15 month appt Fri- vax woes

[KatieLou]

DD was fully vaxed, I never even thought twice about it untill she was older. DS has been fully vaxed. His 15 month well baby is in the morning and I have been on the fence as if to have the MMR given to him or not. I am afraid to, yet I am afraid not to.

When he was a itty bitty, I feel like he had mild reactions to his shots. He would scream, not cry, scream bloody murder for 2 days following his 2 months, and 4 months shots. I brought it up with the pedi because of the family history of food allergies, but she brushed it aside as normal, although the nurse seemed leary.
He did have a reaction to his chicken pox vax. About 10 days after the shots his arm swelled up, and he had a huge knot in it, the dr. confirmed a reaction (calling it something) but assured me it was not a big deal. It never seemed to bother him, but it did take a couple months to leave.

I have wrestled with the thought oof the MMR since he was born (with the tie to autism) I know my pedi, and I know she is not going to be supportive at ALL of me not having him vaxed, or even delayed, and I just can't decide what to do!

Thoughts? Links? Help!:hugegrin:

[KatieLou]

I have to run gals, but I will be back in a few hours, so post away!

[intokermit]

I, personally, am against all vaccines. If it was just the disease that they were giving my child then maybe, but those shots have so much junk in them. You have a legal right to not vaccinate, and your pedi. can't do anything about it. It will take me some time to find the legal links (my computer crashed last night, so I lost alot of info, but every state has religious laws that allows parents the right to refuse any vaccine that they want. All you have to give you pedi. is a form filled out by you stating that you are refusing x vaccine, and sign it. They can't force you to vaccinate, and if they do it against your wishes, it is assault with a deadly weapon. So, you do have options.

[Peanut1207]

I have an alternate vaccine schedule. My son receives no more than 2 shots per month (which still seems like a TON to me). I am very supportive of vaccines, I just think that babies are bombarded with too many at one time...hence the spreading out. If you are concerned about MMR would you consider just delaying it until 2 or 3? Right now my baby will receive MMR at 2...it might get pushed back 'til 3 but we'll see. Pedis are not really allowed to be supportive, they are under watch from the CDC to have parents follow the schedule that is recommended (the schedule is set based on the highest risk groups BTW, so not necessarily your baby) but they are also told that if a parent is adamant about delaying or selectively vaxing, that their wishes should be respected (they don't want people not to vaccinate at all so are becoming more accepting of alternate plans). So long story short...it's your child and your decision. Stand up for what you believe. I was so scared at first because my pedi was unsupportive but I stuck to my guns and he's totally fine with it now...they are scared that people aren't going to follow up. MMR is the one I'm most nervous about too...

[intokermit]

This link talks about the autism /mmr link. http://www.vaccinationnews.org/DailyNews/2003/June/23/NewStudyShows%20MMR-Autism23.htm
This dr. talks about the possible dangers if your dc has food allergies
http://www.drgreene.com/21_644.html
This is a Christian site. If you don't want a Christian message on the view, then you may want to skip. http://poisonevercure.150m.com/ingredients.htm
This is a link to every states vaccine exemption forms. There's one there for daycares. I hope that this helps. I'm still looking for some of the other info I used to have. http://www.vaclib.org/exemption.htm

[KatieLou]

This link talks about the autism /mmr link. http://www.vaccinationnews.org/DailyNews/2003/June/23/NewStudyShows%20MMR-Autism23.htm
This dr. talks about the possible dangers if your dc has food allergies
http://www.drgreene.com/21_644.html
This is a Christian site. If you don't want a Christian message on the view, then you may want to skip. http://poisonevercure.150m.com/ingredients.htm
This is a link to every states vaccine exemption forms. There's one there for daycares. I hope that this helps. I'm still looking for some of the other info I used to have. http://www.vaclib.org/exemption.htm


Thanks! Off to look, and I am Christian so I am intrested to see that one.

[Nipple_nectar]

Alright, truthfully, I don't research this stuff because it will make me not want to vaccinate. I want my child vaccinated, I really do. The horror stories scare me but the diseases scare me more.

We had our 15 month appt., yesterday (hello cybertwin;-) DD2 got three shots, including the MMR. She was unusually clingy last night. We go to the gym 3 times weekly and she would not let me leave the child care area.:-(

I understand your concerns but there are too many outbreaks for me to feel safe.

[whitnessforhim]

I do not vax either.
I can definitly relate to your "what if I do/what if I don't" fear. But maybe your instincts are telling you something. It may be to wait, it may be to never give the vax at all. Either way this isn't something you should be pressured into doing.
When I had DD the pedi (which was highly recommended by the hospital) refused to see my DD because I refused the Hep B vax at birth. He was such a jerk. But her pedi now is the sweetiest, most kind person I've ever met. I've never felt pressured to do or not to do anything. He just gives me what information he has and lets us, the parents decide. He's also very informed about BF which is a huge plus.

[intokermit]

I got very lucky. my pedi is also my PCP. I called before my ds was born and asked if he would be my pedi, even though I wasn't going to vaccinate. He said as long as he had the refusal form, he was good with it. Unfortunately, he couldn't come to the hospital when my ds was born to check him out. Boy, I got hell from that pedi.at the hospital. My child was going to bleed to death, because I refused the vitamin K shot, he was going to get Hep B, C, and whatever other Heps are out there. He was trying to make me feel bad. I just looked at him and told him it was a good thing that he was only the pedi. while my ds was in the hospital, and not after. Just so you know, we had him circ. at 10 days, when the body makes vitamin K naturally, and he did not get the shot. He barely bled when the procedure was done, and I am very glad I stuck to my guns and said no. It was not needed!
My thing about vaccines, especially MMR, is that most of the diseases they are supposed to 'prevent' can be treated now, successfully. And, the vaccine does not guarantee that they are immune. Look at how many cases of Measles and Mumps are popping up. But when 1 out of 150 kids now have some sort of Autism, you have to step back and look hard at what's wrong. You can't heal autism. If God decided that my baby would be born autistic, then so be it, but I will not play Russian Roulette with my son's life.

[Jacksmommy]

I don't vax. I researched vaccines and the diseases they vaccinate for and felt the safest thing to do was to NOT vax. I suggest every parent do their own research. Look at things like where and how your dc might be exposed to something. What outbreaks have been in your area recently (the last year or so). Also look at what the diseases are that are being vaccinated against. What do they do? How dangerous are they? At what age are they dangerous? Then weigh all of that against the safety of the vaccines and make a choice. Never do anything just because it's what your doctor wants. Your doctor has his/her own agenda/opinion that may or may not put the best interest of YOUR child first. You make the choice not your doctor.

[KatieLou]

Oh, I am so torn. I almost feel like it is my gut feeling, telling me to at least wait on the MMR for a while. I have read up on this for months now, and still can't decide. Like I said, I never hesitated to have DD fully vaxed, but I just am not feeling good about this.

DH supports what ever I decide. I am thinking, could it really hurt to wait untill he is 2.

[Jacksmommy]

Research, Katie Lou. You want to feel good about your decision. What are you nervous about? Measles vs autism? Your doctor making a mean face at you? What is stressing you?

[intokermit]

Oh, I am so torn. I almost feel like it is my gut feeling, telling me to at least wait on the MMR for a while. Then wait! Your gut feeling is the most powerful thing that you have! It will not hurt one bit if he waits till he's older to get the vaccine. He's your son, and you have to do what is best!

[KatieLou]

Yes, I am leaning waaay towards waiting. Jacksmom, i was concerned more about measles vs autisum than anything.

[threefunboys]

Just to play devil's advocate...I do vax my kids. I feel confident that autism is not caused by vaccines. They don't know what causes autism. It's hard enough to diagonse, let alone find the cause. There are a lot of behavioral problems in kids these days, and I can't help but wonder how much of it is caused by our lifestyle. Not ALL of it, I'm sure, but a lot. Many kids are misdiagnosed. Or, they are diagnosed with some thing for insurance/financial reasons. Insurance won't pay for "doctor" visits if they aren't getting medicine, and psychiatrists often will give people drugs for things for their own benefit, not the patient's. But that's kind of beside the point...back to vaccines...there are people at certain risk to have problems with vaccines, but since we dont' have any of those in my family history, I choose do to what I feel is protecting my kids from debilitating and painful diseases.

One thing I think about is terrorism. If people stop vaxing in droves, it opens up a whole world of hurt for us if they were to let go any of these deadly diseases (especially if we get this universal health care system in place) because it would overwhelm the system).

Another thing I think about is the internet. Anyone can put whatever they want up. Most of the time we don't know who these people are, what their motives are, and where their funding comes from, and how their studies were conducted. Statistics mean almost nothing to me because they can be so easily skewed in so many ways. If you're going to do research on a subject, I recommend doing research on BOTH sides of the issue and deciding for yourself, instead of focusing only on one side (there are cooky people on every side of every issue). I wish I had a website to post that supports vaccinating, just to be fair.

With that said, I still support letting every parent make that decision on their own. There's nothing wrong with holding off on a vaccine (even if you get the evil eye from your doc) if you don't feel comfortable with it; on the contrary, I would say there is something wrong with going into something you aren't so sure about.

Hope this helps!

[SingingMom]

Our family doctor actually IS supportive of at least a delayed schedule for vaxes. You can find docs like that. I don't think you'll find a lot of pediatricians who are all out antivax, but there are other philosophies out there.

And I do vax my kids. I grew up with kids who had had polio, kids whose hearing or sight was damaged by measles- I know someone who lost his fertility to mumps. We live in a very cosmopolitan area with folks from all over the world. My kids run a real risk of being exposed to serious diseases.

So I'll risk the reaction to the shots.

And even so, we're delaying some of our shots because the doctor feels that there's no reason to give them yet, as we homeschool.

So my advice is, think about it. Talk frankly with your doc. Try to find a doc you feel is reasonable. And do what you think is right for your kids.

More and more often, kids are being diagnosed with autism BEFORE the MMR is given. If you already have a concern about your child possibly being on the autism spectrum, then you have a good reason to delay the MMR. If that doesn't fit your child, you have to decide what the risk level is.

[madelsmama]

You don't have to do the MMR tomorrow. You can do your homework and go back at any time if you come to the decision that you are ready for him to have it.

Is he in daycare? If he's not exposed to a lot of "gunk", I wouldn't worry as much about him being exposed to measles.

Just for another reference, Dr. Sears recommends the Mumps vaccine *alone* at 12m, Rubella *alone* at 2 yrs, and mumps *alone* at age 3 in his Vaccine Book. It's not easy to find the individual shots, but you could try calling around.

[ashtonsmom]

Katielou...i am right there with you. I haven't even schedule Ashton's 15 mth ckup yet b/c I am so torn about this. He does not go to daycare and everything I have read suggesst that they can get the MMR anytime as long as they are 2 mths (I think) apart. I am not sure if I believe that the MMR causes regressive autism but why chance it if there is no harm in waiting {{SHRUG}}

What did you decide, I would love to know. And BTW, DS has been fully vax up to this point.

[Stephanie]

Our family doctor actually IS supportive of at least a delayed schedule for vaxes. You can find docs like that. I don't think you'll find a lot of pediatricians who are all out antivax, but there are other philosophies out there.

And I do vax my kids. I grew up with kids who had had polio, kids whose hearing or sight was damaged by measles- I know someone who lost his fertility to mumps. We live in a very cosmopolitan area with folks from all over the world. My kids run a real risk of being exposed to serious diseases.

So I'll risk the reaction to the shots.

And even so, we're delaying some of our shots because the doctor feels that there's no reason to give them yet, as we homeschool.

So my advice is, think about it. Talk frankly with your doc. Try to find a doc you feel is reasonable. And do what you think is right for your kids.

More and more often, kids are being diagnosed with autism BEFORE the MMR is given. If you already have a concern about your child possibly being on the autism spectrum, then you have a good reason to delay the MMR. If that doesn't fit your child, you have to decide what the risk level is.

I agree. We vax, my kids are in daycare and exposed to a wide variety of children in their lives. We go to public playgrounds and they swim in public pools. For us, the risks of the diseases outweigh the risks of the shots.

[Jmom1010]

We vaxed. DS is in a large daycare and we are out and about alot. I should have waited on the MMR but he had it at 15 months and everything was fine. If I had known I could wait I may have waited. Now does anyone know if the second MMR is required at all, isn't it a booster? And they get that around 5 don't they? Can we delay that one and is that one linked to Autism too or just the early shot?

[Jacksmommy]

Yes, I am leaning waaay towards waiting. Jacksmom, i was concerned more about measles vs autisum than anything.


If autism is a fear, then don't have him get the vaccine - at least not yet.

[whitnessforhim]

And I do vax my kids. I grew up with kids who had had polio, kids whose hearing or sight was damaged by measles- I know someone who lost his fertility to mumps. We live in a very cosmopolitan area with folks from all over the world. My kids run a real risk of being exposed to serious diseases.

So I'll risk the reaction to the shots.


I'm just curious if these children you grew up with were never vaxed?
My mother had polio when she was a child which she got FROM the vax.

I understand the scare from both sides though.

[SingingMom]

I don't know. It never seemed like the thing to ask, and I was a kid. It didn't really matter to me.

However, with regard to the polio vax, they DID see some cases where kids got polio from the vax, which is why they've switched to the other form. The vax I got as a kid included live (although attenuated) virus. My understanding is that kids these days get a killed form. No chance of infection anymore.

[KatieLou]

UPDATE: We decided to wait until he is at least 18 minths, if not 2 for the MMR, and my pedi was wonderful about it! Little guy has lost 1lb though. The pedi was not to concerned about it as he had grown 1 inch. At 20lbs and 32 inches he is 5th in weight (on FF charts) and 95th in height! LOL! Everything else was well.

[Jmom1010]

I'm glad you had such a positive experience.

[jupiterfruitcake]

My older ds got his MMR at 3 years old, right before he started school. He got the Chicken Pox separately. I agree with so many others- when your instincts are going nuts, take them seriously. Good job!