The "vaxes boost the immune system" theory

[DevaMajka]

Does anyone here believe this is true?

Ds was recently hospitalized twice for breathing difficulties. Once he had RSV, the other time he was negative for any virus they tested for. The haven't ruled out asthma (he has eczema and I have some allergies).

One resident (which I didn't care for much) harped on vaccines. She said that if ds had been vaxed, he might not be in the hospital. I asked which vaxable disease he might have and she said none, but that babies need vaccines for their immune systems to function properly. Now, obviously, people aren't born needing vaccines to survive. She also said vaxes were totally safe, and used loads of scare tactics. However...I'm still wondering if there is any validity to the theory that vaccines boost immune system function.

The pedi we saw was very pro-vax, and I liked him A LOT. He was great- didn't dismiss any of my concerns about ds's eczema, seemed knowledgable about food sensitivities, etc. He seemed very honest and open, and I respect his opinion enough that it's made me want to seriously consider some vaxes. He said they were "pretty safe" (I'll take that as an honest answer) and didn't use scare tactics, but encouraged me to consider vaxes. I didn't have a chance to ask him his opinion on "vaccines boost the immune system."

[Annie Mac]

I've never heard that vaxes boost the immune system in general. It could be that the resident had her own interpretation of how vaxes work. I mean, they do stimulate the immune system. I can see how she might have gotten from point A to point B on that one.

[chaoticzenmom]

The way I've understood it is that vaccines cause the immune system to build antibodies against illness.  The problem is that there isn't a real illness to fight, so the antibodies are being made for really no reason. The Killer T cells start going where they don't belong and attacking organs and such.  So, that's how vaccines can cause auto-immune problems.  Also, toxins in the body (and other stressors) can affect genes where disorders sit and turn them on. 

I'll see if I can still find literature that explains what I'm saying a little better.  It's been 5 years since I looked this up.  I was looking for information about which genes cause certain genetic auto-immune disorders (or, where they sit and how they're activated).  Also, if you google vaccines and  auto-immune disorder, there's a medical journal explanation of how it could "theoretically" happen, although they assert that it almost never does.  I don't believe that...it seems that everyone I know (including myself) has some kind of auto-immune disorder. 

Here's one article, but it explains it in a different way.saying that viruses and bacteria cause autoimmune disorders, so exposure to those through vaccines or illness is the same and they both can cause the disorder.

http://www.discoverymedicine.com/Hedi-Orbach/2010/02/04/vaccines-and-autoimmune-diseases-of-the-adult/

Another article that explains some of the ways in which you can get an autoimmune disorder from vaccines

http://www.everydayhealth.com/autoimmune-disorders/can-vaccines-cause-autoimmune-disorders.aspx