vaccinations

[Nikita]

There has been a lot of discussion on brillkids about whether or not to vaccinate. I am 27 weeks pregnant, and my 16 month old has just got hand, foot and mouth disease. If they came up with a vaccine I'd have her vaccinate for this, as there is, according to articles on the internet, babies dying from this.  Usually in Malaysia, India and that region.  Also says that if I contracted it before giving birth, my baby could contract it...and for a newborn with no immunity that isnt good.  It also says if I contract it at any stage of the pregnancy there's a risk of miscarriage. We need to immunise to protect pregnant women, and newborn babies.  I think I read that if I contracted it early in the pregnancy there were risks to the developing foetus.  And think about rubella... if we let immunisations slide and pregnant women contract rubella the baby can be born with all sorts of deformities.

[belovedlily]

I'm sorry about your 16 month catching hand, foot, and mouth disease.  I don't know very much about it but I'm sure it's not fun.  I would have to say though that I am very thankful for the freedom of choice on whether or not I have to vaccinate my baby.  I believe that vaccines are a wonderful life saving invention, but I also am not going to get my baby vaccinated with every vaccine out there either.  I support knowledge of the vaccine, what the vaccine is made of and to look into your family history for allergies of the packaging that the vaccine comes in.  My husband's boss's wife is deathly allergic to the packaging that the vaccine comes in and can't recieve one vaccination.  My mother is training to be a nurse and we've talked on this subject a lot and she said more and more nurses that work in maternity wards are choosing to not have their babies vaccinated because of what they've seen happen to others.  Now I'm not against vaccination, but I understand why you need to look into things more and to have the freedom to say no.  Personally my husband was not vaccinated as a baby and he is the more healthy adult I know.  He almost never gets colds and when he does he gets a very mild version of it.  He has said that if he goes to a third world country though he will get vaccinated for what is rampent in the region.  We chose not to vaccinate our baby right away because I want to be able to know for sure that his immune system can handle it and that he doesn't have allergies to them and is able to communicate to me the second things don't feel right.  I also am a strong believer in building up your own immune system.  There are articles out there about eating dirt, mucus and owning a dog that will build it up more and more.  Newer vaccines are more experimental anyways.  They don't know how all the people will react to them, only most.  I also think that it is important to look at where you live and what diseases are prevelent in your areas. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?_r=5
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/135709/benefits_of_boogereating.html?cat=5

[Nikita]

Since then bub has had slapped cheek virus and currently some cold/flu thing with coughing and some vomiting... she's catching one thing after another. Yet no-one else at daycare or playgroup seems to have these diseases to be passing them on to her, so how she gets them I dont know. It is really dragging on now, and I'm starting to suspect an immune deficiency.  Her dad's half-sister was sick from infancy with various problems, allergies and some sort of immunity deficiency. I'm going to get the doctor to look into it and run tests, because something isn't right. I'm just hoping she makes it to 18 months without getting chickenpox, so she can get the vaccine.

[cybermommy]

You're almost to 18 months anyway, but you can get the chicken pox vaccine any time after 12 months old.

I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well!

[Bebita]

I just wanted to say that if you decide to vaccinate, make sure your baby is in perfect health before you do that, so that there's a better chance of mild or no side effects from the shot.. For example my brother when he was a baby (8 months) got his shots 'on the schedule', but he was having a little cold at that time and he ended up in the hospital for almost two weeks. I'm not saying it happens to everybody, but it's good to do all we can to protect our children.

[Tornado]

Vaccinations are confusing.  You hear terrifying stories about the potential side-effects of vaccines and have people telling you that vaccines are basically a potential poison on one side and on the other you have people that seem to be telling you to blindly listen to your doctor and implying, if not outright saying, that you are a bad mother and are socially irresponsible if you do not vaccinate your child according to the accepted schedule. 
I don’t know about anyone else but I was practically in tears over what to do.  All of the information out there was so extreme and incredibly overwhelming.  Then I came across Dr. Sears The Vaccine Book.  This was an absolute lifesaver for my family!  Dr. Sears gives an even-handed approach to vaccines.  In his book he explains the pros and cons of each vaccine, talks about any ingredients that could give parents’ cause for alarm, discusses why parents choose for or against each vaccine and gives you his take.  He also lets you know who needs to have certain vaccines-- based on where you live, whether your child will be in daycare, etc.  For instance he lets you know how likely your child is to be exposed to a certain disease or virus in the grocery line.  He also lets you know what you should be willing to do for your child if you choose not to give them or to delay certain vaccines.  For example, keeping them out of daycare or Sunday school (uncontrolled potentially very germy environments) for the first two years and nursing exclusively for one year and then continuing to nurse in addition to solids during the second year, etc..  Dr. Sears also provides two alternative vaccination schedules: one for parents who would really rather not give their child any vaccines and one for parents who want to follow the standard vaccination program but would like to do so in the safest way possible.  He talks about looking at the specific ingredients in each vaccine and not giving your child more than one vaccine containing aluminum at a time.  There are also varying amounts of aluminum in different brands of the same vaccine.  So this helps you choose which brand of a vaccine has the least objectionable ingredients for your child. 
Basically, his book helps you to really gain a handle on the whole vaccine issue and then to tailor a schedule to your family’s needs and desires. 

Even if you want to do everything exactly by the book he offers great help in boosting your child’s immune system to avoid the common side effects of vaccines.  I included some of his suggestions below.  We have used several of his suggestions with our daughter and she has never had so much as a red spot on her after a shot.           
 
Boosting the immune system to prevent infectious diseases and to minimize vaccine side effects

A healthy immune system is the key to preventing infectious diseases. We are all exposed to millions of germs every day, and vaccines only cover a tiny fraction of one percent of these germs. So we must rely on our own immune system to fight off most potential infections. Children and adults with healthy immune systems are also less likely to suffer a serious vaccine reaction. Most vaccine side effects involve the immune system reacting poorly to the vaccine, so insuring a healthy immune system is one way parents can decrease their child’s risk of a vaccine reaction. Here’s what you can do:

Breastfeed. If you are breastfeeding, plan to continue for a minimum of one year. Two years is better. Not only will your baby catch fewer illnesses, but her immune system may be better equipped to handle vaccines. No one has actually studied whether or not breastfed babies show fewer reactions, but theoretically it makes sense.

Minimize sugar and junk food. We do know that sugar weakens the immune system; one of the busiest times in our office is the week after Halloween. Of course, this doesn’t apply to babies, but for older kids, minimize treats and sugary foods for several weeks prior to checkups and vaccines at the doctor’s office.

Minimize other chemical exposures. The small amounts of chemicals in vaccines are unavoidable. But there are other areas of life where we can control this exposure, and that is in the foods we feed our kids. Serve organic foods as much as possible, beginning with baby foods. A little baby’s growing brain and developing immune system are very susceptible to chemical influences. Eating organic fruits, veggies, grains, and meats is a good way to help insure a healthier brain and body.

> AskDrSears.com: Feeding Infants and Toddlers

Use omega-3 oil supplements. Most children are deficient in the healthy omega-3 fats, since the main dietary source is fish and eggs, foods that most kids don’t eat enough of. Breast milk is also full of omega-3’s. Fish oils (liquids for toddlers over age one and chewables or capsules for older kids) that are tested and found to be mercury free are a healthy addition to any diet and can improve many aspects of a child’s health, including the immune system.

> GO FISH Children’s Omega-3 Fish Oil Liquid

Probiotics. These are the healthy bacteria that live in our intestines. They play a critical role in regulating both our intestinal immune system and our internal immune system. Antibiotic use, which is a typical part of every infant and child’s early life, destroys all these healthy bacteria, leaving a child more susceptible to a host of illnesses and intestinal problems. Taking probiotics on a continuous basis, but especially for a week before and several weeks after vaccinations, can really do wonders for the immune system, and may help protect from the side effects of vaccines. Also called acidophilus, probiotics can either be mixed into food or liquid as a powder for infants 6 months and older, or swallowed as small capsules or pearls for older kids.

Fruits and vegetables. Everyone knows these are good for you, but unfortunately very few children get enough. Fruit, veggie, and berry supplements are available as chewables for children and as capsules for adults. Infants age one and older can also use adult capsules opened up into their food. The immune-boosting content of fruit, veggie, and berry supplements can really help prevent infectious diseases and may limit vaccine reactions.

> Why Dr. Sears Recommends JuicePLUS+

Vitamin A. This specific vitamin helps with neurologic health. It also helps regulate the immune system’s response to infections. Some researchers believe it can play a role in protecting the brain from vaccine side effects. Give vitamin A once a day for 3 days prior to vaccines and continue each day for 10 days after. Infants should get 1500 IUs daily, toddlers and preschoolers 2500 IUs and older kids and teens 5000 IUs. A commonly available form of vitamin drops for babies and young kids is a mix of Vitamins A, C and D available at any drug store. Another choice would be a total multivitamin liquid or chewable. A better source of Vitamin A is cod liver oil, available at health food stores. The label will say how much Vitamin A is in each teaspoon. You should be aware that overdosing Vitamin A can be toxic, so do not exceed the suggested amounts. I would suggest not using cod liver oil for any baby younger than 9 months.

Vitamin C. This anti-oxidant vitamin can help boost the immune system and may decrease vaccine side effects. Give this once a day for 5 days starting on the day of the shots. Infants should get 150 mg daily, toddlers and preschoolers 250 mg, and older kids and teens 500 mg. Vitamin C drops, chewables, and capsules are available at any health food or drug store. The amount of Vitamin C in the multivitamins discussed above (with vitamin A) usually isn’t enough.

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