I know this is a hot topic on another board I go to and I was clueless about it before I was PG. I have been getting Luke immunized on schedule so far but the one I am concerned about and considering not doing is the MMR, especially with it's possible relation to autism. Even my pediatrician was agreeing with me at my visit last week. But it's a topic that is very scary b/c there are risks either way if you do immunize or your don't immunize and I'm still weighing the facts on both sides. I'm not trying to scare anyone, just looking for some other information myself and passing along info for some who may not be familiar with the issues surrounding immunizations.
Claud - I KNOW you will have info on the topic!! You are a research person
KarenG
Posted:
Member since
NYS DOH References - post secondary ed
I did a quick search and came up with the following. I was unable to find elementary info but here is what I found for post-secondary education.
Information is included re: religious exceptions. (Q#2 and 12 in the first link)
We just had this discussion in class about immunizations. There has never been a proven link between autism and the MMR. Research shows that the children who wind up having severe damage from vaccines is when doctors give them too many in the same day to 'catch up' when behind schedule, which is bad medical practice anyway. The child should not have a vaccine given when they are sick as well. Besides, when this research was done (mostly in the 80's), we were not as aware of things such as HIV, so how do we know if these children were already sick, or had depressed immune systems? I worked for a pediatric office for 2 years, and I have NEVER seen a reaction other than pain at the injection sight and a slight fever from immunizations. This practice saw almost 100 patients a day, and they were my doctors when I was a child. The internet is a good resource for research, but you never know where you are getting your information from. You could be reading something that Joe Schmo wrote about how immunizations are bad, and think you found some valid literature. The American Academy of Pediatrics as well as British organizations that would be equivalant to that have shown that there is no link between autism and immunizations. Hepatitis B is also a big thing that parents worry about. Hep B can live on surfaces for up to a week. How do you know that when your child is playing on the playground that he/she isnt touching where someones dried blood was? Hep B is not just a disease for high risk behavior. Children are aquiring it somehow, and if you wait too long or refuse it alltogether and your child gets it there is no cure. I can see not wanting your infant to get it right after birth, and there is a delayed schedule put out for parents that make that choice, but I wouldnt refuse that immunization. As far as religious exemptions go, it is getting harder and harder to get that done. The school can still refuse to allow your child to attend. I have seen it happen before. You would have to go to court and fight it. There is no reason why a child should put other children at risk. Especially today, with children with HIV, organ transplant, autoimmune disorders or with cancer who have compromised immunity. They cant have vaccinations, and shouldnt be put at risk by perfectly healthy kids who's parents just dont want them to have it. There are many children from foriegn countries attending school with your kids. They may be carrying something that would spread to your child. Would you want to take that chance? Out of all the people (almost everyone) who has been immunized, how many people were harmed from these?? I dont know anyone.
