Need some Support

[MamatoPeach]

I have a bad habit of every once in a while informing family about the risk of vaccinations. (my immediate family) So I learned my lesson because my brother is now emailing me about how I need to get my daugher vaccinated and she is going to get sick and I am going to feel very bad.

I am very confident in our decision. I have been replying calmly to his emails with the reasons why we choose not to vaccinate.

But to have someone you are very close to tell you, you are making a big mistake is emotionally unsettling.

How do you regain your confidence in your decision when it feels like everyone tells you "your wrong" ??

[Emmeline II]

Tell him that when he has answered these questions for every vaccine/disease in writing you'd be willing to talk, otherwise you are not going to waste your time with someone who has not done the same amount of research.

Here are some questions to answer for yourself in deciding about vax.

1. Name of the disease
2. Description of the disease
3. Length of time from initial infection to end of all symptoms
4. Infectious period
5. Normal symptoms of the disease
6. Known serious consequences of the disease
7. Proportion of persons infected developing serious consequences
8. Transmission route of the disease
9. Prevalence of the disease
10. Treatments of the disease and efficacy of those treatments
11. Relevant research about the disease
12. Name of the vaccine
13. Company that makes the vaccine
14. Contents of the vaccine
14A. The significance of whether or not the vaccine is live
15. History of development of the vaccine
16. Known side-effects of the vaccine and rate of incidence of those side-effects
17. Possible side-effects not yet acknowledged by the vaccine maker
18. Relevant research into the vaccine
19. How effective is the vaccine at preventing the disease?
20.What is the vaccine meant to do? (Many vaccines are not meant to prevent infection or transmission).
21.Number of cases reported each year.
22.Number of deaths reported each year from the vaccine and natural disease.

Here are some sources to help you out:

Vaccines-The Risks, the Benefits, the Choices DVD, By Sherri J. TENPENNY
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7018835240451107552


Inside Vaccines

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_wk.html (download the current issue)
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pin...k-chapters.htm
http://vaers.hhs.gov/pdf/PackageInserts.pdf
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...40451107552&q=
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...87981735&hl=en
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pin...ses&deaths.pdf

http://www.*********/a/bystrianyk3.html

[angie7]

First you need to stop talking to him about it. No matter what you say it will not change his mind, he has made that very clear to you. Tell him "this is my daughter, I make any and all decisions for her and it's no longer up for discussion". And if he doesn't drop it, you do. Stop replying to his emails, stop answering his calls until he understands that you will not discuss this with him. Chalk this up to a lesson learned.

[mommyofemma]

I know exactly how you feel.We decided not to vaccinate our daughter and my husband's side of the family pretty much flipped out. They still dont understand even though I pritned off all kinds of research that I had done and gave it to them, hoping they would at least try to see our side.Unfortuantly I dont think it did any good.They still want to know when she is going to get her shots....SHE'S NOT! I really don't know the best advice to give you because I haven't even figured out the best way to handle the situation myself. Just always stick to what you believe you because no matter what anyone else says she is your daughter and it is your responsibility to keep her safe, even if others don't agree that you are doing it in the "right" way.

[Ophelia]

(((hugs)))

[ema-adama]

It *is* emotionally unsettling. I find that it helps me to look at the statements being told to me and address those issues. Often the information is incorrect and a little more digging shows that most of the aurguments for vaccinating are just off. I never discuss this now with family, or friends, unless someone asks a direct question, to which I usually ask a question back to clarify just what it is that they are wanting to know. I have found that most people do not know what they do not know.

I second Emmeline II's suggestion. If your brother is truley concerned, perhaps he can allay his concerns by reading as much as you have and understanding that it is much more complex than vaccine good/bad and child healthy/dead.