M.M. asks from Pasadena, MD on April 03, 2008
Vaccines
I've been doing some research on vaccinations. My son is due for his 2-month visit and is supposed to receive 4-shots. I would like to have my doctor separate the shots and only give 2 at a time. Has anyone done this or know if it is beneficial? Any thoughts on the vaccination schedule for childre? They receive over 30!
So What Happened?™
Thanks everyone for all of your responses. They were very helpful. I haven't made a decision yet so I told the doctor I needed more time to make an informed decision. She was not happy and said if I choose not to vaccinate then she will not be his doctor. She did howeve say that I could choose an alternate schedule. However, I would have to tell her what I want b/c she doesn't know of an alternate schedule and doesn't support it.
More Answers
P.B. answers from Washington DC on April 04, 2008
Hi M. M.,
I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and I have always had a tough time handling the whole 4-shots-at-a-time thing, therefore, I do not allow them to do it. This is what I do: I tell the nurse and doctor up front that I will not allow my infant to have 4 injections at once. My personal feelings towards the idea are #1 too many sticks, too much for a baby to endure at one time (too traumatic) and #2 in my opinion it is too much medicine (foreign matter) going into a tiny system at once. I tell my doctor to pick the most important ones that MUST be given at that time, give only those. I also make sure that they mark which thigh each was given in so you will know which injection gave your baby a reaction, if there is a reaction. I give my child Tylenol or Motrin before and after the shots and one of the most important pieces of advice, if you are breastfeeding, by all means, plan to breastfeed during the injections, it makes it much easier on the baby and you. They still cry a little, but the focus is on food...not the pain at the moment. If you do not breastfeed, a warm bottle of formula/milk or juice is better than nothing. Also, do not allow your doctors office to bully you into thinking that you have to keep your child on an immunization "schedule". It is your baby. You decide the schedule that fits your baby. My son is 1 year old and still has not had his 6 month shots. He will get them, but when I decide that it's a good time. Good luch and remember, we are all in this shot thing together. I hate it.
1 mom found this helpful
V.C. answers from Washington DC on April 03, 2008
There is lots of information appearing online about alternative vaccine schedules. Dr. Sears wrote a book about his - The Vaccine Book. Jenny McCarthy was on Larry King Live last night recommending a more spread out approach. I developed an alternative plan which is not too spread out, and which my pediatrician accepted. It is as follows:
Decline optional and unecessary vaccines: Rotavirus, Hep A, Hep B (related to autoimmune conditions).
At 2, 4 and 6 months, do DTaP, Prevnar and Hib only.
Start polio series at 9 months.
Only one shot per visit (every three months) in second year:
Do MMR and varicella on separate visits and do MMR closer to 18 months or 2 years when their immune systems can better deal with the live virus (especially if you have a boy). The risks of autism and/or other autoimmune conditions like diabetes, asthma, etc are real. You are right to question the current vaccine schedule. If your baby is not in daycare, I suggest spreading them out even more.
Go here for more info:
http://www.generationrescue.org/vaccines.html
http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/
Good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
J.F. answers from Richmond on April 04, 2008
Dear M.,
Like you, I am also very concerned about the safety of vaccinations in general, but, expecially, the vaccination schedule. I have been studying this subject for quite some time and the following are generally agreed upon factoids and recommendations from mentors of mine in the healthcare field as well as moms (including actress Jenny McCarthy) who have studied the correlation between vaccinations and autism:
* The number of vaccinations has skyrocketed over the
last 20 years. (There's a LOT of concern
regarding the HUGE number of vaccinations.
* The main health concern is with the preservatives used
(which, primarily, is thermerisol (sp?) and
mercury).
* 1 in 100 boys are now being diagnosed with autism
where it used to be 1 in thousands!
* The MMR vaccination seems to be the main vaccination
after which autism is showing up!
* General recommendation from all my sources:
* Wait until a child is 2 years old to begin
the first vaccination.
* NEVER allow more than one vaccination
at a time!
* ALWAYS wait six months between vaccinations!
* INSIST on preservative-free vaccinations!
Hope all of this helps!
A Little About Me:
I am a mother of four and a grandmother of three.
1 mom found this helpful
L.A. answers from Washington DC on April 03, 2008
I, too, chose to spread them out and declined the optional, recommended vaccines. However, I knew I had to be diligent in keeping the baby's immune system strong.
This was a great resource for me http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/
~L.
www.accesspilates.com
www.notaboutfood.com
1 mom found this helpful
H.L. answers from Richmond on April 04, 2008
Hi M.
Congratulations on your new little one. I too had concerns about vaccines for my boys as well. The biggest one being the preservatives in them i.e thimerosol. There are pros and cons to separating the vaccines, and a huge decision for you. I actually gave all my shots on schedule except the MMR. Although there are numerous debates on vaccinations (specifically the MMR) and a link toward autism onset, I didn't want to take any chances. So rather than bombard them with too many vaccines at the 12-18 month range I had them hold the MMR. (I also did not give flu shots) I ended up giving my first son his MMR at the next well visit (he had a reaction to it so I'm glad I did that) but my second son I ended up separating the vaccine itself into three; measles, mumps and rubella. I know that sounds like a lot but there's too much conflicting evidence, and I say, I'd rather do as much as I can, then regret something later. If you are interested in that at some point, your doctor just has to fax your prescription to Hopewell Pharmaceuticals (http://www.hopewellrx.com/) and they'll mail you the individual vaccines when you are ready. I had to pay for them and am in the process of seeing if I can be reimbursed for the actual vaccine, but again, for me it's about peace of mind. We have to make huge decisions as parents, and you never know what the right thing is. But remember, you are the mom and only you know what's best for your baby. Follow what feels right to you and don't look back. Good luck in all that you do.
1 mom found this helpful
J.C. answers from Washington DC on April 04, 2008
YES! There is an intuitive nature that allows us to know that 4 shots at one time are wrong. Be extra careful if your son is having any kind of issues in terms of his immune system. check out www.generationrescue.com
1 mom found this helpful
S.W. answers from Norfolk on April 04, 2008
I have a son who is 6.5 and a 22 month old daughter, I totally understand vaccines are super scary with the links to autism and all!
Lots of great info can be found at www.nvic.org its the National Vaccine Information Center. If you do decide to vaccinate I would wait until your son is at least a year old and then only give one shot at a time and only if he's totally healthy at the time. Children's immune systems are just too immature to handle all those shots at one time, sure some kids are just fine with it but LOTS are not, why take the chance? If you look up Japanese vaccination schedules they wait until children are 2 years old to do any, and have much lower rates of autism.
We had a pediatrician 'kick us out of the practice' because I decided to wait until my dd was at least 2, not a big deal I found another practice that is FABULOUS and not hassling me about shots all the time. I would be happy to share that info if you want, just email me at ____@____.com care and good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
S.A. answers from Washington DC on April 04, 2008
Hi M. -
I am a huge advocate for informed choice and anti mass-vaccination schedule.
I stopped vaccinating after my DD 6 mo visit after learning more on my own.
You may be interested in the following resources:
www.novaccine.com
www.nvic.org
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/vaccineawarenessnetw...
There are also many resources on www.sunshineorganics.net under the LEARN section.
Vaccines are not safe and effective. It is more than the great autism debate.
I recently wrote this to the my County's Health Department:
Concerning vaccinations, I would like more people to be aware of the true facts and have informed consent. Unfortunately much of the information is misinformation.
There are many beliefs and myths out there and I have made it my business to filter through and consider all the sources. My hope is that others would do the same.
The CDC does not have all the answers or their facts correct.
I can appreciate the intent of wanting to protect our children; however there is much more information to consider. The topic of vaccines is a hot debate but my goal is to raise awareness so that eventually all people including government officials will look at all the studies and information and speak to other Drs., including those that are not funded by special interests and those that benefit the companies that make the vaccines.
As Doctor David Ayoub stated, “I am no longer trying to dig up evidence to prove vaccines cause autism. There is already abundant evidence... This debate is not scientific but is political.”
Consider the motives and motivation from both sides of the issue. The common thread is that each side wants to protect the health and lives of our children. The mainstream side is not even entertaining the thought that the vaccines and amount we give our children is an issue. This is a grave mistake. Our doctors and government steer the way the CDC and other organizations tell them without a second thought. The problem is that vaccines have become a big business and like all big businesses they want to increase profits. How do they do that? They make more vaccines and create an ambush of a vaccination schedule that is highly toxic and damages the immune system, alters DNA and from birth begins antibiotic resistance.
You will read in the Robert Kennedy Jr Article, “While public-health officials may have been well-intentioned, many of those on the CDC advisory committee who backed the additional vaccines had close ties to the industry. Dr. Sam Katz, the committee's chair, was a paid consultant for most of the major vaccine makers and shares a patent on a measles vaccine with Merck, which also manufactures the hepatitis B vaccine. Dr. Neal Halsey, another committee member, worked as a researcher for the vaccine companies and received honoraria from Abbott Labs for his research on the hepatitis B vaccine.”
Please also review the article, ‘Maryland Schools Have Huge Financial Stake in Coerced Vaccinations of Schoolchildren’ Is it true that schools get money for children being vaccinated?
One of America’s leading pediatricians, Robert Mendelshon, M.D. stated in his book, How to Raise a Healthy Child... In spite of your Doctor back in 1984 his concern with immunizations:
1. Their is no convincing scientific evidence that mass inoculations can be credited with eliminating any childhood disease.
2. It is commonly believed that the Salk vaccine was responsible for halting the polio epidemics that plagued American children in the 1940s and 1950s. If so, why did the epidemics also end in Europe, where polio vaccine was not so extensively used?
3. There are significant risks associated with every immunization and numerous contradictions that may make it dangerous for the shots to be given to your child.
4. While the myriad short term hazards of most immunizations are known (but rarely explained), no one knows the long term consequences of injecting foreign proteins (heavy metals, chemicals and antibiotics and DNA)in to the body of your child.
5. There is a growing suspicion that immunizations against relatively harmless childhood diseases may be responsible for the dramatic increase in autoimmune diseases since mass inoculations were introduced.
I am for parents being able to make an informed choice and not be forced to vaccinate their children just to be able to get an education. An an excerpt from an article written by Robert Kennedy Jr. reads, {Even for scientists and doctors accustomed to confronting issues of life and death, the findings were frightening. "You can play with this all you want," Dr. Bill Weil, a consultant for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told the group. The results "are statistically significant." Dr. Richard Johnston, an immunologist and pediatrician from the University of Colorado whose grandson had been born early on the morning of the meeting's first day, was even more alarmed. "My gut feeling?" he said. "Forgive this personal comment -- I do not want my grandson to get a thimerosal-containing vaccine until we know better what is going on." }
Recently the US government awards damages in a vaccine-autism case.
“After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims.
The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case.
The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases.
The child's claim against the government -- that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism -- was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court.
Keisler wrote that medical personnel at the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation (DVIC) had reviewed the case and "concluded that compensation is appropriate."
The doctors conceded that the child was healthy and developing normally until her 18-month well-baby visit, when she received vaccinations against nine different diseases all at once (two contained thimerosal).
Days later, the girl began spiraling downward into a cascade of illnesses and setbacks that, within months, presented as symptoms of autism, including: No response to verbal direction; loss of language skills; no eye contact; loss of "relatedness;" insomnia; incessant screaming; arching; and "watching the florescent lights repeatedly during examination."
Mercury is not the only thing to blame. This story is similar to many children having recent reactions as well.
Another incident in Idaho there were three babies that died after getting vaccinated from the same pediatricians office.
David Waddel Died Sept. 4, 2007
Vance Walker Died Sept. 15, 2007
Paiytu Ames Died Oct. 10, 2007
The article that I have attached also quoted this study: In a study of more than 34,000 children in which about half received Prevnar and half received a control vaccine, a dozen deaths, including five SIDS deaths, occurred in the Prevnar group. By contrast, 21 deaths occurred in the control group, including four SIDS deaths, according to manufacturer data.
Personally, we recently had a death in the family. A cousin went to pick up her 2 month old from day care. When she arrived she witnessed emergency vehicles all around. I am sure every parent arriving to pick up their child was struck with panic. Her son John died in his sleep. He was 2 months old. I was suspect from the beginning that it was SIDS from vaccine reaction, knowing that he probably just had a round of vaccines. At two months of age babies now get DaPT, HIB, IPV, Rotateq and Prevnar.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that children diagnosed with asthma (a respiratory ailment not unlike SIDS) were five times more likely than not to have received pertussis vaccine. Another study found that babies die at a rate eight times greater than normal within three days after getting a DPT shot. The three primary doses of DPT are given at two months, four months, and six months. About 85 percent of SIDS cases occur at one through six months, with the peak incidence at age two to four months. In a recent scientific study of SIDS, episodes of apnea (cessation of breathing) and hypopnea (abnormally shallow breathing) were measured before and after DPT vaccinations.
"Cotwatch" (a precise breathing monitor) was used, and the computer printouts it generated (in integrals of the weighted apnea-hypopnea density -- WAHD) were analyzed. The data clearly shows that vaccination caused an extraordinary increase in episodes where breathing either nearly ceased or stopped completely. These episodes continued for months following vaccinations. Dr. Viera Scheibner, the author of the study, concluded that "vaccination is the single most prevalent and most preventable cause of infant deaths."
Another article states, “The reality, as documented by the American Medical Association's own journal (JAMA) in the January 1999 issue, is that there is no connection between death from infectious diseases and vaccinations; that's right, "None."
In a 2005 study brain tissue was obtained during autopsy from autistic patients. The author’s data show an active neroinflamatory process in the cerebral cortex, white matter and in the cerebellum of autistic patients. Immunocytochemical studies showed marked activation of the microglial and astroglial cells.
If you are not familiar Dr. Tenpenny has done a tremendous amount of research and looked at CDC and scientific documents and present the facts. She has a website and excellent DVD. www.drtenpenny.com
This is an important matter and one that needs to be look at more carefully and taken seriously. The concern is the welfare and health of our children. I encourage everyone to learn more before putting our children in harms way.
There is a reason autism and other disorders are on a 10-17% increase each year. I do not blame one thing . I believe it is a combination of things. What I do know is that the ingredients in vaccines are toxic and way you look at it.
Unfortunately, studies have NEVER been performed by pharma or our govt. on multiple vaccines; our children are truly a live experiment. What is being discovered by scientists who look further into vaccines, is that ingredients
like thimerosal (in the flu, meningococcal, and DT vaccines), indeed react with aluminum and become much more toxic. It is sad enough that vaccines are only tested for two to three weeks on single vaccines. It's only a guess what
happens when they are combined.
If Maryland public health officials and elected officials alike all want to keep Maryland's children healthy and
safe I would encourage you to look at all the information and not just the ones that have other motives and conflicts of interest.
We must first “Do no harm” and consider all the sources.
Interview with ex-vaccine reseacher: http://www.whale.to/v/rapp.html
CNN
Article and Video on this link -
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment...
_______________________________
Dr. Palevsky's had a presentation on vaccines and natural immunity and it was impeccable. He presents concise scientific and clinical data in such an easy-to-understand manner; I wish all pediatricians and parents could attend his lecture, so they can truly make informed decisions.
He began by explaining the delicate balance of the immune system and how immature a child's system is from birth until about three years of age, when it really begins to mature. He emphasized the importance of contracting illnesses/microorganisms in a natural setting in order to build/mature a child's immune system. For example, when a child contracts a virus, such as the flu, it will enter the child's nasal passages/airways and mouth, where the body's TH1 cells create temporary inflammation to weaken the virus and antibodies are able to kill the virus; then TH2/TH3 cells reduce/counter and "clean up" the residual
inflammation; the child's immunity strenthens and the "memory" of this illness is stored for the future.
When a child is injected (unnaturally) with a vaccine filled with a killed or live virus and other ingredients such as heavy metals, formaldehyde, neomycin/antibiotics, etc. it bypasses the "built in" immune system and the foreign "intruders" cause the body to go into a state of confusion and continuous inflammation--the TH1/2/3 cells are not activated properly, causing autoimmunity--the body, in essence, attacks itself, resulting
in illnesses like asthma, allergies, autism/ADHD, eczema, lupus, etc. Consider that vaccines never provide true immunity, which is why vaccines "wear off" and children need continuous boosters--and why disease epidemics often occur in fully or near-fully vaccinated populations.
There were so many disturbing issues that Dr. Palevsky brought up about vaccines that are seldom addressed: How could we knowingly inject heavy metals (neurotoxins) into a fragile child's developing body (or an adult's!) where they attach to their brains and other organs and usually cause damage; Why would we allow Polysorbate 80, a vaccine ingredient, to enter a child's bloodstream where it knowingly breaks down the blood-brain barrier and causes vaccine ingredients to directly enter the brain; Why would we allow Neomycin (antibiotic in vaccines) to reduce B6, which is a necessary vitamin for proper immune function, and one that magnifies the effects of heavy metals and formaldehyde; Why combine MMR (live viruses with mercury) which is a cancerous combination and causes
viruses to become much more dangerous (as seen in studies)???
As a parent, I know how difficult it is to sift through all of the conflicting
information on vaccines. It is a dreadful responsibility that every parent, who chooses to research the topic, faces. I wish I could say that 'what you don't know, won't hurt you (or your child)', but this subject defies that notion. It's important to put our fears aside and truly look at the facts: vaccine safety and efficacy studies have NEVER been done on combinations of vaccines and their ingredients; safety studies that were performed on individual vaccines have NOT been conducted for more than three weeks; and that NO double-blind studies have been done, which is the scientific standard of medical industry, whereby a vaccine should be administered to a vaccinated child population, and the effects compared against a control group of unvaccinated children.
Vaccines are never compared against a control group -- ever. That means a vaccinated group of kids are given the polio vaccine and analyzed for reactions/effects against vaccinated kids given a measles shot. They also only test vaccines on perfectly "healthy" children; anyone with asthma, eczema, allergies are specifically removed from the "safety" studies...so you never know what reaction would occur in these children until pediatricians actually inject the child (this is called a live experiment!).
Lastly, pharma companies, who normally do a distribution safety curve for all medical drugs -- meaning, if Lipitor is being tested on subjects, pharma is required to inform doctors/the public that certain people must be excluded from taking the drug (i.e. those with asthma, eczema, heart problems, etc.), as they will experience dangerous side effects.
This curve does NOT exist for vaccines -- there is a one-size-fits all policy
and ALL children are required to take them.
A great deal of Dr. Palevsky's patients are vaccine-injured children, so he sees their disorders and focuses on healing them by reducing their "constant" inflammation and detoxing their bodies of aluminum, thimerosal, and other harmful ingredients. There are further details on this subject in NVIC's new "enlightened" doctor's corner:
Vaccination Questions to Ask your Doctor
Provided by the Vaccine Awareness Network
What is your philosophy on Vaccinations?
Are you supportive of a parent’s choice not to vaccinate?
Will you support an alternate schedule and/or separating the shots?
Have you had patients that experienced vaccine reactions?
What were the common reactions?
What serious reactions have you seen?
Have you or any Dr. in this practice ever filed a vaccine adverse
event report to VAERS?
Have you personally done independent research on the safety and efficacy of vaccines?
Since antibiotics are needed in several of the vaccines, has there been any study on that in relation to antibiotic resistance in children.
If we choose not to vaccinate, will you refuse to see our child as a patient?
They claim that thimerisol has been removed from most vaccines since X , When were the vaccines that your practice administers created and purchased.
Would the practice provide a medical exemption for those vaccines we do not wish to have administered if my child tests immune without vaccination?
Why are “boosters” required, when this increases risk of adverse reactions such as allergic response to the toxins in the serum?
Antibodies are passed in mother’s milk, so if I have been vaccinated won’t my child be protected?
May we have the packaging information for all the recommended vaccines?
Could we have a written list of the brand, strain and dosages of any and all vaccinations administered?
Would you confirm in writing that a vaccine given to my child is both entirely safe and absolutely essential… that you have personally investigated the risk-benefit ratio of the vaccine and that, having looked at all the evidence, they believe that the vaccine is safe and essential for my child in particular?
If we choose to vaccinate can you please answer the questions for each vaccine strain given:
a. What is the vaccine intended to protect
b. What are the ingredients
c. Who is the manufacturer
d. How many children get the disease each year and how much result in death or permanent damage?
e. Just because you are given the antibody does that guarantee you are protected?
f. How many children have adverse reactions to the vaccine?
g. Which patients should not be given the vaccine?
The package inserts state that vaccines haven't been tested for their
ability to impair fertility...that concerns me especially for MMR and
Varivax since both these vaccines contain protein and DNA from human
fetal cells used in manufacturing.
Could an immune response develop to fetal specific proteins so that the maternal immune system could do harm to a fetus developing in utero?
With the claim that vaccines are safe and effective, how would you explain children that get the disease even if they were vaccinated? And secondly, how would also you explain all of the children that have suffered vaccine injuries?
1 mom found this helpful
Email