Bizarre advice given by nurse on NHS Direct helpline...

[Claire and Boys]

I rang the NHS Direct helpline earlier as my unvaxed youngest has a temperature of 101 and really cold extremities - didn't know that that was apparently normal, my kids are rarely sick and I've never noticed it before. Anyway, the nurse on the phone said something that made just

"He won't have much resistance to stuff that's going around if he's unvaccinated"

I don't know how you can trust anyone to give medical advice and especially on vaccinations if they really think vaccines against X will prevent children from getting Y as well? Goes against all common sense.. I don't know if she really thought that or if she was saying it to try and push me into vaccinating. She did ask why we don't vax and I just said it is a complex issue that we are researching and we are not sure if we will selectively vax now that he is 2, or just not vax at all. That was when she dropped the above clanger

You know I really used to just trust what health professionals said as gospel before I started questioning vaccinations

[nettlesoup]

Good old NHS! Don't go them if you ever have the mumps, they won't have a clue what it is :
Generally they do seem to be a bit useless and give crap advice. When I gave birth 3 weeks ago, every single NHS midwife in the hospital managed to give me bad advice on breastfeeding, so I have very little faith in them.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by Claire and Boys

I rang the NHS Direct helpline earlier as my unvaxed youngest has a temperature of 101 and really cold extremities - didn't know that that was apparently normal, my kids are rarely sick and I've never noticed it before. Anyway, the nurse on the phone said something that made just

"He won't have much resistance to stuff that's going around if he's unvaccinated"

I don't know how you can trust anyone to give medical advice and especially on vaccinations if they really think vaccines against X will prevent children from getting Y as well? Goes against all common sense.. I don't know if she really thought that or if she was saying it to try and push me into vaccinating. She did ask why we don't vax and I just said it is a complex issue that we are researching and we are not sure if we will selectively vax now that he is 2, or just not vax at all. That was when she dropped the above clanger

You know I really used to just trust what health professionals said as gospel before I started questioning vaccinations

Ive heard the same comments here in the US too. It is quite strange that medical professionals think that if a child is unvaccinated they are OVERALL more susceptible to EVERYTHING. I think its quite the opposite actually but what do I know?

[Claire and Boys]

I would agree Marnica.. my oldest is fully vaxed and gets fevers and little illnesses way more often. Both boys were Bf until 2 (youngest is still going) This has to be maybe the second or maybe third time he's had a little fever in his life time, while friends kids seem to have them all the time. Doesn't really seem to tally that he's got a lower resistance to me.

yes nettlesoup I had the same experience with BFing as well! They are always shocked now when I tell them he's still nursing.

[gr8blessings]

Did the nurse specify what "stuff" was going around exactly?

gr8blessings

[Claire and Boys]

Originally Posted by gr8blessings

Did the nurse specify what "stuff" was going around exactly?

gr8blessings

No, she didn't at all ...

[gr8blessings]

Wow. That is shocking. I agree. Someone in such a position should know better.

gr8blessings