I live in Mainstream Central, USA. When my first child was born eight years ago, I did all the "right" things. I read the WTEWYE books, cover-to cover, and dutifully vaxed on schedule. OK, we co-slept, but we didn't tell anyone because that was just...strange. With our second child, the WTE books collected dust, but we still vaxed. Because, darnitall, you're supposed to. And both kids are healthy, had no reactions.
One year ago this week, I took our third child, ds2, in for his two-mos well-baby check. A little more widely-read now, more aware of options beyond the mainstream, I gritted my teeth when they did the vaxes. But, I didn't stop them and I didn't expect anything to really happen. After all, my other two kiddos had no problems, right?
Within ten days, my baby's skin started breaking out with patches of eczema. I never had any doubt that it had been triggered by the vaxes. Ds2 went into his 2-mos well-baby check a healthy, chubby baby and then didn't gain an ounce in the five mos following. He was eventually dxed with multiple food allergies and we've gone through h*** trying to get control of them and find a good team of drs to work with us.
I know that the vaxes didn't *cause* the allergies; however, I do believe that they triggered them, leading to reactions that his body wasn't ready to handle. There are children who simply can't handle that influx; there is no way of knowing which child might be affected and I know that I would never take that chance again. I've been spending this week involuntarily reflecting on the "what if..." What if I had refused the vaxes a year ago? What if I never made the connection and had continued to vax? It's a horrible mental game; I can't change my choices of a year ago...but I get so angry when I hear the arguments presented by some peds. and the guilt piled on new mamas. What if...?
Missy
One year ago this week, I took our third child, ds2, in for his two-mos well-baby check. A little more widely-read now, more aware of options beyond the mainstream, I gritted my teeth when they did the vaxes. But, I didn't stop them and I didn't expect anything to really happen. After all, my other two kiddos had no problems, right?
Within ten days, my baby's skin started breaking out with patches of eczema. I never had any doubt that it had been triggered by the vaxes. Ds2 went into his 2-mos well-baby check a healthy, chubby baby and then didn't gain an ounce in the five mos following. He was eventually dxed with multiple food allergies and we've gone through h*** trying to get control of them and find a good team of drs to work with us.
I know that the vaxes didn't *cause* the allergies; however, I do believe that they triggered them, leading to reactions that his body wasn't ready to handle. There are children who simply can't handle that influx; there is no way of knowing which child might be affected and I know that I would never take that chance again. I've been spending this week involuntarily reflecting on the "what if..." What if I had refused the vaxes a year ago? What if I never made the connection and had continued to vax? It's a horrible mental game; I can't change my choices of a year ago...but I get so angry when I hear the arguments presented by some peds. and the guilt piled on new mamas. What if...?
Missy
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