The Great Vaccination Debate...

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I'm posting this here because I believe it is useful information for parents-to-be who are debating whether to vaccinate or not.  This is a very controversial subject for many people so lets PLEASE keep our comments clean and respectful.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/measles-outbreak-how-to-protect-yourself

This article discusses how measles are making a big comback in the United States and they find that the majority of the cases are in those who are unvaccinated.  They attribute this to the boom of parents who have not had their children receive the necessary childhood vaccinations because of the belief that they can lead to autism. This claim has been disproved by a lot of research.  

Personally I have ALWAYS felt that to vaccinate is far better than to not.  For me the minimal risks of adverse reactions associated with the vaccinations far outweighed the potential life threatening affects of the diseases that can be contracted without them. I have an uncle who is a polio survivor, I know what he went through/goes through and he is one of the lucky ones, he had a mild case of polio.  I also feel (and again it's personal and does not mean that I will dislike or hold it against someone else for their choices) that children who are not vaccinated put others at higher risk.  Simply because they are far more likely to contract one of these illnesses and create a larger exposure to these viruses in areas where they are limited.

Anyway, this is just personal opinion.  My point in posting this was to give other parents some very useful information for when they are deciding whether to vaccinate or not.

[snagglepuss1]

No question about it for me, all 3 of my kids were given every vaccination possible when they were called for. They even had the swine flu jab last year...that was fun all 3 getting it done at the same time!
I think the occurances where autism has happened, was just something that the particular child was prone to, whether the mmr jab brought it out or not remains to be seen.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I do think in a lot of cases parents just want something to blame besides genetics or nature.  

I think a lot of these things have been around for awihle and just undiagnosed becuase they were not understood.  I knew a guy many years ago who had been institionalized as a young child for mental issues.  He grew up in that institution with all the other mentally ill individuals.  As he got older, learnign disabilities started coming to light in the general public and it was finally realized that he was never mentally unstable, he just had learning disabilities.  He had been institutionalized all those years over that.  They in turn just put him out on the streets.  

My Mom was a general manager for the newspaper where we lived and this guy was one of her carriers.  He would act like he was mentally disabled becuase that's all he knew growing up.  My Mom on the other hand KNEW he wasn't and she would tell him point blank, you aren't so don't act like that aruond me.  I was a teenager at the time and this guy for some reason would follow me aruond everywhere and report back to my Mom who I was with and what I was doing.  Kinda funny now, it wasn't then.  

Anyway, back to the point.  I think if anything there may be something in the vaccinations that trigger autism or cause it to be more severe possibly in individuals who are ALREADY predisposed to having it.  I don't think anything in the vaccines actually CAUSES the autism.

[vacuumprincess]

I agree.  I plan to vaccinate my newborn.  I have my 6 yr old up to date with vaccinations.  I think the risks associated with sickness out weigh the other risks.

My sister has an almost 11 yr old who has SEVERE autism.  He seems to be about 2 or 3 yrs old trapped in an 11 yr old body.  you cannot hug or touch him .  He will not look at you directly.  he looks at the sky or the floor & then only repeats what you say instead of giving his own response.  Noises frighten him to the point that he will have a "meltdown" for 1/2 hr or more.  He does enjoy repetitive activities such as repeating things people say, movies, games & puzzles.  This child was diagnosed at 2 yrs old.  My sister INSISTS that it was thermasil (sp?) in the MMR shot.  My family & I noticed that the child was "different" much earlier than 2 ys old.    
I have read the recent reports that no ties can be made anymore to the vaccines, however there IS an increase in autism.  I question if it had always really been there in these great numbers & we are just now realizing it??  I think perhaps in my sisters case that parents sometimes just need something tangible to blame.  I can't say I wouldn't feel the same way if I were in her shoes.

[mami2karina]

I've vaccinated all of mine but with my 2nd I just had a bad feeling and I waited until he was a little older to do it. And everytime he's had bad fevers and gotten sick afterwards. The ONLY reason I did vaccinate him was because his pediatrician threatened to turn me in to CPS for not doing it. With my 1st there was no issue and with my last either. Because she told me she would only take him on as a patient if I had him vaccinated because she had a bad incident over the summer before he was born. I was still pregnant and told her no problem I was having him vaccinated. I don't do the vaccinations at the hospital when they're born, I think they're too little and I hold off on those until they're 2 months and get their first round of shots. There was just something with my 2nd, I had a bad feeling about doing it and was very reluctant. He'll be 4 in Septemeber now and is perfectly healthy, in fact he's the ONLY one of my kids that doesn't have any health issues and never has. And yes, he is current on all is shots now :)

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Thanks GA.  I also vaccinate my kids.  I too, feel the benefits outweigh the risks.