I know I just posted yesterday, but I am wondering about something. I just purchased the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations. I have seen so many things lately on research comparing autism or other brain disorders to children vaccinations. I want some answers and so I bought the book. Is all this hype true? Why do doctors snub their noses at parents that question vaccinations? Parents just want to know the truth, so don't sugar coat it and say it! I totally understand that some if not all (haven't decided yet) vaccinations are completely necessary, but why start them so early when the infant immune system isn't even developed well enough to handle them? Why do doctors want to combine so many vaccinations into one...its not like there is any hurry, right? Is it so we don't take too much of the doctor's time? I am only on page like 25 but I already have some strong opinions, reservations, questions, and answers. The thing is: I NEED ALL my questions answered before I start immunizing my child. I hope reading this helps my frustration.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Children Vaccinations
I know I just posted yesterday, but I am wondering about something. I just purchased the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations. I have seen so many things lately on research comparing autism or other brain disorders to children vaccinations. I want some answers and so I bought the book. Is all this hype true? Why do doctors snub their noses at parents that question vaccinations? Parents just want to know the truth, so don't sugar coat it and say it! I totally understand that some if not all (haven't decided yet) vaccinations are completely necessary, but why start them so early when the infant immune system isn't even developed well enough to handle them? Why do doctors want to combine so many vaccinations into one...its not like there is any hurry, right? Is it so we don't take too much of the doctor's time? I am only on page like 25 but I already have some strong opinions, reservations, questions, and answers. The thing is: I NEED ALL my questions answered before I start immunizing my child. I hope reading this helps my frustration.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I don't know what your book says, but I know while I was at BYU doing research for a paper, a lot of the sources I read indicate that the most recent studies haven't found a correlation between immunizations and autism. Studies are often skewed, though. You have to check out who funds them. I am pretty sure, however, that they've stopped using mercury in them for whatever they were using it for. To be honest, Chaela hasn't ever had any shots but the ones she got in the hospital. That's not because we don't want her to have them, though, it's because we never really had the money or time to get down to the county Health Department. I want her to get them as soon as we have jobs again. Good luck with your decision!
I have studied this subject EXTENSIVELY. I can assure you that in study after study, done by REPUTABLE sources (such as the NIH), NO link between immunizations and autism has been found. Part of the reason vaccines get blamed is because autism tends to manifest itself around the time many childhood vaccines are given, and another reason is because it's such a devastating illness that parents look for something to blame and vaccines are pretty easy.
That said, some children do have reactions to vaccines that can have adverse effects (some of which can at first appear similar to autism). The CDC has recommended parents not get the Quad vaccine, for instance (MMR + Chicken Pox). I am not even sure if it's being offered anymore, but if it is don't get it b/c it's been linked to febrile seizures. Also, there is some very limited research to suggest a possible link between the chicken pox vaccine and Type 1 diabetes, so I think we're going to pass on the chicken pox vaccine.
The reason vaccines are given so young is to protect children against the illness before they might catch it/b/c their immune systems are not fully developed. This week a group of 4 infants in MN died because they weren't vaccinated against a particular illness.
I think a lot more pediatricians these days are open to alternative vaccine schedules. Research each vaccine. All of the main ones, like MMR, I am going to be sure to get Baby Z on time. However, I read that Hep B is given in the hospital and that illness is only caused by sex and IV drugs, so we're going to delay that one. I brought this up to our pediatrician and she was fine with that. When we move to CA she is going to do an individual risk assessment with Baby Z to see if s/he is particularly at risk for having a reaction to any of the vaccines. You might want to ask your pediatrician the same. I assume that's done by looking at a family history but I'm not totally sure.
Oh also, Mark has compiled a bunch of research studies all about vaccines. Let me know if you want these articles to read over yourself and I will email them to you :-)
March of Dimes had also had some good flyers detailing all of the recent vaccine studies but I couldn't find that flyer online...it might be one that you have to pick up at their center.
Post a Comment