Immunizations

I’ll be straight with you all up front.  I am 100% for immunizations.  Even if, in the small few, an immunization causes an issue, the simple truth is that immunizations save lives and prevent widespread misery.  I know it is difficult to watch your babies get jabbed three or four times during a doctor’s visit.  I view that to be considerably more acceptable than my kids having something like Pertussis or Polio (admittedly, they have an oral for the latter, but you get what I’m saying).  If you read up on modern research, you’ll find they have found nothing to link immunizations irrefutably to any spectrum disorder or health concern.  There are millions of factors to consider in each case, and the simple truth is that the cause has not been constant across the board. 

Big questions, moderate size answers:

Q:  Do you think immunizations should be mandatory?

A:  No.  What would be the point?  There would still be a clause about religious reasons and it would be hard to regulate.  It should be a decision made by the parent, though it should be strongly encouraged.

Q:  Would you let your vaccinated kids play with unvaccinated kids?

A:  Yeah.  I would.  If my kids are protected, I fail to see the issue.  Shunning unvaccinated children seems like a way to make others feel small based on their beliefs and decisions.  You aren’t right just because you vaccinate, and you aren’t somehow better than anyone else.  One exception:  no way am I letting an unvaccinated child near my infant (whooping cough fear-baby is too young to vaccinate).  Funny thing about that:  often times it is ADULTS, and not children, that pass whooping cough to infants.  Have you gotten a booster?  You should.  To be honest, I didn’t really let anyone near my infants, for a variety of reasons. 

Q:  Are vaccines worth the risk?

A:  I certainly think so.  Our lives are constantly full of risk.  We daily drive, cross streets, use elevators, and use electricity.  Any of those things could result in catastrophe, but the odds have been in our favor enough that we continue to go on our merry way and utilize them.  I don’t see why immunizations should be any different.

Q:  What advice do you have to parents trying to make the decision on whether or not to vaccinate?
A:  It’s your decision ultimately, but at least know the FACTS (There’s a lot of misinformation out there.  For example, I recently read where someone was scorning autistic children because they were obviously contagious.  Idiot.)  Find out what immunizations there are, when kids receive them, and what they protect against.  Read what they contain.  Decide for yourself if you’d rather worry about illness or something like autism, and realize that most kids get vaccinated and are just fine. 

***I also have a note to parents of kiddos with spectrum disorders or other health concerns they believe to be caused by immunizations:  I don’t know why your child is going through what they are going through.  I don’t know your story, I don’t know his or hers, and I don’t know if vaccines caused any change.  But what I do know is that spreading the hate about vaccines isn’t fixing the problem.  If you want to make a real difference, you have two options.  The first is to lobby and raise money for the cause, to get more research done by unbiased companies so hopefully there can one day be a happy medium.  Vaccines that do not contain such toxic chemicals, perhaps?  The second is to turn your attention to where it truly belongs:  your child.  Your kiddo is special and loved.  Make sure he or she knows that, and accept the gifts you do have.