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Why didn't I vaccinate him against pertussis?  

post #1 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:12am
Thread Starter 
I posted on Health and Healing about my son and a few people thought it sounded like Pertussis. If it does turn out he has Pertussis I KNOW I'm going to get flamed by my family and friends for not having him vaccinated! While I have a lot of information in my head as to why I didn't have him vaccinated it's hard for me to articulate that into words. I want to sound knowledgable when they say it's my fault he has it and I don't want to just say, "Because I never thought he'd get it" or something stupid like that because that's actually not true. I know Pertussis goes around and he can get it so...

So, give me some lines I can give people when they ask me why I didn't have him vaccinated?

As of now I'm not even sure that's what it is and maybe I'll never know unless I get an 'official' diagnosis so this is just a hypothetical question for now!
post #2 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:17am
Just tell them that you weren't as afraid of the disease as you were of the vaccine. Besides, the pertussis component of the DTaP vaccine is pretty weak.
post #3 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:20am
Pertussis outbreaks among vaccinated kids are becoming increasingly common.
post #4 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:24am
Thread Starter 
I thought of a reason myself!

Ds actually DID have his 2 month shots and no one even really knows he wasn't vaccinated at his 4 month WBV so if they do find out I can just say, "Well, he did have his 2 month shots so he does have some immunity."

Plus I know they don't even get the 3rd dose until 6 months so he really only has missed one dose of what he would've been given.
post #5 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:31am
I think her will have a life long immunity now so when he is 78 and much weaker he won't get it and die!
post #6 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:57am
Isn't it only something like, 65% effective in the people who are fully vaccinated???
post #7 of 26
1/29/07 at 12:58am
Just tell them he has Atypical Bronchitis.
post #8 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LongIsland View Post
Just tell them he has Atypical Bronchitis.
:
post #9 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:04am
My DS (who received the pertussis vax) got it last year, while dd (who has not been vaxed, and won't be) did not get it.
post #10 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LongIsland View Post
Just tell them he has Atypical Bronchitis.
Or, better still, call it parapertussis. Texbook definition: "Clinically identical to pertussis but not vaccine preventable"
post #11 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:07am
Which child might have pertussis? If it's the 5mo, point out that he wouldn't even be protected yet since he couldn't have had the 6m dose yet. If it's one of the older ones, just point out that the vaccine could have worn off by now.

LongIsland's approach is probably the best- just don't tell them he has pertussis! (though you may want to document it anyway.)
post #12 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:24am
I'd also like to know which child it is that is sick
post #13 of 26
1/29/07 at 1:52am
I think its the 5 month old.
post #14 of 26
1/29/07 at 2:57am
Do they know that he hasn't recieved his 4 mo shots?

I'd just laugh, and say, "ya know, I asked my dr that very same question, and he didn't have an answer! So I went online, and I found that pertussis is *sooooooo* common in vax'd kids, and even after the 1st two doses, it's only 30% (or whatever it is, I can't remember) effective."

If they don't already know, don't volunteer the info.
post #15 of 26
1/29/07 at 9:30am
A friend of mine called my last week. Her son was in for her 4mo wbv and her doc tried to bully her into HIB DPaT and prevnar. She refused then he said they JUST sent a 5 month old with pertussis to Childrens hospital in DC. She asked IF the child had his vax He said yes.... Her response was Then why do you want me to give my baby something tha doesnt work?
Her DS2 is yet unvaxed and he is staying that way. ( this was a huge statement for her she NEVER talks back to anyone and was proud she did it)

Hope your little on feels better soon.
post #16 of 26
1/29/07 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by my3peanuts View Post
Why didn't I vaccinate him against pertussis?
Because the vax doesn't work.

Last year, pertussis "swept" through my son's very small school. The vax rate in that school is around 60% vax, 40% unvax. Guess who got WC?? More vaxed kids. My son's class (only 9 in the class) was hit particularly hard. 5 kids got it. My son (never got dTap) managed to avoid it somehow. Interesting, I thought (and anecdotal, of course).
post #17 of 26
1/29/07 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
Yes, it's the 5 month old. Sorry. Although, all of my kids have the cough, it's just the older two don't have it nearly as bad. They were both fully vaccinated against Pertussis so if that is what it is(and I think it is because I listened to a few clips of WC and the cough sounds the same ) then that just proves the vaccine isn't effective!
post #18 of 26
1/29/07 at 10:55am
In an older child wc is not as severe as in a young child. The older the child gets the easier it is on them. And finally, in grownups it is generally an annoying cough that last all winter. But nothing to be concerned about at all. My dh had it some 20 yrs ago. And like I said, he coughed all winter but just a mild 'sometimes' cough. Mostly in the evening. Probably a booster from Mother Nature.
post #19 of 26
1/29/07 at 2:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LongIsland View Post
Just tell them he has Atypical Bronchitis.
Or asthma that lasts for 4 months.
post #20 of 26
1/29/07 at 4:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by my3peanuts View Post
I posted on Health and Healing about my son and a few people thought it sounded like Pertussis. If it does turn out he has Pertussis I KNOW I'm going to get flamed by my family and friends for not having him vaccinated! While I have a lot of information in my head as to why I didn't have him vaccinated it's hard for me to articulate that into words. I want to sound knowledgable when they say it's my fault he has it and I don't want to just say, "Because I never thought he'd get it" or something stupid like that because that's actually not true. I know Pertussis goes around and he can get it so...

So, give me some lines I can give people when they ask me why I didn't have him vaccinated?

As of now I'm not even sure that's what it is and maybe I'll never know unless I get an 'official' diagnosis so this is just a hypothetical question for now!
Instead of looking for "lines" why don't you explore how you feel about the possibility that your child could have a VPD? I think it's something that every parent who chooses not to vaccinate should do, entertain the possibility that their child might get a VPD. Figure out how you feel about that, and how you will deal with any criticism your family might throw your way. Most folks on this board would say the disease is not a big deal, so why worry? (That is not what I would say. But it is what I've seen lots post about pertussis.) Your reasoning probably has to do with the reason you chose not to vaccinate in the first place. ie: If you chose not to vax due to concern over side effects, you could say "My worry over the side effects was of more concern to me than the possibility of him getting pertussis."

I also believe that those of us who choose to vax, need to deal with the possibility that our child could have a vax reaction. Either way, the decision and responsibility lies on our shoulders and it is up to us as parents to deal with it.
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