Immunization Shots for Newborn

I have been doing some reserach as well. Here are some links that I found helpful.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment...

http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html

http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/labels/Alternati...

http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/12_childhood_vac...

Every family needs to decide for themselves if immunizations are right for them. I commend you for wanting to make an informed choice, and I'm sure you will get a lot of info from both "sides". I personally do not immunize my children. I believe that people should be more informed when making this choice, instead of just doing it according to the recommended schedule from the CDC. Many informed pediatricians agree that the typical schedule is too many all at once for these little bodies to process. I'm trying to get a blog put up with accurate info to help parents like you, but I just haven't had the time to finish collecting and writing up all the info. Some things that may help you: autism (in a round-about way) has been linked to the mercury that used be in the MMR vaccine. (for those who have responded and say that their doctors have said there is no link- a case in georgia was just won saying that the mercury in the vaccine "possibly" (they can't say it did or the government would go bankrupt with the lawsuits) exacerbated an existing neurological disorder, creating autistic traits. this is what a majority of the autism-vaccine people have been saying, taht if there is an underlying predisposition to autism, the vaccines can "activate" it, causing the autistic traits that otherwise would lie dormant. it has now been admitted in court.) The only current vaccine that still has mercury is some types of the flu-shot. So, I would avoid that altogether. The flu isn't typically fatal in kiddos, anyway. it's mostly a risk for the elderly & people with immunity issues. it's important to be aware that there is a risk involved with not immunizing, as there is also a risk involved with vaccines. Of course, there's risk in everything in life. I had a doctor admit to me that there is most definitely "collateral damage" to some children with vaccines, as you are injecting a foreign substance into a developing body, but that the benefit to the whole of society out weighs the individual's risk. That being said, reasons I would suggest you consider not immunizing or selectively immunizing is if there is a history of serious allergies in your family- especially food allergies. If so, definitely wait at least a year to immunize. Almost all vaccines have known allergen-producing substances in them, including gelatin, eggs, poultry, soy, possibly corn, and MSG (which is really a neuro-toxin). Also, If there is a history of autism or any other neurological issues, like tic disorders or OCD, I would suggest you wait, or not immunize. If none of these seem to be a risk in your family, I would suggest you look at each disease and decide if you feel the risk of the disease outweighs the unknown risk of a side-effect from vaccinating. I have a good summary of all the diseases, with all numbers coming from the CDC, so you can look at how dangerous they are, if you'd like. If you do decide to immunize, I'd suggest you never get more than one shot at a time & space them out.
Let me know if you'd like any other info, as I have been doing research on this subject for quite a while & always get my info only from confirmed legit sources. (be careful of the info you get on the internet, this is an emotional subject for many, and many numbers you find on both sides are a bit skewed, or twisted to prove their point). also, be aware that if you don't immunize, you can get a paper to fill out from the school so that they can still go to public school. good luck!

I, too, have concerns about vaccinations. I was raised in a medical family, entered the medical field myself right out of college, and was fully indoctrined in the medical model. I faithfully took what the medical community "fed" me. However, I've now worked with entirely too many parents who have witnessed first-hand the negative consequences that have arisen from vaccine injuries. I understand that the medical community persists in stating that vaccines are not harmful. I would like to see that community investigate parents' reports of their children's responses to vaccines, as I believe that parents know their children best and if mom and dad say the child is different, then the child is indeed different. It's our responsibility, as a society, to find out why our children are having adverse reactions and to fix the vaccine process so that we don't harm our children in the process of trying to save them from disease.

I initially with-held my own daughter's immunizations due to concerns regarding autism. Now that I have done further research, my concerns no longer rest with just autism. I think that vaccines have helped thousands, if not millions, of people. However, too many vaccines are introduced to the human population without a thorough understanding of the full impact they may have. Furthermore, the vaccine schedule is a "one-size-fits-all" approach, rather than taking into account each child's medical history and the family history on both sides. My 11 month old child has food sensitivies and has had difficulty with her GI tract since birth. I, myself, have an autoimmune disorder. Her history of GI issues and my history of autoimmune disorders puts her at much higher risk of developing autism or another type of autoimmune disorder. We feel, for these reasons, as if we need to be more guarded with our approach to vaccinations.

I've read a few books that talk about vaccines. Of those, I would recommend "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave & Deborah Mitchell. Stephanie is a physician who clearly presents information about vaccines. She methodically goes through each vaccine on the federally mandated schedule, presenting the history of the disease, the development of the vaccine, any changes that have been made to the vaccine, and reports of positive and negative outcomes for our society with each. I feel as if she did a great job of covering the topic in a non-judgmental way. She is not anti-vaccine.

Another great book, though it's definitely slanted against vaccinations, is "How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor" by physician Robert Mendelsohn. I, personally, enjoyed reading his book, as it was very refreshing to have a doctor who is willing to take an honest look at his profession rather than defend it to the death, as most docs do.

If you decide to delay immunizations or not to vaccinate at all, each state has a set of guidelines for exemption from the federally mandated vaccines. If people tell you that your child cannot attend church, daycare, or school because your daughter is not vaccinated, they are wrong. It's simply a matter of filling out the appropriate paperwork and submitting it. Scare tactics are regularly used in schools with parents being misinformed that their child cannot attend if he/she isn't vaccinated. Again, this is simply untrue.

Also, you may hear from other parents that they do not want their child to play with your child if she is not vaccinated. If they believe that vaccines really do work, then those parents shouldn't have anything to fear. Also, the medical community, while it would like 100% compliance with the vaccine schedule, admits that "herd immunity" is achieved when 90% of the population is vaccinated. Your child alone is not putting anyone at risk for anything.

Whether you and your husband decide to vaccinate, delay, or not vaccinate, you really do need to do the research for yourself instead of taking anyone's word (including mine). It's a very personal decision that each parent must make individually for each child they have. You know your daughter, you know the family history, and with a little research you will be equipped to do what you think is best for your family. Best wishes!

I was a pre-med and totally bought into the immunizations-are-good until my third child started to react. I did lots of research the next few years, and found an excellent source for data in Dr. Sheri Tenpenny. I stopped cold turkey. Also, it's not the mercury in the shots that are most disconcerning... it's the aluminum! Also, I sat on a board years ago regarding HepB shots for our employees, it worries me they give an adult dose to your baby the first 12 hours of life. Please feel free to write me and I'll load up with with more into...

After researching the long-term health effects of immunizations, we decided to be a non-vaccinating family. It's a hard road. We have to deal with the opinions of friends and families, not to mention pediatricians, and a majority of the world thinks that one is an idiot who is endangering one's baby's health as well as the rest of the world. One also has to deal with self-doubt, as well. However, I think that non-vaccinated kids are healthier than fully-vaccinated kids (our 2-year-old has had 2 minor colds in his entire life, no allergies, etc.), and we plan to continue down this road.

If you don't vaccinate, breastfeeding is extremely important to build immunity. So is paying attention to diet (restricting sugar and processed foods, etc.).

If you do want to immunize, doing a delayed schedule is preferable because it reduces the load on the developing neurological and immunological systems. Some countries don't start vaccines until age 2, and I think that's much more sensible. Also, if we were vaccinating, I would definitely avoid ridiculous vaccines such as the chicken pox vaccine.

Don't forget that once you decide to take one vaccine, you lose your right to a philosophical and/or religious exemption. Here in Arizona that doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, but it's definitely a problem elsewhere.

Good luck!!

P.S. The best book I have read on the subject is Aviva Jill Romm's "Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide."

Hi D., for more information and to answer some questions that we all have when it comes to our precious little ones and shots, I found some websites helpful. Hope you will too.
Take care,
S.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/0...
and
http://www.909shot.com/state-site/Arizona.htm

I would highly, highly recommend that you read The Vaccine Book by Bob Sears: http://www.amazon.com/Vaccine-Book-Decision-Parenting-Lib...

He presents each vaccine, its associated disease and its severity, the ingredients of each vaccine, possible side effects, etc. It's the most balanced book on the subject available. He does provide an alternative schedule if you'd like to follow it. However, I feel like I got enough information from reading it to develop my own alternative schedule.

One piece of advice I would definitely give is that, unless you or someone in your family is a carrier of Hepatitis B, refuse that vaccine in the hospital and at the pediatrician's office. Make sure everyone who comes in contact with your baby knows that you are refusing this one, or they will give it automatically. The chances of your baby catching Hepatitis B are close to zero, and it is a very reactive vaccine (many negative side effects). In addition, chances are that the immunity will not last until your child is a teenager, when they *may* potentially need the vaccine.

Good luck with your decisions.

Edited to say: I just reread your post and see that your baby is 11 weeks now. Sorry about that. But I would still recommend you read the Sears book and start following an alternative schedule now.

Hi D.-

I highly recommend the book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave. It's written by a pediatrician, and there's a ton of information on both sides of the spectrum. It also includes her recommendations of a delayed and modified vaccination schedule if you do choose to vaccinate.

You are not alone in your quest for answers on this. My daughter only has a few of hers, and we are waiting until she is older to give her any more, if any.

T.

I, unfortunately, gave Conner his first round of shots, and really regret it. Their bodies are just too little to even process them correctly, until at least 6 months. They have gotten rid of thermosol in vaccines, but not, fermadihyde (please excuse my spelling errors), aspartame, aborted fetus cells, etc.... After reading the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations, and with talking to my Pediatrician and Naturopatic Doctor, I have decided to do polio and tetnus, and nothing else. Sometimes, I second guess the choice to even do those two. I would do research, and very carefully consider what is right for your child. Here are some great websites:

http://www.vaccinerights.com/DispellingVaccinationMythsx.pdf
http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/529621

Good luck!

Check out www.mothering.com for forums, articles, and well-informed opinions. Fabulous magazine, wonderful site.

Good for you for researching! Making an informed decision means you'll be confident in your choice, either way. Once you make a decision, make sure your health care provider is supportive, or find one that is.

Good luck!

I am interested to see your responses here. I have a 3 yr old boy, who received all of his vaccinations and is perfecly fine. I have a 17 month old little boy who is also fine but I have decided against giving him some immunizations for now. He didn't get the chicken pox vaccine or the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella. I plan on giving him the MMR after the window for autism has passed, which I believe is about 3 years of age. My 17 month old is quite large for his age, so I know if he got the measles, he could fight them off. And I am sure that a parent with an autistic child would say they would rather have their child get the measles than autism. However, there is nothing to actually prove the vaccinations cause autism. Go with your gut here! I wish there was a clear cut answer!
Good Luck!

Full Vaxing... Delayed vaxing... or no vaccinations at all... It is a very personal decision, and although I can't reccommend a coarse of action, I can say that the fact that you are questioning is a very good thing. There are some GREAT books out there and great rescorces. My daughter was born at 30 weeks weighing 1 lb 13 oz. She is now 2 1/2 and we have not yet vaccinated her. At the beginning it was because my heart just said it was wrong to load up her tiny body with un-natural substances or dead virusus. Nowm I am willing to do some shots, like tetnus, but not others. (Chicken pox vaccene) If we we're to travel to another country, or if she was in day care or if I hadn't breastfed her, my decisions may have been different. But they still would've been OUR decisions, not just doing what we we're "supposed" to do. I'm sure you'll get advise on both sides, so I will just say do what YOU feel is right in your heart because YOU will have to live with the consequences. God Bless. J.

With both of my kids we waited until they were 6 months before starting. Of course this did not include the one that the got in the hosp when they were born. It is not so much the scare of Autism but that their bodies are not fully developed until 6 months. I have a completely normal child and a special needs child (not Autism). I believe that the Autism link is if they re allergic to the thermisol. I also believe that Autism is a catch all for those that do not fit the perfect mold. Kinda like ADHD was. I want to see this so called normal child. Must be one of those proper, slug children. I don't think that waiting is such a big deal. They just need it done before school starts. Even then if you have a cool ped. you could get an exempt. We got one.

You will hear ALL sides of this issue. I personally am a nursing student and I am very selective over which shots I give my children.-I'm not going to go into the conspiracy theories or the fact that the government sets aside money to pay out to vaccinations gone awry.
It is amazing that they expect us to pump 4-5 vaccinations into our little 4 week old newborns.
I personally do not immunize until about 1 year old-I nurse until then and have had all my titers tested to be sure I am immune to these diseases(therefore baby is getting immunities in milk)
at 1 I always do tetanus. As it is in the dirt and my kids sometimes walk barefoot. Tetanus is still a "happening" disease with severe consequences.
I usually do one DTaP {but I get them separated, so I can give one at a time.{to watch for reactions}
I just gave my almost 5 y/o the MMR. This is because she is going to school now.
What my doctor just told me though was, "since she has not received all of her DTP, heps, etc, and she is now 5, We do not give them"--So basically if they reach about 5 y/o THey do not even NEED the 5 doses of DTaP! Just 1. I just learned about this and am researching more of it. If you want you can ask probably your pediatrician. Mine is Dr Leiferman on George st. Tempe AZ
Good Luck, and you are doing a great thing for your kids researching the risks of immunizations before you just go with the "flow" and do what your told.

Hi D.. You may want to read some of these new articles about vaccines. The government has finally conceded that vaccines CAN cause autism. It is the synergistic reaction between the thermisol and another ingrediant (aluminum or somthing) that causes the reactions. In the lab tests, the thermisol by itself caused little problems, but the two ingrediants together caused death for ALL the rats. It is a personal and important decision that only you can make. My older three were vaccinated before I started researching. My younger two will never be vaccinated because I know too much. Ignorance really is bliss!! Here are two fairly new articles on the governments concessions.

www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-va...

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/3...

Good luck!

E.

Hi D.,

For me, this whole vaccine discussion was a tricky one . I found The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears to be really helpful, especially since I come to the discussion with limited medical knowledge. Of course he has his critics, but I appreciated the thorough and clear explanations he gave for the different vaccinations and why some people choose not to get them. The book devotes some discussion to your idea of spacing the shot out.
We felt the right decision for us was to get some of the vaccines against the diseases that are more common or serious, and to bypass those (like MMR) against diseases that are rare and usually not very serious.

D.,
It's so hard to know what to do. Ultimately I think you need to go by your instincts. My daughter is almost 16 months and she has had all of her imunizations. I came to the conclusion that if anything happened to her because I didn't give her the vacines I wouldn't be able to handle it. The other thing is yes autism is very much in the news and a very real thing but the doctors also know more of the early signs and are diagnosing the autism much earlier and kids that wouldn't have been diagnosed before are now getting the diagnosis and it appears as though there is a huge surge in autism. I'm not saying that it hasn't increased, but that there are many reasons, not just the vacines.

Immunization for newborns is very important. I wouldn't risk letting them get the diseases. There have been outbreaks of diseases that they haven't had to deal with for a long time and its because so many people aren't getting the shots. Immunizations are not linked to Autism. Also they stopped putting the harmful Mercury in them and has not since the mid to late 90's. I would get your newborn the shots!

You need to do what you feel is right for your family and not worry about what other people think. I am a mother of two,a 1 year old and 4 year old. We practice homeopathy and do not immunize our girls. They have never had one single shot. This was a scary decision to make at first, since tradition medicine and value scare the pants off you and tell you are harming your kids.

My girls are wonderful and thriving and I there is no question in my mind I am doing the right thing for them. The human body is an amazing thing if we let it do what is suppose to without injecting vaccines and antibiotics into it. If you review Europe's immunization schedule you would be surprised to learn how much less they vaccinate. There are some great books and research out there they can help you make the decision that is best for your family. The Vaccine Guide; Risks and Benefits for Children and Adults by Randall Nuestaedter and Vaccines, Autism and Childhood Disorders by Neil Z. Miller.

Should you decide to vaccinate I would recommend spacing them out not starting till 4 years of age only one shot at a time if your child is healthy. I would avoid the MMR all together. That is the vaccine associated with autism. Please note I respect everyone right to do what they see best for their families vaccination or not. I just think you need to make an informed decision and do what is best for your family. Good luck and believe in yourself and what you are doing for your girls whatever direction to go.

I chose to do it, but it was with question as well. I watched the Today show months ago and a statement that really struck me was "our grandmothers would be turning over in their graves if they knew that people were not immunizing their children....because these diseases were killing their babies 50-60 years ago. This generation didn't hear those stories" (however, the today show says coffee is ok for prego moms, and then 3 months later they say it isn't...ugh!)

My grandmother's sister died of hepatitis at a young age so I chose to do it to try to protect my family legacy.

Good luck!!!

Dear D.,

My opinion is this: don't listen to the scary stuff about immunizations from people with agendas completely separate from your baby's welfare. The risks associated with not getting immunized are greater than those associated with getting the shots. This is a fact: the fewer people there are who are immunized against a disease, the more the WHOLE POPULATION is at risk from that disease, including those who are immunized. A few decades ago, these diseases were major child killers. Plus it's not the early shots that have the bad rep for autism (completely undemonstrated in clinical tests as far as I know), but the MMR that kids get at 12 months. My 12-month old has had everything and is fine so far! (Fingers crossed!)

There are some amazingly contradictory studies out there regarding vaccinations. I postponed some immunizations for my children, others I gave on the recommended schedule. Most importantly, for us here in NM, I made certain my children were current on their pertussis vaccines. Also, if you are planning any travel out of the country, measles is still prevalent as close as Mexico.

I've read all the research and it still leaves me baffled. The conflicting information can make it hard to feel as though you are making the best decisions possible.

best wishes

Dear D.,

I have spoken in length with my children's doctor about immunizations and the recommendation is that you get them done. There is not a correlation between shots and autism. It is just that autism is diagnosed / triggers confirmed about the same time that the 18 month shot is given - so that is what all of the fuss is about. Nothing has ever been confirmed that can correlate the two. Also, JUST LAST NIGHT, I was speaking with another mom about shots and she was told by her doctor just the other day, that the US is beginning to cycle serious illnesses again because all of these mom's are beginning not to immunize. So, where the US is concerned - we had this great head start at making these illnesses extinct and now they are back on the rise again because parents are beginning to choose not to immunize. It's just funny that I was speaking with a group of women about this exact topic last night and then I found your post this morning. I have 4 kiddos - so I wanted to let you know that I am not a stranger to the shot thing, and I have really set aside many different time slots to speak to our pediatrician about shots, and they strongly recommend that you DO immunize. Take care, and have a great day. Maybe you can speak to your doctor for a while before your child receives the next set of shots. :)

I just had this discussion with at group of women last night. After many discussions with her pediatrician, my friend said that her pediatrician said that there is no link between autism and the 18 month immunization being blamed for the autism scare. The autism these children are being diagnosed with does not show up until 18 months of age, interestingly right at the time that they also receive an immunization. The apparent link is just a coincidence.

In addition, many horrible diseases are rampantly coming back because of people refusing the immunizations developed to stop these horrible illnesses. The risk of catching the many illnesses prevented by these vaccines is much less than the risk of autism, even if there were a link between the two.

You, of course, must make your own decision about this, but it is a matter of public and personal health and safety. I read a really good response the other day about this on the Masmasource boards. I would suggest you look through some of the archives on this topic. I think they could be very helpful to you. I wish you the best in navigating this issue with peace supported by valid research.

i totally understand your concerns...i have the same...i did have my kids immunized....i didn't give them the chicken pox vaccine because i feel that it is so new and that it would be better if they did get the chicken pox as a child when apparently it would be a serious condition as an adult.

my brother in law is a microbiologist who has been studying (and working) in a lab with many types of chemicals for several years, also looking at how they work on the human body...he has given me many reports and articles about vaccinations...it seems that yes, these diseases have become rare (how many people do you know have had the mumps or measles) because of the vaccines, yet as more and more kids aren't vaccinated, the chances these diseases will become epidemics are much higher.

My Pediatrician said it best when my husband asked his opinion on shots and autism, "We are not in a business of making children sick". There have been no studies proven that immunizations cause autism. If you did it with your first child, do it with your 2nd. You were probably immunized as a child and turned out fine. Its better to protect our children from the other children who are not immunized, just like we protect our animals the same way or we might regret it later. We as parents are always going to attribute our child being sick to something we must have done. You must do what you feel in your heart is best.

I have a 5 year old that got all his vaccinations on "schedule" and never had any issue at all. However, I became very paranoid with my 2nd son when I noticed that he was always sick with a cold after his 2, 4, and 6 mo. shots and he ended up on antibiotics two of those times. I did a ton of research online and read 3 books (Sears, Cave, and Romm) and finally decided to follow Stephanie Cave's vaccination schedule from her book (more or less). I only give him one vaccination at a time and wait AT LEAST one month between shots. He is now up to date except the MMR which I have been delaying as long as possible. I just read that there have been 6 cases of measles in Tucson. A man from Switzerland was the first diagnosed. So now I'm back to debating on getting him the MMR sooner than later. Since I've spaced out the vaccinations, he has only had a slight runny nose for a couple of days following visits. I've questioned all the drs. and nurses in our ped. office separately and they all say there is no correlation between his colds and his shots or any reason to space out his shots. I only take him when he is completely healthy and I still space them out and the staff knows my plan. Looking back on my notes from the readings, I noted to give Tylenol before shots, fruit juice before and after the DTaP, and Vitamen C before and after shots. Some websites I looked at are immunize.org aap.org, ada.gov, cdc.gov, 909shot.com. I suggest reading and being knowledgeable and then going with your gut.

The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Sears is great. it has info about the diseases, vaccines, and a few different schedules. It is a quick read, and very helpful! he also has a website www.thevaccinebook.com. Get informed and then make the best choice for your family, despite what anyone else says. Good Luck
T.

Hi D.!
I've written a lot of vaccines on Mamasource. Please visit my profile to read my replies ;)

Best,
C.

Hi D.,

This is a really hot topic, and you'll definitely hear some strong opinions... it's hard to sort it all out. I highly recommend the new "Vaccine Book" by Dr. Sears. You can find a link to it on Dr. Sears' website: www.askdrsears.com. He and his wife have a whole series of books - their approach certainly supports the more natural, but they back it up with science and really understandable information. For the vaccine question, they suggest an alternative schedule, and they make suggestions to help find doctors that support alternative choices, as well as help for finding different forms of the vaccines if your doctor won't order them for you.

Good luck!
S.

Hi D.,

I felt the same way with my second child. I had been receiving emails from mercola.com for awhile and really liked the advice he was giving on nutrition and other aspects of health, so this is where I went. The site has lots of different articles on vaccinations from many different doctors and parents who have done their own research. Dr Mercola's site also contains an extensive list of article citations on vaccination side effects from such publications as The Lancet, Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology, and others. The way mercola.com works is that Dr Mercola posts medical articles on his site so you can read them yourself. At the bottom of the article he makes some comments about the article. Or if the article is difficult he explains it in laymen's terms.

Also Dr. Tenpenny has done extensive research.

This was an interesting article on the chickenpox vaccination. Sort of reveals how the CDC comes up with it's numbers.
http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/child_hea...

Although this article is about chicken pox it explains why children get chicken pox and other childhood diseases and why they sometimes die from it. I found it to be very helpful
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/0...

This artcle talks about a possible conflict of interest between the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers and the major media outlets. It also discusses the origin of themerisol and the results Eli Lilly got when it tested it on human subjects way back in the 30s.
http://www.counterpunch.org/dachel09272007.html

Rolling Stone is not a medical journal but it is a major media outlet. Interesting article - If you want your questions about the mercury/autism link answered this is one of the best I have read. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/7395411/deadly...

Someone asked this question a few days ago. You can look back in the archives for some really great answers and encouragement.

I chose not to vaccinate, but everyone needs to make this choice for themselves. Please also realize not vaccinating is a lifestyle choice. You can't develop a strong immune system and a strong health body with the Standard American Diet. This may also include some nutritional knowledge and changes also.

Please also remember that fear is not a logical argument for or against anything. It is an appeal to emotion. "Children are going to die or be crippled" does not help you understand the disease process, what vaccine ingredients are and how they interact with a baby's body, what doses and parts per million mean, the scientific studies and how they come to show what they show, or the politics/money surrounding this issue.

Wishing you all the best. Write again if you have more questions.

I have an almost 3 year old, and I got all his shots when they recommended...I feel like any possible risks are way less dangerous than what would happen if he GOT one of the diseases (many fatal)!!!

I have also been doing a lot of reading about autism lately, and the latest consensus is that it is more of a genetic "risk" than anything else.

I hope this gives ya food for thought! :0)

D.,
I know there is a lot of diffrent opinions on shots, but from my standing please do it! When my daughter was 1 month old just under the age of vaccination she got whooping cough and was very very sick she spent 2 weeks in the hospital and when she was finally released they sent her home on oxygen for another couple of months. I was so scared and it was horrible. I know that there are chances for autism and stuff but what is the precentage of that? and what is the chance that your child could get really sick with something the child should have been vaccinated against. I hope this helps

D.,
Hello I am a Nurse in OB, I take care of newborns, we offer the Hep B shot at 24 hours of life. The shot is not an Adult dose, if you are going to put the children in any type of social setting, it is my opinion that you should Vaccinate, they can not attend any daycare without shots, when in Public School if there is an outbreak of anything they will make you keep your children out of school for an extented period of time. I have a 5 y/o boy and a 3 1/2 y/o girl they have both been vaccinated for everything, including Hep A, because where I work I do not want to bring anything home to them. Also when the grow up and want to travel, attend medical school of any type they them will have to get their full round of shots (of course that will be in 20 years from now). My husband and myslef deceided with everything out there and so many people traveling to the US it is better to be safe. I also know someone that has a child with Autism and she still vaccinates. Those are my thoughts! Hope it helps.

Hi D.,

I commend you for researching this, as it is an extremely important decision!

I would like to direct you to a recent posting on vaccines that might help you: http://www.mamasource.com/request/5807427467446583297

P.S. I initally vaccinated my children and one ended up with a vaccine-related disease. I no longer vaccinate. I have since done my own research and see no need to vaccinate children unless they get bit by a dog or step on a nail.

Best of luck to you! :)

Warm Regards,
G. Van Luven

Hi D., I was more worried with my later born son and did more homework on shots. I have nephew with aspergers and was concerned. I spaced out the shots a bit more and canceled and rescheduled them if there was an illness within the week or so before. I felt better because their immune system was able to just handle the shots and not be compromised by fighting some infection. I did this a lot with my second son as he had many ear infections and croup episodes. If they ran out of shots I would not let them add them to the next shots. I would get then separtately. Thimerisol, the preservative in question, is no longer put in vaccines. Not vaccinating is not the way to go in my opinion, I worked at Children's Hosp in Denver and we had kids who were not vaccinated getting pertussis and one actually died. Unless you have immune problems/issues I would go ahead and vaccinate but in an informed way. Good Luck! A.

D.,
Good for you for being so proactive. My 10 year old son is Autistic. There is a lot of controversy regarding whether or not vaccinations are a cause or a bridge to austism. I am not a Dr. so cannot give you an educated opinion however if I had it to do over I would do anything to decrease the chance of having this problem inflicted upon my son. I would give my right arm (and more) to make his life better.
Good luck in your decision, I don't think that you are wrong which ever way you decide because there are benefits to both decisions. Do not let people get on a soap box with you on this. It is up to the two of you. By the way, your baby is a girl and the percentages of boys vs. girls is huge in your favor. Maybe that will help you when you sit down to decide.

I understand your cercern about shots. when my kids were getting their shots (they are now in their 20's) there was alot of talk about SIDS and shots. especially when it came time for my 3rd to get hers. I was frightened becasue at the same time several friends were losing babies due to SIDS probably unrelated but I was not about to take my chances. the nurses realized my concern and stopped pushing for me to get them done on the normal schedule. I was set enough when she became about 1 to go ahead and get them dome and I was fine with it and she was a happy baby afterwards too. my advice would be to wait a bit and be ok with it.

My grandson has Autism and it has nothing to do with getting shots. My other grandson just got his 5 shots and I told my daughter to give him some Tylenol before she took him it seemed to help. My other daughter didn't get shots for her son and had trouble getting him into any type of day-care,(they asked for a shot record). I would talk to the baby's DR. and get his and maybe some other DR.'s oppinions.

Yes, there is tons of conflict about this. All i know, from personal experience, is that my son was normal, said about five words at 12 months old. He got the mmr and other shots at 14 months old and was completely mute for a year. After many many years of speech and occupational therapy, he still struggles at speech and he is 7 and 1/2 and can't read. WAS IT THE SHOT? professionals, drs, the government say no? I SAY YES!!!

Spacing them is good.

I am in the same boat as you I have an 9 week old son and he is going in soon for his 2 month old shots and am kind of getting scared but i have a 7 y.o. who i got all her shots on time and a 2y.o. who i got all his shots on time and they are both fine so not sure but any advice would be nice if you hear anything let me know