Immunizations: Should you or shouldn't you?
 

I heard today something about avoiding vaccinating your young children because of the dangers that surround immunizations. I had never heard about this before (maybe because I don't have children, I dunno), so of course I wanted to come and talk to you all about it. :) Here are some links I came across (these are some really interesting articles):

National Vaccine Information Center: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/3120/#Law

How to legally avoid immunizations of all kinds:
http://www.mercola.com/article/vacci...void_shots.htm

How to Legally Avoid School Immunizations: http://www.909shot.com/

SIDS & Seizures: http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/coulter/sids.html
http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/coulter/vacc-deb.html

http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/reviews2.html#vaccination

I read the mercola article....very interesting stuff. Never thought there were waivers. Here in DC, it seems like there is a big deal that so many kids haven't been immunized, and they are preventing them from starting school until they get their shots.

As a new mommy I read all of those articles and then some when CJ was born. I did have a concern about the chicken pox vaccine because it is new. When he had the MMR (measles mumps ruebella) he broke out in a rash. That freaked me out but the doctor told us it could happen. Whenever CJ has shots I watch watch him like a hawk for any complications. My husband and I had all of our immunizations and we did fine. I'm sure our son will too.

Why is this such a problem in DC? Is it poor healthcare? I remember Howard Hospital having a program that gave free immunizations.

I did the same when lil Nikki1920 was born. I really did not want her to get the chickenpox vaccine, I had a HELLIFIED case of it when I was six, and I'm still here. For example, some Drs. recommend that babies get a flu shot, when not every baby needs it. (Usu. only ppl with compromised immune systems and the elderly should get flu shots, for others its at their own discretion)

I'm not sure what is going on with all those DC parents who dont have their children immunized, but this happens EVERY year, and the School District always waits until the WEEK before school to tell parents to get their child immunized. Why cant they start that message in the spring and continue in the summer? THAT I dont understand. Why you would not do what you needed to do to make sure your child was well is beyond me, and YES I understand that the health care system in DC is beyond shambles, but still.

I'm not sure that keeping the kids out of school is the answer, why not---oooh, a novel idea, here!!:rolleyes: ---have the immunizations come to the SCHOOLS!!?

I think the best that any parent can do is to read about immunizations and make an informed decision.

I got my daughter the Chicken Pox shot. I realize that I'm in the minority nationwide, but that's ok.
I got her the shot, because I had the pox when I was 19. I can remember them vividly. I mean VIVIDLY. I talked to her doctor (who is the best pediatrician in the world) about trying to keep her from the inevitable. I mean, kids have to take some lumps. As my mother always says, "they do get hurt". I wasn't trying to keep her from living life.
But when I thought about how I had suffered, and itched, and scratched until I bled (and I was 19), and the nightmares that I suffered every single night for over a week. And the abundance of spots on my face, that I had to "Cocoa butter" every time I thought about it. (my face shined for a year) . And people asking other people what had happened to me. And the years it took for those spots to minimize.
How could I let my innocent baby go through that, if I could keep it from her? I would trade my life for hers any day. If I can prevent her one day of anguish with a shot, how can I not do it? I couldn't. If medicine can prevent her from going through what I went through, then I say, bring it on. She got the shot when she was 2 and a half.
I have never regretted it.

Now that Flu Shot...that's pure nonsense. I guess everybody has their limits.

Haven't had a chance yet...
 

Haven't had a chance to view all the site, but I tell ya' if a child does not get their vaccinations, having the disease is a whole lot worse and extremely costly...

Such as Polio vaccine... Simple little shot to protect a child from the dehabilitating effects of polio. Think of putting a child in an "iron lung"...

Smallpox vaccine... Terrorist attack... Enuf said...

DPT--diptheria pertussis toxin vaccination--Let's just say, you DO NOT want diptheria...

Measles, mump and rubella--that's almost like smallpox...

There are a whole slough of simple shots one needs to get in order to survive. The issue is a matter of contracting and passing on the disease... Alpha herpesviruses are probably the most infectious viruses--that is what chicken pox is... Getting the vaccine certainly helps children from catching it and infecting the entire class... And if that stuff comes back as Shingles...

And alot of the current vaccinations also limit other opportunistic infections that are a whole lot worse--possibly Tuberculosis, staph infections, etc... You really don't want those other "guys" coming into your child... That just ain't kosher...

And nowadays, some of these bacterial infections are antibiotic proof--so if a vaccine can limit the level of opportunistic infections caused by bacteria, then I really, really suggest folks get it... 'Cuz to tell you the truth, they don't really teach family practitioners, hospitals and some pediatricians to care for folks infected with polio...

I was immunized against Chicken Pox when I was a child. I even had a very mild case of it initially. But why did I get a VERY BAD CASE of chikcen pox @ 21! On my birthday no less....... :(

I just saw the article where actor Christian Slater has the pox. He's in his 30s. When did you get the Chicken Pox?

I had the chicken pox when I was 22 or 23.

I was five when I got Chicken Pox and I was ~a year old when I got the measles. Little Mr. aopirose has had all of his shots to date.

My neighbor's son was 18 months when he got Chicken Pox, not from vaccine, and almost died. He has very deep pock (sp?) marks now from where some of the bumps were. They had to be packed with antibacterial soaked cotton balls. He's 11 now and it doesn't look bad but you can tell he went through some trauma.

I had all my vaccinations.

MMR, DPT, Chicken Pox - I had those when I was a baby or a wee lass. Depending on the vaccine. I never had any problems.

I had a Hep. B vaccine when I was in highschool. All elementary and highschool students had to have this vaccine if they wished to remain in school. You could only get out of it for religious reason or certain health reasons(don't know what they would be though). But you had to have proper documentation. Again, the worse thing that happened to me was I had a low blood sugar reaction (I'm a diabetic).

I also had my Hep. A shot because several workers at my local grocery store contracted Hep. A. Nothing happend.

Chicken Pox can also cause Shingles. I had chicekn pox when I was 7. I have a couple scars from where I scratched off bumps. But it wasn't that bad. My friend had it for the second time while she was in university. We had to stay away from here for a couple of days. She also had to take some medication to help prevent Shingles.

There are a bunch of nutjobs who moved to the middle of Boulder, CO. They settled in a town surrounded by towns filled with normal people. The normal people had no issue with vaccinations, the nuts jobs did. Guess the outcome.

-Rudey
--Boulder, which has the lowest schoolwide vaccination rate in Colorado, has one of the highest per capita rates of whooping cough in the United States.

Dag, am I the only one who didn't get a chicken pox vaccine as a child? LOL. I'm not even sure if it was offered in my area back then. My younger sister and I got it around the same time when I was about 9.

Chicken Pox
 

I had it at 7 yrs old. I was sooo mad because it was the summer time and it was just awful. It seemed like I had it forever! Anyway, Im 22 and I haven't had anything even remotely close to measales, mumps or rubella because I had my shots and what not. I guess chicken pox were going around at that time and I happened to catch it. :( But, Im free now and so far there are no problems in sight! YAY!

Q

I got the Chicken Pox at age 7. I didn't even know there was a vaccine.

I got the pox at 16. I missed two weeks of school. I would have rather had that isht at 5!

Otherwise, I've got all the other vaccines.

I remember getting "chicken pops" in 1971, when I was 7. My nephew, who was then 4, and my sister, who was 22, got it with me.
:(
As far as I know, I have all my vaccines.

OMG I thought I was the only one who thought they were "Chicken POPS".

Still got a few scars
 

Yep, Chicken Pops. Got it at 6 or 7. Didn't contract any other childhood diseases--measles, mumps, etc.

Chicken Pox is rather benign in kids but dangerous in teens and adults. Like someone said it is the same virus that leads to Shingles and can cause infertility and even death in older sufferers.

I got Chicken Pox in the second grade when I was 7. I remember my entire class ended up getting them. I had them EVERYWHERE and still have the mark on my nose to show it.

My friend's little brother had chicken pox when I was in the third grade. My parents sent me over to "catch" them, and I spent my birthday and part of spring break with them. However I was eight or so, and was highly distracted and entertained with all my birthday presents.

Just a word of advice here. If you're young, before you go off your parents' insurance, or if you have insurance, check and see when your last immunizations were when you have your next physical. Once we stop seeing pediatricians regularly we adults kind of forget to keep our immunizations up to date. I smacked my finger last fall at a Habitat build, had a wound that wouldn't heal, and realized I was not current with tetanus and diptheria.

When I moved to Alaska I had to have all my immunizations current (with the higher Native population a measles or tuberculosis outbreak is serious stuff, and they do not play!) or I wouldn't be allowed to take classes or live on campus. My doctor did a blood titer to check my immunity, and I was lacking measles protection. Often more than one vaccine can be given at the same time in one shot, I got bacterial meningitis and measles given to me at the same time. Many of these are covered by health insurance, and the really important ones (DPT, MMR) are not too expensive out of pocket. Not more than going to a movie and getting snacks.

I never had the pox as a kid, but somehow I'm immune to it anyway (yay!). I didn't know that there was a vaccine for it until about a year or so ago.

I got vaccinated for whooping cough as a kid, and still managed to get it. It was awful. But I'll still probably vaccinate my kids anyway.

Actually, when I had the pox, it was a blessing in disguise
 

I had the measles when I was a baby; don't remember the specifics.

I got the pox back in '81, had to spend a week home from school, but for me it was a much needed vacation. I was in LBD and had this old, witchy teacher that I didn't like at all (Mrs. Gaskill, or Gasbutt, as I nicknamed her) who made my life a living hell. So staying home for a week was GREAT. Game shows in the morning, reading my Weekly Reader books in the afternoon, it was all good. BTW, two other classmates came down with the pox the same time I did.

Speaking of tetanus, that reminds me that I am due for that 10 year booster shot (YAY! :rolleyes: ).

When I was little, my mother was very insistent that I be up to date on all my vaccinations. The chicken pox and hepatitis B vaccines did not exist, but I got the polio, MMR, and all that other good stuff. My mother had a huge fight with my pediatrician when he tried to tell her that the smallpox vaccine was no longer necessary. (I did not receive the vaccine.)

I got the hepatitis B vaccine while I was in college. I seem to recall that it was free or really cheap.

I had the chicken pox when I was in 4th grade, over Christmas break. I couldn't get it when school was in session so I could miss a week of classes. Nooo... I had to miss Christmas. :(

I remember gettign the chicken pox when I was like 5... very itchy! My mom did get the shot for me and they were mild... I was an infant and she said the side effects could include down sindrome... and she watched me the whole night... she said at some point she woke up and it looked like i had down syndrome... i guess she was just trippin (im 21 now)

I had all my vaccinations when I was young...chicken pox vaccine did not exist then.

Never been vaccinated for chicken pox and I've never had it, either. Crossing my fingers that I never do!

I remember there's one shot (tetanus, maybe) that you had to get and then get a booster after 10 years. Do you still have to continue that into adulthood? If so I am waaaay overdue. *heh*

Yup and you have a choice of 5-year or 10-year "strength".

DPT - Diptheria Pertussis (whooping cough) Tetanus


Also, regular TB skin tests are good to do. With tuberculosis making a comeback, and there being many antibiotic resistant strains, it is a good idea to be current with that. If the test comes up "positive" it isn't the end of the world. Just means you've been exposed to it, if you're not "actively" coughing up blood and such. You get a chest xray every couple of years, and take antibiotics that lower your risk of ever having "active" tb. They are free in many communities, as the pills are low cost, and if the local Health Department administers them, they know the months of treatment have been completed.

Usually, public health departments or low-cost health clinics will do immunizations for low prices for the uninsured--sometimes for less than a Dr's office copay is. So, even if you're uninsured, there's no excuse to get the vaccinations! :)

I got immunized against Hep A/B, Meningitis, and all my boosters on the same day once, as well as the Mantoux skin test. :( Not very fun. In a few months, I get to get shots for dengue and yellow fever! Woo hoo!

We had a measles outbreak when I was in college. It was a mess. I had my shots up to date, but an overwhelming majority of the students, faculty, and staff did not. They had to distribute over 10,000 shots in a few days. The campus was essentially closed down to outside visitors, but it wasn't quarantined. It was crazy. There were five very sick students. Believe me, you don't want to catch the measles.

LOL. My mom did the same thing! One of the girls in my Girl Scout Troup caught it when I was about 7 so my mom sent me to her house to hang out with her. She wanted me to get Chicken Pox when I was young since the illness affects you more the older you get. Unfortunately, I didn't catch it from her. When I was 9, I remember sitting in my 3rd grade classroom when the Secretary came over the class PA and asked that I come to the front office because my mom was taking me home. I was so confused until I got into my mom's car and saw my little sister with red spots all over her face. My mom looked at me and said, "I'm taking you home so that you and your sister can play in the same room together for the next few hours. Make sure to hug each other a lot." My mother...lol...God love her. Needless to say, I got Chicken Pox a few days later.

I think you're supposed to get your Tetanus Booster every 10 years as an adult. I had to get one after breaking my elbow during a Rollerblading accident back in the Summer of 2000 since I was all scraped up from an impact with a metal fence. (yeah...ow!) In the Summer of 2002, I was walking around my apartment when I stepped on the wrong end of a sewing needle that my roommate had dropped on the ground and neglected to pick up. I had to go to the ER (the needle would NOT come out...the doctor had to make an incision in my foot and put in some stitches...good fun) and I remember the doctors asking me when my last Booster had been. They told me that if it had been more than 5 years, they would need to give me one. I think it's every 10 years that you should be vaccinated but if you are injured by way of a rusty nail, needle, etc. then they'll give you a booster if you haven't been vaccinated in 5+ years.

I had ALL the usual childhood illness as a child...german measles, red measles, mumps, chicken pox...I also received the small pox vaccine and polio immunizations. Dad was military and traveled world wide. His family was required to be uptodate all the time.

Fast forward a bunch of years and now Sageofages is a mom...

Daughter # 1 has had the chicken pox THREE times. She had all her regular immunizations except for the CP shot. She now has Crohn's disease and must avoid everyone with a communicable illness and her immune system is considered very compromised.
Everyone around must get the flu shot etc. Grandson had to stay away for 7 days after getting his immunizations to protect her.

Daughter #2 had chicken pox twice. Once at about 6 months and then again around 3. Her immunizations caused no difficulty otherwise.

Sons all have had Chicken pox. One broke out two saturdays before Christmas, and the other two broke out right on schedule 10 days later ;).

Son #3 did get the red measles from the shot. Caused a HUGE stink with our local health department, especially when my husband broke out with them at the right incubation period later. The Health Dept was in a dither over it. Dr said "yes it is the measles." when the health dept wanted to shush it up. I guess fed money depends on them not having cases. Made me crazy.

My boss had a daughter die from complications of vaccines, so every time the kids/grandson gets their immunizations I am on pins and needles for the first few days.

All in all it is worth the risk.

I had chicken "pops" at 3. I remember this b/c my mom was 19, and my uncle was about 13-14. I was in Headstart at the time and it was the day before our big trip to the zoo in Jackson. I had to miss the trip. I cried (and itched) for days and days. My son got CP at the same age. I had to stay in the house with him while he scratched and cried for about a week or 2. I thought I would go crazy. He is current with all of his shots and I got my tetanus shot 3 years ago when I started working at the hospital.

We've gotten very concerned about those childhood shots since Hubby and I found out that our son is autistic last year. I've read about the link between the shots and autism but reserchers say that nothing has been confirmed. I never gave shots a second thought b/c Hubby and I got our shots and we didn't become autistic. When we have our next child, we will be watching him or her like a hawk for anything wrong.

I was in college with chicken pox at 21. it was not that bad. my doctor gave me something and for the most part i had no discomfort.

I've never had chicken pox, mumps, or measles. I'm scared to death to get any of them.