childhood vaccination?
Question:
Please consider researching it thoroughly. One option the medical establishment doesn’t let you know about is that (at least in the U.S.), you don’t have to follow the exact schedule they recommend. If you administer them separately and when your baby is at an age you feel comfortable with, you won’t overload your baby’s system with so much at once. I have lots of info on this and can recommend several books. I’d recommend checking out the website Together, a non-biased but honest (about side effects) group. Good luck. Feel free to e-mail me directly. lauren cull norford
Response:
Please consider researching it thoroughly. One option the medical establishment doesn’t let you know about is that (at least in the U.S.), you don’t have to follow the exact schedule they recommend. If you administer them separately and when your baby is at an age you feel comfortable with, you won’t overload your baby’s system with so much at once.
I agree wholeheartedly with this suggestion. We really agonized over this decision with our daughter. Eventually we did vaccinate but 1- very, very late, 2-always the "attenuated" versions (DTap – non-oral polio …) 3- never all at once, just one at a time 4- never, never if our daughter was in the least sick. The standard line is no fever over 102 I think within the previous 24 hours but we did more like — nothing, not even a runny nose from a cold within 2 weeks at least!! We always felt it better to be safe then sorry (although I’m sure some would think that by not getting the vaccines would create a "not-safe" situation!) It really is such a personal (and scarey) choice that we all face with children. Good luck to the original poster. Kerrie (ma to Kory) Way down deep, we’re all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them. — Jim Davis, American Cartoonist
Response:
I struggled with this one a lot and finally came to the decision not to vaccinate through conventional vaccines. I do mine homeopathically and herbally. I reached this decision by asking myself (after reading tones of articles and books on the subject), if my child were to die from the vaccine, would I forgive myself? No. If she died from not being vaccinated, would I forgive myself? Eventually, yes.
I am not trying to flame you, so I hope I come across as being nice. If you can’t tell from my screen name, I am a nurse-a pediatric nurse to be exact. I have cared for children who have died from many different reasons-some preventable and others not. Either way, the death was sad. I would have to say that I would feel the opposite of you. If my child died from not being vaccinated I would have a hard time forgiving myself. Then again, if he died from any reason, I would have a hard time forgiving myself. But let us hope we never have to find this out! I do love learning different things from all of the parents here. It keeps me on my toes.
Response:
Thank you for listing this site. I will add it to my list. Kay
Response:
No offence taken. I did mention that I understand that not everyone is as comfortable with the use of more natural approaches and I find that people involved in the medical field are usually reluctant to condone it’s use. I too came from a somewhat medical background with being involved with veterinary clinics. I have a very good understanding of vaccines. I researched from a lot of different sources before I came to my decision. But my doctor’s feelings that the risks posed to unvaccinated children were so low as to not be a factor in the decision helped. If the vaccines work so well, why do children still get the diseases? It is not just unvaccinated children that get ill from the "preventable" diseases. The argument that the unvaccinated children are getting the other children sick doesn’t stand up if the vaccines are really preventing what they are supposed to be preventing. I don’t particularly worry about whether other people vaccinate their children allopathically or not. I just feel that parents should make an informed decision based on a few different sources including some that are not controlled heavily by the influence of the pharmaceutical companies. And I do offer my children protection from diseases through the educated (both from my personal studying and the use of a trained naturopath) use of herbal and homeopathic products. I respect that other people don’t feel as comfortable going against what we have been taught since we were children about vaccines. Kay
Response:
I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
After much soul searching/research/discussion with various doctors/etc… I came to the conclusion that the preventative benefit you will get with vaccinations outweighs the potential complications. My reccomendation would be to get your child vaccinated.
Response:
I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input.
I guess each person has to make his/her own decision on this matter. I personally vaccinated my daughter against all childhood illnesses *except* pertussis….due to a family history of allergic reaction to that vaccine. But let me tell you, every time I took care of a baby with pertussis, I would worry that my daughter would one day get it. And trust me, a 5 month old with pertussis is not a pretty sight. The fact is that these childhood diseases are preventable….and by preventing the diseases, we are preventing the often devastating complications that go along with them. As more and more children are unimmunized, the prevalence of the diseases will increase. Ask your homeopathic doctor what treatment he will use if your daughter should come down with polio??? What herbs out there will cure it??? But routine immunizations can prevent it. (off my soap box and stepping into my flame-proof suit) Jackie Single mom to Kaitlin Pediatric ER Nurse
Response:
I struggled with this one a lot and finally came to the decision not to vaccinate through conventional vaccines. I do mine homeopathically and herbally. I reached this decision by asking myself (after reading tones of articles and books on the subject), if my child were to die from the vaccine, would I forgive myself? No. If she died from not being vaccinated, would I forgive myself? Eventually, yes. I have tried to locate some of the articles I had read a few years ago and can’t find them now. One of the articles stated that under oath in a US court, Salk testified that the only remaining source of the polio virus is from his vaccines. I also asked my family doctor what his feelings were on the subject. He said that he NEVER recommends a vaccine before the age of six months but will provide it if the parents request it. He said that waiting until a year before giving a vaccine is fine as children under a year aren’t inclined to get the diseases we vaccinate against (in most cases). After a year, the only vaccine he strongly recommends is the tetnus vaccine. The other vaccines he recommends, not because the risk to an individual child is high but rather to keep the vaccine rate up. I chose not to expose my children to higher risk just to keep a national average up. I have recommended to friends who are struggling with the idea, to go to a naturopath, explain that you will be vaccinating and that you would like to offer support to the child’s system through natural means. My homeopathic doctor said that he would have a program to start before the child is vaccinated with allopathic means and it would continue after the injections were given. I happened to feel more comfortable not using any allopathic vaccines but respect that others don’t have that comfort level when choosing natural alternatives. I would strongly recommend not doing the pertusis vaccine. I would also suggest reading as much as you can on the subject from a wide variety of sources. I was comforted by having my family doctor’s opinion to compare to my naturopathic doctor’s opinion. Good luck Kay
Response:
I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
Response:
I would recamend that you wait until the child in older before you would think of vaccinate your daughter. If you are using homeopathic remedies you will be able to head off most of the childhood illness if caught early enough.
Big "if," don’t you think? Also, one trouble with delayed vaccination is that some diseases (e.g. pertussis) are particularly severe in infants. One friend of mine her daughter went into a coma for two weeks after recieving her first shot. Her Doctor will not vaccinate any of her other childred after that. Several other families where there was asthma in the family the children developed asthma after recieving their shots.
I don’t quite follow this last paragraph. Do you mean that there was a history of asthma in the family, and the kids got it, or that there’d been no asthma and the kids only got it after being vaccinated? (If the latter, I’d want a lot more info, like what ages, which vaccinations, etc. Coincidences do happen.) — David Wright :: wright at ibnets.com :: Not a Spokesman for Anyone These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct. While the unexamined life may not be worth living, the over- examined life is not being lived.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
My heart goes out to you. I remember the struggle I went through with this same question. I can let you know what my experiences were with vaccainations. My first son I had his first vacination at 6 weeks. A full week of fevers and a very fussy baby. My Doctor did not like that reaction so he wanted me to wait a full year before my son had any more shots. This son had no ear infections. My second son I also had his vaccinations on schedule. He had one ear infection after another. Finally by age two he had to have tuge placed in his ears to clear up an infection that would not clear up with medication. He now at age thirteen has a 25% hearing loss in his right ear. (I have learned that children who have had tubes in thier ears have a greater chance of hearing loss as they get older.) My third son we did the same thing as the second. (We sure where slow learners). Not only did this son have nasty ear infections but the medication was making him sick. Out of desperation we turned to a Naturopath who gave us a homeopathic remedy (I had been reading about the remedies and had read how the were made. I thought they were just sugar pills that could not possibly work how foolish of me) which cleared up the infection within three days. My son started to get ear infections a few more times which we were able to stop very quickly with the homeopathic remedy. Our fourth son (we finally wised up) I did have vaccinaded until age 4 never had an ear infection in his life. I would recamend that you wait until the child in older before you would think of vaccinate your daughter. If you are using homeopathic remedies you will be able to head off most of the childhood illness if caught early enough. One friend of mine her daughter went into a coma for two weeks after recieving her first shot. Her Doctor will not vaccinate any of her other childred after that. Several other families where there was asthma in the family the children developed asthma after recieving their shots. This is still your choice. Read everything you can about the pro’s and con’s then make your choice on all the information you have gathered. I wish now I had kept the books I had used to make my choice they were very good at listing documentation for both sides. My prayers are with you in making your choice. J9
Response:
No, "any reasonable person" does NOT believe this. Many reasonable people observe that the majority of children in measles outbreaks, for example, are fully "immunized," and that diseases like polio were declining prior to vaccine introduction, and that the incidence of "aseptic meningitis" doubled as polio vaccine got the credit for eradicating polio, and that children with asthma are twice as likely to have been vaccinated with pertussis vaccine as children without (and the asthma epidemic in Third World countries started right after the WHO’s wonderful immunization campaign in the 80’s). We note that in a healthy, well-nourished individual, the risk of exposure, multiplied by the risk of complications of a given disease, may not equal the risk associated with the complications of a vaccine. We question whether the injection of pathogens normally contracted by a digestive or respiratory route does not hot-wire the immune system to generate IGG-mediated autoimmune diseases like RA, lupus, etc. later on in life. Considering all this, we research each individual vaccine thoroughly, and we find a pediatrician who will cooperate with us in opting for or against each individual vaccine. Our USA system of compulsory medical vaccination is morally and ethically indefensible, and does not improve our control of epidemics compared to European countries with optional vaccine programs!!! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – any reasonable person realizes that vaccinations have been one of the major reasons why childhood diseases have declined. Just look at the many childhood epidemics which are usually due to unvaccinated children.
Response:
I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. It is important to look at the source of the information that you are receiving. What are the credentials of those who are giving the information? Do they have an axe to grind?? Read any book on infectious disease to see how vaccinations have dramatically decreased incidence of childhood diseases, eliminated smallpox (and almost eliminated polio). You will probably get email from many antivaccination individuals with all kinds of horror stories. But the bottom line is that your precious child is much more likely to be maimed or killed in auto accident whenever you drive her somewhere than she is to be maimed or killed by a vaccination. <SNIP
One must be smart in analyzing what is being said. For example I have seen it claimed that the mumps vaccine has been linked with neurological disorders, however the vaccines that are given here in the US, there is no higher incidence in these disorders in the vaccinated population than there is in the unvaccinated population. That just doesn’t make sense. There are also other things you can do to increase your child getting some of these side effects, by finding out which lot numbers the particular vaccine your child will receive and then find out if it is a "hot" lot or not (i.e. what the incidence of negative reactions are). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses If you believe that homeopathy is highly effective for all types of diseases then it is clear that your need for evidence is sorely lacking. Homeopathic remedies, especially the higher potency ones, don’t have ANY molecules of the active substance. How homeopathic remedies could be highly effective for ANYTHING is very doubtful. I realize that there are true believers who are convinced that homepathic remedies are more than just placebo but I have my doubts. but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? Vaccinations are preventative medicine at its finest. The body naturally produces antibodies to the introduced vaccine. It is a brilliant example of how we apply understanding of immunology to develop a way to have the body utilize its own natural defense mechanism to confer protection against disease. Even homeopaths are smart enough to know that vaccinations are useful.
From the little bit I have actually researched on this, I would like to see some more long-term studies of side effects, though. There is a lot of conflicting information, and it does get emotionally charged, so it is not always an easy decision to make. Hope this helps Leland Weathers Aloha, Rich
Leland Weathers
Response:
I would recamend that you wait until the child in older before you would think of vaccinate your daughter. If you are using homeopathic remedies you will be able to head off most of the childhood illness if caught early enough.
Big "if," don’t you think? Also, one trouble with delayed vaccination is that some diseases (e.g. pertussis) are particularly severe in infants. One friend of mine her daughter went into a coma for two weeks after recieving her first shot. Her Doctor will not vaccinate any of her other childred after that. Several other families where there was asthma in the family the children developed asthma after recieving their shots.
I don’t quite follow this last paragraph. Do you mean that there was a history of asthma in the family, and the kids got it, or that there’d been no asthma and the kids only got it after being vaccinated? (If the latter, I’d want a lot more info, like what ages, which vaccinations, etc. Coincidences do happen.) — David Wright :: wright at ibnets.com :: Not a Spokesman for Anyone These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct. While the unexamined life may not be worth living, the over- examined life is not being lived.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
My heart goes out to you. I remember the struggle I went through with this same question. I can let you know what my experiences were with vaccainations. My first son I had his first vacination at 6 weeks. A full week of fevers and a very fussy baby. My Doctor did not like that reaction so he wanted me to wait a full year before my son had any more shots. This son had no ear infections. My second son I also had his vaccinations on schedule. He had one ear infection after another. Finally by age two he had to have tuge placed in his ears to clear up an infection that would not clear up with medication. He now at age thirteen has a 25% hearing loss in his right ear. (I have learned that children who have had tubes in thier ears have a greater chance of hearing loss as they get older.) My third son we did the same thing as the second. (We sure where slow learners). Not only did this son have nasty ear infections but the medication was making him sick. Out of desperation we turned to a Naturopath who gave us a homeopathic remedy (I had been reading about the remedies and had read how the were made. I thought they were just sugar pills that could not possibly work how foolish of me) which cleared up the infection within three days. My son started to get ear infections a few more times which we were able to stop very quickly with the homeopathic remedy. Our fourth son (we finally wised up) I did have vaccinaded until age 4 never had an ear infection in his life. I would recamend that you wait until the child in older before you would think of vaccinate your daughter. If you are using homeopathic remedies you will be able to head off most of the childhood illness if caught early enough. One friend of mine her daughter went into a coma for two weeks after recieving her first shot. Her Doctor will not vaccinate any of her other childred after that. Several other families where there was asthma in the family the children developed asthma after recieving their shots. This is still your choice. Read everything you can about the pro’s and con’s then make your choice on all the information you have gathered. I wish now I had kept the books I had used to make my choice they were very good at listing documentation for both sides. My prayers are with you in making your choice. J9
Response:
No, "any reasonable person" does NOT believe this. Many reasonable people observe that the majority of children in measles outbreaks, for example, are fully "immunized," and that diseases like polio were declining prior to vaccine introduction, and that the incidence of "aseptic meningitis" doubled as polio vaccine got the credit for eradicating polio, and that children with asthma are twice as likely to have been vaccinated with pertussis vaccine as children without (and the asthma epidemic in Third World countries started right after the WHO’s wonderful immunization campaign in the 80’s). We note that in a healthy, well-nourished individual, the risk of exposure, multiplied by the risk of complications of a given disease, may not equal the risk associated with the complications of a vaccine. We question whether the injection of pathogens normally contracted by a digestive or respiratory route does not hot-wire the immune system to generate IGG-mediated autoimmune diseases like RA, lupus, etc. later on in life. Considering all this, we research each individual vaccine thoroughly, and we find a pediatrician who will cooperate with us in opting for or against each individual vaccine. Our USA system of compulsory medical vaccination is morally and ethically indefensible, and does not improve our control of epidemics compared to European countries with optional vaccine programs!!! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – any reasonable person realizes that vaccinations have been one of the major reasons why childhood diseases have declined. Just look at the many childhood epidemics which are usually due to unvaccinated children.
Response:
I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? I would be most interested to hear from other parents who have wrangled with the decision and anyone else who has some input. Thanks, Amanda
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m sure this topic has come up before but I am beginning to question the vaccinations my 8 week old daughter "should" be getting. I have read and read so many articles on the pros and cons of vaccination and am now more confused than ever. It is important to look at the source of the information that you are receiving. What are the credentials of those who are giving the information? Do they have an axe to grind?? Read any book on infectious disease to see how vaccinations have dramatically decreased incidence of childhood diseases, eliminated smallpox (and almost eliminated polio). You will probably get email from many antivaccination individuals with all kinds of horror stories. But the bottom line is that your precious child is much more likely to be maimed or killed in auto accident whenever you drive her somewhere than she is to be maimed or killed by a vaccination. <SNIP
One must be smart in analyzing what is being said. For example I have seen it claimed that the mumps vaccine has been linked with neurological disorders, however the vaccines that are given here in the US, there is no higher incidence in these disorders in the vaccinated population than there is in the unvaccinated population. That just doesn’t make sense. There are also other things you can do to increase your child getting some of these side effects, by finding out which lot numbers the particular vaccine your child will receive and then find out if it is a "hot" lot or not (i.e. what the incidence of negative reactions are). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -For the past 10 years I have been seeing a homeopathic doctor and have always believed this type of medicine to be highly effective for all types of illnesses If you believe that homeopathy is highly effective for all types of diseases then it is clear that your need for evidence is sorely lacking. Homeopathic remedies, especially the higher potency ones, don’t have ANY molecules of the active substance. How homeopathic remedies could be highly effective for ANYTHING is very doubtful. I realize that there are true believers who are convinced that homepathic remedies are more than just placebo but I have my doubts. but I seem to be getting mixed messages as to who believes in what. The London Association of Homeopathy recommends orthodox immunisation with standard vaccines..but what about all the Homeopathic doctors who minister holistic health? Vaccinations are preventative medicine at its finest. The body naturally produces antibodies to the introduced vaccine. It is a brilliant example of how we apply understanding of immunology to develop a way to have the body utilize its own natural defense mechanism to confer protection against disease. Even homeopaths are smart enough to know that vaccinations are useful.
From the little bit I have actually researched on this, I would like to see some more long-term studies of side effects, though. There is a lot of conflicting information, and it does get emotionally charged, so it is not always an easy decision to make. Hope this helps Leland Weathers Aloha, Rich
Leland Weathers
Response:
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