Vaccination Debate

Hello Fellow Parents....

My 3 year old daughter has been vaccinated on time with the recommended CDC schedule since birth.  She has recieved all her vaccinations inlcuding a seasonal flu shot the last two years.  She has never had so much as a fever from any shot.  This year I was planning on getting her the seasonal flu shot and am on the fence about the H1N1 shot with all the controversy that seems to be surrounding it.  I would love to get some informed parents and the reasons why they are choosing not to vaccinate or why they are.  I don't want a bunch of scare tactics about the ingredients.  My daughter would recieve the shot form (most likely preservative-free) if that makes a difference.  Please any facts that can be backed up would be appreciated or any places I can do further research myself.  I would like to make my own decision.  She attends preschool 5 days a week and I run a small daycare in my home.  My husband and I work/go to school at a large college campus (with a high rate of international students).  One boy in my daycare cannot recieve any flu shots due to an allergy to eggs, so I am also concerned with providing him some herd immunity. Also, I have recieved all vaccinations since I was a child, but never a flu shot myself.  My husband will get both vaccines.  We have never had a vaccine reaction either.  Thank you to all who respond!

Everyone in my family has received both flu vaccines this year to help protect my 4-month-old, who cannot be vaccinated and would be at high risk if he contracted the flu. We each had the shot for seasonal and the mist for H1N1. None of us has had any adverse reactions at all.

To be totally fair, I believe that both the fear of the flu and fear of the vaccine are equally blown out of proportion. However, I would do the unvaccinated child's parents the courtesy of letting them know if you choose not to get vaccinated so that they can make an informed choice about whether to keep sending him to you.

"However, I would do the unvaccinated child's parents the courtesy of letting them know if you choose not to get vaccinated so that they can make an informed choice about whether to keep sending him to you."

Oh good grief, I thought for a moment that you were about to tell her something substantial...

What I thought she was about to say is that you should keep the unvaccinated child away from you or anyone else who gets the nasal flu vaccine. The disease sheds from the vaccine and people get the flu because of it.

Maybe the Previous Poster has a "baby in the bubble" type daycare in her town but I bet you don't...so that last piece of advice is obviously without logic or thought, and it is most certainly uninformed. If you want to protect that baby then don't give him swine flu from your vaccine.

You have a greater chance of dying in an automobile accident than dying from swine flu. Don't fall for the scare tactics.

If you want to learn then there is plenty of reading here. However, if you skim the opinions and don't bother reading the references then you won't get much out of what's here. The best place to find information would be the "Vaccine Safety Manual" by Neil Miller. I can't tell you what to do and it's not our place to convince you of anything. Besides, its not as simple as you need it to be. First you have to get past all the hearsay and the lies and group-speak you have had drilled into your head throughout your entire life. That took a few years in my case, but I am glad I stuck with it. Now my son is much healthier because I have stopped vaccinating him. Now my daughter's immune system is untampered with.

I don't know how old your children are but it is very likely they've already had three times the number of vaccines you did as a child...you should start your research there. Ask "Why?".

You seem pretty sure that you'll get a mercury-free vaccine. With all the hype over shortages I would have to wonder if it will be that easy.

One thing that turned me completely away from vaccines was when I learned that I could not get the MMR broke up into three separate vaccines. I did not want the Mumps or Measles portion, since I had both diseases as a child I knew it wasn't all that bad. I had the wrong idea about Rubella though, and I planned on giving my daughter that one and a few others. Now I see that idea as ridiculous, I don't know how many cases of Rubella this nation sees each year, but it's not enough to be vaccinated over!

I realize you are not concerned with ingredients - which is strange, since those are what makes the vaccines dangerous - but I did want to warn you of something called "adjuvants". There are a few, but the one named "Squalene" is the worst. I am afraid they may have to break out the US emergency stockpile and if they do, shots may contain this very dangerous adjuvant. You should always ask for the product insert and ask about the ingredients BEFORE the visit to get vaccinated. That way you can read about all the adverse side-effects...at least the ones the manufacturer has owned up to at the time of printing the package insert.

BTW, I have asked all over town if the flu shot has Thimerosal, and not once has anyone had an immediate answer. You should try that, it's a real eye-opening experience!

If it comes from a multi-use vial, it has Thimerosal in it.

<<Oh good grief, I thought for a moment that you were about to tell her something substantial.>>

You know, you can reply to her post without putting down mine.