Immunization Questions

I personally never used a chiropractor on my own children (who are 8 and 11) but I have heard great things about them. Dr. Randi Jaffe has an office in Woodbury (i think its woodbury!) she specializes in maternal and pediatric chiropractic care, and is a mother of young children herself, she may have more info for you.
www.drrandijaffe.com
###-###-####
Good Luck!
Mother Hen Doula

2 moms found this helpful

A great book to read, with information presented in a clear, open way is "The Vaccine Guide" by Randall Neustaedter. I have two children, ages 5 and 2, and I have declined all but 2 of their vaccinations. This has been a difficult decision to make, but all the research that I have been doing is convincing me that I have made the right decision. I am having a hard time with my pediatrician accepting this, however.

2 moms found this helpful

The vaccination question is a tough one for many parents. Here are some web sites I used that helped me make my decision: 909shot.com - this is the national vaccine information center
http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/pennsylvania.htm - PA exemption information - you DO NOT need to vacinate your child so they can go to school & this site gives you the information needed to provide proper documentation for admittance
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/newhepb.html - HepB info
http://www.larkfarm.com/AP/vaccination.htm - info from another parental source
http://www.larkfarm.com/AP/immune.htm - info about how the Immune System works
http://www.vaclib.org/legal/refuselt.htm - Vaccine Liberation
Also check out mothering.com - Mothering Magazine is a great source of info on many topics
You can see the Center for Disease Control's web site will also have lots of info but it will be similar to what is handed out in your Docs office.

Here is an except from an editorial on vaccinations by Peggy O'Mara of Mothering Magazine:"Choosing whether or not to have a child vaccinated, especially in light of the politics of vaccines, must be an independent decision. It should not be coerced, but be the product of true informed consent. Few people even know that they have a choice regarding vaccinations, much less know what informed consent really is.

In fact, all 50 states grant medical exemptions to vaccination. All states except Mississippi and West Virginia have religious exemptions, many of which are written broadly. An increasing number of states also have philosophical exemptions: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. More recently, California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and New York have banned the use of thimerosal in vaccines, and bans in many more states are in process. Representatives David Weldon (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) have introduced a national bill to ban thimerosal in all US vaccines.

Some parents want to comply with the entire vaccination schedule; others want no vaccinations at all. Some parents want certain vaccines but not others. And some want to delay the vaccines until their baby is older. These parents will all need written exemptions from their state health departments, even though exemptions are technically designed for those who choose to forgo vaccines altogether."

Read everything you can get your hands on. Read both sides of the argument and then MAKE YOUR OWN decision. This is your child, your family, and if something does go wrong it will be you taking care of your child and taking the brunt of any critisism because of your decision.

I hope this helps. If you have more questions ask again and again. Your child will still be there and it's ok to wait until you feel really good about your choice. Good Luck to you and your child!

2 moms found this helpful

Here is a good link if you don't want to immunize your child: http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm

My sister has opted not to immunize her kids. I do an alternate immunization schedule. Once a month she gets one shot as long as she is not sick already. I have to admit everytime I get a little worried when she gets a shot about the reaction she might have. I can deal with a slight fever or rash but what if she had a severe allergic reaction. Anyway, my family doctor is really good when it comes to the alternate immunization schedule or not immunizing. His name is Dr. Joseph Price and he is located in Mt. Airy. I also waited until my daughter was one before I started her shots. Good luck.

2 moms found this helpful

I am a mother of 4 children. The first 3 had all of their scheduled shots until my daugther was born. my 2 oldest had all of thiers, and my third had everything until 18 months. I was confronted with the vaccination debate, and decided to do research of my own. The very first vaccination that a baby gets before it leaves the hospital can have more than a toxic level of mercury. (I found this out after we agreed to give it to my daughter.) Before her first well baby check where she was to recieve more shots we started finding info. We asked to see the informational inserts from the shots and we would let the doctor know our decision. The ingredient list alone made me cringe. I don't have them infront of me now or I would list some of them. Also, I don't know how you feel about abortion, but many vaccinations are derived from aborted fetuses. That alone convinces me that they are not what I need for my children.
Also, of my four children, my daughter is the only one who has NEVER been sick. Not even with a cold, and my oldest, who recieved all of his shots, had asthma problems, and my 2 oldest have attention issues. I have also worked in daycare settings where children got the diseases that they were supposed to be immunized against, so do they even work?

2 moms found this helpful

Hi M.,
I am the mother of 2 healthy beautiful girls, ages 2.5 yrs & 6 months. I was going to a chiropractor since before my first pregnancy and she gave me a lot of information re: immunizations. My husband and I chose not to have either of our girls vaccinated. In addition to all the additives in vaccines, I think about the vaccines we got as children (I'm 36) or what our parents and grandparents got and how allergies and ADHD were so unheard of. (We received less than half the vaccines that children today get) Now, children/babies are being pumped full of vaccines and more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD, allergies, asthma, etc. I had chickenpox as a child as did most of my friends at the time....we are all okay today... I don't want to preach, just read as many books as you can on the subject before you make any decisions. I can get you the name of some, if you like.
Just a little side note, the state rewards the pediatrian office with the highest rate of vaccinated children and some pediatrians won't allow you into their practice unless you follow their guidelines on vaccines.

Good luck with your 2nd pregnancy....they'll be a handful but so much fun!!!

1 mom found this helpful

I have three children ages 1,3,4 and I have chosen not to immunize my second two children at all.My oldest was given an MMR Vaccine at a year that caused him to go into shock then seize within two hours. We rushed him to Emmc and upon many hours of testing that our son had suffered a severe reaction to the lead in the shot. His level was already slighty elevated, but still in the normal range before about a 3. He went from being a happy, bubbley, talkative child to one with no speech and severe behavioral changes after that. At three he was diagnosed as having an Autism spectrum disorder, due to the damage done by the shots. If I had known the risks, I would have never signed a consent form. I have not given any immunizations to my later two children and they have never had even had the common cold for more than a day. The vaccine changed the year after my son had it but only a variation in the levels. The same ingrediants are there. All my children have seen a chiroprator too for years and it helps behavior in a number of ways. My son with Autism is much more calm after his sessions. Feel free to contact me is you want to talk more: ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

M.,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I think it's great that you're keeping your family healthy through Chiropractic care. Preventative maintenance is a wonderful approach to whole body well being.

It's also wonderful that you are asking questions regarding immunizations. There is a lot to know and understand about our bodies and how things like immunizations affect us both good and bad. Read all you can. Erin D gave you some wonderfully comprehensive web sites to review providing all sides to the vaccine debate.

I vaccinated both my daughters, but have chosen not to continue with any additional vaccines or boosters for them blindly. I WILL be testing for their immunity levels at the time their boosters are due and make a decision at that time. My son who is 8 months has not received any of his scheduled vaccinations and will not receive any until he is at least 2 1/2 years old. It's around this time that the blood brain barrier finishes forming and the harmful additives in vaccines can not pass directly into the brain without being filtered first. Thus far less chance of harm to the child. As well, thimerosal is alive and well in the U.S. in many vaccines and many Dr's supplies have not yet been exhausted from those that DO still contain it that shouldn't anymore. All new vaccines being developed for use in the U.S. DO contain it as well.

Now that we are settled in to the area after our move and have found a great Chiropractor, our entire family will begin a lifetime of preventative maintenance through Chiropractic care, and nutrition. By no means do I expect that this will keep us from catching or developing any potentially serious illnesses, but it will allow us to keep our bodies in peak condition.

I wish you well in finding the answers you need to care for your family.

Blessings,
Rolinda

1 mom found this helpful

I really don't understand why chiropractors are so against immunization (I have a neighbor who is one who has chosen to forgo immunization of his daughter). First of all, one of the theories linking autisim and immunizations was that it was due to the thimerosal in the shots (this is a preservative). All shots given to your children now are single dose and do not contain thimerosal.

Beyond that, I'm not clear what support there is to not immunize your children. If you speak to your pediatrician about the things they can contract if they don't receive the shots, I feel that the small risks (from reactions, etc) far outweigh what could potentially be prevented. In addition, everytime I hear about the measles, mumps or other diseases that most children are immunized against, I think of those who are not receiving them. If you choose not to immunize your child and they don't ever get chicken pox as a child, they are then at risk of contracting shingles as an adult, which is much more painful and also dangerous.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

1 mom found this helpful

Stephanie Cave writes a good book on this subject, you can even find excerpts online. The only immunization my daughter (almost 4 months) has receieved is the DTap, becuase pertussis (or whooping cough) is common in this area. Look for the acellular shot, its safer and reduces the risk for any reactions. I think it is more commonly used now. She did not even receive her HepB shot. I feel that she does not need the others until she is a bit older, she will not be in daycare so her exposure is limited. My husband and I decided when it comes time for the chicken pox, we'll skip the vaccination and find a child who has it so she can get it.

1 mom found this helpful

I also had a problem with immunizations. I read a great book, "What your doctor may not tell you about childhood immunizations". It helped me make the choice that worked for me. My son is receiving his shots, just on a different schedule, he only gets 1 or 2 shots at a time and he didn't start getting them until he was 4 mos old. And he's not getting the Pediarix (a vaccine that contains Hib, Polio, Diptheria, Tetanis, and Protusis; then most docs give Hepatitis shots then too). That is 6, count them 6, vaccines at one time. I also am not allowing him to get the Chicken Pox or Hepatitis vaccines until he needs them for school/preschool, about age 3. Check into what your state allows. Most allow for religious reasons and medical reasons (there is a 3rd reason but I don't remember what it is) as not to get them, but it's all or nothing. Either they get all the shots or none. You can't pick and choose. They are finding now that vaccines aren't creating lifetime immunity, and that even as adults we should have boosters because our immunity wears off and we're now getting things like Chicken Pox (which for an adult, can be deadly). They start injecting our children with stuff when they are just hours old (do not count the vitamin K shot in this. Baby's need it for clotting), and their immune systems don't start to make antibodies on their own until 4-6 mos old. Mercury really isn't an issue anymore, except in the Flu shot, but instead they use formaldehyde (a known carcer-causer) as a perservative. You need to decice and look into it yourself. I know you have no time with a 19 mos old, but read everything you can to make the right choice for your family. I did 3 mos of research on this after a family friend's newphew became autsic after receiving his MMR (the family thinks there is a link, but who knows for sure). The fact is children DO get sick from their shots, maybe not every child. But even if the chance was 1 in 1,000,000 and your child was the 1, would it matter. They treat our children like cookie cutter copies, one is the same as the next. But their not, and people aren't. I had a difficult time finding a Pediatrician who would except my shot plan, but I did. I told them, "This is the most important thing I am every going to do in my life. If something happens to him, it's my problem, I have to live with it everyday, you don't." Doctors allow you to choice your medical care if your an adult, but if it's for the safety of our children, they look at you like your crazy. They expect us to just hand over our children's lives and not make informed choices. I personally wasn't willing to do that. Like I said, my son is getting his shots. They spread out more and 1 or 2 at a time. Vaccination is important. It does save lives. Just be informed.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi M.,
After much research, we have decided not to vaccinate our daughter (who arrived at the end of April.) My husband (who is a physician) and our pediatrician both feel that the risks outweigh the benefits, at least at this point. There is strong evidence to support a link between autism and thimerisol, a preservative in vaccines. Additionally, many newborns' immune systems aren't able to handle the potency of the vaccines and they get sick as a result.
Let me know if you'd like the names of the books we read. Their exact titles escape my mommy brain right now.
Good luck with your decision!
S.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi M.! I too am struggling right now with the immunizations debate. I have a 7 week old daughter and I am going to push off her immunization a bit for various reasons. I would recommend reading the book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave. It is incredibly insightful and gives a recommended schedule that differs from the CDC. She explains why very thoroughly. The only drawback is that the book is only up to date through Dec. of 2000 and there have been changes since then in the CDC schedule I think. I am not sure if she releasd updates. I haven't heard about the idea of preventative care through a chiropractor, but I would assume this would be unaccepted when a child is school age. That is the part I am struggling with! Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi M.,
I spoke to my natural path - who is also an MD regarding this issue - and this is what she said:
The are no longer heavy metals in the shots.
She recomends getting all shots BUT the one that is recemended at one year she told me to hold off on until my daughter is older. According to her this is the one that is associated with autism. Apparnetly the reason for this is some of the live virus that is injected can cause slight swelling on the brain. If your child is old enough to communicate this it is treatable. But at one year most children can not communicate this side effect so it goes untreated.
All the stuff you hear is theories. But, for me the fear of getting chicken pox does not outway the risks of complications that my child will not be able to explain.
I will get all shots - but I plan to wait a year maybe two for the one that has chickenpox in the mix.

Hope this helps - go with your heart,
*

Well, number one, I would check into each immunization that they are given. Check WHAT it prevents, WHAT its side effects are, the side effects, etcetera. I would be VERY careful using preventive medicine for things like DPT, measles, mumps, rubella, and the pneumacol and tetanus shots. Most babies aren't suppose to have medications and alot of times even the natural doctors I have dealt with don't advise that kind of stuff for kids under 3. All in all, you need to make the decision that is right for YOU and YOUR child. Don't let the doctor OR the chiropactor bully you into thinking you are making the wrong choice and you are a horrible person for not choosing their way. My nature doctor was especially horrible at that. Then make sure you have a pediatrician you TOTALLY trust and who doesn't just mime the Association of whatever for vaccinations. I had to fight this vaccination stuff myself. I had a ped who wouldn't treat my child unless I gave trem permission to treat him however THEY thought best and give whatever shots THEY thought he needed. Some shots will depend also on the state and their requirements for school, so check that because you don't want to have a 4-5 yrear old kid needing 50 shots for school--OUCH.
Best of luck, H.---married 5 years, have 2 boys and an angel baby, living in bennington, vermont

Hi M.,

I know there is a lot of debate out there about the shots and I really don't know one way or another if the shots are harmful or not. In my opinion, the issue is that the shots are reqiured by law (at least in PA) in order for your child to enter school so we don't have much of a choice.

Best regards,

T.

hello! i too have been wondering about immunizations. i think chiropractic care is great, but it will not prevent your baby from catching whooping cough. i am currently a chiropractic student and, while extremely pro-chiro, i do not believe that chiro care can protect from a virus. (please forgive me if i have mis understood your post). i have a 7 month old and so far have very grudgingly gone and had her vaccinated. i believe the buck ends with the MMR. i had a severe reactibon to it, so i am not going down that road with my baby. i have also heard the ANY influenza shot has thimerosal in it (mercury) so i havent gotten that one either.....

Please get baby immunized and even both flu shots in fall winter.
With all the flus that come around (the scare of Avian Bird flu etc.)and especially if your 1st did fine I can only recommend; it's up to you. Schools all require shot records also. Chiropractors are not Drs.Find pediatricians through calling yellow pages and get a general consesus. CONGRATULIONS and good luck!

K. EMT Mommy of 2 Chrissie 3 & Sarah 10. A WIC proram will also do them for free based on your financial status. Babies also must get their 1st of 3 Hepatitis shots right after birth before leaving hospital.

I looked into the immunization question because both of my children briefly had an autism spectrum diagnosis. I found no science to support the idea that immunizations were dangerous. I mean, other than the very minimal risks that you get from even taking an aspirin. On the other hand, in areas where people don't immunize their children, these horrible childhood diseases start coming back. And children die from those. Go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official website, and they have symptoms of these childhood diseases. Diphtheria is a horrid, wretched thing to die from.

Anyway, we vaccinated our kids -- and they get their flu shots every year, as well.

As it happens, they don't have autism spectrum diagnoses anymore. We think it was just asynchronous development.

Incidentally, the Amish are sometimes cited as proof about vaccinations and autism, because they don't vaccinate. But the Amish are a genetically isolated group who live in a geographic area that is characterized by a high degree of heavy metal pollution -- including mercury -- in the groundwater. So if there was a link between Thimerosal and autism, because of the mercury in the Thimerosal, then you would expect to see a greater incidence of autism in the Amish population than a lower incidence, and you don't.

Chiropractic care is good for backs, but it can't prevent communicable diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.

M.,
I have two friends who are chiropractors and they would NEVER hold back the immunizations!!! They also don't find any need to "adjust" their kids. Get the shots!!!

MY HUSBAND DIDNT HAVE ANY IMMUNIZATIONS AND HE HAS BEEN JUST FINE... OUR SON RECEIVED IMMUNIZATIONS THROUGH HIS SECOND YEAR AND WE STOPPED. CHILDREN CAN STILL GET INTO SCHOOL W/O THEM, LIKELY THOUGH IF OTHER CHILDREN GET SICK HE CAN NOT GO TO SCHOOL FOR A DAY OR SO, BUT IMMUNIZATION OR NOT WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILD THERE ANY WAY- NOT LIKELY.

I HEARD ABOUT A STUDY RECENTLY THAT SUGGESTS/SUPPPORTS THAT THINGS LIKE ADD ADHD ARE CAUSED (OR CONTRIBUTED TO) BY MERCURY, AND MANY OF THE IMMUNIZATIONS CHILDREN ARE GIVEN CONTAIN MERCURY.

i HAVE HEARD chiropractic CARE SUGGESTED BEFORE AND HAVE NOT HEARD ANY BACKLASH FROM PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE THAT ROUTE.

GOOD LUCK.

M., good luck with making a decision....you have so many things to weigh and consider.

Myself, I feel you would be seriously compromising your child's future health if you choose not to vaccinate. The benefits FAR outweigh the risks.

As for the idea of preventative care through chiropractic.....that is even scarier. That is almost voodoo! Chiropractic medicine has great benefits in certain conditions but to think that it can prevent infection or provide immunization is ridiculous! I think your husband needs to find a new chiropractor....not one that is willing to potentially sacrifice the well being and perhaps the life of your child. This is a very serious situation....please, please, please....seek some scientific advice before you put your child in potential danger.
Good luck, I hope you make the right decision....get the shots.

Find a doctor that you trust. I have complete faith in my son's pediatrician. She said that the benefits still outweigh the risks.

before you make a decision, find out from your local school district what they require..I have a friend who did not immunize his kids and come school time, the school required them.

Hi M.. My name is D.. Please visit the website www.dradt.com. I used to work there and we had many patients (children) with an ADHD diagnosis and had much success with treatment through a special diet. Good Luck!

My son, 2.5 years old, was recently diagnosed with autism, which threw me into the vaccination debate. Many parents are convinced that vaccines are responsible in some part to the rapid rise in autism. Having finally become a mom, I can not argue with how strongly these parents feel in their gut about their child's response to the vaccinations. I am still undecided about what role they played in my own child's development, but having read much of the literature, there are some very disturbing facts. This is only my opinion, but if I had to do it over again, I would select fewer vaccinations administered at prolonged intervals. For example, I would have foregone the chicken pox vaccine entirely and waited longer before administering the MMR. Although it is not presented as such, the vaccine guidelines promoted in child rearing books are not mandates. You should talk to your doctor about your concerns and vaccination options. At the very least, it will let you know how open minded your doctor is to working outside of the mainstream medical box.

M.,

To the best of my understanding, the debate over immunizations stems from concerns that the preservative ingredient Thimerosal in certain immunizations could be a trigger for autism. Thimerosal is thought to metabilize into mercury in the body, and that mercury poisoning could cause autism. This opinion is not backed up by any of the major healthcare governing bodies, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, or the World Health Organization.

Thimerosal has been removed from immunizations for at least the past two years, possibly longer, so the ingredient in question isn't even used here in the States any more.

I'd have some pretty serious questions for anyone who thinks they can keep your child from catching diptheria, a bacterial infection, through spinal adjustments. That just doesn't make any sense to me. I'd be really wary of having a child so small "adjusted" that way. Seems like a small error could have some pretty huge consequences.

Hi M.,

We decided to wait on vaccinations until our daughter is older and, when it is time we will take our time. That means one at a time with much time in between. We don't want to bombard her system with the toxins that are present in each vaccine. Also, I don't feel every vaccination out there is necessary. It doesn't help that the pharm-industry that makes the vaccines are also the same heads that promote and mandate them. It seems fishy to me and I don't like it.
Autism is on the rise and up like 900% since the 80's. There is much to read about this common concern and, I feel it has helped me to make my decision. Also, I have a pediatrition that is very relaxed about how and when we vaccinate our child and he is all about parents making informed decisions. So, the professional support is out there too!
Much Love & Peace,
s

M.
The biggest debate with immunizations is due to the unproven suggestion that mercury, which was used as a preservative in many immunizations in the 90s, was increasing the incidence of autism, etc. The correlation has never been proven, but drug companies have also taken out or decreased the mercury levels substantially. There is very little proven risk to immunizations except for the rare side effects that are associated with anything you do these days. Also due to the immunization scares, less parents have been choosing to immunize their children, which has led to increases in childhood illnesses and diseases that the medical community had stamped out for quite sometime. Do to this fact, the chances of your child catching one of these has increased making immunizations, in my opinion, more crucial now than ever to protect your child from a potentially fatal illness. As far as the Chiropractic intervention as a preventitive measure. I used to work for a chiropractor and he would be the first to tell you that the chiropractic medicine cannot prevent the diseases and infections that immunizations target. Chiropractics has shown some success in the treatment of colic, torticollis and other such ailments, but these are internal and not viral/bacterial. I did have my children both treated by my chiropractor within months of birth to help alleviate gastric reflux and torticolis, somewhat successfully. Hope this has helped. Good Luck in your decision making.

Hi M., sorry for the years late reply. There is a meeting at Bella Vida Cafe in Cape May tonight about this very question, and you might me interested. I posted the info just now. It is worth weighing the options.

M.:

I am a Physician Assistant student and I HIGHLY recommend immunizations. The risk of NOT having your child imunized is too great for the possible diseases that are out htere. I, too, worried about immunizations because of the scare with autism, but the preservatives that were in question are now not included in the immunizations.

We recently went through a case study that occurred last year where a young lady went to a third world country and got measles because she had not received immunizations as a child for measles. She brought it back tot he U.S. and spread it to 5 other families -- 2 of which lost their children becuase they were not immunizing their children either. I don't want to scare you because it is a highly unlikely scenario that this would occur, but is it really worth the risk not to immunize? The other reason to immunize is that if you choose to have your children attend public school, it is a requirement that they be immunized.

I am not a fan of chiropractic medicine, but I know there are those who are firm believers and I don't knock them if it works for them.

Good luck!
K.

Hi M.- when it comes to vaccinations there really is no debate. It is irresponsible not to vaccinate your children. By not vaccinating you are potentially exposing your children to life threatening or disfiguring diseases. The information parents receive about "dangerous" vaccinations is usually alarmist and unresearched. The ingredients thought to be dangerous in vaccines have been removed many years ago.
Childhood diseases once thought to have been irradicated are showing a bit of a come back due to parents choosing not to vaccinate. Do you want your child to suffer through measles?
Modern medicine has developed ways to protect our children- it would be silly not to do everything possible to keep your child well.
If you still have concerns I urge you to discuss them with your child's pediatrician. They can show you a list of ingredients in the vaccines- and help to reassure you of their safety. If you are worried about the amount of vaccines your child will receive in one visit- ask to space them out. There is no rule that says they need them all at once. It may make you feel better if you do one at a time so you can monitor any side-effects or reactions. (which are extremely rare). Your pediatrician will also have fact sheets available for each type of vaccine. These will tell you what the vaccine is for and how it works.
I hope this helps!
-S.

Hi!

The risks of not vaccinating your child FAR outweigh any risk the vaccines generate. I have a stepnephew and a stepniece, both diagnosed with autism. The boy was just found to have a large amount of mercury in his body. My stepsister thinks it has something to do with the MMR shots, which I agree it might. But the risk is very rare. Risks are more common from diseases that the shots prevent. My daughter gets mercury free shots only. Her doctor's office only uses the mercury free shots. Ask for them.

Good luck making your decision.