To expect mums to get their children vaccinated?

[againagain]

Met two mums at play group today who said they didn't/weren't. Their reasons were autism, all that stuff on the Internet, drugs companies making money and keeping their children 'clean'. WTF?? Am I right in thinking their kids are safe though because 'the herd' is immunised? I just think there's a certain mother type who thinks anything 'non-natural' or scientific is wrong. Rant over

[HollyBerryBush]

Well, MMR aside, and it's a long time ago, but my best friends cousin was damaged so badly with the whooping cough vaccine back in the 60's. He died at at, with the body ofa 4 year old and the mind of a 6 month old.

And Im sure you are aware of thalidomide too. Not one the market now as a cure for morning sickness.

So, OP, how do YOU know for sure, that there isn't a link to autism from the MMR? Nothing is 100%. Research is paid for by governements to pharmaceutical companies. Migh there be a chance in 50 years that new discoveries change what you now think is wrong?

[AlwaysBizzy]

YANBU. Their kids are not safe. They are ignorant & don't understand that measles & chicken pox could threaten the lives of their children.

[McNewPants2013]

It shows how uneducated they are about austism.

[deleted203]

YABU. Anyone who thinks others are unreasonable if they don't 'do as they do' is unreasonable IMO. I agree with you that vaccinations are a good thing - and had my own kids done. But having protected my own DCs in this way I don't expect other mums should have to do the same. I think people should be free to make up their own minds rather than being forced into doing something that they have concerns about.

[DesperatelySeekingSedatives]

YANBU to think all PARENTS should have their children vaccinated (unless there is a genuine reason why they shouldnt).

YABU to just lay the blame with mothers though. Really winds me up. The onus is on both mum and dad to make the decision together, yet you are holding mum's solely responisble

BTW I'm aware that not all families have the same mum/dad set up and some are lone parents but you get my point.

[gordyslovesheep]

you could listen to facts

vaccine damage occurs and is opening documented - not a secret - damage from illness occurs - more frequently - you as a parent make a choice

I chose to vaccinate - I am not a big fan of the arguments against except for medical reasons

[gordyslovesheep]

openlY not ing!

[hermioneweasley]

YANBU, especially as it doesn't sound like they has done any actually research to back up their cavalier decision.

[AlwaysBizzy]

My anecdotal evidence to support a pro vaccination stance is based on my aunt who had polio as a small child. She has learning difficulties & has spent her entire life being cared for by her older sisiter. She is also physically disabled. Apparently, the only surprise in her local community at the time was how only 1 child in the family caught polio as typically if 1 child caught it, the others would too and were likely to die from it.

To those who choose not to vaccinate at all, I'd like to understand the evidence they are referencing when linking autism to the individual vaccines.

[bigbuttons]

the mmr affected my first ds so badly I didn't get the others done. couldn't take the risk. The other 5 had measles last year. I don't regret my decision at all.

[AMumInScotland]

Some parents have carefully researched and considered and decided against vaccination. Which I think is fine. But I think you are right that there are also parents who haven't really considered the actual risks and issues, and are just going on a few headline stories.

The thing is, few people now have first-hand experience of children dying of the "common" childhood diseases, or being terribly damaged by them. So tey hear scare stories about vaccinations, and far fewer scare stories about what measles or chicken pox could do to their child.

The MMR research was very badly flawed. But many people think "no smoke without fire" and don't understand what was wrong with the way he did his research. "Oh but he found a link even if he didn't study it quite right" - no he didn't, but unless you have a little bit of understanding of statistics and scientific method, then it can be hard to explain.

[ouryve]

There's 80 recently confirmed cases of measles in the Northeast. I've known 3 people irl who have had measles and all 3 had lasting effects - 2 with complete hearing loss in one ear. The daughter of someone I know online recently died after almost a decade of severe degenerative illness cased by measles.

Herd immunity only works if everyone who can possibly be immune is immune.

Both of my boys have autism. The signs were there since they were tiny babies. I had them immunised.

[Sirzy]

My son is up to date with all his vaccines and has had flu jabs to.

I may not agree with peoples decisions not to vaccinate but I do respect their decision as long as they have made an educated decision not to do so rather than just "some man said it would make them autistic" style responses.

I think it would help if parents were given much clearer information about the vaccines including possible side effects. Like any drug there is going to be side effects yet when it comes to vaccines its almost seen as wrong to discuss them.

[SamSmalaidh]

YANBU

They are safe because/if most children are vaccinated.

People like them put vulnerable people at risk - though who can't be immunised.

Utter selfishness and normally from ignorance/arrogance.

[AlwaysBizzy]

I would normally agree with the 'your kids your choice' however, children who are under 12 months & have not had their booster yet are at increased risk of contracting measles etc when others in their community choose not to vaccinate & therefore increase the likelihood of passing it on.
My 11 month old had a severe case of chicken pox, he was literally covered in spots...they weren't even spots as there was no white skin beween them all over his head & upper body as they merged into 1.

[MyDarlingClementine]

I would expect anyone who chose not to vaccinate to do research and then make thier mind up.

What shocked me was a program on it on the BBC last year ( part of the news or something) when two ladies had chosen not to vaccinate then said they were astonished by the severity of the diesese thier child caught - measles or something.

I was astounded.

[Sirzy]

Always - as Chicken pox isn't routinely vaccinated against in this country children not having vaccines won't make any difference to that!

[HollyBerryBush]

DS3 has autism. He was diagnosed well before his 2nd MMR. I asked the HV and she said 'the damage has been done, it wont make any further difference' and she was right. He's high functioning

With DS3 it wasnt the MMR that caused the autism but with DS1 - well there's a wole different ball game., Maybe coincidental, maybe not.

We could look at Tb. I presume most of us here are of an age to have been innoculated as a matter of course. We don;'t now, and lo! it's on the increase by virtue of immigration. It's time there was a nationwide campaign again.

HPV another unproven vaccine - that'll have repercussions in years to come.

[tilder]

I think the thing that most bugs me is when someone saying they have done their research and decided x.

I am a scientist and the more I know, the more I realise the level of my ignorance. I have spent the last 20 years increasing my knowledge, but it is focused on a limited area. I would never pretend to be an expert on any other field. Takes years to really understand a topic, to be able to interpret literature and appreciate its context.

I also find it odd that some people seem to think there is a conspiracy to hide negative impacts. The vast majority of scientists have integrity and apart from this wouldn't risk their reputation by publishing misleading or false data.

There are some exceptions though. I guess they are publicly exposed, struck off, go abroad to work and publish in select journals. Can't imagine any examples of that recently.

[ReallyTired]

YANBU

Maybe there is a risk of autism/ nasty side affects with vacinnes, but it is far smaller than the risk of catching any of these diseases.

Its easy to forget the risk of measles causing brain damage that mimics autism.

I feel that a full vaccination record should be a condition of attending a state school unless there is a properly documented medical reason.

[Fairyegg]

No child is 'safe' from measles etc whether they have been vaccinated or not, it amazes me the number of people who think that just because there child has been vacinated they won't get measles etc. YABU Every parent I know who has chosen not to vacinate has done so after much thought, discussion and research. In comparsion many parents who do vaccinate do so just because they are told it is the right thing to do, few (obviously some) in my experience do their own independant research. Theres no right or wrong answer.

[Gooseysgirl]

YANBU
Am counting down the days til DD gets her MMR. I would be very upset if she caught any of those illnesses. I really couldn't give a monkeys who I offend, I think it's irresponsible not to vaccinate unless medical conditions indicate against doing so.

[Pagwatch]

Yabu for many reasons including not putting this in the vaccination topic.

We have a vaccination
Sadly we don't have a [odfo]

[SomethingOnce]

They are being U for not understanding that any risk from imms is far outweighed by the risks of not immunising.

[amandine07]

You are definitely NBU!