vaccination side effects

[lindata 1]

Does anyone personally know of a kid having bad reactions to vaccines - i.e. autism, paralysis, death, etc?

Has anyone here not vaccinated or stopped vaccinating due to these concerns?

Thanks!

Linda

[*susan* 1,709]

I don't know of anyone. My kids had all theirs and never had any bad side effects.

[Marimaru 7]

I'll start by saying I don't have kids, but my sisters both have 1 year olds, so this subject has been kicking around the family a lot lately. Based on everything we've been able to find to read, the vaccines seems to set off an autism that the child already had the pre-disposition for, and make the symptoms much worse than they might have been. The culprit is the metals (like mercury) in the vaccines, and it seems that they don't cause those same issues if you spread out the vaccines instead of getting them all at once.

That's basically what we've all agreed makes the most sense based on the studies we've read.

[Kat817 19]

2 of my DD's friends also contend that their sons Autism was not present, and that they changed totally following the immunization for chicken pox.

With that in mind, my DD opted so far not to immunize my granddaughter for it until her weight is up some. She was a preemie, and is still quite small for her age-----she is 3, and is just over 20 pounds----22.8 last I personally weighed her. She is developmentally just fine, smart as a whip---just little.

She said before she starts school when her body is bigger, and better able to handle it, she will get the immunization.

Kat

[plain 12]

I do believe (without conclusive, objective proof, I might add) that my daughter's selective mutism was because she was given double the vaccinations she should have been given (a long story).

I don't disagree with the science behind vaccines. I believe the causitive agent was a preservative added to the vaccines to preserve shelf life (and thus make more money). My daughter is of the age to have been vaccinated when the agent was still present in the vaccines (it has since been removed). I think it a little suspicious that when doctors and lawyers were looking into the preservative, a law was passed that gave the "giants" of the pharmaceutical industry immunity from litagation over this particular preservative. But in the end......I've seen nothing conclusive.

[taz 2]

This is a tough one. My daughter is 21 and has autism. I personally feel that her vaccinations did not cause it. Melissa had many ear infections when she was small, which also means she was on many rounds of anitbiotics. I blame those. She developed autism at 16 months. However, some of our friends do think it caused their childs autism.

I would go for vaccines again. Both my daughters had chicken pox before the vaccine came out. They did fine but a cousin developed thrombocytopenia (no guarantee on the spelling) when he had chicken pox. Whooping cough is really a miserable disease. I guess I was more afraid of the disease than the vaccine. I think the vaccines are generally safe. Well, that is my opinion. I hope everything goes well with whatever you choose.

[MerryHearted 20]

Nobody that I know personally.

Our kids seem fine so far, although my son is only two; I'm not sure which shots he's missing yet. He just had his latest round of 2-yr-old shots last week.

We adopted our children and were required to sign papers stating that we would not withhold immunizations. Since we gave our word, we will vaccinate. So I haven't spent a lot of time investigating the alternative.

[lindata 1]

Molly, that is really weird that you had to sign papers saying you would vaccinate. I know that it's our right to refuse them (although according to the docs and schools, etc, etc, they make it seem as though we have no rights in this regard).

I just don't know what to do, guys. I've read the books, I've asked people, I know the pros and cons. I'm so scared to stick him with a needle and it will be the "tipping point" that makes him regress into some kind of syndrome or another. I'm on a yahoo group right now that scares me senseless into definitely NOT vaccinating. Everyone says I have to look into this myself and decide. But it's hard (big whine going on here). Nothing is conclusive. Vaccinate and your kid can get some kind of awful syndrome or disease, don't vaccinate and the same can happen .... I'm paralyzed with fear. I walk around in a daze thinking about this and I get the shakes.

[plain 12]

lindata, I'd vaccinate if I were you. The potential benefits outweigh the potential risks, IMO.

[taz 2]

The percentage of children who have adverse reactions to vaccines is low. It also seems likely that the chance of these diseases will increase if people start refusing vaccines as it is in undeveloped countries. Also many vaccines are required before a child can start to school unless the reason for not vaccinating is religious.

[gadgetlady 4]

lindata, which vaccines are you considering not doing? There are some we felt weren't necessary and opted out (and some we will opt out of in the future), and some we did because of the risk factors.

[Telecia 1]

Never realized that vaccinations were not required. Since every school my kids have ever gone to wouldn't let you enroll them without them being current on their vaccinations.

Heck the school threatened to expell/remove my 15 year old daughter cause she wasn't current.

She is now in the process of getting up to date but thats gonna take 3 months to do cause hepatitis is one of the vaccinations shes getting.

[tarrn13 1]

as much as both sides like to argue, there is no definitve proof that vaccines cause autism, a lot of the time I think that people are looking for someone or something to blame instead of just accepting that their child has a different normal. What should be noted is that preemie infants (the younger they are) are at increased risk for many potential issues.

[Kat817 19]

My granddaughters pediatrician was very supportive of my DD waiting to get DGD's chicken pox vaccination. She has had all of the others, on a schedule of weight, as opposed to age, and that was brought up, and scheduled with the pediatrician.

My poor grandson, he had a cold when one of his sets of shots was due...so when she took him in for the next set, she explained they were moving, and she would need to transfer records. In my opinion they wanted the $$$ so rather than let him lag and catch up in 2 months, they poked him 5 times give him all the shots at one time! That is not child abuse? To hold a baby down and repeatedly stick needles in their little thighs??? And what if he had reacted----they would have not known which one he reacted to!

My DD reacted to the MMR--14 days after receiving it. If she had been given 4 others---how would we have known?

I think finding a Dr., who is open and willing to discuss, and not force their own agendas, is paramount! Not just for immunizations, but for your childs health in general. There are many things that come up, that being comfortable talking and sharing ideas, and being honest with the Dr. can make a huge difference.

My DD had interviewed and chosen a pediatrician, then when her baby was born prematurely, the pediatrician on call was present. She herself is maybe 100 pounds soaking wet, looks like about a 7th grader!!! She never frets about my DGD being small---she understands you can eat and be healthy and small!! We feel so lucky that she was the one on call, she has become a wonderful addition to our lives, in the care she has provided for my granddaughter. The occasion she is forced to see another Dr, in the practice, if hers is unavailable just reinforces how happy we are with her.

It is such a scary thing to question----I vaccinated all of my kids, and ran a daycare, that required them to be current. Yet when circumstances changed.....I can accept that there are other ways to do things.

I feel for you young parents making these tough calls.....

Kat

[heartfire 4]

Linda,

We chose to vaccinate based on our research. We felt that the benefits far outweigh the risks of the vaccines. Our daughter will be 2 years old later this month. From what I've read, the possible link to autism is the mercury that WAS in the vaccines to prolong shelf-life. The mercury has either been completely taken out or so diluted as to be practically minuscule.

This is just what we did for our family. Do your research and also discuss it with your pediatrician. Best wishes to you!