Last week this article came out in the New York times about the growing health concerns of parents not vaccinating their children. I am not a doctor (read the disclaimer at the bottom right of this blog) and I am not here to judge. Which is why this is a topic that is so difficult to write about.
Here is a news clip from the Today show from last week as well. I think it is important for parents to look at the serious risks to our own children from these diseases (which most of us have no real experience with), the potential risk from vaccines themselves, and the risks to other children by choosing to not vaccinate your child. In this clip, I found the the comments of a doctor who works with children who have these preventable diseases to be very compelling.
I was also glad to hear the doctor in this clip say that thimerosal (a preservative that contained small amounts of mercury) is no longer in any vaccines. Previously, this was something that you had to ask for at the doctor's office, which made me wonder about all the people who didn't know about it. It was yet another case of the chemical divide.
This is a complex and difficult issue for parents. I know there are many viewpoints out there, so please Non-Toxic Kids readers, post with your comments, thoughts, or other resources about vaccination.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Parents Opting Out of Vaccines for their Children in the news--
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6 comments:
One thing I learned while getting our flu vaccines in the Fall...thimerisol is still in most of the flu vaccines given to children. We had to request the "preservative-free" vaccine (which still contains "trace amounts" of thimerisol) at my pedi's office...they had it available, but not as many as the preservative containing vaccine. Some of my friends asked their pedis and were told they didn't even have the preservative-free vaccine. One nurse even explained that it just required too much storage space because the preservative-free vaccines have to be refrigerated. I was glad to know to ask for the pres.-free vaccine but I felt horrible knowing there were others out there who didn't know to ask and their children were getting thimerisol in their flu shot.
This is the CDC article from which I got my information, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm
Several things tork me when it comes to vaccines.
1. The arbitrariness of when they are administered.
2. That they administer so many of them at one time.
3. The lack of/limited testing prior to approval.
4. The shielding of manufacturers and developers from liability of injuries by the Federal government.
I watched an interview of a doctor with the CDC on how they decide when to give vaccines to babies, and it was ridiculous how they decide when to administer and how many times each vaccine, and then the way that doctors and others mislead parents in to believing that vaccines will make your child immune to the diseases, which is not always true. Much like the influenza vaccination, many simply shorten and reduce the symptoms. You/your child can still get the illness.
Hi Jen, It was like that at our pedictrican's office, too. You had to know to ask. Now they say none of them contain it. I do hope this is true!
Thanks, Maria--many good points. Just reading about the side effects is enough to make me grow (more) grey hairs. Who knew parenting could be so harrowing?
I am a physician and new mother. My son recently got his two month vaccinations and despite the rough day it caused, I felt like I was giving my son a true gift. As a physician, I've seen young infants with pertussis who are hospitalized for weeks, babies in foreign countries with tetanus, polio and many other diseases we vaccinate against. The only reason we don't see those diseases here is because we have vaccines. If we stop giving these to our children, we, undoubtedly, will see a resurgence in all of these illnesses. Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they can't come back.
I don't want to have to explain to my son why he can't have children because I didn't vaccinate him against mumps and he got orchitis. I don't want to have a daughter grow up and get rubella while she's pregnant and have a child of her own with disabilities because I was afraid of a slight and unproven risk that vaccines may contribute to a neurologic disease no one has yet to show a causitive link to vaccines. While vaccines haven't been proven to cause autism, they have been proven to prevent the diseases they're vaccinating against.
My son is very lucky to have been born in this country and have access to these vaccines. If he were born elsewhere he would no doubt get one if not many of the diseases he's now immune to. To me, not vaccinating children is a sign of over-entitlement; it is looking a gift horse in the mouth. The only reason people can see fit to not vaccinate their children in this country is that they have never seen these diseases and horrendous and deadly they can be.
People think that their children wont get these diseases even if their not vaccinating, and they're right - as long as my child is vaccinated. Because of herd immunity, if a certain percentage of the population is vaccinated, the diseases cannot propegate and you wont see them. By not vaccinating your child, you're relying on me taking the "risk" you wont take and vaccinating mine to keep your child from getting sick. Please, consider how lucky you are to live somewhere where you are able to even contemplate not vaccinating a child, and then vaccinate them out of gratitude. Then, why don't we work to figure out how we can make these lifesaving gifts available to children who don't have the blessing of being born in the first world.
PS I'm only publishing this post "anonymously" because I can't get the google/blogger identity portion to work for me. My name is Christine Thorne.
Christine,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. As a physician (and a mom of course) you have such a powerful perspective on these issues. Perhaps we all forget how fortunate we are to live in a country where vaccines are available and these horrific diseases are so minimal. I agree, as a society we shoulder the responsibility to protect all of our kids. Thank you for your comments and for reading this blog.
Hello!
I have just left my babies 6 month well visit for shots... PISSED! I am a new young Mom & try to do my homework for what is best. I have been reading books and info on the net to make the best decisions for my son. I went in knowing to ask for "Preservative free shots" of those which are the combined vs. single (single vaccines are not stored the same).
I was told I would have to BUY 10 VIALS around $200 just to get 1 for my baby. I was explained that we get a discount from those they purchase from and would be driven crazy if they order what and from the manufactures parents requested.
I was asked well do you have 9 other friends that could use the others... NO I DON'T!
I am pissed off --- are our babies a business venture?? WHY WHY WHY if this information about the thimerosal (mercury) and the possibility would a DOCTOR choose to keep ordering those with these preservatives???
JUST TO BE SAFE WHY AREN'T THEY ORDERING NON PRESERVATIVE TYPES?
I feel like a sell out Mother who didn't take a stand for a voiceless child---Remember in the past staff & doctors used to SMOKE in hospitals!!! We aren't always right and find out the harmful effects much too late!
I will be looking for a new office that has my babies best interst at heart not $$$$.
I want to feed my baby the most pure foods, less toxic household cleaners, recycle... change all of these things for a better human- a better life & world, but yet I let a trillion dollar company that could care less put these things in his system permanetly that I only pray have no future effect... I hear my friends say I gave my baby the vaccines and they are fine-- How do you know until years later...?
I am for vaccinations, HOWEVER the safest way possible!
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