To Vaccinate or Not--That is the Question!
My parents never thought twice about my vaccinations. It was required by the schools way back then (I'm 51) and for the most part still is. I know my folks' generation saw this scientific advancement as another way to protect their children.
But there are different schools of thought now on this subject and recent articles, as well as an Op-Ed in The New York Times brought the subject to light again.
And whenever the subject turns to prevention, we turn to our expert, Dr. Carl Baum of The Center for Children's Environmental Toxicology--Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. He took a brief stroll down memory lane and what he remembered might startle you.
Here is what Dr. Baum had to say:
In 1990, a large measles outbreak produced over 27,000 cases and 89 deaths in the United States. In Philadelphia, where I was training in pediatrics, there were over 1400 cases, almost one-third of which occurred among members of 2 church groups in Philadelphia. By the following spring, 6 people had died.
This was a disaster that highlighted the global importance of prevention. As in many other disasters, a natural process can accelerate because effective preventive strategies fail or are circumvented. In the 1990 measles outbreak, the disease spread rapidly, predominantly among preschool-age children. It turns out that the Philadelphia church groups claimed religious exemption and refused vaccinations for their members.
Why dredge up this memory? Because it is also the future: there will be more "exemptions" (read: failures) to vaccinate children against preventable disease, and therefore more disasters. In the recent case of Hannah Poling, the 9-year-old autistic girl with mitochondrial disease, a federal vaccine claims court ruled--contrary to the medical literature--that vaccines had worsened her condition. As Dr. Paul Offit, one of the great teachers from my residency, recently wrote in an Op-Ed column in The New York Times ..."the system worked fine until a few years ago, when vaccine court judges turned their back on science...."
The irony is that many of the parents who exempt their children from vaccines believe they are doing their best to protect them. In fact, when abandoning effective preventive strategies, they are doing just the opposite.
Do you agree with Dr. Baum? Have you vaccinated your children? Or do you opt out? Let us know...this is an important issue and we want to hear what you have to say.
(c) Leah-Anne Thompson. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
But there are different schools of thought now on this subject and recent articles, as well as an Op-Ed in The New York Times brought the subject to light again.
And whenever the subject turns to prevention, we turn to our expert, Dr. Carl Baum of The Center for Children's Environmental Toxicology--Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. He took a brief stroll down memory lane and what he remembered might startle you.
Here is what Dr. Baum had to say:
In 1990, a large measles outbreak produced over 27,000 cases and 89 deaths in the United States. In Philadelphia, where I was training in pediatrics, there were over 1400 cases, almost one-third of which occurred among members of 2 church groups in Philadelphia. By the following spring, 6 people had died.
This was a disaster that highlighted the global importance of prevention. As in many other disasters, a natural process can accelerate because effective preventive strategies fail or are circumvented. In the 1990 measles outbreak, the disease spread rapidly, predominantly among preschool-age children. It turns out that the Philadelphia church groups claimed religious exemption and refused vaccinations for their members.
Why dredge up this memory? Because it is also the future: there will be more "exemptions" (read: failures) to vaccinate children against preventable disease, and therefore more disasters. In the recent case of Hannah Poling, the 9-year-old autistic girl with mitochondrial disease, a federal vaccine claims court ruled--contrary to the medical literature--that vaccines had worsened her condition. As Dr. Paul Offit, one of the great teachers from my residency, recently wrote in an Op-Ed column in The New York Times ..."the system worked fine until a few years ago, when vaccine court judges turned their back on science...."
The irony is that many of the parents who exempt their children from vaccines believe they are doing their best to protect them. In fact, when abandoning effective preventive strategies, they are doing just the opposite.
Do you agree with Dr. Baum? Have you vaccinated your children? Or do you opt out? Let us know...this is an important issue and we want to hear what you have to say.
(c) Leah-Anne Thompson. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
36 Comments:
I have semi-vaccinated my eldest, but with my second I only gave her one, and witnessed autistic like symptoms immediately afterwards. I will hopefully not give her any more. I firmly believe that vaccines are NOT healthy for children, and that the vaccine industry is SO influential that they pay out all the big government science organizations to say that it is safe (NIH, CDC, FDA). There is no way that bombarding a kids immune system with chemicals at such a young age can be anything safe.
what shot did you give? wow after only one shot you noticed a difference.
are your children in school? if so, how does it work without having the shots?
You dont have to get your kids their shots to go to school. They just try and scare you into it. But you can be exempt if you tell them your kids had a reaction or tell them its against your religion. My daughter hasnt had one shot and she is so smart, and she is just fine. And she is in school.
I will be 61 years old on the 6th of next month. I am the oldest of seven children. I had and raised four children of my own and I am, presently, the grandmother of four sweethearts.
I can remember many years ago, we used to watch the "March of Dimes" telethons where they would show these kids in those huge, horrible iron lungs. On the other end of our block, we had a neighbor boy, who was my age, who had had polio, and could not walk without his crutches and braces. My Sunday School teacher had to use similiar crutches and braces, just a larger version...all of these made a definite influence on my young mind.
I remember when I was in the second grade, they bussed all of us kids (who had permission notes from parents) to the high school gym where the county health nurses gave lines and lines of us kids the brand new polio shots that Dr. Jonas Salk discovered in his studies. I don't think any of us kids objected to the small amount of pain we encountered, especially seeing and knowing about the effects of the dreaded polio disease.
Fast forwarding to having a daughter and three sons of my own....my daughter was born on September 11, 1968. She was the only one of my four children who was given the smallpox vaccine because, shortly after her birth, they decided that smallpox was pretty well extinct. I remember when I had mine. My mother didn't want mine to be on my arm so it wouldn't be noticable, so our doctor, himself, put it on my leg.
I did everything I could do to be the good mother I tried to be, by making sure the kids got all of the preventive medical discoveries so the kids wouldn't get sick like we did we were kids..by this time, the polio shots weren't shots anymore...just a few drops of red liquid did it. I was always so amazed that just a few drops of anything could give you a lifetime of immunity.
Continuing to fast forward to the present day. My two oldest children each have two children of their own. My daughter has a son and a daughter. They were both born at home with a midwife present, and neither of the kids have received any kind of immunizations because their parents believe that it is not safe for the children to take them. They have been home-schooled so they, supposedly, don't need to get the "shots" in whatever forms they come. I really am afraid of the consequences that they may suffer because of this decision..but I vowed not to be an "interfering mother and grandmother" when my children became parents themselves. My son and his wife see to it that their two sons are kept up on their vaccines.
I have read the pros and cons on this, and I do have my own personal opinion, but I really believe that I have to let my children decide what is best for THEIR children.
My youngest son is getting married in September...I have no idea, what they might do...maybe half and half.
I am 60 years old, and one of seven children. Unfortunately the measles, mumps, and chickenpox vaccines were not around when we were babies. Some of us still have scars do to these horrible and sometimes fatal diseases. Let me ask these young parents, have you ever seen a child with measles, mumps, chickenpox, hooping cough, polio, smallpox, dipthera, etc. Study up on these diseases and you will see how devastating they can be. I think if you could go to some of the third world countries that don't have access to vaccines and see how children and parents suffer, you would see how important they are. I'm sure these parents, after seeing their children suffer would not hesitate to have their children vaccinated.
I am a mother of a 19 month old girl, and have another on the way. I have carefully weighed the vaccine debate and although I do believe it should be the individual's (not the government's) decision, I have gotten MOST of the vaccines for my daughter. I am grateful that she has not shown any signs of autism and would cease vaccinations if she had any adverse signs. However, the one vaccine I refuse to get is Chicken Pox. It has not been proven to be effective and exposing your kids at at an appropriate age so they develop a normal case has shown to be very effective. I do think vaccines can go a bit too far.
Why in the world would you put chemicals into a baby?
especially the hepatitis b shot?
A BABY is not going to go out and have sex and get exposed to blood that would cause hepatitis B!
I have not given my daughter any shots, I feel that newborns need to build up their immunity first, and then maybe when she's older she'll get a couple, but there are some I completely refuse to give her.
If you do vaccinate and your child and it shows autistic like symptoms and learning problems .There is light at the end of the tunnel.thay just dont tell about it get a lawyer.have him look at the childhood vac act.the goverment protects the drug companies.thay believe the good out weighs the bad.and will pay damages for adverse affects to vaccines.
I strongly believe in the vaccinations! What I don't believe in, is unvaccinated children allowed to be in school with my children, putting everyone at risk! I believe in your rights, but don't let your rights put my children at harm. I believe if your child is unvaccinated stay home! No public schools, no public sports. It is your right as a parent not to, it is my right as a parent not to want your beliefs putting my children at risk!
I am a paraplegic survivor of polio in 1950 at age 5 years. When my daughter was small I knowingly allowed her to be given the live virus polio vaccine that was given at that time, I knew the risks of her coming down with polio possibly. Now the vaccine is the inactivated/killed one. I am posting a news release below regarding the one million unvaccinated children in the USA who have not had their polio shots. It is a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Please copy and paste this to your local newspapers and radio and tv stations. Thank you.
INTERNATIONAL
POST-POLIO TASK FORCE
International Centre for Post-Polio Education and Research
at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
Englewood, New Jersey 07631 USA
877-Post-Polio 201-894-3724
[email]PostPolioInfo@aol.com[/email]
PostPolioInfo.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Gordon 1-877-Post-Polio
AS POLIO RETURNS TO THE US
POLIO “NIPP IT” WEEK ANNOUNCED -- APRIL 19-26
International Post-Polio Task Force and Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter Announce Polio Vaccination Campaign
to “Nip” America’s Next Polio Epidemic in the Bud.
April 12, 2008: ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY USA -- Today, the 52nd anniversary of the development of the injectable polio vaccine, the International Post-Polio Task Force (IPTF) announced National Immunization for Polio Prevention in Infants and Toddlers - or "NIPP IT" -- WEEK, April 19-26.
“NIPP IT” WEEK, supported by Rotary International and Every Child by Two (ECBT.org), cofounded by former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumpers to promote immunization of all children by age two, is intended to prompt parents, healthcare professionals and state health officials to ensure that all American children receive four doses of the injectable, inactivated polio vaccine.
Alarming Drops in Polio Vaccination in Border States and Ports of Entry.
Between 2005 to 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported drops in polio vaccination in twenty states and in ten large US cities, along with importation of poliovirus across borders into the US that caused polio infections in Minnesota and Arizona.
"The return of polio to the US and drops in polio vaccination are very disturbing," said Dr. Richard L. Bruno, Chairperson of the International Post-Polio Task Force. CDC estimates that more than one million US toddlers are unvaccinated. "While there was a small nationwide increase in polio vaccination of about 1%, twenty states had an average reduction of more than 2%, while in ten cities polio vaccination dropped by an average of nearly 3%," added Bruno, who is also director of The Post-Polio Institute and International Centre for Post-Polio Education and Research at New Jersey's Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.
Even more disturbing, states with the largest drops in polio vaccination are on the borders with Mexico and Canada. Arizona, Texas and New Mexico reported an average drop of one and one-half percent. Seventy percent of the states that border Canada reported average drops in polio vaccination of about 3%. Montana had a 6% decrease and Maine dropped 7%.
“Even Minnesota had a decrease, which is frightening,” said Dr. Bruno. Five Minnesota children caught polio in 2005 after coming in contact with someone importing poliovirus from outside the US.
Dr. Bruno is also concerned about cities that are major points of entry into the US -- New York, Philadelphia, Houston and Seattle -- where a nearly 4% average drop in polio vaccination was reported.
City Children Living in Poverty Have Lowest Polio Vaccination Rates.
Toddlers living in poverty have the lowest polio vaccination rates -- below 87% in Boston, Indianapolis, Memphis and Phoenix, and below 85% in Detroit, Houston and Seattle -- rates lower than in Western Pacific countries that include Cambodia, Mongolia and Vietnam.
"The children who had polio in Minnesota are canaries in the mine shaft," said Dr. Bruno.
“Young parents don't vaccinate because they don't remember the terror that was polio or realize that the vaccine did not ‘cure’ polio.” Polio has never come under control in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria. And, the poliovirus has been reintroduced to ten African and Asian nations that were polio free.
"With the ease of air travel,” asked Dr. Bruno, “What will happen when a polio-infected individual lands in one of America's potential polio pockets, like New York City, and passes poliovirus to the estimated 24,000 infants and toddlers in that city who are not immunized?"
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter agreed, saying, "Our country has come so far to protect against polio through universal vaccination. We cannot afford to relax our efforts because polio is still a real problem in parts of the world and can easily be transported back to the US We cannot risk a single child to this terrible disease."
"We need “NIPP IT WEEK” to raise awareness of the need for polio vaccination and hopefully ‘nip’ America’s next polio epidemic in the bud,” said Dr. Bruno.
Said Betty Bumpers, Former Arkansas First Lady, "I have seen the ravages of polio here in the U.S., prior to the development of the vaccine, and its current victims in Africa. It is imperative that we keep our polio vaccination rates high to make certain that not one person in the US suffers polio's consequences."
Dr. Bruno agreed, saying, "The polio vaccine has been a victim of its own success. We must do more to vaccinate America's children against this deadly and disabling disease. America's next polio epidemic could be just a car or plane ride away."
###
I have three girls and have vaccinated all of them. I find it hard to believe parents choose not to protect their children. It's almost like letting them cross the street by themselves and hoping a car doesn't drive by. I'm not willing to play those odds. If there is a way to protect my child I'll do it.
I am 21 and the mother of a 15 month old. He is the light of my life and I would rather vaccinate him and run the risk of him becoming autistic than not vaccinating him and running the risk of losing him to some of these diseases that I am trying to protect him from. Like I said, he's 15 months old, has had ALL of his shots that he should have, and has not shown ANY signs of autism. As a matter of fact, he is already putting sentences together. I agree with one of the parents who said that he/she vaccinated his/her children and doesnt want the unvaccinated ones in school with his/her children. I don't want my child ending up contracting something from a friend because some parent was selfish and didnt want their child vaccinated because they could end being autistic....
I completely agree with the post above me. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant, and I know that when my baby is born, he or she will be vaccinated. I had chicken pox as a child and I had it so badly that I have a lifelong scar from it. I have had all my vaccinations and I am a perfectly healthy 23 yr old woman. If you decide not to vaccinate your children, then please home school them. For any parent who has children, or adults who remember their schooldays, let us not forget how something like head lice or the common cold would spread like wildfire through our schools and daycares. I'm sorry if some parents think that I am being bigoted about it, but when it comes to the safety and health of my child, I would rather be safe than sorry.
I have a three month old baby boy who was born one month premature. I have received advice from my mom who says I should not vaccinate because he might become autistic. Or wait 'till he's older and then do it. I believe he SHOULD be vaccinated, but now I scared and have found that it happens alot more than I thought. I am just going to wait and research as much as I can, and then give him only the ones I believe to be proven the safest and most needed!
I believe vaccinating is important, but not for every possible virus/disease known to mankind. I did my own research (medical journals/statistics studies) in planning for children and spoke to people in the medical profession who are appaled at the number of vaccinations given to children before their immune system develops. From my own experience - when I got my yearly flu shot, I always came down with the flu. Now I am shot free and flu free! Did you know that seven vaccines injected into a 13 lb. two-month old infant are equivalent to 70 doses in a 130 lb. adult? How can we justify what is being done to infants?
The vaccination schedule states, "Your child can safely receive all vaccines recommended for a particular age during one visit." Public health officials, however, have never proven that it is indeed safe to inject this many vaccines into infants. What's more, they cannot explain why, simultaneously with an increasing number of vaccinations, there has been an explosion of neurologic and immune system disorders in our nation’s children. Fifty years ago, when the immunization schedule contained only four vaccines (for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and smallpox), autism was virtually unknown. [Donald Miller, MD]
How can we justify that in order to prevent a couple of hundred deaths from a disease - we need to, "for the greater good", let several hundred children die from vaccinations and leave thousands with developmental and neurological disorders to suffer for the rest of their life? Of course we all know that the money made in this industry is far too great to change to a sensible vaccination schedule - for the benefit of the children, NOT beurocratic pocket stuffers.
I urge you to do your own research and keep an open mind. If you are persistent and look beyond what mainstream media and pro-pharma sites offer you, you'll dig into the truth, shocking as it is. [would you feed food with mercury in it to your baby for breakfast?]Sometimes I wish I never knew any of this, now I am responsible for my children, the government does not care abou them. Hopefully more people will come to their senses and realize that government is not always to be taken at their word [unless you believe in communism or totalitarianism ;) ]
For you read:
http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/search?q=nigeria
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2005/12/07/the_age_of_autism_a_pretty_big_secret/6829/
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html
Although I have vaccinated my son so far, I'm beginning to question the logic behind all the mandate...
My chiropractor gave me this book called "The sanctity of human blood: vaccination i$ not immunization" by Tim O'Shea and it's amazing what you'll find in there.
One thing I got out of it is, to start questioning things and not just accept it, especially if there are billions of dollars of reasons to deceive people.
To the parent who really believe in vaccination and afraid of other kids who are not, why should you worry if your kids are vaccinated? Isn't that the whole point?
I think the key misconception is that people believe vaccination is some kind of protection despite the potential side effect versus others who don't believe the vaccinations do what they are supposed to do - and is only being pushed so that the drug companies make money.
The facts you have to consider is that the US has more mandated vaccines than any other countries, and yet has the highest infant mortality rate and highest autism rates.
For those of you concerned about the 'threat' of unvaccinated kids running with yours, YOU MAKE NO SENSE. If you believe the vaccines are SO effective, then WHY are you worried about some other kid? In your mind, YOUR kid is 'protected' right? You got the vaccine so that, if exposed, your child would not experience the illness. So your objection MAKES NO SENSE. Problem is, everyone knows that getting the vaccine is NO gaurantee against getting the illness. Furthermore, you believe all the medical community hype: they want you to believe you'll just drop dead from any of these illnesses, but it just didn't happen that way. Check your history, and ask yourself, if the vaccines are so safe, WHY did you sign all those forms agreeing that YOU the parent, NOT the doctor, pharm company, or CDC is responsible to any negative outcomes in your child?
From the prospectve of the mother of a child who was vaccinatd and became autistic as a result:
From the bottom of my heart I feel that vaccinations are truly unhealthy and at some point we need to recognize that our bodies are designed by the creator of the universe to work with the natural things on this planet to fight off these diseases. I truly believe putting these vaccines in to our bodies is posing a much greater risk than it is helping. Because Autism affects mostly boys I believe our boys are at such a higher risk for not being able to become then men they could be. Had I known then what I know now about Autism and how vaccines contribute drastically to children developing Autism, I never would have given my son his vaccinations.
For those of you who think Autism is something you would rather "deal with", think again. My son is incredibly aggressive, frustrated, irritable, has difficulty communicating, screams sometimes uncontrollably, and just really doesn't do well in public. We tend to avoid certain social outings because of his sometimes eratic behavior- even playdates are not always a reality for us. Ask your self- honestly. Is this something you would rather deal with?
At some point you have to learn to just trust that the God who made our children will protect them from these diseases and not rely so greatly on science to protect them. I suffered ADHD as a child (and even now) and modern science links the vaccines I received as a child to this condition.
It cracks me up to see how families are so passionate about vaccinating their children but sit back and watch merrily as they become obese at age 6 and 7 because their parents were not nearly as passionate about their diets and about getting them away from the television as they were about vaccinating them. Or these parents who yell and scream about not allowing unvaccinated children with their precious vaccinated children. It cracks me up! Let's spend more time fighting about things that matter when it comes to our children- like children having sex on school buses or drugs infiltrating our playgrounds and neighborhoods. Unvaccinated children pose no greater risk to your children than your children pose to unvaccinated children. Those "awesome vaccines" aren't even 100% safe. If an outbreak of measles occurred, perhaps what you don't know is that your child is not 100% safe- as those vaccines are never guaranteed 100% (kind of like birth control and we all know someone who has had children on birth control). Also, something you might not know is that doctors are required to take these vaccines before they begin a practice where the vaccines are administered. The percentage of doctors who do not take the vaccines: 75%- when they sign the affidavit about why they would not take the vaccines they say: 'because I am not 100% sure these vaccines are safe'. If our doctors won't even take the vaccines we should surely think twice about giving them to our healthy children.
I have given my son all of the shots he should have, and he is just fine. If autism is caused by these vaccines then why don't all kids who are vaccinated end up autistic? I think blaming the vaccines are a way for parents to blame someone. My peditrician has spent over ten years in school and I put my trust and the health of my three year old son in her hands. They know alot more about vaccines than these parents who are so crazy to not vaccinate there kids. I strongly believe all shcools and daycares need to make it manditory all kids are vaccinated. My daycare requires it,so schools should too. If my son were ever exposed to a kid who wasn't vaccinated due to a parents over protective know it all beleif, and came down with a disease wether mild or severe I would take it up with every higher power to get it mandated that all kids are vaccinated. If I knew my son was around some irresponsible parents kid who was not vaccinated I would explain to my son that he can no longer be around this kid because his parents were to selfish to take the precaution and allow him to have these extremly important vaccines. I would like to ask these crazy parents to think of these third world countries and all of the parents who would give anything to have there kids vaccinated but instead have lost a child to some of the diseases these parents are willing to let there kids get. Talk to a polio survivor and they will tell you they would have loved to have been given a chance at a life without it. Parents today are really not the parents of yesterday.
My children and grandchildren have all been given all the required vaccines. No problems. I am not saying that those who choose not to vaccinate are wrong. It is your decision. However, these unvaccinated people are going to grow up and start having children of their own. If a pregnant woman contracts the measles, it can be devastating to her unborn baby. That happened to a woman in my church when I was a child. Also, my uncle became sterile after having the mumps. When my youngest sister had the mumps, she became very ill and it took weeks for her to completely recover. She now suffers from heart problems that doctors think are possibly related. Those are just three examples of how dangerous some of these diseases can be. Just something to think about.
There are more things to worry about other than autism with vaccines, much more, even death!
I've done quite a bit of research, and kept an open mind, and honestly from what I've seen it is safer to go vaccine free.
But there are also SAFER vaccines than others.
like a previous poster has said
The government does not care!
they tell you it is safe, because they wanna keep living their luxury lifestyles, even if it means keeping many other people from being safe.
who knows they may even lose their jobs if they quit hiding the truth.
I also agree with what others have said here, If YOUR child has the vaccines then WHY are you scared for them, Isn't that why you gave these horrible chemicals to your child?.....to protect him/her?
I'm glad that reactions to the drugs isn't contagious, otherwise I would be angry if my child went to school with vaccinated children!
I think people who love vaccines should give the human body a little more credit.
The body is an AMAZING thing!
I wish the world would find safer ways to immunize. But I would not leave it to the gov. or the vaccine makers,
as it is all about the money and lying for them, not the safety!
Here is a pediatrician who has experienced vaccines doing harm to many children, for many years.
If you can open your mind and read it, it may change your views and opinions.
If you cannot open your mind long enough to read it, then I'll probably get some angry reader yelling at me, who thinks that because they believe what they're told instead of looking into it for them self, that they're smarter than me, and knows what's best for the world.
http://www.vaccinetruth.org/doctors_against_vaccines.htm
For the person who said "For those of you concerned about the 'threat' of unvaccinated kids running with yours, YOU MAKE NO SENSE. If you believe the vaccines are SO effective, then WHY are you worried about some other kid? In your mind, YOUR kid is 'protected' right?" I have this to say.
Yes, vaccinated children are protected but their aren't any guarantees. We as people are all different and have developed different immune systems. Some are weaker than others and vice versa. But for the children with weaker immune systems, WHY SHOULD THEY BE EXPOSED TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED AND CAN POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER CHILDREN INCLUDING VACCINATED and UNVACCINATED CHILDREN. Now let me ask you all, who in your own right, have made the decision not to vaccinate your children. Would you get upset if your unvaccinated child contracted Measles, Polio, and other life threatening diseases from another child who was unvaccinated? I'm going to assume that the answer would be "Yes you would get upset". We all look out for the best interest in our own children. Remember there are many unknowns in this debate but I as a mother of two have vaccinated both children and hope that they never contract any fatal diseases.
I'm not sure what the laws are elsewhere but if you live in TEXAS and are interested in not vaccinating your children all you have to do is send a fax to Texas Department of Health Services asking to exempt your child from vaccines. All the fax should include is the childs name and DOB. They will send up to 5 affidavits that you must get notarized for your child to attend school. They DO NOT want a reason for your decision. This must be done every 2 years. The fax # is 512-458-7544.
I don't understand why parents of vaccinated children don't want unvaccinated children going to school with their kids. That is the stupidest thing I have every heard. Why? If you believe that vaccines work then don't they protect your kid from catching these diseases? Guess what my kids are more likely to catch something from one of your snot-nosed carriers. However, I would not suggest you home school them, they deserve a good education that you obviously can't give them.
As for that bitch on April 22nd, why is it selfish for you to not want your child to be autistic? 21 yrs old with a 15 month old, sounds like you got knocked up to me, and you probably married the guy just because you were pregnant. I hope you know a divorce attorney because you will need one in the next 5 years. Why should anyone listen to you when these are the decisions you make? Actually don't bother replying I don't care what you have to say, your stupid.
Why do Americans not want to listen to the facts? They will not change their minds no matter the evidence, that is why there are people who don't believe in evolution, god created it my ass.
Is anyone aware that the government receives $100 for every vaccinated child? As someone who has worked in the medical field for a number of years, drug companies rule the united states. There is a list of foods that you can eat that guarantee you not to get cancer but all those great cancer drugs make so many people so rich that it is actually illegal to publish it! So if you are vaccinating based on the word of the government and nothing else, like scientific data YOU ARE WRONG!!!
Also a vaccine doesn't actually have to be proven safe or effective to be placed on the list of mandated vaccines for children.
YOU who love vaccines! you listen to the government, but they do NOT care about you!
Will you do your homework, and look it up for yourselves please?
Research! I know you can do it!
I hate when ignorant (uninformed; unaware.) people yell at others about
things they know nothing about.
WHEN you realize that vaccines are very horrible and bad, don't feel bad for giving
them to your children, you didn't know any better. I've heard of "vaccine nosodes"
That help children heal from the damages vaccines have caused.
We SHOULD be able to trust the government, but we cannot.
Also, you should worry more, about your child having behavioral problems, autism, death,
and weakened immunity, more than whether your child interacts with someone who is unvaccinated.
How many of you wake up in the middle of the night, because your child is screaming in agony,
and nothing will calm him/her down?
I have never had this problem, because I've never vaccinated mine.
If you go to the pediatrician, they say it is night terrors. What does a child have to
be terrified of (unless you're a bad or abusive parent)?
What do you think SIDS is?
I resfuse to believe that babies die for no reason!
this (below) is why unvaccinated children are healthier than vaccinated children.
"Vaccines are against natural processes and thwart our body's natural abilities to fight off disease.
By suppressing our immunity vaccines actually make more diseases available to our body. Normal
diseases enter the body by first contacting our nasal or oral mucosa. White blood cells are then
activated to move and respond to those invading pathogens. The white blood cells increase movement
in response to chemotaxis and will leave the blood vessels to enter the area where they are needed."
There are better ways! Look!
"3) Even the most feared polio was eliminated in one town (Charlotte, NC) in 1949 by Ben Sandler and
nutritonal changes. Elizabeth Kenny also was able to treat many cases of paralytic polio, with complete
recovery. Allopathic treatment led to permanent paralysis."
For the person who said:
"If you do vaccinate and your child and it shows
autistic like symptoms and learning problems .
There is light at the end of the tunnel.thay just
dont tell about it get a lawyer.have him look at the
childhood vac act.the goverment protects the drug
companies.thay believe the good out weighs the bad.
and will pay damages for adverse affects to vaccines."
This is all I have to show you:
"Treatment of vaccine victims:
a. Lose your medical records
b. rewrite the laws to avoid paying out and then pass the buck to the taxpayer
b. change a medical definition to avoid liability
c. Hiding vaccine deaths
d. Fight you all the way in court where few get compensated:
e. Buy up the vaccine experts so they are even less likely to lose in court
f. Intimidate the experts
g. Use junk/fraudulent science to further avoid paying out"
I am trying to inform you of these dangers because I know you just listen to what
you are told (which is usually expected of you).
You rarely ever trust anyone else. Why trust the government who
makes their money, by not caring about you?
You should look at EVERYONE (even the government), with suspicion, not just who you
CHOOSE to believe might hurt you and your family.
There are not many cases where people really, truly, care about you, and your health.
This sincerely is one of those cases.
I think it is sick and wrong to make it mandatory that
people get injected with toxins, and chemicals.
There is even mercury in them!
I think everyone should get themselves informed, and look into it personally.
That goes for everything not just this!
I know you still don't believe me, but what if I'm right?
what if your child dies from them?
That's why I'm saying at least look into it, so you can know
you made an informed, knowledgable decision.
and don't lie and tell people you looked into it when you didn't.
because those people you tell might just do what you do,
and you could be hurting them too!
This needs to be a big deal, when this info gets out to everyone,
They will HAVE to find safe ways to immunize!
These (below) are links to where I got most of this valueable information:
They're are doctors, and mom's who's children have suffered, and people
who just want everyone to know.
if you notice the second link down it says Moms against mercury.
Wonder why that is?
check.
http://www.whale.to/a/vaxvictims.html
http://www.momsagainstmercury.org/
http://members.aol.com/doctorrmosk/articles/immunizations_1.html
http://www.vaccinetruth.org/doctors_against_vaccines.htm
http://www.mercola.com/article/vaccines/against_natural_processes.htm
I'm glad there are so many people realizing the harm that vaccines cause.
I'm so tired of getting yelled at, and getting evil looks from people, who just don't know, and won't let me explain.
You'd think I was trying to convert them to some other religion
In a few years, the people who get vaccines will feel stupid for not believing though. especially if we all tell everyone we think will listen.
Having religious faith isn't a logical "human" reason to disregard risk... To be distrustful and make a decision based off of benefit/risk ratio is.
I learned about the dangers of vaccination from a friend of mine, who is a DOCTOR and one of the smartest people I have ever met, when I was pregnant with my daughter. She also does not vaccinate her own kids. Yet I still did some of my own research before I decided what to do for my kids. Thats why I don't understand these people who just take what the government says just so politicians and drug companies get rich. I will not tell anyone "don't vaccinate your kids" because its not my place. However, I do urge you to do a little more research.
I have read most of these posts and the people who are pro vaccines just don't make much sense. Unless they have had one of these diseases we now vaccinate for, I think it would be very hard to skip my childs polio vaccine if I or someone I know had polio, but every case of polio reported since 1980 has been caused by receiving a vaccine for polio.
There is no right answer on whether or not to vaccinate, you can only do what is right for YOU and your children. My advise is raise your kids however you think is safe, just be aware of the repercussions, and have a plan to deal with whatever may happen. Do not try to make people feel like child abusers when they oppose your views on this subject.
As for all you people who say "my kid has had all the required vaccinations and they don't have any side effects," great, your child didn't have any possible side effects. Now go tell that to a mother whose 2 year old died a vaccine related death.
For the sake of argument, my kids have never had a vaccine and have never been sick a day in their life, and they go to daycare!
take that!
while i will be the first to admit our country is overmedicated, vaccines are a good thing.They have saved millions of lives over the past 100years. The old manufacturing process may not be amazing and may be exposing chemicals such as thimerosol to our children without need but you must still weigh the pros and cons. I work in a lab, as a researcher, and do this everyday. Every drug/medical application has side effects. Aspirin causes ulcers and many other side effects yet people pop those like pez. If discovered today aspirin would be prescription only. The whole country is addicted to caffeine,a drug, yet no one complains about that. For something like chicken pox which has a very small fatality rate the bad obviously outweighs the good. But for somethign like polio, its just not good common sense to run the risk of your child dying a horrible death. Thimerosol is supposed to be removed from vaccinations anyways, not saying the drug companies have all done it though. Read labels people. Only get preservative free vaccines. Its that simple. Yes autism should get a lot more attention than it does, but don't blame people/drug companies until their is proof. Cancer has exploded too, not as much i admit, but infants and expectant mothers are exposed to toxins everywhere a lot more nowadays then 50years ago, not just in vaccines. So get the vaccines for horrible life crippling diseases and get preservaive free vaccines and you will be fine.
I recently had a healthy baby boy and I have studied everything i could on these vaccines. I did not want my son to have the hep b shot and I signed a waiver saying so. The nurse came into my hospital room and told me she was going to check my infant son's vital signs before we were discharged. When she brought him back into my room she informed me that she had given him the shot and offered no apology or why she did it after i expressed to everyone there that i was against it and had already signed the waiver. I intend to take this hospital to court and the nurse who did this. And as for the people who think my son should stay at home for not being vaccinated... why don't you keep your children at home because if you believe that your child is protected so much by your precious vaccine then how is my son putting yours at risk if your miracle chemicals are doing their job like they are supposed to? Sounds to me like your a bunch of hypocrites. I have studied these diseases and with the exception of polio and tetanus they are not as bad as the vaccine makers want you to believe. Strep throat is worse then most of these diseases. I am not going to take the chance of my son having heavy metals, aborted fetal tissue, and God knows what else put into his body when his immune system is perfectly capable of handling the mumps or measles or anything else. A child's body is pure and when you go around injecting these things into them it could only do harm. Look at the recent high rise in autism. When i was young I only had to have 10 vaccines to enter school. Now the number is 36 in most states. So the number of vaccines has increased and so have the cases of autism and severe complications from vaccines. Seriously, does it take a rocket scientist to figure out?
to: June 24, 2008 1:33 AM
I'm sorry that the stupid nurse felt she knew what was best for your child!
did the hep b shot have thimerosal in it?
You don't actually need the shots to have your children in school.
They just say that because it is "mandatory" to get shots!
it is EVERY child's right to go to a public school, I mean it's not the child's fault they didn't get any shots, and it's not the parent's fault for wanting their children to be happy, healthy, and toxic chemical free.
Ok, there has been a lot of back and forth on this issue - as is made clear by the previous comments - and obviously there are arguments on both sides of the fence.
I have a 6 year old son that was vaccinated according to the 'schedule' at the time of his birth. I did not want him to have the chicken pox vaccine because I did not trust it to be safe, being as that it was new and the long term affects were not known - however, like the previous blogger - the nurse administered it right along with his other vaccines (against my wishes) and I found out after what it was. My son developed the rash that 1 in some large (rare) number of children get - I was furious. Luckily the rash faded and I haven't noticed any other affects from his vaccines. I attribute his not listening, lack of focus and being hyper to being a normal 6 year old (could very well be something more - ADHD?)!
I just had a baby this May though, and come August he is due for the multitude of vaccines that is on the current schedule. I am more than worried this time and have been researching both sides.
Why is it that when I was young (80's) we only were required to have 10 vaccines and now, it's upwards of 40? I am not aware of any increase in Measles, Mumps or Rubella in the past 20 years. Why wasn't that schedule working? There was someone that mentioned having a chicken pox scar “for life” - oh darn, it's probably the size of a pencil eraser and you are immune for life! Try dealing with a debilitating developmental disease, autism or death – I’ll take a chicken pox scar instead, thank you! The vaccine cannot even promise immunity and can not only cause horrible side effects but even death (more frequent than the risk of death w/ the disease). When you look at occurrences of current diseases v. incidents of autism or side affects from vaccines the numbers are staggering.
100 years ago the leading causes of death in children were diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever & pertussis. Today the leading causes are accidents, genetic abnormalities, developmental disorders, SIDS and cancer. 50 years ago when immunizations were numbered at 4, autism was virtually unknown. It affected less than 1 in 10,000 children. Today 1 in 68 families has an autistic child and that number is climbing. These numbers are also seen to have increased drastically for developmental disorders. 4 Million American children are estimated to have ADHD (my 6 year old?), and 1 in 6 are classified as "Learning Disabled".
There are also noted increases in Type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and bowel disorders. Now believe me, I'm not saying vaccines cause all of these things, but it's hard not to notice how the increase in these incidents parallel with the increase in the number of vaccines administered in children.
The fact that the CDC has not been able to do an actual long-term study on the affects of these vaccines makes me question how they can say they are safe. Another "flag" was when I was talking to the doctor regarding the upcoming vaccines and my newest edition and she told me they had been having problems with the one vaccine and had stopped giving that “dangerous one” to kids, but not to worry it had been reformulated and was “better now”. WHAT PROBLEMS? And how many children got this "problem" vaccine? My child is not a guinea pig for the drug companies. The fact they approved and released this “problem vaccine” and found out later is proof enough for me that they do not know the long term affects until it is too late.
I also think that those who oppose my child going to school/daycare with their vaccinated child being upset, should question why. As has been said, if your child was vaccinated and you believe that was going to protect them, then you shouldn't be worried. If you are worried, that must mean you question weather or not the vaccine is doing what is meant to.
Polio had been eradicated in this country, however the recent minimal incidents have been linked to people that received the live vaccine (potentially in other countries) and either passed it along to unvaccinated people or became infected themselves. Just being exposed to, or contracting Polio does not mean you will be paralyzed -- after all, the vaccine most of us received was the live virus itself.
Here are some facts that I found interesting: the death rate for measles declined 97.7 percent during the first 60 years of the 20th century. The mortality rate was 133 deaths per million people in the US in 1900 and dropped to .3 deaths per million by 1960. Measles caused less than 100 deaths a year in the US before there was a vaccine (in 1963). The same thing happened with diphtheria and pertussis. Mortality rates dropped more than 90 percent in the early 20th century before vaccines for these were introduced. This was due to better nutrition (fresh fruit and veggies/refrigeration), clean water and improved sanitation (trash was removed from the streets, sewage systems were improved), not vaccines. Since the measles vaccine began being used, the disease has virtually disappeared, and it has prevented 100 deaths a year… now, instead, several thousand normally developing children become autistic after receiving their MMR shot. It is called “regressive autism” and accounts for 30% of the 10,000-20,000 children diagnosed each year.
There are a large number of physicians that choose not to vaccinate their own children. However, when we go to these doctors, they push the vaccines despite their moral issues because of the insurance industries and government and how they will be regarded if vaccines are not given. It's too bad they are afraid to voice their educated opinions freely, and are more concerned with being blackballed (i.e. unpaid) by the government and insurance companies.
What I feel my choice will be is to wait until my son’s body is older and more apt to handle some of these vaccines, then only get the ones I feel are necessary, instead of repeating the same ones over and over in the infant body and hoping for the best. I also agree with the mother who spoke about the HEP B vaccine – when you read the CDC sheet on the causes of this disease WHY do infants need to be vaccinated? Come on people, for the good of your children – be informed, do your own research, don’t let anyone make that decision for you. Imagine if you read this article and these blogs and decided to get your child vaccinated instead of the slight risk of contracting chicken pox (which most of us survived with some minor discomfort) and your child is forced to suffer with autism or another debilitating developmental or physical disease for life. I couldn’t live with myself. However, if I take the risk and do not get the vaccines, I have to be prepared as well. I’m weighing my options and the incidents of autism far outnumber the incidents of these diseases – and although there is no proven link, there have been story after story of a normally developing child “changing” after their shots. I can’t imagine my son (now alert and starting to coo and play) coming home after the vaccines a different baby – no thanks…
Good luck with your decisions!
Info from: Dr. Donald Miller, Jr.’s Article “A User-Friendly Vaccination Schedule”
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