vitamin K shot given at birth( there is a non aluminum vitamin K shot that you have to request). Mercury is the only thing given media attention and, for the record, it is still in vacs as the president vetoed a bill to remove all thimerosal because it was "too expensive".
This is just an info post! We all make choices for the best of our kids! You are a good mother!
By the way....vaccines do NOT prevent 100%! That is a proven lie!

I am also a little freaked out about the MMR and have decided to withhold until my daughter is 2 years old, even though my pediatrician assured me that it had no link to autism. As far as all the other immunizations I am for them, since we have been immunizing disease processes have disappeared. I have educated myself though on all immunizations prior to her getting them. If you are freaked out do the research, look at the numbers as far as the decreases in disease processes, I don't think you are bad by any means by not immunizing because as parents we all have the choice, as long as it is an educated choice and in the best interest of your child. Not one of us would do something to harm on child on purpose.

NOT TO DO! is my opinion. My oldest daughter who will be 11 in a few days has had 2 reactions to vaccines. I went to college to be a Chiropractic Technologist, while there I was educated greatly about the toxins in our milk, meat, etc. and most definatly vaccines. When Kyla was born I was shunned by my family and husband and his famly too, for my decision to "hold off" on vaccines til she was 2. In other countries they do not vaccinate til 2 years and SIDS is almost non exhistant. well, at her 2 week check up the Dr. called me a"child abuser" for the decision I had made. I was 20 years old at the time and very nieve but had the same "Gut" feeling. God gives us a mothers intuition for a reason. I found a peditrition that would treat Kyla without pushing vaccines. Later she turned 2 and so I did 1 at a time so if she had a reaction I would know which one. I had them recod batch #'s and Lot#'s on her card. Let me first say that Kyla had never been sick befoe then. After we vaccinated a few times( she had a slight reaction to the 2nd MMR). She got and ear infection, then another and another. Then Like an idiot I was told (by the Dr.)that the HIB vaccine helps to fight ear infections. So I let her give it to her. The next day I sat in her office for 3 hours with my daughters thigh doubled in size , hot red, swollen and sore. Immediatly we rushed her to the hospital and she was there for 3 days. Had she not had a shot of antibiotics in her system from the ear infection, the reaction would have spread more rapidly and eventually cut off her airway. I have 3 children not vaccinated (fully) they are healthy and always have been. No SIDS, no ADD, no ADHD, no learning disabilities. Sometimes the odds of all the harm, long or short term a vaccine may cause helps to make your decision easier. I have never had a problem with waiver forms. If they are so afraid of children that have NOT been vaccinated being exposed to children that have then their children should be protected right? Wrong. No vaccine is 100% effective. I am sure there are nurses or mothers out there that would think I am terriable for not vaccinating but don't judge, unless you have walked in that persons shoes. I don't judge anyone that chooses to vaccinate, it is the choice for the parents to make and God has given me peace of mind that I have protected my children from a deadly chemical that could harm them in hundreds of ways.
Again this is only MY experience and MY opinion but good luck. Email me if you have other Q or help. God Bless you and your family.

I am right there with you. I am scared that these shots will hurt my daughter more than help her. So far each time she has gotten her shots she runs a fever for two sometimes three days. These last ones she was at 100.1 fever for a whole day. We took a few baths and did the tylenol but man she was misrable. I hate that. There has to be a reason for it.

If there are doiing studies and that is the shot that is linked to the autism then I would strongly think about not doing it too. I do not know much about it and my daughter is 7 months and 3 weeks old so I will have to learn more about this. If that is true and there is proof then I sure would not chance it. No way. Years ago I am sure they never got shots and all the elders are just fine today!! Where may I learn more abotu this MMR???

Jessica

I believe you have made a very wise choice especially since the immune system of an infant or toddler is not strong enough to handle the immunizations. Try checking online about a DVD produced on this subject by Dr. Sherri J. Tenpenny. Blessings, K. W

If you need support for your decision, the best resource I've found is a book by Dr. Bryan Jepson, M.D. "Changing The Course of Autism". He works with Autistic children and has a child that is Autistic.

Unlike you, I do think badly of parents who immunize. I think they are being careless and cavalier with the health of their child. At least if they vaccinate according to the schedule promoted by the CDC.

As far as the daycare centers, check with an attorney. They should have no problem if you have a waiver. They can go to public school with a waiver.

Bravo for your decision and good luck with the daycare,

Dr. L.

Dear K.,

I know how you feel about the shots. My step daughter was the same way. When she tried to get my granddaughter into school and they found out she didnt have her shots they school called protective services on her. Im telling you this because you seem to me to be a very loving and thoughtful mother. They were going to take my granddaughter from her if she didnt get her her shots. She didnt believe in them at all either. She did eventually get them cuz she wanted to keep her daughter. I know what you mean about the MMR shot. What I can suggest to you is this, wait to get the shor until your child is at least 3. The autism from the shot seems and this is just what I have heard from a few people with autistic children and 2 were doc's. That their children were normal until they had the shor at 2 the all went south. So what I'm saying to you is to keep your family safe and together get the shots but dont let them give the MMR until your child is 3. The danger of autism is if I remember right is low for the child to become autistic. You can also research it on webmd. My best wishes to you and your family.

P.

K.,
I have also looked at the advantage/disadvantages of immunizations and my husband and I have decided to wait until our son is 2 years old before starting his immunizations. We won't be doing the Hepatitus, Influenza, or Chickenpox one. But we believe that babies need to be older before injecting them with the vaccine. I think you are going about it the right way---you are getting information about vaccines and using your gut feeling. Good luck to you!

Hi K., I just want to say that I feel the same way. I have 4 kids and I have fully immunized my first 3. On the forth, I started the immunizations but she was having really strange reactions that made me very uneasy. I called the hotline and they said, "I'm sure it's fine." Not anything like, "bring her in or take her to a doctor." Well, my mother's intuition is all I have to go on, but I refuse to give her any more immunizations. My husband disagrees, so I told him that if he really wanted her to have them then he could take her himself (of course that is not going to ever happen so I felt safe offering this solution.) I did a lot of research on-line when this all occured (a few years ago) and found out that both sides, although opposing, are pretty drastic in their views. In the end it was too confusing and since I'm not a doctor, I just had to go with my gut feelings. My brother-in-law is a pharmacist and he says I'm insane for not ("Have you ever seen anyone with Polio?" he says. "You would give her all the shots you could if you had!") It's a really tough decision, I wish you luck. I would advise you to become as informed as you possibly can so that your decision can be based on more than just a gut feeling; those can lead us astray sometimes. However, other times they are lifesavers! I don't work so I don't have the daycare issue, but I'm sure it's difficult since we've had immunizaions shoved down our throats for so long, and the fear of God if we don't do them. I feel like we're such mindless follower sheep sometimes - but if there were ever an outbreak, I would be devastated if my child died because I didn't immunize her. As you can see, I'm still just as confused as I ever was! It will be interesting to see what other say on the issue.

I do no know which state you live in but in Michigan daycares nor schools can discriminate against you for opting out when you have a signed waiver. I have been a licensed daycare provider since 1998 in Michigan. I would contact your states licensing department and use the rule book that providers are required to give you to support your position. Good luck.

Here is a good book that seems to have a lot of information (both for and against vaccines). I like it because it addresses both sides of the debate and allows you to make the choice yourself:

"Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide" by Aviva Jill Romm

I have not finished the book, but so far it's very helpful (though a little difficult to wade through all the statistics).

I'm sorry you are having trouble finding daycare. Good luck in your search.

And remember, you know what's best for you and your family!

Please consider immunizing carefully. Yes it is scary at times to think of all the things that can go wrong with your little one. I too have a "miracle" 2 year old girl who means the world to me - I am 47 and will never have another. However I would never not immunize. I recommend doing more research - talk to your Doctor about your fears - and then make the decision from there. Also ask about the preservatives used in the vaccines. If I understand the issue correctly - they have changed recently and this is what was POSSIBLY being linked to autism. Best of luck to you and your little one.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing what your gut tells you. I can think of many times with my own children that I had those feelings, and was right. The only right way with your child is your way.

I have 2 boys and a girl. My oldest boy has Autism which brought about me questioning the immunizations. I wish I knew then what I know now. I had my oldest 2(boy and girl) fully immunized right on schedule. It was rough. Besides the initial pain they commonly ran fevers for days and were cranky. It just didn't make sense to me, but I trusted the doctors. Although my daughter doesn't have autism she has mood issues and we are watching her closely. I held off with my youngest boy. We waited to start and then we only did 1 or 2 shots at a time. It was so much easier on him. He barely cried and didn't get sick. I never let him get a shot if he was even a little sick to begin with and I opted out of any shots that are optional. I didn't relize that any of them were optional, but some are. I don't know if you know, but some of the Flu vaccines still contain Thimersal. my son got ear drops recently for an ear infection and they too contained thimerosal. If it wasn't safe enought to have in other childhood immunizations(or in animal vaccines) why are they slipping it into other things? I don't mean to go on for so long. I guess what I'm saying is, trust your gut. Unless you are traveling to a 3rd world country there is no reason she needs to be bombarded with every immunization under the son all at once. Space them out, do 1 or 2 at a time, and only do the ones you feel comfortable with. Our youngest son is now 3, fully immunized(he didn't get nearly as many as his brother and sister), healthy, and I am so happy with my decision. Why chance you child's fragile, still developing system over a shot. Good luck, whatever you decide. You are a wonderful mother for caring so much!

K.,

I know how you feel, after my first child had several bad reactions to immunizations I chose to stop them for her and my second child had not had any shots. You would not believe the greif I have gotten from docotors over the years. We had to leave our Peds office and go with a family doctor-which has worked out just fine. My oldest is 10 now and my youngest is 5. When your children get to school age you have to mark the box on the school form that says you have not immunized due to religious reasons. They can not hassle you if you mark that box. If you mark any other box then you have to go in and have a doctor sign a waiver and so on-it is a real hassle so just mark the religious box on the paperwork for school and then they can not say anything to you about it. Not getting shots for my kids has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make but my youngest has been much healthier than my oldest child ever was when she was young. I spent many hours in the library studying the negative effects of immunizations and feel like I have made the right choice for the kids. If you want to feel better about what you are doing I would suggest you also spend lots of time in the library studying the potential risks of the shots and read for yourself what are in the shots, I think after you do that you will feel better about your decsion.

K. I as well do not immunize my children. I feel it is a personal decesion, I started immunizing my first little boy and around six or eight months I saw a big change in his behavior soon after his shot's, not just the normal cranky fever but he was not a fussie baby and he hardly stopped crying for over a week it was awful. So since that time I have decided to opt out of immunizations for my children. I may decide as they get older to do a couple of shots if there is an outbreak of something and there is a danger to my children. There are people that disagree with me but I am the mother of my children and I am not going to immunize just because that is what everyone is supposed to do. Follow your gut and do what is best for your little one.... Good luck

We do not vaccinate our children. I have a 2 and 5 year old. Very healthy happy and intelligent. My husband and his family have never had a single shot and the health they possess compared to me and my sibling is amazing. Now, I am not AgAINSt them either. We plan on giving out boys tetanus shots this spring and if anything serious arises in our area at all, like polio we would definitely do that one. NOT MMR as those diseases are very mild in a healthy child. My boys had chicken pox this fall and did great with them. Definitely were covered but we made it and they are fine. You always need to weigh the risks and benefits. Any questions please feel free to email me!

Hello, I also opted out of shots for kids. I had given it though before my youngest son (now 2.5) was 6 months old, but went ahead and did it anyway. He got very sick. To the point he was so dehydrated the hospital couldn't get an IV in him. From that point on I did nothing but look up info on the shots. I found a website that helped me make up my mind. It gives facts, not theories. It's www.thinktwice.com, I hope this will help with any questions you may have.

By the way, my youngest son is sick less than any of my other kids that had more shots than he has. Two months ago he just got his first ear infection. I believe that the shots do way more harm with our kids bodies than they help.

Personally I believe that you should have your children immunized. There are so many people coming into our country that alot of things come with them. I think it’s very important! I know that it is fearful just to hear them cry over it and know that it does hurt but you need to deal with it. I have a little girl with brittle bone syndrome and she is poked all the time and I had to adjust. I am not trying to sound mean so please don’t take it that way, I just think that its important because people and other children are full of virus and disease, you never know what is around. If you choose not to immunize please let your child know because as she grows there are place she might want to go and if she is not vaccinated against it, it could do more damage! Another thing is school probably wont let her in, and she needs that socialization. I hope this helps and good luck with your family!

Educate yourself as much as possible and try to find support. Many chiropractors support not immunizing.

My advice is to go with your gut. I've done A LOT of research (and praying) on this subject, and I'd also advise you to do the same, but when decision time came, I went with my gut and with what I felt prompted to do. I'm a SAHM of three and I've done it differently with each one. My 5yr old son was 2 when he got his first shot and didn't get his next one for three months (I did them one at a time). I never did boosters, just one shot for each illness. They're about 98% effective the first time and the boosters make them about 99%. My daughter is 2 1/2 and her first shot (once she's over this cold) will be the MMR. My 4mo old daughter has not had any shots yet. I feel that these are very important AND personal decisions. As for being told you're a bad mom, well let's just say you'd better be prepared to hold your ground (that's why I recommend research). Honestly though, what makes a mom "bad" these days, use to be what made kids "good". I usually follow the norm but a "one size fits all" vaccine for my 5, 2.5, and 4mo old kids made me think twice. Good luck with your decision.

Hi K.,
I just want you to know that I very much respect your opinion to slow down on the immunizations. We have had some problems in our own family. We have a son with autism and severe mental retardation. I do not feel the immunizations caused his autism but I do feel that it did make his problems worse. When we go back and look at home videos we can see how he regressed even more after each round of shots.

We opted not to immunize our other children until they get older. We tried to start with our daughter a year and a half ago and we had the worst 6 months ever. Our daughter who was also very healthy had a terrible 6 months after her immunizations. She had terrible stomach pains and problems and very weird bms. We had her tested for everything at the time and nothing came up. We stopped with the immunizations and all her troubles stopped as well.

I think we just try to put too much into their bodies too fast. We do not immunize now until they start kindergarten or 1st grade.

For us it's a choice of not taking a chance that we'll have another child with autism or disabilities.

Good luck to you and stand up for what you believe in.

You ARE NOT at all a bad mother for choosing not to immunize. My husband and I have decided to opt out on the MMR for now (and any other shot that contains thimerosal). Our son is 13 months old, and due to the possible link of autism we are waiting AT LEAST until his 15 month check-up. The problem we have is the "one size fits all" system with these shots... our son is underweight (not even 19 pounds), so we are waiting until he gets into a "normal" weight range. Honestly... looking at the statistics, he has a better chance of getting autism than the measles or mumps! You should not have any problems getting daycare to accept the immunization form because the form states they should get the MMR anywhere from 12-18 months. If you enroll before your daughter is 18 months, you should be fine. Just don't draw attention to the fact that you have decided to hold off. If they question it, point out that you are waiting until 18 months. Don't feel bad for going with your gut on this decision. It's very serious, and until more research is done, it's just not worth the risk... If you find that you have problems finding a daycare that will accept this, look into home daycare, because I don't think it will be as much of a problem.

P.S. After reading others' comments, I wanted to add that YES, up to this point there has been no direct link between thimerosal containg shots and autism, however, fairly recently the CDC has retracted their denial to this link and has now stated that more research needs to be done. In addition, measles, mumps, and rubella can be treated, whereas autism is an entirely different ballgame. As I stated earlier, the chances of getting autism are MUCH higher than these illnesses as well. If you find the right pediatrician, they will support your decision to hold off...