Everything up to date EXCEPT Varicella

[deymm]

DS entered Kindergarten this fall. All his state required vax are up to date (although we did delay them) EXCEPT Varicella.

My state has a religious exemption only.

It would seem dissonant to write a letter to exempt him from Varicella (esp on religious terms) when he is up to date on everything else. But I REALLY don't want to give him Varicella.

I am looking for some guidance here....any suggestions for writing that exemption letter?

[Deborah]

You can become religious at any point, you know?

In addition, there are a lot of vaccines being recommended for the early teen years, some of which will probably be just as unappealing as varicella, so getting a religious exemption in now will probably be useful. The push to add more and more vaccines to the schedule is relentless and they aren't quitting as kids get older.

[KoalaMommy]

It depends on the state you live in. My current state would allow that. In my previous state, the law was very clear that you had to object religiously to vaccination. But then again, one can get religion at any time...

[Fyrestorm]

Will your school system accept parental recall of CP infection?

[tanyalynn]

If you write a letter for a religious exemption, be very clear that you object to the practice of vaccination, don't mention CP specifically, don't talk about ingredients or safety or risk or anything like that. The law is nuts, and very disrespectful to parents. It is our responsibility to make medical decisions for our kids, and having to jump through silly hoops is just nuts.

But as Deborah pointed out, there's already a lot more required for older kids, I think usually 6th graders and 9th graders, and I wouldn't bet a single cent that there won't be more by the time your LO reaches that age. Seems like, if you're comfortable stopping vaccination until your child graduates from school, now may be the best time to submit the exemption.

[PlayaMama]

i just got a religious exemption because i didn't want to give my ds the chicken pox vax. i was going to give him several of the other ones but when they put that one in too i decided against it.

basically, i think it just allows me to vax on my schedule and wishes rather than theirs. my pre-school director was totally cool with it and even wanted me to discuss it with the other moms in case they were interested in using it.

[Gitti]

You could say he already had the chicken pox. (We did!)

[NettleTea]

As someone who has suffered side effects from the nasty varicella vax I whole heartedly agree that it is in your best interest to avoid it in every possible way.

[manchestermafia]

Did you know that the chicken pox vaccine contains aborted fetus tissue? That is why I feel I can use the religious exemption. My children are also fully vaccinated because I had been brainwashed. I have now educated myself because of the cp vax and HPV.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by manchestermafia

Did you know that the chicken pox vaccine contains aborted fetus tissue? That is why I feel I can use the religious exemption. My children are also fully vaccinated because I had been brainwashed. I have now educated myself because of the cp vax and HPV.

While it is true that the varivax vax has MRC-5 cells in it, you cannot site this as grounds for a religious exemption. This is considered a philisophical issue and not a religious one. If you sited this in a state with only a religious exemption it could very well be denied.

[ASusan]

Another option is to get his titres checked. He may have been exposed and have measurable immunity. Assuming your state will accept that evidence.

[deymm]

Originally Posted by manchestermafia

Did you know that the chicken pox vaccine contains aborted fetus tissue? That is why I feel I can use the religious exemption. My children are also fully vaccinated because I had been brainwashed. I have now educated myself because of the cp vax and HPV.

Yes, that's what I discovered and sent the letter to school yesterday. We'll see if they allow it or not.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by ASusan

Another option is to get his titres checked. He may have been exposed and have measurable immunity. Assuming your state will accept that evidence.

Even if he was exposed, he may not show titer immunity at all. Not everyone does. Also titers are not really reliable.

[manchestermafia]

Dr. Mayer Eisenstein's book [U]Don't Vaccinate! Before You Educate[U] has the biblical and religious references if you need them for a letter. My state just requires a notarized state form. I read on the computer about a person in the Coast Guard who received a religious exemption for the cp vax because there isn't an ethical version of the vax. If the military allowed it (we are a military family) hopefully the school will. Thou shall not kill weighs heavily in my mind.