Interesting article about doctors and vaccinations

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I know we always have posters who are curious about vaccinations, schedules, delayed vaccinations and not doing them altogether.  I ran across this and thought it was interesting, and something that is probably going to become more widespread, therefore, parents should be aware that it is happening. I personally vaccinate all of my kids on the schedule recommended by the APA.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/pediatricians-turn-away-kids-who-arent-vaccinated-2509592/

[seattlemom2plus]

Great topic indeed and definitely one of controversy.  We actually do not vaccinate at all.  This was a personal choice of ours based on research and lifestyle.  I know this may be appalling for some out there.  And yes there are certain doctors that turn us down for not vaccinating as it is against their medical protocol.  However there are natural abiding doctors that do agree to the parental choice of non-vaccination and will treat your child.  Also want to mention that we have been fortunate to not have any serious health issues and usually use an emerga-care or one of those quick cares if anyone develops an infection that requires antibiotics.  These doctors are a little more lenient on the vaccinations because they are not primary care physicians.

[sweetpea03]

I'm glad to hear that doctors are doing this. Those who choose not to vaccinate are putting other children at risk, especially very young children as their scheduled vaccinations are not there yet. No one would want a child with pertussis(undiagnosed) sitting in the same waiting room as a pregnant woman, as that can kill her baby. Also, diseases like the measles need incubators (unvaccinated children) which allows them to grow and spread. When their cells mutate, those vaccinated children's vaccinations no longer protect them from the more advanced disease. Therefore, unvaccinated children are a continued threat to both vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

[NicoleW09]

We vaccinate! I feel that the benefits outweigh the risks associated with not vaccinating. Whether or not there really is a link between vaccination and autism, well...I'm sure  we'll probably never know. My cousin is mildly autistic and had vaccinations, but I feel like the vaccinations didn't cause his autism. His parents have learning disabilities as well, and who's to say he wouldn't have developed it if he hadn't been vaccinated?

We all di what we feel is best for our children, and I feel like it's in my child's best interest to protect her from what I can. There are certain circumstances where I wouldn't vaccinate, ie: if the child is allergic to something in the vaccine or if it's too sick to have it. I'm pro vaccination because since they've been developed those illnesses, which used to be wide spread and fatal, have been drastically reduced.

[jtaylor102481]

I vaccinate my children cause like most I think the benefits outweigh the risks.there are always exceptions to every thing ie child is to sick for vaccines or maybe allgeric to something in the vaccine,   why put ur child at risk for diseases that are to make people seriously ill and even lead to death when it can be prevented. I think every parent should do what they feel is right for their children and what they believe in.

[Clysta]

I vaccinate. There are far too many children out there that are not, and diseases are making a horrible comeback when they shouldn't be. I think some of it is that parents need a scapegoat for why their child isn't healthy, and vaccines are a simple easy one to blame--fear and panic lead to mass hysteria.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I even went and had the Tdap vaccinations myself after Lily was born.  I don't want to risk my children getting anything.

[NicoleW09]

I also had the tdap vaccine after Lexi was born. My MIL and DH's Granny also were vaccinated right before Lexi was born.

[tiredbuthappy]

I would be especially hesitant to take an unvaccinated child to an urgent care or quick care facility for medical care.  I would think that that is the sort of place a child would be more likely to be exposed to those diseases.

[have 2 kids]

I really think it should be required for all children to be vaccinated unless they are too ill.  My nephew has a severe allergy to the pertussis vaccine and can not receive it.   Now with so many deciding not to vaccinate he is put at risk.   There is a huge increase of this illness.

[AmyG89]

Thank you for sharing this article. I just recently posted a question asking about vaccinations so I find this very helpful.

[Ashelen]

We vaccinate. Taking children who are not vaccinated as a patient in a medical practice is a clear liability; they have a greater risk of having a serious illness and that increases the liability of the entire practice. For instance, an unvaccinated child contracts a disease, comes to the doctor to be treated, and exposes the newborn baby in the waiting room (the one who isn't old enough to be vaccinated)...it's much easier to avoid the risk for the doctors.

[JoyRenee]

We vaccinate but on a delayed schedule. Our current pediatrician is NOT happy that we wanted to delay vaccines. I believe vaccines are important... but in moderation and more spaced out. In other countries their vaccine schedules for children are way more spaced out than ours and their children fair as well (talking about developed countries).

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Thanks GA.  I appreciate you posting this.

With my youngest baby (she is 22 months old), we took her to the hospital to get her PKU done at 2 weeks.  We went to the lab and there was a mother there w/ her 2 kids.  Now I have no way of knowing whether her kids were vaccinated or not, but someone had something because all 3 of them were wearing masks, or should I say, they were supposed to be.  They all had them around their necks and one of the kids was hacking and coughing like crazy.  Keep in mind, my baby was only 2 weeks old and had not yet been vaccinated.  I was terrified and we took her out of there REALLY fast.  I just kept thinking that they had masks for a reason and their mother wasn't even making them wear them.  Someone was obviously sick w/ something and I obviously had a newborn baby.  It was really scary but we took my baby out of there until we were called.  Not really a vaccination story but just kind of agreeing w/ Ashelen as far as my baby being put at risk and she was simply too young to be vaccinated.

[ChitChatNine]

We push out to the longest date allowed within the CDC Guidelines ....
Good thread and article.

C~

[seattlemom2plus]

JoyRenee is correct about other developed countries delaying vaccination until the child's immune system is less likely to be compromised.

There was a discussion on my journal here on MedHelp about this and I will share an excerpt:

"Non-vaccinating is certainly a personal parental choice.  It also depends on your situation and how you plan to raise your children/what exposures they will encounter, etc.  If you use daycare facilities or public schooling you are typically required to vaccinate and be up-to-date.  I am seeing now that there are waivers for parents to sign to bypass this.

I will touch briefly on this as there is so much research out on vaccines that I could not possibly cover all of the details here, but the composition of the vaccines are not like they were years ago which is why people's immune systems are having different reactions.

This might be of help to your opinion on non-vaccinating children posing a risk to vaccinated children:

http://www.NaturalNews.com/031389_vaccines_philosophical_exemptions.html

Please read the paragraph where it addresses the following:

III. The Belief That Unvaccinated Persons Pose a Risk of Harm to Others is Without Merit

Learn more: http://www.NaturalNews.com/031389_vaccines_philosophical_exemptions.html#ixzz1QfkpksXj "

[sweetpea03]

The "NaturalNews" website is not a reliable/credible source to use to get information from and I would not trust their opinion. The CDC and other major organizations have all said that any unvaccinated person does pose a risk to those who are vaccinated, as well as the general population. Vaccines do not offer 100% immunity towards disease. The efficacy varies; some vaccines offer higher rates of efficacy, some lower. Having received a vaccine doesn’t guarantee that a child will not get sick when exposed to the disease. Vaccines reduce the risk of contracting the disease, if exposed, dramatically, but there will always be a number of children for whom the vaccine will not provide protection. Those children will be at risk, from other unvaccinated children who may contract and spread the disease. The unvaccinated children also pose a risk to pregnant women and newborns who are too young to get vaccinated.  

We now are having outbreaks of preventable diseases because parents don't want to vaccinate their kids. I know for around my area, in the state of California, we are having a huge Pertussis outbreak. This would have never happened had people been vaccinated.

[Ashelen]

I agree 100% with sweetpea...that website is nice if that's the opinion you share, but it's not credible.

I do not berate parents who choose not to vaccinate, but I sure as heck keep my babies away until they're old enough to be protected.

[Ashelen]

Sorry I also wanted to add...the pediatrician for my daughter and son already spaces them out. He doesn't follow the guidelines exactly, and spaces them out as far as they can be spaced out...he's a very naturalistic doctor, but even he believes in vaccinating. I <3 him, and trust him completely. He offered to do the vaccines exactly on schedule, but when he said that he regularly spaces them out as a matter of personal beliefs, I was very happy. So my babies' are spaced out as well...but I would never not get them. For the sake of my children, and the children around them.

[tiredbuthappy]

we only allow 1 or 2 vaccines per visit. my ped respects this and tells me which one is most important at that visits. We have had to make 1 or 2 extra visits along the way, but that's it.

If you look at the CDC's guidelines, there is a range within which they recommend you give certain vaccines. It's not like a specific vaccine MUST be given at 4 months, but more like the first in the series should be given sometime between 4 and 8 months (don't feel like looking for a specific example, but you can easily find it). This allows for some flexibility in spreading them out.

I did not do this for my first, but i do it with my second. My second had some sensory issues as a baby, and I felt this was a red flag that warned of the possibility of complications. She has outgrown her sensory issues and shows no other red flags, but I will continue to be conservative with the schedule. She will be 2 soon, and I think I will allow the MMR at this point. She was due for other vaccines at her 15 and 18 month checks, so I guess that's why the ped didn't suggest I do it then?

Note- I did delay the varicella vaccine for both kids, simply because we do not feel that it is a good vaccine and were hoping the kids would get the chicken pox instead. But, since my 4 yr old will be starting pre-K this fall, I will go ahead and give it to her since she needs it for school. With my almost 2 yr old, I will wait until she starts school as well.

[Clysta]

Is it actually necessary for children to get the varicella vaccine? It seems pointless to me.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Actually the only child of mine that HAS gotten the Chicken Pox, is the one that was not vaccinated for it.  I don't think it was around when he was little.  If it was, it must have been optional and the schools didn't require it.  With some insurance plans, if the state doesn't require it, they don't cover it.  Probably not true now, as my son will be 18 this summer.  All the rest of my kids have gotten it.  I homeschool now, but still follow the recommended vaccine schedule.  And I myself have never gotten the Chicken Pox and it can be dangerous to get while you are an adult and especially when pregnant.  I was actually pregnant when my son got it and had to send him to my parent's house.  I REALLY need to get around to getting myself the vaccine once I have this baby for my own safety.

Anyway, I don't know if it varies from state to state but Texas does now require it for attending public school, unless you get some type of exemption.

I know that typically kids are fine when they get the Chicken Pox but I remember kids getting it when I was little and missing like 2 weeks of school.  It's also highly contagious and can be before you even show symptoms.  I'm sure that is why schools/states are now requiring the vaccine.

[seattlemom2plus]

Definitely great input from everyone on this thread.  I certainly respect all choices.  Here is another resource for anyone that is looking into non-vaccination as an option for their research:

http://www.vaclib.org/

Here is another interesting resource:

http://avn.org.au/nocompulsoryvaccination/?p=865

[tiredbuthappy]

My state requires children to have the varicella vaccine in order to go to preschool or daycare.

The reason why we would prefer our kids get the illness is because the vaccine does not guarantee protection and they are discovering that the protection does not last long. They now recommend boosters.

I do understand why it is important though, which is why we will not fight it. I am a preschool teacher and when I was pregnant there were cases in school. I didn't have to worry because I had it as a child, but I would have been concerned if i hadn't. Chicken pox, while harmless in most cases, can in some cases cause serious problems.

Our concern with chicken pox was long-term immunity, which we feel the shot may not give. Also, the shot may be contributing to an increase in shingles cases. When we were little, most if us got the chicken pox. Because everyone got it back then, as we were growing up we were re-exposed to the illness regularly. While most of us didn't get the illness again, it gave our immune systems a natural boost and reminded the body what the illness looked like. These days people aren't exposed to the virus as frequently, so the body may forget, which can lead to shingles flair-ups. That's why there is a big push to give seniors the shingles shot (which is the same vaccine as the varicella we give children).

[seattlemom2plus]

Excellent information tiredbuthappy.  I do find that to be interesting with the chicken pox vaccine.  And yes occurrences are less frequent indeed.  I know for myself I was exposed to chicken pox on several occasions when I was younger, but it wasn't until I was actually 18 that I had an outbreak.  I do think my body had developed a gradual immunity from exposure until at one point it caught up with me, still the outbreak was not severe.