Ok...I'm a bit concerned. I'm not looking for a debate here, or for anyone to tell me what I should do..I guess I'm just looking to vent and hoping to hear some educated opinions. I've been researching non-stop and have been incredibly disappointed with what I've found...basically nothing. No one has any answers for me. I'm talking about vaccines...dun dun dunnnn.
My dear friend Carrington wrote about this on her blog a few days ago. That same day I read about the H1N1 vaccine and how it is affecting pregnant women and their babies across America. My Doctor, several friends I know in the medical profession, and many friends urged me to get this vaccine while I was pregnant. I read a lot about it and decided not to. There was just too much uncertainty. As cases of H1N1 broke out all over our school and in my classroom I stood my ground. Well thank God I did. They are now looking at thousands of miscarriages as a possible side affects of the vaccine?! These are not technical "findings" but we are talking about thousands of women who had LATE (like 30 weeks!) miscarriages after seemingly normal pregnancies and within days of getting the vaccine. SKETCH!
Anyway. After hearing this I just began to doubt everything (Then reading Jess' blog the other day made me again wonder why I am doing the things that I am? Just because I'm "supposed" to??). Why do I blindly listen to these people? Yes, they are much better at retaining information and passing exams than I could ever be...but do they know what's best for MY child? Did they ever challenge what they were taught and dare to think outside the box? Does the CDC not care what the possible effects on my child could be as long as it keeps the general population healthier? These things are just not ok with me. But I don't know that these are true.
I am over-informed with garbage. I've read and read and read. I see nothing. No proof. No links. Lots of opinions and arguing and junk. That's not what I want!! I want answers. I've read several stories over the past few days. Some from mothers who swear that hours after vaccinating they saw the light and spark die in their child's eyes. Heart wrenching. Then I've read stories of mother's who's children have caught crazy weird diseases that are life threatening and some that caused permanent damage because they chose not to vaccinate.
I've NEVER been one to question Vaccines. I've always read that there's no link and that's that...but what IF. I have to make informed decisions. I have to protect my child and if that means questioning EVERYTHING...then I guess I'll do it. Not that questioning will get me anywhere, look at me. I'm a confused mess. But at least I'm a mess that is open, willing to learn, and ready to do whatever is best for my child right?
What do you think about vaccines? Autism?? Do you have any resources to share?
Cherry Clafoutis
12 hours ago
I wrote a blog for you! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that there is a one size fits all answer, and I have yet to come accross unbiased research/thoughts/opinions/articles.
ReplyDeleteAll I can do is tell you about what our familiy has decided to do and tell you why. You probably know after reading my thoughts about doctors that I am one who questions EVERYTHING. Not just for myself, but I find myself asking friends when they share things their doctors told them to do, why? I want to know that whoever is dealing with my loved ones is doing so in their best interest- meaning, not so they make more money, not to cover their butt, not because it is policy/procedure, but because they are looking at that person specifically and are concerned with what is very best for them.
When I was about 7 months pregnant we started talking about vaccines because we knew that they administer the Hep B vaccine at birth. We looked into the disease itself and how it is transmitted, and decided against it (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/). This was new for us, because we never thought we would be a family who did not vaccinate.
We knew that we would now have to do some SERIOUS research, as the current vaccine schedule has babies receiving 6 vaccines at 2 months old (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2010/10_0-6yrs-schedule-pr.pdf). After doing research, talking to other parents, praying A LOT, having discussion after discussion about it we decided that we were unsure. If we could not firmly believe in something, we were not doing it until we knew enough to make a better decision.
Parker's 2 month doctor visit was his last, and it ended in a HUGE debate between us and his pediatrician. He would not even entertain the idea of us not vaccinating, and said he would let us delay them until his 4 month or we needed to find another practice (pretty one sided). Parker was happy and healthy, and we both agreed that we would not vaccinate for anything until he was older and there was less risk of dangerous ingredients passing the blood brain barrier.
As time has gone on and we have continued our discussion, there are MANY vaccines we have decided we will NEVER give Parker, there are SOME that we WILL give him when he is older.
Parker has many allergies that we are discovering every day, and therefore we have to look at the risk to benefit of each individual vaccine. What are the ingredients in this one vs. that one (and they vary from brand to brand) what is the disease, can the disease be treated, what are the side effects of the drug, are those irreversable, is the disease fatalor a nusiance? Things like that. (EXAMPLE: I am NOT vaccinating him for Chicken pox. I had them as a child, and it is not a horrible thing to get, he will be fine- and I am VERY against abortion, and the vaccine is grown using the tissue of aborted babies [http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html] not ok with me at all).
But what it all comes down to is what are your feelings about it and what are you husbands feelings about it? You are Landon's parents, and the only ones who at the end of the day have to live with the decisions you make. I believe that we (the parents) are the only ones qualified to make those decisions because we are the ones who live with whatever the consequences are. (just like you said about the H1N1 vaccine you are living with the decision you made, can you imagine what you would potentially be going through if you did get the vaccine and things turned out differently?)
Talk with your husband, get him to do research on both sides, consider not taking a black and white approach such as if you vaccinate for 1 you have to vaccinate for all (or vice versa), PRAY lots about it, and then don't worry about what anyone else thinks/says about it. You are doing what is best for you and your family. No one else can decide for you what is best. :-)
I love you and I don't care what you do, as long as you don't walk into a decision blindly you are doing the right thing.
After i read this true story and watched the photo gallery of baby's life i cried so many days and i told myself i will never vaccine my children.Here is link that may help you to make decisions.
ReplyDeletehttp://iansvoice.org/default.aspx
Who is juice?!
ReplyDeleteGosh, you sound JUST like me before Capri was born. No matter which argument you get, both sides threaten death or serious harm to your child.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would say that the foundation of my belief system was radically changed as I learned more and more about the medical industry. Did you see that site I posted to about the 14 studies that have been done? Almost every single one was done by a DRUG company or by the CDC, or other government agency that was lead by someone that after the study was done went on to be president of MERK or whatever it was.
My foundation trust shifted, and I no longer trusted my doctor, trusted the government health agencies, and had to find answers elsewhere. BUT that is hard because you question the credibility of EVERY source because it's not like you can quote the CDC anymore, ya know?
It's hard, really hard. The best book that gave me peace and clarity and opened my eyes so much was Evidence of Harm by David Kirby- you can get it at the library.
I promise it will help.
You're such a good Mama, you will find the answers, and you know what is best, and it will be okay! xo
The only thing worse than having no choice, is having too many choices! It can drive you crazy. When you are doing your research, try not to be too horrified by the results published by drug companies, the CDC, etc., for the simple reason that they are the ones who get the funding to do the research. You or I certainly don't have the funds for mass tests and results comparisons.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to consider is, how many people does your child come in contact with? For instance, if he were in day care, probably it would be more. Its one of those things where you don't want to vaccinate, but you don't want him exposed to a lot of kids who aren't vaccinated.
Weigh all the choices, and go with your instincts. Which choice will keep him safer?