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Ok I guess I will go first.

This is a subject that I am a little torn on first let me say that I do have childeren 3 in fact and the main reason I am so torn on this subject is to put it simply my twin sister.

To start with we were raised in differnet households with two different mothers (long story begans and ends with adoption) my mother was very animate on making sure I was vaccsinated on time every time until I was about 15. Where as on the other hand my sisters mother was totally aginst haveing her vaccsinated after she was about 3. Now I know she had her reasons money being a big one of them and pride being another one. See I am by no means saying that i was raised with money because that wasnt the case at all it just that my mother chose to take me to the heath department for my vaccsines were they dont charge a cent for them were as her mother just simply wouldnt step foot in a place like that due to her pride.

Now so far this whole vaccsination buissness has started a small war between me and my sister because I have chosen to vaccsinate my childeren for the simple fact that I believe it is what is best for them. She on the other hand has NO childeren and is so aginst the whole idea its not even funny any more. Now I do agree with her on some points because lets face facts people in the US today are so over medicated its unreal. As a socity we just keep throwing meds at every problem that comes up and its gotten to the point were our bodies cant even fight off anything on its own. That is why I have elected to only get my kids serten vaccsines. So far they have only had buster shots and they have been vaccsinated against measuls and the mumps. Because in my oppinon its some times good for a kid to get sick it gives their body the chance to fight for its self.

Growing up, in elementary school and the like, I always got the vaccinations with the other kids. I think we got shots for Hepatitis A and/or B? We got them in high school too.

When I went to Japan in the summer of 2003, we had to get vaccinations for certain diseases, and we had to have medical insurance. I don't travel much, but if I did more traveling, I would want to make sure I get vaccinated and am protected against diseases in other parts of the world.

My mother found out in the summer of 2006 that she has breast cancer, and so she wants me to also get a shot to protect against HPV, which is the leading cause of uterine cancer (it's also the virus that causes genital warts, but I'm not sure whether or not she's aware that it's also an STD ninja ). So I will be getting that vaccination at some point as well.

When I have children one day, they will be getting their boosters and shots. Until scientists can prove that certain diseases and disorders are caused by specific vaccinations, then I will continue to allow my children to get vaccinated. Like Luna, I don't think it has anything to do with beliefs either.

I do get all of your points but I do know people who chose not to vaccinate their children because of their religious belifes and I also know people who chose not to vaccinate their kids because of their own personal belifes. And I would like to clarify(because Im not trying to come out looking like the bad parent for not fully vaccinating my kids) the reason my kids have not had their hep A/B shots is because tthey are to young to get them and the reason they havent had other shot is because they have gotten vielently ill from the few vaccines they have had with the exception of booster shots.

However, in order to get the BOOSTERS, you have to get the inital vaccine. wink It's different if your child has problems like allergies to eggs, thus cannot receive certain vaccines. So which is it? Your kids have "violent" reactions or you want your kids to develop natural immunities to polio, etc?

The way you worded the question, you mean religious beliefs, not do I believe vaccines work. The science is there and unless you're an idiot who believes science is out to get you and is the anti-God, they work--point blank. On average, it tends to be a choice, not religious beliefs that cause people not to get their children vaccinated.

I think you need to research the timeframes for Hep B. Your children can receive that one at birth. Also, some of the "boosters" are the same dosage as the first vaccine, the reactions just subside as they get used to it.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/when1.pdf
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/tetanus/qandavax.asp

No, it doesn't bother me the ingredient they put in. Research is the key. At least you can positively look up what's in the vaccines. Those famed homeopathic "remedies" that people claim are better aren't even FDA regulated, approved, etc. They could have rat feces in it and you could be putting that in your child's body. Yes, the FDA makes mistakes, but the companies that release those homeopathic remedies have ZERO liability if you get sick. Really, I think that arguement is weak. There's alloted amounts for bugs, eggs, droppings for our food. Bottom line, crap goes in our bodies everyday. You can't put your kids in a bubble and control their breathing, eating, defecating (although some wacko parents would love that). It'd be one thing if these vaccinations were to "control" our children, good grief, they're not. Hopefully, the myth that aborted fetii are in vaccines will not be brought up.

Another good site for reading:
http://www.autismvox.com/the-vaccine-autism-urban-myth/

About mercury in vaccines:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/concerns/thimerosal.htm

Also, more information about the ingredients:
http://www.cdc.gov/n**/vaccine/components/additives.htm

Really, I recommend reading the CDC's website about vaccines. If your children had that bad of a reaction to the vaccines, you are entitled to compensation (depending on how "severe" the reaction was). The great thing is now, you do have control over how much and when your children get immunized. They have the combined ones or you can spread them out individually.

It's your choice to not vaccinate and take the risks with your children, why should you care if people think you are a "bad parent"? I'd come off as a "bad parent" to those who chose to not vaccinate, who cares. Do what you want, but get educated. I don't care what a family does for themselves as long as they don't put MINE at risk. It's the choices we make, bottom line.

And an add, no I don't think it's right for schools to lie and use scare tactics liek saying your kid can't attend school without vaccines. A lot of people don't know they can opt out for whatever reason (WY you can write your own exemption). For us, my husband being military and medical profession, he gets exposed to illegal immigrants and diseases on a daily basis. It's vital to have a good repetoire with your pediatricians and finding a good middle ground, even if it means spending more money. Generally, the reasons they are "mandatory" is because by doing it this way, states can fund vaccines so low-income families don't have to shell out hundreds, even thousands of dollars on vaccines they normally couldn't afford.

I'm iffy on the chicken pox vaccination. On one hand, I do think children should experience it so they can't get it again in the future. However I know some things like shingles can come from the same virus, and like Bell's Palsy from the herpes/chicken pox virus (I think it's herpes, but can't remember for sure).


Also just throwing this in here: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/print?id=2892683

You know, when I found out Rowan needed to get the chicken pox vaccination, I thought about it for a bit. But... he's got it, because when you're little, you can DIE from it. If he were 10 and they wanted to give it to him, I'd say no... but he's not, he's 2.

I vaccinate Rowan.

What pisses me off it people who don't. We almost had polio eliminated until people started relying on the "herd mentality"... "If everyone else is vaccinated against it, we can't catch it anyway." All it takes is one foreign person to come over and have it to pass it to ALL those people who think it's not possible to get.

Right now, this is what our scientists and chemists and doctors think is best for our children and our population as a whole. You just look at rates of illness and death since we started requiring them, and I think that's enough to make me do it.

Some people argue that what if you find out later that it's harmful to your child? Well... then there's a gigantic, country-wide mass lawsuit, and we deal with it and get all the medical help we can.
I'd much rather vaccinate him now and have him not get deadly ill, than worry it MIGHT be bad and have him die of something I could have easily prevented.

After all, I'm not a doctor. So, when most of the lead people in this country tell me to vaccinate, who am I to say they're wrong?

I would never suggest a 2 year old experience the chicken pox, sorry. By "children", I meant kids who have sufficient immune systems and are usually a little older - like 10, as you suggested, somewhere around there. But not a toddler or young child.

Forever and ever. biggrin

I just didn't want you to think I was intentionally trying to offend you or anything. I know you are the mother of a young child, and just wanted to clarify my post after you got specific with ages. ^^ Didn't want anyone else to get the wrong idea.