DTaP - between a rock and a hard place

[MelindaGayle]

Hello,
I really, really need some help.

I have a five year old son with a fatal form of muscular dystrophy. We are trying to keep him in the best shape that we can so he can take advantage of some genetic therapy that might come in time.

I also have a six month old son who was the happy result after many years of heartache and expense trying to have another child (my son's disease is in my eggs - I'm a germline carrier).

So - on to vaccinations. I would really rather not give them to my six month old and have not so far. The problem is with the bugs that are actually out in the community. There is currently an outbreak of whooping cough in my area, actually.

I know that the non vaxers are OK with just having their kids catch the disease and dealing with it. But something like whooping cough would be catastrophic for my older son - his respiratory muscles just aren't strong enough to handle all of that coughing. It would truly be the end of him.

So what do I do? I feel sick to my stomach about this.

Please help.
Thanks.

[Gitti]

Has he been vaccinated at all?

There is just no way I would get him vaccinated. But that is for me and my child. I have read too much about vaccines, the total lack of efficacy and the corruption with the whole vaccine development and program. So, I could not change my mind under any circumstances.

The DTaP vaccine is the most reactive out there and they use the P part to cause allergies in test animals. Besides the fact that it does not prevent transmission and who know how many of the kids that do get whooping cough are actually fully vaccinated? They will never tell to prevent any doubt in vaccines.

[Devaskyla]

Maybe you should post this in the main vax forum as well? I think you'd get more answers there.

[Pauli]

I've never been in your situation, but I *think* I know what I'd do.
Until the whooping cough scare is over, I would stay home a lot, I would wash my hands a lot, I would use Purell, I would make anyone coming in my house wash their hands first thing, I would use a wipe on the shopping cart handle etc.

By practicing over-the-top hygiene when you know there's a threat, and the rest of the time too, you should be able to avoid whooping cough and a lot of other diseases. Also, a vax is not a guarantee of not getting it and not a guarantee of not spreading it.

I assume your older son isn't vaxed either? I don't know anything about MD...

[rredhead]

I agree with Pauli.

The thing about pertussis is, the vaccine is only 59%-80% effective, according to pro-vax research. (I can't find the appropriate links right now. ARGH!) Also, DTaP itself doesn't "fully" cover a person until he/she has three shots. People who are vaxed are getting whooping cough. I'd stay close to home, don't let anyone cough on your children, wash hands, use hand sanitizer, etc.

Hang in there!

[TanyaS]

The pertussis vaccine does not prevent transmission, therefore vaccinating the baby or other family members will not prevent your older son from getting pertussis.

The decision to vaccinate your five year old or not is a different issue entirely. Has he received the vaccine?