? for Mozartcowgirl- WARNING to others dont read if your proimmunization.

Mozartcowgirl

I went to see my pediatrician yesterday about my baby thats on the way. I needed a refresher course on some things.
He is a "typical" pediatrician but is really open minded about things. He knows my stance on the whole immunization thing and doesnt give me a hard time at all.
I asked him about mabye just selecting a few. He said he does have other parents that do that.
He told me he doesnt believe in the Hep B or the Polio. The other ones he considers not to be deadly (I guess).

Here are the ones though he told me he strongly suggests getting.
HiB
Pneumococcal
Pertussis

I remembered your post when I asked you about your son and if I recall wasnt Pertussis the one?

Thanks

[have 2 kids]

I don't want to get into the whole immunization debate but I'm curious as to why your ped recommends the pneumococcal vaccine.   I thought that one was for the flu.  Am I wrong?

[peekawho]

No, its for a form of bacterial meningitis that is the leading cause of death in children under 2:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-PneumoConjugate.pdf

[peekawho]

correction, S. pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children under two.  Fingers don't work today!

[rubyolivia]

I'm glad you posted this! I go to see my doc on 7/23 to discuss which immunizations he finds completely necessary and which he does not. It's nice to hear what others say, also! :)

[Mozartcowgirl]

yes.. it was the pertussis shot...

that being said... it is my belief that my son died from the pertussis shot ... due to the fact that he was way too little.

had we gotten him the shot when he was much older.. well. i dont know.. there are so many iunanswered things.. our pediatrician is VERY supportive of us.. and agrees that there is something goin on .. with immunizations..

if you plan on getting him the pertussis shot.. i would suggest getting it done when he is older... when his tiny immune system can tolerate it more..

[RockRose]

tomel,  I'm not pro or anti immunization.  

I look at each shot individually.

My mother lived through the hell of Polio,  when parents cried into their pillows at night all summer long if their children seemed ill.  The polio vaccine is a blessing,  and god send,  and if you deny your child that vaccine,  the chances are the child won't contract the disease because other parents are smart enough to vaxx their kids,  so the virus won't cripple your child by the simple fact that it isn't being passed around.  ON the other hand,  I do know people my age (long past the polio vaccine) who are crippled because they didn't understand the value of this vaccine.

We didn't immunize for chicken pox because frankly that's not a bad disease and the vaccine seems to only prolong the immunity until the person is too old to withstand Chicken Pox well.  I wouldn't recomment that shot to anyone - just wait around for the virus,  and after the child is exposed he's immunie for life.

[peekawho]

Pertussis is still alive and well in the world today.  In the year 2000, there were 39 million cases worldwide, and nearly 300,000 deaths from this entirely preventable disease.

Here is some reading from the World Health Organization, if you would like to learn more about Pertussis and its symptoms.  Might be good to keep it around, just in case you need it.

http://www.who.int/immunization/topics/pertussis/en/index1.html

  I hope you saw that the pneumococcal vaccine your pediatrician recommends prevents the most common form of bacterial meningitis in children under two.  

Not all vaccines are critically needed, and many I would agree, are probably not needed as early as we give them.  As with anything, parents assume the responsibility.  

[tomel]

Thank you for the info.

How old was your little angel?

[Mozartcowgirl]

he was 9 weeks old...


maybe you could get him the shot.. when he is much older...

there ARE some shots.. that mykids will get.. WHEN they are older.. and SOME>. they will NEVER get....


take care!

[tomel]

Thanks. I will keep that in mind when I am considering them.


Take Care

[ImmortalOne]

I personally had a horrible experience with the Hep B shot and my youngest daughter (who is now almost 10yrs).  That is one of the few shots I refuse to allow my children to have ever again after my youngest was hospitalized 10 days from the date of her shot and we almost lost her.  The doctors never "confirmed" things, but suspected the shot caused the menegitis that she had when she was only 6 weeks old.

What are these other two shots you ladies are talking about?  And is Polo still something that children need to be vaccinated against?  How often is this disease discovered in the world?

[tomel]

This is from CDC website

Is polio still a disease seen in the United States?
The last cases of naturally occurring paralytic polio in the United States were in 1979, when an outbreak occurred among the Amish in several Midwestern states. From 1980 through 1999, there were 152 confirmed cases of paralytic polio cases reported. Of the 152 cases, eight cases were acquired outside the United States and imported. The last imported case caused by wild poliovirus into the United States was reported in 1993. The remaining 144 cases were vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) caused by live oral polio vaccine (OPV).    

HiB
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/haeminfluserob_t.htm

Pneumococcal
http://www.nfid.org/pneumococcal/consumers_factsheet.html

Pertussis
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/dis-faqs.htm

[ImmortalOne]

Wow, thank you for the information and links to do further research.  Like I said I know the HepB is bad, no matter what anyone has told me medically... They weren't in the hospital for 2 weeks with my 6 week old baby.

[Trialanderror]

Yes, the Pneumococcal vaccine not only prevents pneumonia but also meningitis of a certain strain. I do not believe in overdoing vaccinations either but this specific vaccine also prevents a lot of strep throat and resulting ear infections. My son got away without a single ear infection which I am really thankful for.

[ImmortalOne]

For lack of sounding uneducated... Pneumococcal this is to prevent baterial menengitis?  ... and/or pnemonia (pneumonia)?  I think I just got more confused reading that site.

[tomel]

I'm not saying not to get that shot. But my son did get that shot and he not only got pneumonia but also multiple ear infections and I nursed.

[Trialanderror]

Wow, sorry to hear that. After reading the whole thread now I see how much misery has happened to some of you. That is so sad and it is good to be cautious. I was just wondering about something: when vaccines are given to infants on the regular schedule, do doctors actually take the timing for premies into account, meaning giving shots as many weeks later as the they were born earlier?

[4EVERDK]

Im not sure why you wouldn't want to make sure your baby is healthy and get all shots but you most definatly need pneumococcal vaccine!  It helps with all types of meningitis, I know three different people that have gotten it just this year and one was 6 and died...  I think all the shots are important or they wouldn't recommend them!

[Renogirl]

Just throwing in another note here - if any of you ladies plan on placing your child in a preschool, you do need to check on the regulations for your area.  In our area, immunizations are required and mandatory unless the child is unable to have them due to a medical reason or due to a religious preference.  Our public school system requires current immunizations for entrance into first grade.  So even if you have chosen to not have your child immunized as an infant/toddler, you will have to have shots done upon entrance to elementary.  One other thing to think about if you are enrolling your child in preschool, unfortunately in a preschool setting, your child will be exposed to a wide variety of germs.  Good thing is they develop an immunity, bad thing is they may be sick a lot.  They are not only exposed to germs from other children their own age, but by older siblings who come in with moms and dads to pick up.  So whatever your decision is, and each family must make that on their own, if you are considering a group care setting, check up on your local regulations.  

[Liza55]

Just curious...do public schools no longer need immunization records? Are you no longer required to immunize to get them registered in schools?

[tomel]

[tomel]

No they dont.
Technically kids arent even supposed to get a shot even if they have a minor cold. But when I was in the docs office one time the nurse wanted to give him one. I said no and she said oh it will be ok.

Yes ok for you lady its not your kid. (Half wit!)

[tomel]

Again the question that was originally posted wasnt posted to start an open forum on the subject. This debate when on in a previous post.
But in answer to some of the last posted questions. Nowhere in the US is it mandatory to have immunizations to enroll your child in school. We have what is called religous freedom. So if you decide you dont want to ,you simply sign a piece of paper saying you choose no to. They lead you to believe it is mandatory but it is not. You can also choose not to for medical reasons. Some children who have in fact had a bad reaction can be waived for medical reasons.

My son is in preschool has been since he turned 3, he stopped with his immunizations at 2 1/2 and we have never had a problem. He was even enrolled at a private Montessori for a while and we werent given a hard time there.

[tomel]

[4EVERDK]

Just wondering, why wouldn't you want you child to get all the proper shots?
I mean they must be needed otherwise no one would get them.  Im just wondering, if its better for your child, why wouldn't you?  Nothing bad about you or anything, just wondering.  I mean I am not religous at all, so I have no idea how something like that would influance a dicision.

[tomel]

Did you read any of the above posts? LOL
The one where someones baby died after getting the pertussis shot?
The one where the baby was in the hospital after getting the HepB?
The one where I talk about my son getting pneumonia and multiple ear infections even after getting all his immunizations?
Or how about where it says that the last time there were some cases of Polio some were actually caused by the vaccine?
That is why some people are leary of some of the shots.

And yes there are some religions that do not believe in immunizations any kind of "medical" intereference. If that is what someone has to claim to protect their child then so be it. Again the original post was for a question to someone regarding a shot, not to raise the topic again.But I can understand why you would have questions regarding it.    
Another thing you can choose to do is have some (not all) of the shots. Which is what some people have choosen to do.

[ImmortalOne]

I almost lost my daughter at 6 weeks after the HepB shot to Viral Meningitis.  If I hadn't brought her to the ER when I did, immediately when I noticed she wasn't nursing correctly, I would have lost her... it would have been too late.  I lived 2 weeks in a hospital and had to stand by while they stuck needles in my newborns spine, and had her attached to IV's and tubes.  It is now easier for her to get meningitis because of having to fight it off back then.  Why would I want to risk this baby that I have had to fight for throughout my pregnancy? (I had major surgery and she only had a 20% chance of surviving that, I've had neurological and cardiological problems, and several other complications).  Not to mention I had 2 pregnancy losses (4 total) before I was finally able to carry to "term" (she will be taken by the doctors at 36-37 weeks).