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I've decided, I'm not vaccinating my daughter. You can flame all you want, but mark my words, you'll wish you were me 20 years from now.
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Read this, and then decide. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm57e222a1.htm
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have you had issues with preschools or schools about it? Do you tell people or keep it secret (other than here)
[ Reply | Options ]no, I have to write a letter saying we are claiming our religious exemption. We've done it every year without incident. We know lots of people who don't vax and lots who do, but the only place I've EVER been judged for it? UB. ;-)
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that's because here, we can tell you we think it's irresponsible both personally and globally. but no one will say that to your face.
[ Reply | Options ]OR, they think it's nobody's business but mine whether I choose to vaccinate my kids. Which it isn't.
[ Reply | Options ]not exactly true. vaccinations are not only a personal issue, they are also a public health issue. stopping the spread of illness is important for the whole community.
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you can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better. i'm just telling you the truth. it's called "herd immunity" and it's an important piece of the vaccination debate.
[ Reply | Options ]Can you possibly be that stupid and neglect your children so strongly at the same time. It should be considered abuse when parents dont immunize their children. Wether or not the parents care to be immunized doesnt mean they should risk their childrens healths. For safety sake, show your kids a little love and have them immunized.
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actually, that's not entirely true. if your child gets one of those diseases that we're normally vaccinated against, and you're willing to deal with those consequences, they could infect someone else who couldnt be vaccinated b/c they were sick, or allergic, or someone who's immuno-compromised. they could, in fact, kill that person.
[ Reply | Options ]np: yeah, tell that to the parents of the infants who were exposed to measles when some dumb shits didn't vaccinate their kid, took him abroad, and he brought back measles and infected a bunch of kids (including several infants) in the pediatrician's waiting room. selfish AND stupid, you are.
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I believe religiously in making my own decisions and not being a lemming, or believing that doctors are Gods, or believing that pharmaceutical companies have no motive at all except the good of society
[ Reply | Options ]so not only are you disregarding the best interest of your child AND society -- but you're lying about doing it for religious purposes. not being a lemming is not about a religious faith. you don't even have the integrity to let faith overshadow science -- you're just manipulating the system to make a stupid, STUPID choice that leaves your child defenseless. lovely.
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then the people I know IRL are a lot nicer/ more civilized/ more well researched than you are.
[ Reply | Options ]As a parent and social worker I have done a great deal of research in this area. I know what I am talking about, I am also very nice and civilized. However, I do not think risking your child's health or the health of many others is worth your sanctimoniousness about not vaccinating. Vaccinate later if you must, but don't skip it all together.
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Religions are hardly good authorities on public health. I'd listen to your doctor instead of your preacher if you really care for your child. I understand belief is powerful but you need to examine the rational facts for the safety of your child and others. Not all immunizations are helpful or researched enough to be 100% "safe" but the ones that are given to children during the first few years of their life are reliably proven to be as safe as any medicine can be. The diseases they prevent are not safe and potentially lethal.
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ok i'll bite. tell me why I will wish i was you in 20 years. how will your dd be better off than my fully vaccinated (on a delayed schedule) dd?
[ Reply | Options ]there are so many unknowns about vaccinations. until there is more testing and the autism links are totally debunked, i'm not doing it.
[ Reply | Options ]I am 25. I was fully vaccinated with all the vaccines given now to children (though mine HAD mercury in them, I'm sure). No autism, no problems, no major illnesses. I am one of MILLIONS. (and fwiw, there has been no decrease in autism cases since thymerisol was taken out of vaccines). I hope your darling daughter doesn't contract polio.
[ Reply | Options ]The British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who first published claims of links between autism and vaccinations is now under investigation for ethics violations related to this study. Consequently, one of my friends hasn't had her daughter vaccinated. The child is fine, but I didn't let my friend convince me not to vaccinate my kid. (She tried.) I think you should investigate your decision further. Imagine if your kid got polio, a perfectly preventable disease? Really, it's only safe for your kid not to be vaccinated because other people's kids are. I understand your suspicions of pharmaceutical companies, beleive me, but I think time-tested polio and small pox vaccinations are probably a good idea. I'm sure YOU had all your shots, and probably even when they still contained mercury, but you're fine, right?
[ Reply | Options ]Since there is absolutely no scientific link between autism and the vaccination, I repeat "ABSOLUTELY NO SCIENTIFIC LINK BETWEEN AUTISM AND VACCINATION", I guess all you are going by are opinions and blogs written by parents who are looking for a scape goat as to why their children are not (what the world calls) "normal". Get over your stubborn, misinformed self and PROTECT your children.
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You can only do that because most of the rest of us are responsible and vaccinate our kids.
[ Reply | Options ]np- EXACTLY. this is what bugs me about sanctimommies who don't vaccinate- you have that "luxury" because other people do vaccinate their kids. but - mark my words- the more of you out there who don't vaccinate, the more diseases there will be to catch. but I have a problem with the posts above that seem to be wishing some disease on these unvaccinated kids to prove a point- ick.
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I wasn't vaccinated by my parents and I am truly annoyed that they could have been so stupid. We went abroad every once in awhile to places that did have these diseases and I ended up with measles.
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One of the first things I did when I was old enough to drive was to go and get myself vaccinated.
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A friend did not vaccinate her children and her dh was relocated to South Africa. One of her children contracted Hep-A and nearly died. Another got polio and now can only walk with the help of leg braces.
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why shoudl she? there have been polio outbreaks in this country recently, as well as whooping cough and measles. OK, dont' vax. but accept taht your uchild may get sick as a result. you cna be happy you avoided autism but you are increasign the risk of these diseases that can kill or cripple.
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I honestly fear for your children and the unvaccinated under 1 year olds you may put at risk b/c of your choices.
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I'm not vaccinating my child either. SHe has an immune deficiency and her system can't handle the vaccinations. Anyone going to give it to me for this?? Bring it on! As a matter of fact, keep it to yourself. Why do you have the right to judge??!! Do any of us really know what we're doing by not vaccinating or vaccinating?? Even if we have MDs?? So get off your self righteous high horse, and realize that we're all parents managing ambiguity and trying to make the best decisions for our children. And just because I"m not vaccinating my child, doesn't mean I dont care about yours. Give it a rest.
[ Reply | Options ]I would imagine your daughter would probably do fine on an adjusted vaccine schedule that will help protect her and her immune deficiency. If her health is your primary object, why wouldn't you protect her?
[ Reply | Options ]Um, because some of the best immunologists in NYC and Boston (we've been for 3 opinions) have said that the vaccines could kill her, that's why. PLEASE folks, this is not something that any of us really know the answers to. Come on, we're not drs!!!!! and even the drs are doing their best and dont know the answers.
[ Reply | Options ]Not necessarily; immune deficiency is a valid concern when considering whether or not to vaccinate your child. It really depends on what type of vaccine it is (some are versions of the virus that have been killed and pose no serious risk of infecting even an immunocompromised patient; others have just been severely weakened, but are still very dangerous to someone with a compromised immune system). With that said, I do maintain that, while immune deficiency is a valid concern and a reason for avoiding certain vaccines as discussed with your doctor, that doesn't mean that *other* children should not be immunized. We eradicated smallpox from the wild thanks to successful vaccination campaigns, and have made great strides in doing the same to polio. It's only a matter of time before the next big epidemic hits us (it'll probably be influenza, by the way - I've heard estimates that predict 150 million deaths worldwide), and vaccines will help mitigate the damage greatly.
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With all due respect, I think the decision for parents with children with autoimmune issues is different than the decision for children who don't have these issues. I think that, from a public health perspective, parents who don't get their perfectly healthy children vaccinated are jeopardizing the health of others, including those children who may have a harder time fighting off illness because of autoimmune issues.
[ Reply | Options ]OP is the type of parent you should be most upset with. It is behavior like that which puts your child at the greatest risk.
[ Reply | Options ]this doesnt make sense. none of it does. If you children are vaccinated they shouldnt be at risk right? so what the hell are all of you talking about. the only child at risk should be the one not vaccinated. and other children not vaccinated. Uless you all know vaccinations are not full proof. then you will want your child to build up his immune system the right way. my kids go to a school that does not require vaccines and its Funny that the only kids that caught chicken pox are the ones that were vaccinated. hmmm. vaccinations lead to weaker immune sytems. your kids are all going to have cancer like the rest of us.
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np - your child is one of the most important reasons why it is crucial for everyone else to vax. because you have to, you are relying on the herd - if the majority of people decided to be so selfish and unreasonable about this - it would be really dangerous for her. i am not saying you should vax your dd - just that kids that are healthy should!
[ Reply | Options ]Ok, this is a remarkably different situation from someone who decides not to vaccinate with no medical problem in the child that would indicate vaccinating could be dangerous. I think I understand that you feel defensive on this subject, but really I think you should give yourself a break- you're clearly following medical advice, as opposed to OP who is going against it. GL
[ Reply | Options ]np: no, you're not vaccinating your child on advice of doctors and b/c she has immune deficiency. Which is completely opposite from OP, and it's OP who is getting flamed for not caring about others' children. in fact, it's children like YOURS that OP is putting at the highest risk, b/c you can't vaccinate, and thus if her kid gets sick, so will yours.
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Please point to one recent scientific study that links vaccinations to autism. I have researched this issue and cannot seem to find one. I ask people who aren't vaccinating or delaying vaccination and they don't seem to know of any either -- they are going on theories and conspiracies and Internet chat. I understand being scared of autism -- we have a autistic child in our extended family who is very high on the spectrum -- but while they just don't know the cause, there doesn't seem to be any credible evidence that it's vaccinations.
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