Alternative Vacine Schedule

Hi,
I am the Mom of a beautiful 2 year old boy with a mild form of Autism. I wish I had done what you are doing!!!! I had all of his vacines untill he was 18 months when he had his MMR. He threw up for 15 hours straight after he got the vacine and was hospitalized for 2 weeks and he almost died from dehydration. I opted NOT to get his booster at 2 and my doctor's office was nice but not supportive. I know that Jenny Mcarthy has been in the news lately with an alternitive vacine schedule. You may find more info on the talk about curing autism now website. I applaud you and wish that more Mom's would question not the vacines themselves but the schedule. We give our new babies 36 vacines before the age of 2. Some children's immune systems CAN NOT handle this. Most people think I am nuts too but I have done alot of research and I am not sure that the cure is not worse in some cases than the disease itsself. Jenny Mcarthy's son started with seisures after his MMR. If I do immunize before he goes to school he WILL NOT have MMR and if he has the others he will have them seperately and spaced out. Like if it is ddp He will have one at a time because there are 3 live vacines in one shot. I am not an expert just a concerned Mom. I hope I helped.
M.

I have never heard of a doctor saying that a child will die without them. You are probably better off with another doctor. Like you said, your son would have to catch something first of all. I know someone that has 3 boys that are not vaccinated, and they've had no problems. Of course, to send a child to school, you have to have vaccinations. That may change by the time you son starts, who knows. There is always cyber school too.
They are finding out new problems the vaccines cause everyday. I wish I had not had my son vaccinated. It's scary, the things you hear about them now.
Don't forget doctors get bonuses from drug companies, every time they write a prescription. Do some more research into them, before you make a decision.

Hi K. -

You have every reason to be concerned about vaccinating your children. And sadly enough, many physicians are not educated on the serious risks and dangers of these vaccines that they routinely inject into our children.
When we only educate ourselves on one-sided information, and we don't look at all the evidence, how can we then make INFORMED choices about our care?
What I see time and again are parents who are bullied into making FEAR-based decisions instead of making their choices on EVIDENCE-based information. We live in a society that makes so many choices based on fear and guilt. And there are those who prey on the innocence and ignorance of others and make them feel bad and guilty for not believing the same way they do.
I'm providing you a list of websites where you can get some GREAT information about vaccines and immunizations. After you read and learn a little more, you can make better choices for your family based on information and not fear and guilt.

www.vaccinesafety.edu
www.gotmercury.org/
www.educate-yourself.org/vcd/
www.chetday.com/novacarticles.html
www.beinghealthynaturally.com/childrenbabyhealth/dangersv...
www.mercola.com/forms/vaccine_teleconference.htm
www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm
www.v.mercola.com/QA/Every-Pregnant-Woman-Needs-to-Know-T...
www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/VaccineResearcher.html
www.nvic.org/

I hope you find these websites of help. And don't be afraid to find care providers who RESPECT your decisions. After all, they work for you when you hire them to provide your care.

L. Leavy, CD, HCHI, CHt.
www.MotheringandMore.org
www.MySpace.com/Hypnosis4Childbirth

I would contact other doctors. I would also ask about spacing out the vaccines so that he is not receiving so many at one time. As long as you are breastfeeding, your child should have your immunities. I wouldn't worry quite so much at this point. However, if your child does not have his shots up to date when he is 5 (or earlier if you want him to attend preschool), he may not be allowed to attend school. Most schools require the vaccinations. Because most schools require them, I would call a few doctors (check with friends to see who they recommend) and tell them what has happened and that you are no longer comfortable with your doctor as a result. Tell them what information you are seeking. That way you should be able to find a doctor who will work with you and your concerns. I am surprised your doctor didn't offer to split up the vaccines so that he wasn't getting so many at once when he knew of your concerns. I don't like his bully tactics and hope you find someone who listens more closely to a mother's concerns and works with you to find a way to make it work for you. I'm also surprised your doctor didn't send your son for some type of testing after the last incident to make sure there were no underlying causes.

Good luck with your search and with your dilemma. Feel free to email me if you need someone to vent to or talk to.

K.- go with your gut. First, I'd fire that pediatrician. No doctor is going to tell me how to raise my child. There is no law saying you have to give your child any vaccination.

Here is a good website that provides an alternative vax schedule. It's a fairly decent length article, but at the bottom is the summary. Best of luck to you!

http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html

In summary, this is a vaccination schedule that I would recommend:

No vaccinations until a child is two years old.
No vaccines that contain thimerosal (mercury).
No live virus vaccines (except for smallpox, should it recur).
These vaccines, to be given one at a time, every six months, beginning at age 2:
Pertussis (acellular, not whole cell)
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Polio (the Salk vaccine, cultured in human cells)

maybe I'm out of touch, but I've had five kids the oldest is almost 19 the youngest just turned 4, all of their shots are up to date, and I have never ever had more then two at a visit. It has never even been suggested to have more then that. I'd tell that doctor where he could stick those shots. He can't be a very good doc anyway if he isn't even discussing your fears with you. No one should ever try to scare you into anything. Please find a new doctor right away, and make them talk to you. Good luck!
S.

Hi K.,

I am also very concerned about vaccines (I have a 4 week old, and don't want to give her all the traditional vaccines). I think the sleepiness you mentioned is a side effect I have heard of before. There is a book called "the vaccine book" by Dr. Robert Sears that has lots of info (there is a website as well) and an alternative schedule, also the CDC is always a good source of general info and standard recommendations.

I think that the rate/number of vaccines encouraged by the health industry is over the top and you are the "consumer". If your Dr. disagrees find a new doctor! For public health reasons, the establishment encourages vaccines, but they don't provide the same immunity as having the disease (ie chicken pox) and in some cases don't even prevent the disease in a large percentage of cases.

I am planning to evaluate the possible side effects/allergies of the vaccines against the possible effects/liklihood of the disease and try to spread out the vaccines I choose to get over time. Hopefully then any side effects/allerigies are minimized and able to be tracked by particular vaccine as much as possible.

Good luck and stick to your guns about your instincts. Do your research and you will be able to feel more comfortable. You are the parent and you will make the best decisions for your children! - H.

Don't let anyone tell you that you have to give your child 7 shots at one time! I went through the same thing with the chicken pox shot with my oldest daughter. She weezed, could not sleep, had mini seziures and her whole personality changed with this shot. I looked it up on the net and it said that this was considered a really bad reaction. I asked the doctor and they said it was nothing. I don't think they wanted to admit that this shot could case this (needless to say, we no longer go to that doctor). Anyway, my youngest daughter is 4 and she has yet to get the shot. She will get it when she is ready to enter Kindergarten. Not that I want it, but becuase it is required.
I do not let any doctor give my children more than 2 shots at one time (believe me I have had some dirty looks and lectures for not doing so by the doctor). I don't believe that any child needs to have that many shots at one time. Just to let you know, my children are vacinated and up to date (except that chicken pox one). There are just some shots that I felt I should wait on, for both of my girls.

I don't know if this may help, but I have asked that my children be given no more than 2 shots at one visit. If they needed more shots I would wait for 2 or 3 weeks and then go back for 2 more. I have been told by doctors that doing this is more tramatic for the child. I say it's pretty tramatic being held down and stuck 7 times.

You know what is best for your child and your child will recieve the shots when you feel the time is right. You have every right to make this decision...Not the Doctor. Stick to your guns and do what is right for you and your child. Don't let any doctor intimidate you. You know what is best.
Good Luck!

it is ridiculous that your pediatrician wouldn't have a reasonable discussion with you about an alternative vaccination schedule. Lots of parents do that for a variety of reasons and concerns. I wouldn't definitely find a new pediatrician first off. One, who will discuss alternate schedules with you and help you prioritize the vaccines. Both my kids have been fully vaccinated, but I still read up quite a bit about vaccine risks and our docs said they would be willing to do an alternative schedule if I was interested. I read two books that I found interesting, "What your doctor may not tell you about childhood vaccines", and "Vaccinations: A thoughtful parent's guide".

Hi,

I live in Pittsburgh and what I did was go to the Allegheny County Health Department and get the vaccines one at a time, spaced 2 mos in between.

My real fear was thimerosal, and only vaccines in single antigen titters don't contain thimerosal (which my ped. confirmed). It was a pain, but worth it.

I read two really good books--one, the thinking parent's (person?) guide to vaccinations. I can't remember the name of the other one.

You've gotten lots of good responses, but if you have any questions, feel free to email ____@____.com.

Honestly I would find a new doctor. I belive kids need to have all their vaccines by the time they start school, so waiting a little longer I don't think is that big of a deal. My advice is to do what you feel is right. You are doing the right thing.

Jen

Wow! That sounds like a very scary experience and I don't blame you for your decision at all. I just wanted to recommend that you check out some of the "natural parenting sites" like Mothering Magazine. There are MANY parents that decide not to vaccinate or delay it and will offer you tons of help.

I Had heard that giving too many at one time increases the chances of autism, especially in boys. We have a history of autism in our family already so I told my Dr that I only would allow 1 to 2 at a time. He understood my concern and then scheduled them at least 1 to two months apart and we all were happy. Maybe if you approcah them with a suggestion like that. I am from the medical profession myself. Sometimes on bad Dr. can spoil the bunch. Is there a group of Drs in that practice? Maybe you could calmly discuss the issue with one of the other drs. Even if you never leave the house, your son would still have a small risk of contracting diseases. You would be surprised at what you can pick up at the grocery store from a cart or even what germs you carry on the bottom of your shoes. I would hate for you to stick to your guns to the point where your son would die of some rare disease that could have been prevented. Yes they are rare and it is slim that your child will contract them. BUT there IS a risk there. And if it can be prevented then prevent it. 7 at one time???? no but how about 2 at a time a month for 4 months. The longer you put it off, the harder it will be to catch him up and a long cycle will begin, so don't wait to long. I feel it would really be the best thing for all people involved. One thing that wasn't clear was..... your son's episode.....did it happen after he recieved vacines before? Maybe he was having an allergic rxn. If so maybe you could pre-medicate him with benadryl and tylenol to help reduce a rxn. Also by giving just 1 or 2 at a time you would be able to narrow down the one that is causing the issue and maybe avoid that particular one in the future. I myself am allergic to tetnus, but I had a booster (in the allergist's office) and dealt with the hives afterward. Simply because I did not want to be that woman who got lock jaw. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know what happens

I cannot say that I have had your experience but I understand what you are saying. Though I understand it and I know there are many people out there who refuse to vaccinate their children and blame vaccinations for everything that goes on (like autism, yes I have heard that a lot) but with anything including medicine there are risks. Everyone's bodies will react differently. Some children get sick, sleepy and may sleep for a longer amount of time than they usually do and may be cranky etc. I believe and thus far has been medically proven that the vaccinations actually work for the most part. If we look at history a person's life span was changed dramatically by the induction of these vaccines, especially in children. I would get the vaccinations and 7 shots does seem like an awful lot at one time try and ask your doctor is you can do half the shots one week and maybe the other half a week or two later. Also understand that these standard vaccinations able your children to go to school and daycare etc. Without them they could be denied. I know I heard of a case in New York where children were being sent home from school and had to stay there until they were vaccinated. (At least I am pretty sure it was ny) Anyway, there was a doctor who got in trouble because they found out he had signed false reports for some children saying that they were vaccinated when they weren't. This also puts other children at risk for getting sick. I know it is every parents choice on what to do for their children and my husband hates the whole vaccination thing but does it anyway. (He used to say that the vaccinations were a reason that our nephew was autistic) I don't know if this helps you but I just wanted to give you another way to see the vaccinations. I hope you guys can figure out a better schedule for your little one. And PLEASE FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!!!!!!! No doctor should force anything on your children.

You didn't say if he had a vaccine that day. If he did do you know what it was? If so, you are well within your rights to ask the doctor to work with you. You should be able to spread his shots out so that you can closely moniter his reactions to each vaccine. I would find another doctor and explain what has happened and ask for a vaccine schedule that is reasonable...like one at a time spread over a few weeks. There is no reason why he should have to have 7 at one time, although it is very important that he does get the vaccines. Good luck and best wishes

K.~ I'm sorry for the situation you went through with your ped. I, too, had an experience like that with a Ped. It was VERY unacceptable. You're there for help not judgement! I agree with the spaced out vaccinations. Although, some children are not immunized at all due to religion, health or personal reasons. Those children still go to school, church, playgroups, Wal-Mart... Wherever. Don't let anyone, or Dr., tell you what YOUR child needs. You're the only one that will speak up for your child. Stay strong and God bless!

~D.

That is terrible and what your doctor said to you about not treating your son is just as terrible. I know nothing about alternative schedules but I do know that Queen Village Pediatrics, where I take my daughter (5 mo) (we see Dr. Kefer), is open to a discussion about vaccinating at a different schedule and they won't turn away a baby because of your decision to do this. So if you switch, i would reccommend them and they also have information about vaccinations.
All the best to you and your little guy!

K.,
Can I have the name of your pediatrician? I just went today for my son's 2 month check up and my doctor did NOT handle my request of "spacing out" vaccines very well. I left there feeling so stupid and am seriously considering finding a new doc.

Thanks,
S.

as caring concerned parents we recieve guidance from our Heavenly Father as to what is best for out children.. (I am not a loon... I swear...) and you feeling about your son could very well be what is best for him... your dr or pediatrician sounds like he does not follow through very well to be honest with you... I say first pray about it and ask for more guidance and find another pediatrician ASAP... the first incident should not have been let go so easily and he should have ordered testing etc then... also, I am sure that if you are willing and feel it is the right thing to do a different pediatrician may be willing to give him one or two vaccines at a time since you feel that way... my kids didn't get that many at one time

goog luck and God Bless

S.

K. I hear your anxiety in your post....so with that being said YOU have final say on when and how your child should be vaccinated......if your doc doesn't listen then you threaten to move your kids to a practice that is willing to hear your concerns.

I have a son with Autism and let me tell you I have the bare minimum on vaccinations and I refuse the flu shot each year. My new doc supports vacs but hears my concerns.

You can elect to spread this shots out.....there is NO reason why they can't. I'm not against shots but I feel that "one size" doesn't fit all.

Hang in there
N.

K.,

I am so sorry that you had to go through this. How scary for you. And to have your pediatrician be so unsupportive is just awful! I vaccinated my son on schedule, but he never had to have more 3 vaccinations at a time. Seven seems awfully excessive to me. Dr. Sears recommends a series of delayed vaccinations that you may want to take a look at. <http://askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/&gt;

It was very unprofessional of your pediatrician to act the way that he did and I think you should consider yourself fortunate that you have to find a new one. I use Dr. Scott and Dr. Morganti in Mars and they are great.

J.
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I have 3 children and another on the way, and we have not vaccinated any of our children, and do not plan to. There is a book called 'What your Doctor may not tell you about Vaccinations'. It is very informative and you might find it helpful. Just so you don't think I am anti-vaccines, it is not a book about not getting your kids vaccinated. It outlines how vaccines are made and gives some history on the different vaccinations, then it offers an alternative vaccinations schedule. My number one thought on vaccines is, if you choose to give them to your child, make sure you ask your doctor to administer them one at a time. It will take more visits to the doctor, but if your son has any adverse reactions, you will know which vaccine caused it.
Also, I don't think it is uncommon for doctors to act the way yours did, but I also think that you need to find a doctor who will work with you your way- you know your children best and you should be allowed to make the decisions.

K.,
I know parents who have their kids vaccinated per pediatricians recommendations and are fine -AND I know kids who are now college age who have NEVER had one single vaccination....and they are fine, too. I recently decided for myself -no more flu shots. I'm not getting them for my child, either. Why? Well, I did the math. I researched the chances of getting the flu and they were pretty statistically insignificant. If you take care of yourself: eat healthful foods, avoid chemicals and pesticides, exercise, get good sleep and take time to be well, your likelihood of even getting sick is lower. And, as well, with good attention, care and monitoring, you are likely to recover from the flu.

Also I researched the actual ingredients in these vaccines. Oh my. The ingredients in the flu shot include mercury, thimerosol, and even MSG (which I'm allergic too!). And this is the shot they recommend to pregnant women!!! Anybody ever wonder about that connection to the rise in autism?

YOU know best. Follow YOUR instincts for YOUR child.
Do your research, weigh the risks. And regardless...find a new doctor who supports YOUR choices as a mom.

Well that doc. was just wrong. Thankful your son is doing ok. My teacher that i have for massage all her children go almost every mnth for the shots. It was there way of spreading them out. As long as the children have there shots are a meanfuly time, it would not hurt. You might want to look into and see if your son has had a reaction to the shots. Some of the shots are needed for school. I tell the doc if it is not needed for school then i don't want my children to have it.

Your child you know what is best.

My girlfriend didn't go through what you are going through but she refused for her son to get all those vaccinations all at once and got one at a time. She had to pay more but she was more comfortable doing that.. Try talking to your Dr about doing that instead of getting all seven at once.. Good luck and keep us posted.

N.

Wow, when i read this thread i was in shock. I have never heard of a peds giving so many shots at once. my lil girl just turned one and never has gotten more than 3 at one and if i remember correct that was only 1st and 2nd set. her 3rd set today was 2 and i go back in at endof Feb for the chicken pox.I would never allow anyone to give my child that many shots an i don't beleive there are even that many to get in first year to begin with.I would have a concern also,but maybe try doing 1 shot at a time an watch his reaction and even though you stay home he can catch anything outside the home or off anyone in contact with him.he does need his shots and to a point i'd agree not about dieing,but could get very sick. please keep us posted as to what u decided.You are better off anyway with a new peds they sound like ********...

When my son was 1 week old he stopped eating one night. (I was breastfeeding & my milk hadn't come in yet). Our pediatrician recommended supplementing w/formula b/c our son needed more calories than I could provide at the time. We did this for about a week, then he had enough energy to breastfeed & I had enough milk to provide him. Maybe something similar happened to you at the six week mark.
As for vaccines, my husband and I think that the amount of shots kids are scheduled for in any one visit are way too many. So we split the shots in half. At regular appointment we do half the shots he is scheduled for. Then the next month I go back to the doctor's office & he gets the other half of the shots. We've found that any time he only gets 2 shots, he has no ill effects. No stress, no pain (other than the initial shot) and no fever. We are very happy with this option. Our pediatrician's office has been very understanding. They also said that they have families who don't vaccinate at all and they still see their kids. I go to Hammonton Pediatrics on route 30 in Hammonton. They are fabulous. Good luck. And definitely find a ped that you are comfortable with.

ive not had anything like that happen but i would suggest seeing different dr until you get an answer that you feel comfortable with