Vax when parents work in higher risk jobs?

[Li27]

Hi,

I've been trying to read a lot of the posts here as well as a few books on the subject and the entire area of vaccinations - both vaccinating and not vaccinating terrifies me. My DD is 5 months old and has not received any of her vaccinations (apart from Vit k at birth). She is EBF.

My husband and I have both been off on parental leave with her since she was born, so her risk of catching anything has been extremely low. However we are both planning on going back to work (my husband in Dec and me in Sept) - my husband is a police officer and I work with kids with autism (in their homes and regularly in public schools). While she won't be going into daycare (I'll only work on his days off), he'll be around people that are more at "higher risk" of carrying diseases and I'll be in and out of public schools.

Does this provide more of a reason to choose to vax?

Also, I can't find any info on which diseases may be carried by others and passed on even if the others are vaxed e.g. I know for pertussis, if I am vaccinated for this, I could still carry it and pass it to my daughter. Does the same go for many of the other VPD's?

I'm so torn with these decisions, it's truly awful.

Advice? Thoughts?

Thanks!

[maxwill129]

I don't know what to tell you other than what we're gong to do. We stopped vaxing. I am home with children, although my oldest will start K this year and my second oldest Pre-K. Right now my DH is a volunteer firefighter/first responder. He is also an EMT-B and will hopefully be getting a job soon. We have done extensive research on vaxing and my DH has decided to get all of his vaxes. I left that choice completely up to him. I don't know if it's the right choice or not, but it's what he decided to do.

Good luck with your decision. I'll be waiting to see what others say!

[alegna]

I think you will need to research each disease and vaccine to be comfortable with any decision.

FWIW I work part time in a school for kids with special needs (some autism spectrum, some LD, ADD, etc) and take ds with me with no concerns.

-Angela

[MotherWillow]

My husband is a Firefighter/Paramedic who is regularly in contact with very ill people. I am a Pediatric RN and work with Ventilator Dependent little ones with trachs and multiple other issues. I spend entire shifts at their homes and come into contact with multiple bodily fluids.

I do consider DH and I to be in "higher risk" jobs for coming into contact with disease ourselves. We both did the Hep B series, my husband when he was in school and I did mine while in school.

I think doing what we do Hep B is a calculated risk I was willing to take with myself.

My children on the other hand...DS was partially vaccinated until he had a terrible reaction and I began to do my research. DD has had no vaccines. It doesn't really worry me to be honest.

I practice Universal precautions while at work and change clothes and wash really well before I love on my littles. I think this is the most important thing.

[Li27]

Thank you three for replying! I'm going to have to give this a bit more thought, but am trying not to worry in the meantime.

My husband will for sure wash, shower, change clothes, etc. before coming home, so that does make me feel better.

If anyone else has anything else to add, I'd love to hear it.

[spero]

My oldest kid is in college and living at home, my other three are in public school, and my DH is a FF/EMT. I have ministered in the local hospital and at the county jail. We're all exposed to lots of stuff every day, but we do not vaccinate.

[grniys]

My dh is a Marine and has been to Iraq twice and is deploying again soon. We have no worries about him bringing something back. If something were to happen and he does, I'm secure that my son is healthy and we practice good hygeine. My youngest will be only a few months old when my husband returns (baby will be born while he's gone) and I'm not concerned about the baby, either. I'll be breastfeeding and I don't really worry that much about VPD's.

ETA: My dh is fully vaxed. But I'd feel about the same even if he weren't. I do not get myself vaxed though.

[lirpasirhc]

i worked w/ low-income, special needs children. dh works w/ inner city, low-income children as a critical care RN. he changes his scrubs and takes a shower when he comes home, not b/c of any vaccine-preventable diseases, but b/c of MRSA, c-diff, etc. dd is unvaxed and we aren't concerned. if we vaxed, i would be more worried about vaxs compromising dd's immune system and causing her to be more likely to pick up a truly nasty bug.

research the complications and treatments for the VPDs and you will probably feel a lot better.