PBS Frontline on TV: The Vaccine War April 27th - Page 3

[k9sarchik]

I don't know why people are sooo upset about it...with the exception of Dr. Gordon whose time was obviously wasted and Jenny McCarthy who agreed to do an interview if Dr. Gordon's opinions were also included in the broadcast. They have a right to be upset.

This is mainstream media folks even if it is PBS. PBS still wants to get their funding and the Producer still wants to be able to keep her job.

Parents (and the internet) vs. science. Well science as the pro-vaxers see it.

I felt that they gave a lot of airtime to the growing movement of concerned parents. What more can we all ask for considering it's a TV show?

[groovygirls]

I feel somewhat weird about this being my first post...
I totally respect everyone decisions about what to do with their own child and their decisions about vaccinations.
I have two great groovy girls... 7 and 10. I did not vaccinate them for hep B (who could give their newborn a painful injection- my thinking not the potential side effects)
I get not vaccinating against MMR and rotavirus , HPV...,I waited two years before the chicken pox vaccine hoping they would get it naturally
but polio, pertussus which can be fatal in newborns, and complications related to chicken pox....it is quite serious as an adult

I am not meaning to be confrontational but I really want to know the thinking behind this. I really want to explore the other options. Please educate me

[MountainMamaGC]

Originally Posted by groovygirls

I feel somewhat weird about this being my first post...
I totally respect everyone decisions about what to do with their own child and their decisions about vaccinations.
I have two great groovy girls... 7 and 10. I did not vaccinate them for hep B (who could give their newborn a painful injection- my thinking not the potential side effects)
I get not vaccinating against MMR and rotavirus , HPV...,I waited two years before the chicken pox vaccine hoping they would get it naturally
but polio, pertussus which can be fatal in newborns, and complications related to chicken pox....it is quite serious as an adult

I am not meaning to be confrontational but I really want to know the thinking behind this. I really want to explore the other options. Please educate me

After doing my research the only one that really scared me was pertussis. Since the vaccine also has a high failure rate and you can not get it by itself, I decided not to get it for her. I was fully vaccinated and I got pertussis anyway, so I know first hand that vaccines fail. I instead choose to focus on boosting my childs immune system with fresh whole foods and supplements. Breastfeeding provides adequete protection in the early years of life. Good enough for me anyway. My logic is that I would rather treat a sick child than injure a healthy one. I know there is a slight risk but I am prepared to live with the consequences, good and bad. The good is that my child is free of injected toxins, the bad is she may get a VAD and die. I am severely autoimmune and I cant bring myself to mess with her immune system. She is so healthy, I am such a lucky mama.

I plan on exposing her to chicken pox before she turns 12. After that I may consider the vaccine, but by then most people will be vaccinated anyway so I may not get that one either.

I totally understand all sides of the spectrum. We all have to do what helps us sleep with a clear conscious right?

[Tracy]

Originally Posted by groovygirls

I feel somewhat weird about this being my first post...
I totally respect everyone decisions about what to do with their own child and their decisions about vaccinations.
I have two great groovy girls... 7 and 10. I did not vaccinate them for hep B (who could give their newborn a painful injection- my thinking not the potential side effects)
I get not vaccinating against MMR and rotavirus , HPV...,I waited two years before the chicken pox vaccine hoping they would get it naturally
but polio, pertussus which can be fatal in newborns, and complications related to chicken pox....it is quite serious as an adult

I am not meaning to be confrontational but I really want to know the thinking behind this. I really want to explore the other options. Please educate me

GroovyGirls,
Welcome to MDC. And welcome to Vaccinations. I have been coming to this forum since 2002 but I don't hang out here like I used to in the old days but I still love it

anyway, here's a great link where you can find great discussions on polio and pertussis.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...splay.php?f=69

hth

[ema-adama]

Originally Posted by Sileree

This is an awesome post about the show and I think it'll help answer your question.

http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.c...d-suicide.html

I really like this blog. I do take issue with the comparison of the number of children contracted polio as opposed to the number of children who have autism. Vaccines cannot explain every case of autism, and will likely explain a percentage of autism numbers.

You cannot say that vaccines are responsible for 1 in a 100 children being diagnosed with autism.

Other than that, I really enjoy her blog, and find it well referenced when I have read it.

With regard to the frontline piece, I was interested to see Erik Fombonne speaking. I was also somewhat disturbed by the misinformation given regarding herd immunity and pertussis, whooping cough. Those kinds of claims which cannot be backed up make the vaccine discussion that much more difficult. It scares parents unnecessarily.

[columbusmomma]

I was disappointed with the show as well

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by groovygirls

I feel somewhat weird about this being my first post...
I totally respect everyone decisions about what to do with their own child and their decisions about vaccinations.
I have two great groovy girls... 7 and 10. I did not vaccinate them for hep B (who could give their newborn a painful injection- my thinking not the potential side effects)
I get not vaccinating against MMR and rotavirus , HPV...,I waited two years before the chicken pox vaccine hoping they would get it naturally
but polio, pertussus which can be fatal in newborns, and complications related to chicken pox....it is quite serious as an adult

I am not meaning to be confrontational but I really want to know the thinking behind this. I really want to explore the other options. Please educate me

4+ years (and still going) of research has led me to my choice to not vax my son and any future children. This really is a topic where you cannot rely on others to educate you, but you must delve in and do the research yourself. There is much to learn nor only about the vaxes and the diseases, but about the politics, propaganda and sometimes outright lights and distortion that accompany this debate. All of it is relevant, IMO and factored into my choice.
I concentrate on boosting DS's immune system, we are unraveling food and environmental allergies issues now. I cannot imagine how much worse off he would be had I vaccinated!

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by groovygirls

I have two great groovy girls... 7 and 10. I did not vaccinate them for hep B (who could give their newborn a painful injection- my thinking not the potential side effects)

I assume you skipped the vitamin K injection as well then?

[PiesandAbrosmama]

I was so disappointed at the "obvious science" vs. "computer informed" parents.
I was dismayed at what studies they choose to highlight and what scientific studies they did not, studies that do show a very strong link to mercury poisoning and autism.
I know there are many in the scientific community who are not pro vaccination or pro no-vaxing, but are professionals conducting scientific studies that show very plausible evidence of harm.
Also would have liked to see the mention of political proof that some things are being "covered up" like the Lily rider that appeared in the Patriot Act, which no one admitted to or knew why it was inserted.
As far as highlighting certain disease like pertussis, I which they would have covered how it's not a life long immunity and many, many, who get the disease were "fully vaxed". MY MIL and my BIL both came down with it and yes both were fully vaxed. 4 years later my 6 week old baby boy came down with it from a separate outbreak. I was contacted by the CDC, my son's case was one of the two cases out of 70+ who were the "un-vaxed", and he was not old enough to be vaxed. The rest of the population with the disease were fully vaxed.
This is getting long. I wish I was not just considered a uninformed Youtube wacko putting the entire population at risk. Someday ladies I really believe we will be vindicated!

[myjo]

Originally Posted by PiesandAbrosmama

I wish I was not just considered a uninformed Youtube wacko putting the entire population at risk. Someday ladies I really believe we will be vindicated!

That's how I feel too. Maybe it's excessive pride or something, but I hate being disrespected for my unconventional but well-researched choices. I won't change my mind because of it, but it really rankles.

[SFam]

Anyone not surprised that the opening scene was of a hosptial C-section birth?? I mean, it was obvious at that point where the special was going and whose side they were on. The presented the hosptial C-section as normal, acceptable and ordinary, so clearly there was going to be a bias toward the medical establishment, rather than the natural approach to health. Also, the narrator said something along the lines of the medical community being responsible for the newborn's health. HELLO??? REALLY??? Aren't the PARENTS responsible for their children's health??

[waiflywaif]

The presented the hosptial C-section as normal, acceptable and ordinary

Hold on now, no one has ANY idea what this woman's circumstances were.

C-sections are normal, acceptable, and ordinary. They are often overperformed and sometimes unnecessary. That doesn't make them any less "acceptable."

[ema-adama]

Originally Posted by waiflywaif

Hold on now, no one has ANY idea what this woman's circumstances were.

C-sections are normal, acceptable, and ordinary. They are often overperformed and sometimes unnecessary. That doesn't make them any less "acceptable."

I did not understand the PP to be passing any sort of judgement on the woman having the c - section. And I did not understand the comment to be saying that c-sections do not have a place in childbirth. I would not say they are normal, acceptable and ordinary for every woman. And they are certainly not a model for all births.

I do agree that by choosing to represent a birth where the medical team in is control (regardless of whether the c-section was elective or medically indicated), there is a message that life is only safe in the hands of the medical establishment. However C-sections are not the norm and ideally are the exception. They certainly have a role to play in birthing.

It would have given a very different impression to see a woman birthing at home, for instance. Not something that is possible for every woman, and not representative of the population (just like c-section is not), but it would give a different message about life, parenting and responsibility - something this show was not about.

I think this is relevant to vaccines in that it raises the issue of trust and whether you trust your doctors recommendations or not. Some people feel comfortable to accept their doctors recommendation, where others would possibly ask questions before accepting the intervention and others would ask questions and decide they don't want the intervention.

I liked Barbara Lou Fishers comment at the end, that the medical establishment needs to get over being paternalistic. More and more parents/patients want to be involved in their own health and demand quality information when making choices for their families.

[SFam]

Originally Posted by ema-adama

I did not understand the PP to be passing any sort of judgement on the woman having the c - section. And I did not understand the comment to be saying that c-sections do not have a place in childbirth. I would not say they are normal, acceptable and ordinary for every woman. And they are certainly not a model for all births.

I do agree that by choosing to represent a birth where the medical team in is control (regardless of whether the c-section was elective or medically indicated), there is a message that life is only safe in the hands of the medical establishment. However C-sections are not the norm and ideally are the exception. They certainly have a role to play in birthing.

It would have given a very different impression to see a woman birthing at home, for instance. Not something that is possible for every woman, and not representative of the population (just like c-section is not), but it would give a different message about life, parenting and responsibility - something this show was not about.

I think this is relevant to vaccines in that it raises the issue of trust and whether you trust your doctors recommendations or not. Some people feel comfortable to accept their doctors recommendation, where others would possibly ask questions before accepting the intervention and others would ask questions and decide they don't want the intervention.

[Marnica]

Just came across this in response to that program.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...mbers-dont-add

[mamaofthree]

i will preface this comment with the fact that i have not seen the show yet... but i have been thinking about the medical side of the debate. it use to be that when a doctor told you to do something you just did it, even if it didn't make sense to you. now more and more people are becoming informed (which i LOVE as an RN) so they question the blind following of doctors orders. plus there is alot going on with the question of doing what any government agency says, just because they say to do it. parents are looking into the facts for themselves, becoming educated, and making informed decisions. which is so wonderful. i wish that would be discussed more on these sorts of programs. i think there is an underlying belief that people who choose not to vax or selectively vax, that they are uneducated. that just doesn't seem to be the case. i would say that most of the people i know irl who do vax, have done no research.. but i have noticed on this board that most if not all people who either vax, selectively vax or not vax at all all appear to be educated on their choice. if only everyone would do that.

h

[myjo]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Just came across this in response to that program.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...mbers-dont-add

Good article, thank you for posting it.