Workshop #4 - Baby’s Early Years; Vaccination - Page 6

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

Originally Posted by RasJi7

At 2months old I took him for his checkup and they wanted to do Dtap (Except here it is a 5-in-1 including HepB) They only had 3 of the 5 (they put them into one syringe needle thing and do them all at once.

A couple of things on this... If your 5-in-1 is the same as ours, it's DTaP plus Hib, not Hep B. Not that that makes me any more comfortable giving it to my kid.

And, can I clarify, the 5-in-1 wasn't really a 5-in-1 when your DS had it? They had to physically do the mixing of the different components there?

[Bellabaz]

Originally Posted by calendula

I moved from a state with a philosophical exemption to NY state which only has religious exemption (I believe). Does anyone have direct experience with the religious exemption. I mean what can you claim to be? If anything, I'd say I'm buddhist, but I don't have tons of religious knowledge to point to, to back up an exemption claim. So now I am due with #2 baby I don't know what to do about VAX.

With my 1st child we did partial and delayed vax. It worked out really well but waivers were easy to come by where we used to live.

Now I'm in a different state I just don't know what to do. I have heard its really hard to get a waiver here in NY.

I live in NY and I researched this when I was pg. You don't have to be a member of a specific religion. It was my understanding that you had to write up why your personal faith beliefs prohibited you and your family from vaxing. And if that is too hard or complicated, there is always christian scientists and you could say you are one of those (if it doesn't bother you to just claim stuff like that. I don't mean to offend anyone but if I had to pretend to be a member of a specific religion to get this exemption I would.)

[RasJi7]

sorry duplicate post- slow connection

[RasJi7]

Originally Posted by CrunchyMamaToBe

A couple of things on this... If your 5-in-1 is the same as ours, it's DTaP plus Hib, not Hep B. Not that that makes me any more comfortable giving it to my kid.

And, can I clarify, the 5-in-1 wasn't really a 5-in-1 when your DS had it? They had to physically do the mixing of the different components there?

Thanks for the info on the 5-in-1, and yes she physically put the needle in each container and sucked them one by one into the needle.
I just checked the sheet they had given me with the shots and this is what they wrote down, "DPT/DT, Hep B, Hib" and the next time they wanted him to get all that PLUS oral polio. not sure which one she was out of but she said it was supposed to have something else as well.

[listipton]

Originally Posted by alegna

In most cases, you can't *technically* vax like that and have kids in daycares/schools. The way around it is to get a religious exemption and not tell them about any further vaxes.

-Angela

I was researching a the school laws/requirements for vax in my state and came up with this site: http://www.mercola.com/article/vacci...void_shots.htm

I haven 't needed to put any of it's advice into effect yet as my daughter is not school age yet, but I liked some of this site's suggestions. It might be helpful if anyone does have to argue the issue with a school board and isn't comfortable using a religious reason.

[listipton]

I haven't read any of these but thanks for the start- I'm a librarian and there are NO books on Vaccination in my library and I am looking for good titles to explore and add to the collection for all the parents in my community!

[mtnsunshinemama]

Originally Posted by Arwyn

There's a whole Selective/Delayed forum here. And here's a thread with people sharing their S/D schedule.

Originally Posted by alegna

Be aware that the pertussis (WC) vaccine does NOT prevent transmission.

-Angela

Thanks!

[mamadeo]

I am a mother to a wonderful 1 yo baby girl. She has never been vaccinated. Initially, it was a difficult decision to make. But, once I learned about how rare the serious diseases were, measured against the vax risks, I decided not to vax. I am always open to new information and might reevaluate in the future. But for now, I firmly believe vaccinations are too dangerous for my precious girl.

I don't feel any pressure to vax. I was surprised to read how much fear has been thrust upon so many of you great parents who are actively trying to make the best decisions for your children. Perhaps because I am an attorney, doctors and other folks don't try to bully me so much.

[Nillarilla]

The decision on vaxes is still a complex one for me. I am a nurse and did not even question the vaxes initially. Ds got his 2mo and 4mo shots and at around 4 months I was researching cloth diapers and must have stumbled onto some info on vaccinations. What I read frightened me. I decided to delay until 2 years of age. Then I read the Dr. Sears book and Romm's and decided there would be no more shots for now. None of the diseases worried me as much as the vaxes did.

I am now due with my second and will revisit this issue because ds had 2 rounds and was partially immune I didn't really worry about him as an infant. I will probably choose to get him another tetanus booster when he is older and Hep B at a later age. Because I am a health care worker I do believe in the Hep B vaccine. If for some reason I was not able to breastfeed I think I would have made different decisions. I have not had to defend myself to our dr. yet and we never have reason to go. I want a little more research in my hand before I have to do this.

My mother does not agree but she really hasn't done the research so I will not have the conversation with her unless she does. My mil is very open to these things and I have had many a conversation with her. My biggest deterrent from vaccination is that there is a strong history of seizures on dh's side of the family and if there is any way to avoid that I will.

[CatherineEL]

Wow, this is so great! I've not posted for a while, but here goes...

My son has his first round and I didn't like it at all. Like others have said, it was a gut reaction. And I trust my gut. I think it's very cool that many of us here can take a gut feeling alone as powerful foundation for these important decisions.

We went back and forth, and finally (!) at the last dr visit BOTH my husband and our ped (who pushed hard all the earlier months) - BOTH (!!) were ok with absolutely NO vaccines.

My gut feels good. We'll take it as it comes, and at little P's 18 month visit we'll see. Until then, he's doing great and I'm happy.

K: wife to S in love with our little P (3/07) :

[Venice Mamacita]

Hi everyone! DH is an acupuncturist and was adamant before DS was born that we would not vax, at least for the first 2 years. He was also very firm about not circ'ing. It was the first I'd heard of either option, really, and as I did my own research I completely understood DH's position on both issues. Then I found Mothering and MDC which made me feel even more strongly that we'd made the right decision.

DS turned 5 in May and has never had a shot. Our parents -- and just about everyone else -- thought we were completely out of our minds for not vaxing, but as the years have passed and they've learned about it on their own, they actually say now that we did the right thing.

DS is an extremely healthy child. Before he started preschool last fall, we could count on one hand the amount of times he'd been sick since birth. He's never been to the doctor for an illness, never had to take antibiotics. He also still nurses (about 30 seconds per side before sleeping and upon waking). At his 5-year check-up, I sheepishly admitted to this, and the ped said, "Oh, I'll bet you catch a lot of flack for that. But don't pay any attention. Look at this kid's chart -- there's no paper here. This is a very healthy child, and that's because you didn't interfere with his immune system and continue to allow him access to all the wonderful things in your breastmilk."

By this time, I certainly don't need outside validation to know we've made the right choices -- but it sure doesn't hurt to hear it once in a while.

We expect our daughter to arrive in October, and have no plans to vax her, either.

[namaste119]

Thrid World Travel...

I will be traveling with my 10 month daughter to Costa Rica for over four months. She has had no vaccinations, But I am worried that traveling to this third world country will be dangerous. My husband and I have traveled there many times for extended stays as well, his parents live there, and own a small quaint resort, we have never gotten sick or anything when we traveled, but we were both fully immunized as children. Our peditrican is entirely against our decision to not vaccinate, an issue we have been struggling with since our first vistit, and suggested we vaccinate her for everything and then some! Any suggestions??

[amnesiac]

Lots of travel info in these recent threads:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ighlight=costa
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ghlight=travel
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ghlight=travel
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ghlight=travel

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

What about 'herd immunity?'

This idea that when you don't vaccinate your child, you are relying on the majority of the population getting vaccinated to keep your unvaxed child from getting sick?

Is there anything to this?

We have heard "So you're relying on herd immunity, then?" a few times from doctors...

[alegna]

Originally Posted by CrunchyMamaToBe

What about 'herd immunity?'

This idea that when you don't vaccinate your child, you are relying on the majority of the population getting vaccinated to keep your unvaxed child from getting sick?

Is there anything to this?

We have heard "So you're relying on herd immunity, then?" a few times from doctors...

Depends totally on which vax we're talking about.

You CAN get an element of herd immunity from the MMR.

On the other hand, the pertussis vax does not prevent transmission, so no herd immunity there.

-Angela

[amnesiac]

I agree. It really depends on what vaccine you're talking about & how you're defining herd immunity. But I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that people who don't vax are relying on herd immunity. In fact, there are a lot of people who actually seek exposure to certain illnesses rather that trying to avoid them.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...play.php?f=242

[EmilyM]

We just got back from my daughter's 18 month appointment. We refused the 4th DTaP due to the reactions that I posted about previously. I explained my position to the doctor and she actually didn't argue, just got out her trusty waiver. I was so relieved. She also signed the medical release for Montessori. They also told me she would never get the 4th Hib because of the recall. She acted like it was no big deal for her to miss it, although I would have done that shot if they had it. The nurse said "pertussis is actually more serious." Ummm, more serious than epiglottitis and meningitis? I don't understand why it is OK to miss shots because they aren't available but not OK to refuse them. Does anyone know how much immunity my daughter may have from her first three DTaPs? As I understand it boosters may not be necessary for all children and a strong reaction at 6 mos may signal sufficient immunity.

[Awaken]

Re: herd immunity- so for which vaccines would this apply? Just thinking through them quickly- you say pertussis doesn't prevent transmission, measles I'm not that concerned about, he's had chicken pox, tetanus wouldn't apply, not concerned about hep A and B for a baby and in our situation, wouldn't do rotavirus or flu anyway, so what's left to be protected from by the 'herd'?

mumps, polio, and rubella? HIB? And those aren't always deadly and to be avoided at all costs, right?

Just trying to keep it all straight in my mind, and have answers if someone brings up the herd immunity argument. Sorry if those sound like ignorant questions!

[Twinklefae]

Originally Posted by Awaken

mumps, polio, and rubella? HIB? And those aren't always deadly and to be avoided at all costs, right?

There has been a mumps "outbreak" among the college aged population here, and no one has been hospitalized, never mind died! It used to be one of those things that everyone got. (I remember an episode of "Who's the Boss" mentioning it.) The IPV does not prevent transmission anyway, and Rubella is a very mild illness unless you are an unborn baby. (It's only dangerous to pregnant women.)

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Awaken

Re: herd immunity- so for which vaccines would this apply? Just thinking through them quickly- you say pertussis doesn't prevent transmission, measles I'm not that concerned about, he's had chicken pox, tetanus wouldn't apply, not concerned about hep A and B for a baby and in our situation, wouldn't do rotavirus or flu anyway, so what's left to be protected from by the 'herd'?

mumps, polio, and rubella? HIB? And those aren't always deadly and to be avoided at all costs, right?

Just trying to keep it all straight in my mind, and have answers if someone brings up the herd immunity argument. Sorry if those sound like ignorant questions!

The polio vax currently in use in the US does not prevent transmission.

Pre-vax nearly all children were immune to Hib (with no recorded "illness" attributed to it) by age 5.

-Angela