Ok... I've been thinking... - Page 2

[EviesMom]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

Soooo... without avoiding all vaccines, how can I avoid this one, specifically? I'm so frustrated that they won't allow philosophical exemptions in NY. UGH.

I do everything that is required for school except cp and I'm in NYC (I spread them out though). Our preschool didn't mind and just asked me to fill out the exemption form as if we did no vaxes so the dept of health wouldn't give them a hard time. I think some private preschools are more responsive to parents wishes than public grade schools.

I had to make sure DD got the actual CP illness before starting a school that cared about vaxes this fall. She got it when she was 2 1/2, and she's had way worse colds honestly. No big deal. The fact that she was nursing seemed to help a lot. The doc didn't want to diagnose it as such bc it was so mild. So we did a blood test for titer levels last year, and that stands in place of the vax in her records. The legal requirement (if you don't exempt all) is CP vax or diagnosed illness or blood titers showing immunity.

And yes, I think there will someday be a giant, dangerous outbreak of CP on a college campus or in a workplace. I'm glad to know my DD will be fine though! DH and I felt a bit icky when DD had CP, I'm sure we got a little immune boost. We'll get anther one when DS gets CP in a few years too!

[anewmama]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

Soooo... I've had chicken pox, thus I have lifetime immunity, right?

Wrong, as I get it. You are less likely to get it and repeated exposure will reinforce your immunity, but you don't get lifetime immunity. Children even can get it more than once.

[Panserbjorne]

I'm really not sure how CP is different from any of the other childhood disease we are expected to vax for. IMO they are CHILDHOOD disease because we are meant to get them in childhood. Does anyone not realize (aside from here, of course) that there are BENEFITS to these illnesses?

Infectious diseases are in a different category, I will grant you that. We don't vax for either, but really. I think a distinction needs to be made.

[Juvysen]

I agree... MMR vax worries me for the same reason, but they seem to be less prevalent - cp comes back as shingles (and is contageous) if you're stressed out, kwim?

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

I agree... MMR vax worries me for the same reason, but they seem to be less prevalent - cp comes back as shingles (and is contageous) if you're stressed out, kwim?

I dont' know about that. I think it's only because the CP vax is new. If we had been vaxxing all along with MMR would that be the case? We've created this. Regardless, there is a measles outbreak right now in Ottawa from what I understand.

[Super Glue Mommy]

i never get boosters or the flu shot. this is definitely a problem for the future. I say its better to let them get the chicken pox when they are kids. I think a lot of diseases were once common no big deal things that they created vaccines for.