OrionGirl said:
I do agree with selective vaccinations, and agree there are many that are not required. But--for some--there is compelling evidence that they work, they benefit society, and should be given. As for exposures--if an unvaccinated child exposes a 5 year old to polio, the 5 year old can bring it home and expose the unvaccinated 1 year old. Vaccinations prevent you from contracting the ailment, not from carrying it. Hmmmm. Nope, don't want that. I am certainly not implying that Scientologists are the only ones who oppose vaccinations, either. But opposing a specific vaccination based on research is a bit different, don't you think?
Although your were not implying that Scientologists are the only ones opposed, your message did imply you're not happy with those who choose not to vaccinate. And I took offense to that.
I'm not so sure about vaccinated kids being "carriers" of disease. My feeling is that it's pretty hard to be a carrier if you don't actually contract the disease, but then it would depend on how the disease spreads. Kids in school pass along all sorts of colds and diseases that we don't have vaccines for too. In terms of polio, I think it is a bit of an extreme example since it's really pretty uncommon in North America...and an odd case, since there is evidence that at least one vaccine lot (in the 50s) was responsible for causing and spreading the disease it was designed to prevent.
An unvaccinated 1 year old is at risk of contracting all sorts of diseases. That's why it's important to breastfeed as long as possible (at least until 2 is advisable)...it helps baby to develop their immune system (as does getting sick!) The mother passes on antibodies to fight any number of diseases she has or has had (For example if baby and mom has the flu, then mom will pass along the antibodies to fight off the flu.) You can't protect baby from everything...otherwise you'd be shut off from the world. And even if you've started a baby's one year shots, they don't have full immunity until they have completed the course a couple of years later.
Vaccinations aren't the be all and end all solution, and I believe they shouldn't be mandatory at all. They can also be dangerous. A number of infants in the US are injured or die every year from vaccines. Sometimes it's because of a "hot" lot, where the vaccine causes adverse reaction or even death. And some vaccines are given to infants before the full effects are known. Rotavirus vaccine was pulled from use in the US (it wasn't used in Canada) in 1998, because of adverse reactions: it caused severe bowel obstructions in some infants.
In Alberta, Canada, anyone can opt out of any or all vaccines without "religious or moral reasons." And an un-vaccinated child can't be denied access to school. It's great the vaccinations are free to whomever wants them, and it's great to not be forced to take them.
I have developed my beliefs about vaccinating my family over a number of years. The reasons are complex and somewhat intangible...gut instinct is part of it...and the fact that my last child was born naturally and safely at home.
I fully vaccinated my first child (7yo). And have almost fully vaccinated my second (I may not complete the course) (5yo). At this point, I have not vaccinated my 3rd child (she's 3yo). I believe she has had one disease (Rubella) for which there is a vaccine, but she was too young to start the vaccinations for it at that point any way. I'm waiting until she is older to do a titer to test for antibodies. She will not receive the vaccine until Rubella becomes a risk for her (when she starts menses), and at that point I'll ask her what she wants to do. The rest of the vaccines I'm still thinking about. I'm weighing the risk of vaccination with the risk of contracting the disease, and considering that the body can do a much better job developing antibodies through having the disease rather than through vaccinations. For example, Varicella vaccine (chicken pox) is still only 40% effective at preventing disease, but actually having chicken pox will give full immunity from further infection. We're waiting on that one until the kids are older. If they haven't had the disease by the end of elementary (which is likely nowadays) then they'll get the vaccine before they're teenagers (when the risks of the diseases are more of a problem), and by then we'll know more about the vaccine's effectiveness.
Finally, I don't believe there is a big risk in waiting until the kids are older for vaccinations. I would much rather do that than subject a tiny baby to numerous shots and all the chemicals in them. I think a bigger, more developed body and immune system can handle it better.
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BTW, despite my homebirthin', extended breastfeedin', somewhat anti-vaccinations ways, I'm far from being a hippy. :cool2: LOL!
mishi8
I think that, for me, the moodiness wouldn't be as bad if I didn't have 3 young kids...sometimes they send my stress-level through the roof!
