To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate Is The ?

A great book to read for good info is "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Robert Sears. It has great info to help you make an educated decision about vaccines.

I am the mother of 10 year old fraternal twin boys. Both boys were very healthy babies. One child is perfectly typical in every way, his twin brother hasn't spoken since he was 18 months old. He is a vaccine injured child who is severely autistic.

The Oklahoma Senate passed a bill today to reduce the Thimerosal (mercury) in the vaccines given to children under 3 years old and pregnant woment. Yes, mercury is still in the vaccines albeit in trace amounts except for the flu vaccine which still contains the full dose of mercury. The current vaccine schedule is much too aggressive.

I would not wish our life on my worst enemy....but what is the most tragic is my son's life was taken away from him. We spend $3000/month on treatments for our son. The public schools in Oklahoma do not know how to educate a non-verbal autistic child. Our son's medication, therapies, supplements and treatments cost over $3000/month and our medical insurance doesn't pay for any of these treatments. we pay over $1000/month in medical insurance premiums.

No, if someone had told me this when I was vaccinating my children, I would have two healthy boys. So now, we just hope and pray the treatments will reverse some of the symptoms our son has. He is improving my leaps and bounds, but we must travel to Texas to see his doctors every month. The stress this disease places on the family is nearly unbearable, but we continue to look forward and have hope. The government (CDC, FDA, NIH) and the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), that is nearly 100% funded by the pharmaceauticals who make these vaccines are culpulable and this is why they refuse to look at the GOOD SCIENCE that proves Vaccines do cause Autism in a certain number of susceptible children.

When they clean up the vaccines (100% remove the thimerosal, aluminum, and formaldahyde), reduce the number of vaccines these babies are receiving or at least spread them out....then I'll think about vaccinating.....if you want to get the real information go to: the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC.org). At this point, there are NO VACCINES THAT ARE SAFE.

You have been given a lot of opinions and research already. I just wanted to add that I am a physician who was not vaccinated. I attended Moore Public Schools, The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and did my graduate work in Texas with no problems. I have a non-vaccinated niece and nephew who attend private school in Norman who also have had no problems getting into school. My point is....do not let that excuse be your reason to not do research. Do your homework and praying. Do what feels right for your family. You will receive resistance from others either way you go. Good Luck.

Hi J.,

I have read all of the responses and to me it sounds like a lot of people are giving their opinion and saying things they have not researched for themselves... such as "all vaccines are safe." How can anyone say that and not back it up?

I attended a seminar last month in Oklahoma and met many parents of vaccine injured children, some with severe autism. These parents know their children and saw the change in their children after reveiving vaccines... and the CDC and many doctors continue to ignore this.

Just take a look at what is on TV all of the time - Pharmaceutical companies advertising their meds - these companies spend a lot of money in the media and they fund our politicians and train our doctors so the research being done to prove the dangers of these vaccines is not being circulated. Money talks and pharmaceutical companies have lots of money!

While the pro-vaccine studies receive major media attention, a study in the Journal of Child Neurology actually found that "significant relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder" -- yet it received little media attention when it was published several months ago.

By the way, after years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims. The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, 2007. You can read more about it at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-conc...

And thimeresol is NOT the only dangerous substance in vaccines. It is well documented that Lead, Aluminum, Formaldehyde, African Green Monkey Viruses, and other vaccine ingredients are toxic. Toxic Overload Leads to Cellular Malfunction!

Also, some people have said you have to vaccinate to get into school and again this is someone who has not done the research as you do NOT have to have your children vaccinated for school or daycare. They just have to have a document which you sign stating you either do not agree with vaccines or that you do not vaccinate for religious reasons.

Whether or not to vaccinate has to be a decision each parent has to make for themself after carefully studying the research. Also remember when you are reviewing research to check to see who funded the research. If it was a pharmaceutical company and they say the vaccine they produce is safe, I'd look for another source.

Prayer and research is my best advice!

I have never responded but I had to comment on this one. I didnt read all the responses but I read enough to know that many of you really dont know why there are MANY of us who do not vaccinate.

Vaccinations are far more dangerous then you think. The risks are most definitely NOT minimal. One of the leading risks of vaccines is Autism and just in case you havent seen the commercials, they say Autism is now epidemic. I am not going to go into all of it here nor am I going to tell you whether you should vaccinate or not. That is a decision that you and your husband must make, hopefully with God's counsel.

But I can tell you that none of my four children are vaccinated, neither is my sister's or my aunt's. I also know many many more people who believe the same way.

Good luck and God Bless with your decision. Whatever you DO decide do NOT allow ANYone, including Doctors, to pressure you or make you feel guilty. You need to do what you feel comfortable with and what YOU feel is best for your children.

Oh and just a note, to those who say vaccines are required. They are not. There are always forms that can be filled out. Yes I had to get forms from the health dept and have them notarized to put my kids in school but it was well worth it.

My husband and I vaccinated our older two. But now with all the new information available, we've chosen not to vaccinate our youngest or our soon to be new baby. I homeschool so it really wasn't a necessity. I guess I could always just tell them it was b/c of religious reasons if we ever did put them in school. I get a lot of weird looks, but it just wasn't worth the risk for us.

Dear J. B,

I understand your turmoil. I have gone back and forth with my children as well. Two days ago I was sent this article on vaccinations and the fed, check it out..

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=57629

I do vaccinate my children, but I wait until they are 2 years old. That way I truly know my child's personality and they have a chance to allow their immune system to stregthen. I do not feel that as a stay at home mom that my 2 month old is going to catch hepititus. 8 shots at their 2 week appointment when they are still so small seems so extreme to me. So I just tell my doctor I would rather wait. It's a hard decision to choose, but by doing your research weither you choose to vaccinate or not, it shows you are trying to do whats best for your child. As mother's that is all we are trying to do to keep our babies safe. Good Luck in your choice!

I am a mother of twin girls now 3 but I am older than most moms posting here. I have chosen not to vaccinate because it would effect my girls so negatively. They would get high fevers and I felt that the number of vaccines they wanted to give them was too much for their frail immune systems at the time. They were born 2 mos premature and we had lots of sickness the first 2 years. I also have an autistic nephew and I have read the scares about the MMR vaccine and I just couldn't risk something horrible happening to the girls from a shot. They say they have taken the mercury out of the vaccines now since 2003 I think, but to think we had been giving our chilren mercury before that . I just don't trust the drug companies. gail g

It is a decision you have to make yourself, but please do the research before deciding. One person stated that there is nothing dangerous about it. If that were true, you wouldn't have to sign a form before your child gets the shots that tells you all the possible things that can result, and there wouldn't be funds that are used to pay parents for the damage done to their children through vaccination. Take a look at this: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/press022808.php .

J. --

As the mother of a child on the autism spectrum, I agree that there is a lot of conflicting information about vaccinations out there. When it is all said and done (if it ever will be) I think we will find that there are lots of different causes for autistic like behaviors. Brain development in early childhood is so very delicate.

In our case, my son became ill after receiving a vaccine at about 18 mos. After that time, his demeanor shifted (not really a regression in skills), but more of a loss of joy for life. It was like the light in his eyes had been dimmed. He met every milestone normally, but not with the same level of animated personality that you see in most children.

Looking back, had I been fully informed on the vaccine debate at the time, I probably would have questionned my pediatrician more about the vaccines he was receiving. It is highly likely that the vaccine your pediatrician uses now does not contain thimerasol (ethylmercury), but you have every right to request to see the pamphlet information listing its individual ingredients from the pharmaceutical company that produced the vaccine (the packaging insert).

Also, and this is just my opinion, it only makes sense to request spacing the vaccinations out over a longer period of time. I know it means more trips to the doctor, but it may be worth it in allowing your child time to recover between vaccinations. I was in my child's pediatrician's office yesterday afternoon and another mother's 18 m/o boy was screaming and crying trying to get out the office door because his last remembrance of the doctor's office was getting his shots. He was certainly traumatized by receiving so many shots at one time (not a pleasant experience for anyone). Your pediatrician should be able to honor this request.

Lastly, if your pediatrician gets upset about any of these requests, refuse the vaccinations, pack your baby up and find another pediatrician. Doctors are ONLY people and medicine is a PRACTICE. I think too often physicians get this mindset that they know better than the parent. From a medical standpoint, this may be true, but you are your child's best advocate and know his/her every need. Your pediatrician will not be the one providing lifelong care for your child in the event of a long-term illness.

The bottom line is this: You are the parent and have the right to make informed choices -- don't feel bullied by anyone into doing something you really don't feel is right for your child.

C. K.
www.serfasd.org
www.mobasp.com

Wow to the responses!! As you can tell now days this is a very contriversal issue. I agree with alot of the different opinons on here. I myself am a mother of twin boys that are almost 3. They have had all their required shots. I chose this year not to do the flu shot. And I am likely not to do it in the future. We have had no severe problems at all. One thing I can say is so many people are quick to say that the shots have toxins in them. And it is a fact they do. However, alot of people don't stop to think about the other toxins in the world, such as tap water, even bottle water is just filtered tap water. Smoking in home, or around young children, pesticides and things on our veggies and even common pollution in the air. It is a personal opinion what you do. And if you are still not sure, talk to your dr about spacing the shots out. They do not have to get 3 or 4 shots on 1 visit. They can get them once a week or something to that effect. And if your dr doesn't answer your questions entirely, go get a second opinon. You are the parent!!!

You do have a real concern! You need to visit Naturodoc.com it may take a little bit to find it but there is a an article "Vaccines What's in them and who makes them" It shows most of the vaccines, the ingredients, the makers names and phone #'s. The ingredient to look out for is THIMERALSOL. It seems to be mostly in flu shots but it is the reasons for the big concern. It is what has the mercury in it that is causing high metal contents that mimics autism and many other problems. And the only way to prove that it is not real autism is a hair sample that will show high metals. Since many mothers have been protesting they have been working on lowering the amount of mercury in them. You can choose not to give it to them, but unfortunatly if you want to have them in daycare or public school they have to have them. And then it will leave them open to what you did not give them a vaccine for. You also need to really work on getting there immune system to top performance. I have been taking Original Limu and been giving to my kids and i have heard many testimonies of kids that did get diagnosed as having autism and it accually be from the vaccines and they have been coming out of it from taking the Limu. Best thing to do is get that list, find out exactly which vaccines they will be getting and make sure if it has Thimeralsol in it and talk to your dr. and let him or her Know that your are informed, if they just brush you off, get a different Dr. If you have problems finding the artical you can E-mail me @ ____@____.com. I have the list.
***ADD***After Reading most of the responses I have to add also the importances in keeping their immune systems working properly. The WORLD HEATH ORGANIZATION states "whether or not a person contracts a disease or illness has less to do with the exposure to the disease or illness and has more to do with how effective their immuse system is when they were exposed" Whether you choose to vaccinate or not please also seriously consider getting their immunes systems working the best as possible to either help with side effects of vaccine or protecting them from the diseases

hi J.,

If your not certain we vaccinate for go online and research some of the deseases. They did not go away they are still active in parts of the world. I am a nurse who worked for a pediatrician. In the 4 yrs that i worked there I never seen a child have a severe adverse reation to any of the vacines. There are certian clues that let a Dr. know if a child should not take a vacc. such as food allergies. The reason we do not here or see of people suffering or dieing from these things IS BECAUSE WE VACCINATE. If we stop vaccinating, with the ease of overseas travel these desease can come back into our communities and our homes. We can thank vaccines for the elimanation of smallpox. Besides there are some children out there that are allergic to vaccines and can not take them the more people that chose not to vaccinate the higher the risk is for the children who do not have a choice. When a parent came in to the office with the same concerns as you i would ask them if a vaccine for HIV or cancer would be developed would you take it? It usually put things into a different perspective. Please,please, please vaccinate. A good link is the center of desease control it list all the vaccines the shedules and possible side effects www.cdc.gov
P.S. i seen the responce about autism the MMR is no longer made with mercury the immediate concern for mercury is Fish that we eat. And the link between time table of autism and vaccines is beleived to be that a child with autism usually developes completely normal untill about the age of 15-24 months of age. It isn't untill then when they start to display signs of autism. If you look at the shot schedule kids are due for shots at those ages. May i add repeat doses of vacc they have had as infants.

You know, why is it that thousands of children are being called in to be re-vaccinated in my area because the first sets they recieved are inneffective? No one is perfect but why is it that they say everything is ok, then reissue the vaccine? Around us children who were vaccinated are now getting shingles AFTER they had the Chiken Pox even though they were vaccinated. We chose not to vaccinate our daughter and haven't thought twice about it. Parents and schools might have a problem with your choice but why are they worried? THEIR children should be OK, they are vaccinated RIGHT??? Our daughter is VERY healthy, due to a GREAT diet, exercise, and immune boosting natural suppliments. I think that should be our focus instead of a MAGIC shot. I have travled all over the world, European countries do not vaccinate as heavily as we do, they endure illegal immigration far worse than we do. Their approach is brillant, use what the good lord gave us to protect our children against disease. Immune boosting herbs, excersise, and natural diets. The autism debate is tricky, Europeans suffer FAR less with this disorder. Is it due to their health practices and diet? Or their refusal to inject their children with ALL substances that are UNATURAL???
One more thing! With all the reports of unsafe tap water know this, frogs and humans both absorb chlorine through their skin and by drinking it. Chlorine kills frogs in the amount we use it in our tap. Chlorine also adversly affects prescription drugs in water. Now what does it do to the drugs in our bodies? Think about it.
Good Luck and God Bless!

This is a very controversial topic! I, myself, am from the camp of do not vaccinate at a young age. Being the mother of a vaccine-injured child, I made up my mind long ago that if I were to ever have another child, I would wait to vaccinate. I am not against vaccines totally, I just think that they give too many at such young ages. I would probably wait until my child was older (about 1.5 to 2 years) and his body is able to filter out the toxins that are in vaccines. There is not only mercury in vaccines, there are other toxins as well. Do some research about vaccines & what they contain & then make your decision. You should decide what would be best for you & your family. I do not pressure others to not vaccinate, I think that people should educate themselves & then make a decision. Talk to your pediatrician about your concerns (but a warning: most of them don't believe vaccines can injure you). If there are underlying predispositions in a child (and sometimes you won't even know!) a vaccine could have a bad outcome. I would absolutely refuse the flu vaccine unless I could read the insert on ingredients because the flu vaccine still contains mercury. Hope this helps.

J., the choice IS yours and I personally will not be vaccinating my son. There are a lot of dangers to consider and I know this is a very hot issue so I'm not going to go into a lot here. You will have to jump through hoops if you choose not to, but it is something that can be done. I would suggest searching through mercola.com regarding the subject. There is a lot of info on there. Take care.

this is a really personal decision. i just believe everyone should make an educated decision. anyone who tells you that vaccinating or not vaccinating has absolutely no risks is not telling the truth. most thimerasol has been removed from vaccines today (but not all) but this is not the only 'bad' ingredient. there is also formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue, vesicle fluid from calf skins, continuous line of monkey kidney cells and chick embryonic fluid which is really bad for anyone with egg allergies! to see a complete list check out http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html .

i personally do not think you can blame just vaccines on children becoming autistic. i think some children are predisposed to such disorders and when you overwhelm their system with vaccines - it's like an electric socket short circuiting! it's just too much for their little systems to handle. but it's not for others which is why it's hard to lump every child into the same category - every child will react differently and there are no guarantees! also - when you combine all the environmental things we are exposed to with the not so great diets we eat - we are just not helping our children's bodies handle the vaccines. if you have any history of auto-immune disorders, autism, neurological disorders, etc - i would really examine the vaccine process. if you choose to do it - spread it out and don't give the 'all in one' shots. i personally think those are too much for any baby! there have been no long term effect studies done on these - so no one can assure us 100%. and in nature - you never have that many diseases at once in your body for your immune system to fight off - so why do we inject little babies with this many? my pediatrician had a great analogy - he said that if you take one aspirin a day it's not going to kill you - but if you take 365 in one day...well then that's not good! so when people (dr's, vax companies, etc) tell us that the miniscule amounts of 'not good for you' ingredients in vaccines shouldn't be a problem - that is usually based on an adult size person and not adding them all up together.

i am posting my list of resources below - feel free to ask me any questions or add to my 'collection'!!! as for us - we have chosen to wait. it's a daily consideration - and one we have been happy with so far. my 3 1/2 year old has never had antibiotics, tylenol, or tradtional medicines - and we were 'full term' nursing and eating healthy. most kids i know who are not vaxed - are very healthy but they also have parents who make sure they are eating healthy which definitely makes a difference to one's immune system. we treat all of our illnesses with homeopathic remedies, traditional osteopathy, accupuncture and chinese herbs and supplements. we are not anti western med at all - see a time and place for it - but view medicine as preventitive rather than reactive. if you do decide to vaccinate - just make sure your child is not sick and hasn't been for a few days before. if you can - make sure they are as calm as can be for the actual shot. and if you notice any reaction - report it and keep note of it for future reference.
hope this helps!
J.

Vaccination Information

Books:
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations By Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. (pro vaccine)

Vaccines: Are They Really Safe And Effective? By Neil Miller.
The Vaccine Guide By Randall Neustaedter (non vaxer).

The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert W. Sears (gives pros and cons to all of them!! very good book!!)

Natural Family Living By Peggy O'Mara, the publisher of Mothering Magazine.

I village has some great message boards – for vax debate, non-vax support and many other boards (breastfeeding, etc)

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/main.asp?webtag=iv-pp...

Article:
Deadly Immunity by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. – EXCELLENT article!!! I have a copy I can email to you.

Video:
Dr. Jay Gordon’s seminar at the Skirball Cultural Center – the first event in the “Well Loved Baby” series called “Vaccinations?” - www.childcaremedia.com/dvdproducts.php

Websites:
www.mothering.com
www.drfeder.com
www.drjaygordon.com

http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html - lists all the ingredients in vaccines

http://www.whale.to/a/hoax.html

www.909shot.com

http://www.909shot.com/state-site/state-exemptions.htm - state exemption laws

www.tetrahedron.org

www.vaclib.org

www.thinktwice.com.

http://www.mmrfacts.nhs.uk/library/timeline.php?t=showall or search NHS

http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/thimrosal.html

http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/mmr/a_faq.html

http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/mmr/a_report.html

http;//www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/julvacc.htm

http://www.medalerts.org/ (where also is found an online, searchable version of the VAERS database. Just have a look at what that thing is saying about the Hepatitis B vaccine! )

http://www.nmaseminars.com/

http://www.whale.to/vaccines.html

http://www.mercola.com/

http://www.mercola.com/article/vaccines/immune_suppressio...
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/list01.htm

http://www.proliberty.com/observer/

And, the following article on the Hep B vaccine is excellent:
http://www.insightmag.com/news/438502.html
"The EPA limit is 0.1 micrograms of mercury per kilogram body weight per day. It doesn't take a genius to do the calculations when on their day of birth children are given the hepatitis B vaccine, which is 12.5 micrograms of mercury. The average newborn weighs between 6 and 7 pounds, so they would be allowed 0.3 micrograms of mercury - but in this one shot they are getting 12.5 micrograms. That's 39 times more than allowed by law. And it gets worse when you consider that children are getting multiple vaccinations at 2 months. And this limit is for *oral ingestion* and not injection, which is much worse."

http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/thi-table.htm (the vaccines shaded in grey are no longer produced)

I saw someone else recommend,and I will 2nd. Dr Sears has a great example of a delayed vaccination schedule. All the shots, just a little later and a little more spread out so their tiny bodies can handle them better.
My only advice is to be prepared. I have made the choice to not get the chickenpox booster and the Hep A. The nurse at my peds office keeps saying that I'm "waiting"....on the Hep A ...maybe if we go to a place that has a high risk, I will get it. But on the chickenpox its a "No". I'm not waiting...I'm not getting it. Because so many people "blindly" vaccinate, they think that everyone does and they aren't quite sure how to deal with someone who chooses a different road.
Dr Sears' book also has information on which vaccine brands contain mercury and which ones don't so you can request those from your pediatrician.

Teresa

We have a 4month old daughter who will be getting 2 of her 4month vaccines tomorrow and the other 2 shots will be given in 2 weeks. We did decide to get her vaccinated according to the APA guide but are splitting the shots up so she doesn't have so many at one time. That way if there is a reaction it will be easier to determine which vaccine caused it. Of course, I've got friends with children who haven't had any vaccines & others who have gotten all the vaccines at one office visit. It really boils down to what you are comfortable with after discussing it with your pediatrician.
Good luck with your decision~

Wow, I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION because I have an 8 month old and I have been trying to decide the same thing. I can tell there are a lot of people on this list that haven't done their homework and some that have. I am so grateful for the information of those that have. My heart and prayers go out to all of those who have Autistic children. I know it must be hard. I have 4 children that are older and all got their shots with no problems, but with all the info on Autism, I can't just ignore it. Sure the risk are slim, but all I can think about is how I would feel if that sparkle went out her sweet smile and something did happen as a result of vaccinating. She did receive her 2 month shots, but I was sooo scared and didn't want to give her anymore until I had done my homework. She hasn't had any since. I have a friend that waited until her daughter was 2. I have decided to wait for now. I will probably give them to her later in smaller doses as suggested in previous responses. I was leaning toward that already. But now with the info people have sent I will check into it more so that I can know I did do my homework. I homeschool already so that isn't a big deal to me, plus like others said, there are ways around it the school thing. JUST DON'T FEEL PUSHED INTO IT LIKE I DID, WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL RIGHT OR OK ABOUT IT. Otherwise you may always look back and wished you had went with your instinct. I am waiting till I feel more sure about things. Best of luck.

I'm reading a great book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations that is very BALANCED (which I love!) by a pediatrician who specializes in vaccines. She basically says that some vaccines can be put off till later in childhood (the later, the better, esp. because infants' immune systems aren't developed enough to really make effective use of vaccines, and because their immune and detox - liver - systems aren't developed enough to handle the extra additives like aluminum that are in the vaccines), or not done at all (ex. chickenpox); others, she says, are best done one at a time.

Her main advice is, never do multiple vaccinations on any given day. Any vaccines can cause problems, but avoiding the multiple vaccinations and combination vaccines (like MMR - try to get the measles, mumps, and Rubella vaccines individually for your child, a month or so apart) will minimize the risk.

If you choose not to vaccinate, you still have the option to send your twins to school rather than home-school, if you don't want to home-school them. You can get a medical, religious, or even (in some states, if not all) a philosophical exemption.

If you do decide to vaccinate, there is a vaccination complication hotline in the event that your children present with any unusual symptoms, and you can get advice if anything does come up (physical or behavioral). The pediatrician that I mentioned also does assessments and programs for children who experience problems from vaccinations. Just in case you see any signs of issues in the short or long term after vaccination, there is still hope.

Good luck!
L.

We do not vaccinate our babies. From the thorough research I have done myself I am not comfortable injecting ANYTHING into their little bodies. Some great books to check out is Dr Sears Vaccine Book, Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide by Aviva Jill Romm, and A Shot in the Dark by Harris L. Coulter.

http://www.mercola.com/2004/may/12/vaccination_dangers.htm
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=47
http://www.vaclib.org/index.htm
http://www.909shot.com/
http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/postpartum/di...
http://www.whale.to/a/hoax.html

Be informed!! You can always wait to have your child vaccinated, but you can't take back vaccinations already given. It is your choice to make, not anyone elses. It is your responsibility to make the very best decision you can for you, your babies, and your family.

I think the choice is something you have to make for yourself. I know several couples who have autistic children and swear that is was due to vacinations. I think there are way too many people (even celebrities) who are fighting this battle and are certain it is due to the vacinations for there not to be something there. A friend of mine is a nurse and has an autistic child and did research on it in the medical library, a doctor there told her there was clear evidence that these vaccines can cause autism, especailly in boys but the drug companies who make them have paid researchers billions of dollars not to publish the research. I don't know if it is true or not but I definetly think there is a possibility.

I get my children vaccinated but always ask if the vaccine containes mercury or thimerosol if they do my child does not get that vaccine. I do not do any unneccesary vaccines such as flu, they will get over the flu. I don't think you should put things into your body that are not neccesary. I recently found out however that my doctor does not allow his children to be vaccinated until they are 5 so that should tell you something.

Jaque, I understand how you feel, and I know what you will be up against if you wait to vaccinate. I am a Family Services Assitant for a Head Start program. I am also the mom of 2 boys, one autistic and one not.
I kept my oldest son on track for his shots. He is autistic. He honestly didn't show any symptoms AT ALL until he was older... now, I can't swear that it was his shots, but I strongly suspect it. My youngest son? I kept him to a later shot schedule, and he didn't have shots after 18 months until he was 3 and getting ready to start Head Start. Actually, it was after he started school, because I had to write out a statement on why I didn't want him to have shots until he was older. He got all of them, just a a later date. He is perfectly normal.

My personal advise? Pray, study, research it out, and pray some more. There are strong pros and cons to each side. And wait if you can.

Here is the vaccination statute, including the portion on obtaining an exemption.

http://www.ok.gov/health/documents/School%20Immunization%...

Also, I would spend some more time looking at reputable information on autism if that is truly a concern for you. It is my understanding that although it is true that more children have been diagnosed with the disease, that it is largely because our methods of detecting and how we categorize and the level of illness required for a diagnosis has all changed rather than it is being caused by all of the scary vaccines.

This is a huge issue. Especially with all the talk about multiple vaccines causing children to become autistic. We vaccinated our son & he's fine. But he did have a neurological reaction to his 15 month shots. His attitude completely changed, like he was a different kid. (this lasted about a week) When I called my Dr's office about this, they blew if off, but I know I won't be giving him that set of shots again. From things I've read & heard, the problem is with the preservatives used when they combine shots. Ask the Dr to give individual shots & to spread them out over a period of time, so you can watch your boys for a reaction. This way you will know what vaccine (if any) they had problems with & you can avoid it next time. If you notice any changes in their behavior, notify your Dr (not the nurses, if possible) immediately. We will definitely do this if we have another child.

Just noticed one of the remarks below.. you do NOT have to have your children vaccinated for school or daycare. They just have to have a note from the doctor stating they are not vaccinated.

I sat through a briefing on the connection between autism and vaccinations and the studies that have been done. Pray diligently before you make a decision.
I know you can get a lot of information from autism groups.
I believe you can request vaccines to be given seperate, and not together. It is the first 18mo of vacc that seem to come into question (not with dr and pharmacuetical companies of course)
The drug in question is not currnetly made but has an incredible shelf life and was never pulled from the shelf.
Studies of communities that do not vaccinate show NO autism, except from children who were adopted and had previous vacc and similar situations.
Odd how this study was never widely published. It was not just a short 1 or 2 yr study either.

I have a 2 1/2 yr old and we choose to vaccinate but on a very delayed schedule. First, I made sure I had a ped that was okay with this and one that offers single vaccinations instead of the shots that have like 3 in one (also ones that are mercury free). Then we started when he was about 3 mths and from then on he never got more than 2 shots at a time and never more than once every couple of months. It was a little more work for me, but I think it was well worth it and he never had a bad reaction to his shots. At 2 1/2 he is now "caught up"! I have a ped in the Tulsa area who is wonderful, let me know if you would like her info.

The link to autism has only been indicated with the one year old shots and then never actually established. Your baby's immune system will be fully active around that time. I waited until 18 months of age to get my son's 12 month shots just to be on the safe side. Also in the last 4-5 years the shots have changed a little. Old vaccines had a small amount of mercury in them and indications are there could be a link between mercury and autism. There are new mercury free shots. Ask for those to be on the safe side.

I chose to vaccinate. The key is to know what vaccination comes when, the side effects, and appropriate weight for the dose given. I had all of my daughters vaccines delayed by a month or two and since we moved a lot her first year and were constantly changing physicians, I had to stay on the ball to make sure they noticed what she was due for and what she wasn't.

I am the mother of a 14 year old boy and twin girls who will be 8 this month. My experience says vaccinate. All of my children have been vaccinated. Chicken pox has recently made it's way around the twins' school and they didn't get it. They take the flu shot every year and have never gotten the flu, even though their daddy had the flu this year (who wasn't vaccinated). My girls even took a vaccine that was supposed to vaccinate against 80% of the bacteria that causes ear infections and spinal meningitis. I can count the ear infections over 8 years on one hand. My son, who didn't have the vaccine, used to have terrible ear infections.

Best of luck to you and your boys!

VACCINATE! Seriously. Many young mothers do not remember killer diseases like polio and smallpox because we have nearly eradicated them. BUT--these diseases are starting to come back because young mothers are choosing NOT to immunize their children. I am a 39yo mother of a 14yo boy. I worked for years as a La Leche League leader and breastfeeding counselor, raised my son on a VERY healthy vegan diet, worked in a health food store, and am very health conscious and have been for years. I also work as a high school teacher now. I taught kindergarten and fourth grade before that.

My son's excellent pediatrician vaccinated her twin daughters and her son also. She knows the pros and cons inside out.

All the best,
H. W

I am really interested in responses to you question! I have been going back and forth with both ideas! And have learned in small studies.. That you can chose what to vaccinate for. I think lots of research and good planning can help make your decision! But I do think it is a very responsible and great think to be looking into!! Good luck on your decision!!!

Just one more thing to add!! We don't vaccinate for the flu! I personally have not had it in 10years. My husband, in which, we have been married for 6 years has never been sick; since we have been together. And our children one 5 year old and a set of twins that are 4 have never had the flu!! They all went to daycare until this year and now are in kindergarten and prek!!

Just remember research and prayer will lead you in the right direction. The right diet and vitamins can help prevent too!!! In Oklahoma you can sign a waiver about not vaccinating your children and still keep them in school!

Once again Good luck to you!!!

I chose to vaccinate both my boys. I've heard about the dangers of the vaccinations. However, many illnesses are no longer a serious threat to our society due to vaccinations, plus many of the them are hardly herd of now. I was vaccinated and I turned out healthy. I don't know of anybody who has a personal story concerning a vaccine gone wrong. There is no real proof vaccinations are dangerous, I've asked numerous doctors. As for my decision to vaccinate, it came down to two questions.

#1. What is the worst that can happen if I don't vaccinate v.s. the worst that can happen if I do vaccinate?

#2. How likely is it for a vaccine to do more damage than good for my family and society as a whole?

Hi J.!

My advice is this you have to what you feel is best for your sons. I have 2 daughters and they have all of their shots. Infact my youngest turns 5 in May and we will be getting her shots just after her birthday so she will be set for Kindergarten next year. I also have started getting my daughters the flu shot for the past few years. My peditrician recommends it and a pneumonia vaccine for my youngest daugther because she has muscular dystrophy. Talk to your peditrician and your husband and make an informed decision. It was no question for me when I had both of my girls. I also got the flu shot this year because my whole family got it the year before and it wasn't fun. Again it a personal prefernce and mine is that if a shot and a few seconds of pain will prevent me from getting sick or make me getting sick less severe then I will take the shot. I don't know what my future holds with my youngest having muscular dystrophy but I want to stay out of a hospital as much as possible so we vaccinate to help that out.

They have to have them anyway for school. The schools will not allow them in their doors if they are not vaccinated and it is a law for every child to attend school of some sorts. If you don't plan on homeschooling then you might as well get it over with now a little at a time. I have never heard of a vaccination causing an illness such as autism, not saying it can't happen, but I've never heard of it and I am a teacher.

I feel it is irresponsible to skip vaccinations unless your child has an underlying illness or birth problem. Take a look around, the mass majority of children are healthy and receive vaccinations. The illnesses that they risk being exposed to without these shots are life-threatening if their immune systems are not prepared. With so many immigrants coming in, we are now seeing a breakout of Tuberculosis across the US. Our sweet babies need these vaccinations and if fighting off even chicken pox at a later age is very difficult and often requires hospitalization as as adult. I strongly vote vaccinate.

I believe vaccinations are a good thing. My daughter just turned 2 and has had all of her vaccinations so far. I believe it is totally safe. If your pediatrician is a good one he/she should give you documents noting common concerns and myths about the vaccinations and also known side effects. I wouldn't worry about it. I believe that any virus or disease a child might contract is much more dangerous than the vaccinations. I am about to get my daughter her 2 year old vaccinations and was nervous about the MMR because I have heard, probably like many others, that this can cause autism. I have done research on this and asked many different people in the medical profession and they all say that it is just a myth. Autism does begin to become visible at the age of 2 but the MMR has nothing to do with it. The amount of mercury in most vaccines are very trace amounts. I do not get the flu shot and have never gotten my daughter the flu shot. I do not believe that it is necessary. She got the flu this year but if you catch it in time, at the first sign of symptoms like fever, you can get Tamiflu and this helps them recover much faster. My daughter's fever got pretty high but the I gave her infant motrin and it helped keep it down.

J. B. My name is Joy, I have 4 wonderful Children, oldest is 37, Youngest is 28, And my advise is to have your children vaccinated each time it is due, Unless they have a cold, then wait till they are better, You have to get their shots are they can't go to School, And they would catch every thing possible...The School has to have each ones Shot records, So get then done very importent!!!!
Joy, G..

Hi J.,
Do yourself a big favor and get those boys vaccinated. As one Mom pointed out, the lesser of two evils. ..and they will not be admitted to schools without it! I even got mine the Hep B vaccine and Pox shot. You can never be too careful. The treatment far outweighs the risks. They'll be fine. Wishing your little twins, and you, a good healthy life.

First, my bias - I am a physician and did my internship in pediatrics. I have taken care of babies with whooping cough, measles, german measles - all highly contagious. Children can die from these diseases. There has been extesive research on the concerns about autism and vaccinations - there is no connection.

I am old enough to remember having or my friends having all of the diseases for which we now have vaccinations including polio. Some viruses such as polio and hepatits cause life long medical problems assuming you survive the original infection. There has been a decrease in serious ear infections caused by some bugs since the introduction of a vaccine. Today's mothers of young children are too young to remember the complications from ear infections such as mastoiditis.

I wouldn't dream of NOT vaccinating unless your child has a specific immune system disorder or is allergic to eggs - some of the viruses for which the vaccines are produced use eggs as the incubator for the virus in order to create the vaccine. If you are breast feeding, your baby has protection against things to which you are immune, but this protection fades quickly once you stop breast feeding.

If a high proportion of children are not vaccinated, when a virus comes along (and these viruses are all in our environment)it can basically produce an epidemic - not good.

I worry about the fact that our collective memories no longer include an awareness of the consequences of these illnesses from which most of us are now protected. There are now 2 generations of mothers who have not witnessed the ravages of these viral illnesses and we tend to forget that viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics. We no longer understand the worry every summer about polio, the hospitals filled with iron lungs because the children's respiratory muscles were paralyzed. We no longer see kids who are deaf because of viral infections.

I think it is wise to question and understand why recommendations are made. It is important to understand the effects and potential consequences of our decisions. But please make sure that when deciding about vaccinate or not vaccinate that you also understand the devastating impact of the viral diseases that we rarely see now, but are still present in our environment. And it is just as important to understand that in today's world of rapid international travel, exposure is surprisingly easy - it's not about illegal immigrants, it is that we can all travel huge distances in closed compartments like airplanes when we are in the early stages of becoming ill, spreading the virus before we have the symptoms.

I am a mother of a 4 month old baby girl and I take her to her dr for her shots.

I believe vaccination is absolutely necessary. The benefits outweigh the risks. Just 50 years ago children were becoming cripled and even dying of polio. And even today, there are children dying of diseases in third world countries from diseases we have vaccinations for. I believe that if enough children aren't vaccinated, these diseases can become rampant in the United States again, especially in day cares and public schools.

This is a tough one. I vaccinated all 4 of my kids (now the youngest is 20), but a lot of the evidence that now is out there connecting autism and other issues to vaccination was not available in their infancy. I have 2 biology degrees - and knowledge about the immune system impact but would now probably hesitate before vaccinating my kids. I think one of the determining factors for me would be where I lived. Some states have laws regarding school attendance and vaccination - the states I lived in did have. I also had exchange students who had to get vaccinated as young adults and a great uncle who died from the mumps - totally preventable, while my husband's younger sister died from the chicken pox (no vaccine available at that time). So I think my advice would be do your homework....check into your family history as much as possible and find out from your pediatrician sbout the vaccines they use routinely and side effects and then make an informed decision. For us vaccination was a no brainer.

J.,

That is a very good question.

Before I answer, let me tell you that my family are "health fanatics". We exercise regularly and are vegetarians. We raise our children this way also.

In previous years, my husband was a health educator for an HMO company. While employed there, he did a LOT of research about vaccinations.

He concluded that scientifically, your children stand a greater chance of catching a life threatening illness if NOT vaccinated than if they are vaccinated. There isn't any scientific data to proove that the vaccinations are any threat to our children and their well being.

The problem that our society is facing is that with more and more children not being vaccinated, we are seeing the re-birth of diseases that had previously been erradicated from the US.

Please vaccinate your children in good conscious.

K. B.

I was very if I should or not. One of my friends has not had her children. Somewhere I read a true article about a man who almost lost his child because he decided not to get his son vaccinated...that decided it for me...that I would get my children vaccinated...I didn't want to have to go through all of that...i think it's your personal preference...Unless you are sending your kids to school, as they need to have them...

B.

Vaccinate. There is more of a risk of your child contracting a preventable desease or condition from another child or person than from a vaccination.

There are so many illegal immigrants in our country now and our children are more exposed more now than ever.

I would rather be safe tha n sorry.

Vaccinate! The risks are minimal and the dangers of not vaccinating and having them contract disease can be devastating to you and your family. I have three very healthy teenagers who were vaccinated against everything, including meningitis menigococcal (that terrible new bacterial meningitis that is killing college age kids) and most recently my daughter was vaccinated against HPV. None ever had any adverse reactions to their vaccinations and I feel better knowing they have that "extra" protection on their side. D.

Definitely vaccinate. The only reason people even consider the possiblilty of not vaccinating is because everyone else has vaccinated, thus eradicating the diseases. However, the rate of ILLEGAL IMMMIGRANTS is astounding; most are unvaccinated, and they are causing OUTBREAKS of previously eradicated diseases. A few years ago, there was a Mumps outbreak in Arizona. Your child is at risk without the vaccines.

I believe strongly in vaccination. It has helped cut out a lot of diseases that we really don't want to come back.

This is such a big issue...I chose to vaccinate my kids...partly b/c I do believe that the less ppl get vac.'s the # will grow & grow over the years, and I think we'll be headed for a bigger problem with more diseases coming back. It's already happening..look at pertussis (just to name one). It really is a personal decision for you & your husband. It's your children... just do your research on the pros & cons...like the other post said - It's coming down to the lesser of two evils. Everyone I know including myself has vaccinated all of their children. Only one person had a negative outcome...and her baby was born with heart problems...she had been "brought back to life" several times. She was probably 6 mos. old by the time she got her 1st set of vaccinations. And for her as sick as she had been for so long, it was too much for her little body. So, she got sick for about a week I think.
Anyway, it really is a personal choice. Good luck!!!

Vaccinate definitely. The positives outweigh the risks. My twin boys were 32 week preemies & after watching them in the hospital for 5 weeks, any doubt that I might have had was erased. Children are so much better off being vaccinated than catching something & having to be hospitalized. My boys are now 20 months & with the exception of a couple of colds & seasonal allergies are in excellent health.

Like all things medical there is always a risk with vaccinations, but if you are planning on putting your children in day care it will be required.

Also, everyone of the vaccinations are required before a child can enter school. Better to get them now while they are small.

Only certain vaccinations are given at certain ages. At 2 months it is Hepatitis B, and the pnuemoconjugate vaccine, and I belive the Hib vaccine was also given.

One of these vaccines protects the infant from getting menegitis a potentially lethal infection in infants.

Talk to you pediatrician of your concerns, he can advise you on what vaccines when.

J., not vaccinating your child is a terrible mistake. Whooping cough or pertussis is at an all time high and most adults are not even away that they have it. A story of a healthy 8 month old boy, not vaccinated, was exposed to whooping cough innocently by a grandmother, that was unaware she had it. The healthy sweet baby boy died because of this very preventable disease. There are so many mutated versions of diseases now that the greatest risk of all is not vaccinating. Vaccinations do not contain mercury anymore. The only one that does is the flu vaccine for adults, all children under age of 2 years receive the preservative free. You can request it if no one informs you of this when you get your children the flu shot. The trace amount of mercury is not enough to cause any damage anyway. I am so passionate about this issue. Keep your sweet babies safe as well as those they come in contact with. Thanks M.

I don't have a problem with vaccinations, just the schedule. With my first baby I did them just like the CDC recommended, up to five or six at one time. Then he ran a fever for four straight days (103 and higher) after his 12-month shots and later on we found out that's why his tooth enamel was ruined. With children #s 2 and 3 I have refused the ones for flu, ear infection and one other (can't remember the name now) and will not allow more than two to be given at one office visit. The clinic I go to protested this at first but I stood firm...I AM the mother after all.

Obviously, you don't have time to be doing any research of your own! I'm wondering how you even have time to blog! :) I strongly believe in completing all the vaccinations the CDC outlines for children. Think about polio....nonexistent, not because people don't get it anymore, but because people were vaccinated against it. Now think about chicken pox...I had it, as did my brothers, all my classmates (all of us within a few months of each other), and all their brothers and sisters...we all turned out ok, but there ARE children who die from such a virus. Does vaccinating mean the virus goes away? No, but if a child is vaccinated, they don't respond to the virus nor do those in their family who have had the virus or vaccination. In reality, if all us moms decided to stop getting our kids vaccinated, all of these life-threatening diseases that we don't hear about would be commonplace again and we would see people die from them. So, should you get your sons vaccinated? Of course! It not only protects them, but those around you as well. If you're still not sure, talk to your doctor, especially with twins. If they were born early at all, you may be encouraged to wait a few weeks, but please don't put those precious boys at risk of a disease like mumps or hepatitis. Your doctor can also ease any fears about what to expect. Good luck!

I truely believe the benefits of vaccinating your children far outweigh the risks. I do believe that some of these vaccinations may be better put off until the children are a little older, such as two to three years, instead of newborn.

I always vaccinate because they are always around people who are sick and i know it hurt them but only for a couple min. And then there fine and ive found that it always makes them healthy that is my opion

I am a Mother of 5 and Grandmother of 6 just to let you know a little about me...
J., all my children and grandchildren have had the vaccinations and I think it is a good thing. None of them had any real problems at all, just low grade temp. for a day or so.
Really, just think about it and pray about it. God always knows best. You do want to protect your child from as many childhood diseases as you can or less severe symptoms from them.
God Bless you and your Family,
V.

I can tell you that I try to do everything natural, right down to whole grain organic rice cereal and I have had mine vaccinated. I thought about not accepting it, but you have to look at the big picture....so many kids used to die of the diseases they vaccinate against. You're not only protecting your child, but the community as a whole. I think in a perfect world it would be great to not have my child's body invaded by dead organisms, but it's not a perfect world. I hate it, but it's one of those lesser of two evils situations. Also to think about: They will not be admitted to public schools without being vaccinated!

I believe you should definitely vaccinate. I know that many people say that the diseases they vaccinate for are no longer prevalent. It is because of the long term use of vaccines that we no longer have to worry about polio and other dreadful diseases. If your concern is about autism, there is very little direct evidence to suggest that vaccines CAUSE autism. In fact the ingredient (thimerosol) that has been blamed for autism is no longer in the vast majority of vaccines. As for the flu vaccine problems this year, the CDC misjudged what type of flu would likely occur this year and that is why people are still getting sick. There are so many bad things in the world that we cannot protect our children from, but vaccinating them is one way to ensure that the really bad diseases stay eradicated!

I agree with Debbie L. It is important when you hear the possible dangers of immunizing to weigh the considerable dangers of not doing so.

DO consult solid resources such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC for solid facts. The website sited earlier Naturodoc.com appears to be put together by a regular physician. But upon checking his credentials you will discover that he is a homeopathic doctor - which is not a standard medical degree. For example, if you check with the AAP or the CDC you will find that with the exception of some of the flu vaccines, thimerosal has been removed from children's vaccines! (And, autism rates have continued to rise.)

I think it is also important to consider others when making this decision. Our kids are immunized against pertussis. But if your family has not been immunized and you catch this virus, it will probably not harm you or your older children. But if your kids are around someone's infant (or your own!), and that infant contracts pertussis it could easily be deadly.

Here's a good link: http://www.vaccineinformation.org/
Of course, this website is in favor of vaccinating, but it also has alot of good links for folks who are concerned liker yourself.

good luck with your decision-
J.

I chose to vaccinate. One of the biggest factors`

Your children have to be vaccinated to attend any daycare or school.....there is nothing dangerous about it. Take Care

First, are planning on putting them in public or private school? If so they have to have all their vaccinations or the school will NOT allow them to enter school until they have them all. There is at least 18 different shots they have to have before entering school.

If you plan on home schooling your children all the way until they graduate high school then there is nothing to worry about.

I am an adult who has had all the vaccination required and have had no problems. My son has had all of them and has had no problems.

The only problem you will run into if you don't vaccinate your kids is getting them into school.

I am a full time working mom of a handsome 4 year old boy. I am just writing to tell you that I get my child vaccinated whenever it is time. The only thing that you need to remember, however, is that by getting them vaccinated, you are not preventing them from catching it but you are merely preventing them from catching it as bad. I found that out this winter when my child got vaccinated for the flu and he came down with the flu a few weeks later. He did not get it as bad but he did still get the flu. So, I talked to his doctor about it because I was aggravated at giving my child a shot for no reason. I am not sure what I will continue to do in the future but I figured you would at least want to know this tid bit of information.

I waited until my daughter was 6 months...I think, maybe a little longer. My doc didn't have a problem with it becuse she stays at home with me. He did say he would have demanded to do it sooner if she had gone to day care. If your kids are not at risk I would wait a while you never know how their little systems will react.