vaccinations: request for input

[kimdons]

Aria's 2 month birthday is coming up quickly, and that's when the US starts their regular vaccination schedule, so we have to make some decisions. We're doing our own research on vaccinations, but we'd also really like to hear from any of you who have recommendations on reading material, experiences to share, information, etc. What did you decide?

Comments

thimerosal

[anonymous]

Everything I've read says that they've eliminated the mercuric compound thimerosal from all childhood vaccines. The only thing it's regularly used in is the injected flu vaccine.

[anahas]

My parents are both homeopathic doctor and of course the anti-vaccination stance was the route my family took. They say that the book "The Vaccine Guide" by Randall Neustadter is a great first resource. Also he lives in Palo Alto and you could call him up and talk to him if you want. "How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor" by Robert Mendelsohn and "What your Doctor may not tell you about Children's Vaccinations" by Stephanie Cave are other options for books

[tigresa]

I'm glad you asked about this! It's something I was meaning to talk with you about.

I second everything anahas said. My parents also chose the non-vaccination route, so none of us five got vaccinated till we were adults, and then only for things we needed for international travel. We never had adverse effects from it; the only issue I ran into was that I was so isolated as a child I didn't contract chicken pox till I was sixteen (unpleasant to say the least

Re: Problematic

[olstad]

I do not think there is any data to support catching a disease from a child that has been vaccinated, only from one who has not been vaccinated.

[kimdons]

When one of our kids gets something like chicken pox, we can have a chicken pox party so they all get it. :-)

[olstad]

We just did a rather extensive unit on vaccinations in pharmacy school. Did you know I'm registered to give vaccines? Sorry, I can't do Aria though, I can only do 18 and older... :( I can give you some of my info if you want. Also, the CDC has a very informative webpage on vaccines. Let's see...

At two months most babies receive their DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, and attenuated Pertussis), IPV (Polio), Hep B and Hib (Heamophilus infulenza type b) usually as a combined shot, and PCV7 (Pneumococcal Conjugate). I wrote a rather long and involved post about Pneumococcal vaccine in pharmacy101. I have been meaning to write about the others, but haven't gotten around to it yet. So briefly

[ricevermicelli]

I second the recommendation for pertussis vaccine. My mom is an Infectious Disease researcher and my parents have been through antibiotic prophylaxis because of pertussis exposure about five times in the last ten years. I've heard a lot of people justify skipping vaccines because the disease is rare and you can basically count on herd immunity to prevent the spread of the disease, but this is just not true for pertussis (aka whooping cough).

I am pretty strongly in favor of measles vaccines at the doctor recommended time as a social good (measles causes brain damage to babies exposed to it in utero, and vaccinating children is the most efficient way to prevent the spread of the disease). I admit, however, that I almost never make personal decisions based on the greatest social good. Your mileage may vary.

Problematic

[175560]

I find the scientific evidence for and against childhood vaccination very troublesome, because neither side seems to have done a good job of presenting their case with regard to rare and debilitating side effects. On the one hand, vaccination in general has done a lot to rid our world of some very bad diseases, and vastly reduce the prevalence of others. Think smallpox. On the other hand, an extremely vocal minority has been frantically pointing at side effects like autism -- but they haven't proved any causal links. Since they're a minority, and mostly led by fearful or "wronged" parents, they don't really have the resources to run controlled studies (and anecdotes don't make good science); and since the establishment is government-led (vaccines have terribly low profit margins in the private sector), there really isn't much funding being provided to investigate any of these proposed links from the pro-vaccination camp, either. I find this quite dissatisfying

Re: Problematic

[kimdons]

Our pediatrician said they vaccinate babies for Hep B because the campaign to get teenage vaccinations failed so they decided to recommend them early when parents are already coming in for other vaccinations. She said she'd fully support us waiting until the teen years to do that one

Re: Problematic

[olstad]

Actually that's why we're recommending re-vaccinations at about 65 years of age. Don't forget that just because you have a disease does not mean you are "immune" either. People who have had chicken pox are actually more likely to have a more serious form of the disease later on in life than those that have been vaccinated...

[kimdons]

Have you heard anything in your schooling about when the immune system is better able to handle vaccinations? As tigresa mentioned above, I've heard after 6 months the immune system is functioning better, but I don't have any real information supporting or refuting that. I must admit, I'm bowing to some sentiments here when I look at my baby and feel that somehow she is much too young to be pumped with diseases (dead though they may be) and artificial filler. But I don't want to let my emotions guide me too much here... :-)

[olstad]

Andy says I have to go study now, here's what the Academy of Pediatricians has to say on immunizations.

I'll look up and see if I can find an explanation on why an infant's immune system is "weak" in a bit... See below though, for more information.