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To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate…that’s the question!

June 3, 2008 By 6 Comments

Here’s the scoop…vaccines save lives. They reduce illness better than any health care measure out there. Do vaccines cause autism? No direct links have been identified, however, children with underlying mitochondrial dysfunction and neurological deterioration (unknown at the time of immunization) may be confounded by the stress of multiple simultaneous immunizations.

Does this mean ‘don’t immunize’? NO! Diseases that vaccines prevent (meningitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, polio, measles, hepatitis & more) haven’t just disappeared, poof! The “herd immunity” to these diseases developed by all of us immunized people can’t stand up to a large amount of individuals who continue to be unvaccinated. These diseases are still prevalent and will come back to hit us in the rear if given the open door!

Oh yea, what about all the hype about vaccines and mercury poisoning? Thimerasol, a mercury derived preservative is not longer used in vaccines HOWEVER some companies still use mercury in their manufacturing process (of which 99% is filtered out of the final product). Sooo…what are your options? You can request that your child receive only non-mercury containing vaccines. Keep in mind, these particular vaccines may or may not be covered by your insurance plan and cost you big bucks out of pocket. And, what about the 9 million uninsured children in the United States who may receive immunizations from state funded programs? Do you think their parents could request non-mercury containing vaccines if they’re not the ones used in the program? Don’t think so!

What everyone does have an option to do whether they do or don’t have insurance, receive vaccines by private physician or through state funded programs, use vaccines with or without the use of mercury during manufacturing – REQUEST AN ALTERNATIVE IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE that basically spreads the vaccines out. The alternative schedule prevents children from the stress of multiple simultaneous immunizations and decreases the amount of potential mercury exposure that many people fear.

Check out this website, www.askdrsears.comm/thevaccinebook/, to see what Dr. Sears has to say about all of this. It’s a good read! As I stand though: pro immunization and pro choice in when you receive them.

Until next month,

Melissa

Contributing G&CM Writer and RN, MS, CPNPd




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  • http://www.naturemoms.com/blog Tiffany

    On one hand you could say vaccines saves lives…maybe. But it is equally important to mention that vaccines TAKE lives. They almost took my son’s life and they did leave him with a seizure disorder. No parent should be asked to risk their child for the good of the “herd”.

    Also aluminum is in most vaccines and causes just as many issues as Mercury.

    Just the other side of the debate…both sides need to be represented for all parents to consider.

  • http://allisonsays.com Allison

    It is true, as Tiffany says, that on RARE occasions vaccines can cause serious side effects. I’m so sorry to hear that your son had a terrible reaction to a vaccine, Tiffany. The number of lives they have saved versus the numbers of problems they have caused is vastly different, though! And yes, if you have one of the problems it feels huge (and it is!) but the overall picture is very important.

    I think every parent needs to decide for themselves, and it is very important to do research before choosing to inject your child with anything. After all of my research, I have decided to fully vaccinate my child. I have a friend who has decided to wait until her son is 3, and then start the vaccines one at a time. To each their own!

  • http://www.greenandcleanmom.org admin

    I agree with Allison on each parenting have to decide for themselves and research. Tiffany, there are two sides to the story, yes. This is why tomorrow I will have my side and some more information and resources. It’s controversial because there are so many scary stories. I think we’d have more scary stories without vaccines though. I’ve read your story and it breaks my heart. I’m sorry you or any child or family has to go through that. I think like Allison says, it’s more rare in comparision to the lives saved.

    Is it risking your child’s life for the “herd” or is it preventing him from getting diseases that still exist or his children’s generation? The word “herd” should not be taken out of context here. Herd immunity is what we are talking about. Those of us that have been vaccinated cannot protect everyone who has not been vaccinated and therfore if more and more people don’t vaccinate the immunity will go away and in walk polio. Do you want that?

  • http://www.naturemoms.com/blog Tiffany

    Polio ran its course and went away on its without a vaccine as did many other diseases that vaccines get the credit for “curing”. A quick look into history and timelines verifies this. I am for informed consent. The bad and the ugly needs to be prsented in all its horror to each parent…somehow I don’t see that happening ever. I don’t think any medical personnel should be touting the benefits of a vaccine without sharing some of my story or the like for consideration…its only right. Somehow the bad gets glossed over.

    But regardless it should not be my burden or my children’s burden to inject themselves with potential toxins to ensure someone else’s health. I disagree that the herd is protecting us non-vaccining folk. In almost all the recent outbreaks I have read about the non-vaccinated kids that got some of these diseases came through with flying colors. The vaccinated kids they passed it on to (who were supposed to be immune right?) are the ones that faired badly.

    We also can’t ignore that someone is making a butt load of money by making us think we need these vaccines.

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  • Erin

    Tiffany said “Polio ran its course and went away on its without a vaccine as did many other diseases that vaccines get the credit for “curing”.”

    This statement worries me very much, Polio “ran its course” in the US due to the two vaccines that were developed in response to a very scary childhood disease. Yes, there was an epidemic; Yes, that was a problem; Yes, the number of cases would have decreased, but the number of cases would have probably increased at a later time (see Indonesia and Nigeria for examples).

    Check out the book The Splendid Solution by Jeffrey Kluger to get an idea of the terror that Polio caused and the frantic race to develop a vaccine.

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