Kids vaccinations - I would like the view from mothers

[OddJobMan]

Hi All.

First off I am a man before you ask but would love the view from Mothers perspective.

I reside on another forum and the discussion on kids vaccinations came up... one guy (who is not a parent) said he believes that the government should make it compulsory for parents to vaccinate their children and be fined if they don't. I personally believe vaccinations are a good thing but forcing more and more on parents and throwing legal action at them on ever little thing is going a step too far and where does this control stop..

So what say you Mums... should..

A. The government force vaccinations on children and fine parents that don't.

or

B. Leave it up-to the parents to decide.

[witsender]

Leave it up to parents. I can see the argument for not allowing nursery/school etc without the minimum Vax or a very good reason though.

[Bringbackpublicfloggings]

I don't like the idea of being forced to do anything when it comes to my children, but I believe the vaccinations are a good thing and hope everyone used their common sense when it comes to having their kids vaccinated. I don't know anyone who has refused.. sorry not helpful

[TheOnlyLivingDeadBoyInNewYork]

Up to them but don't let them send their unvaccinated children to schools, creches etc, unless they have a medical exemption for a proper reason.
Your decision to not vax doesn't mean your decision to endanger my children.

[missyB1]

Not fine them no, but I would make a state school or Nursery place dependant on proof of vaccination. This is common in many other Countries.

[Berthatydfil]

Parents choice but if they want to access state funded childcare etc they should be vaccinated unless there's a medical exemption e.g. Family history allergies etc

[Bundesliga]

Leave it up to parents. Not compulsory for school.

[harderandharder2breathe]

I think schools, nurseries etc should be able to refuse to have unvaccinated children except those who have medical reasons that they can't be vaccinated.

[Gowgirl]

No vax should equal no school, how dare an 'ethical'crazy parent take advantage and weaken herd immunity without as valid MEDICAL reason.

[Applebite]

Did you see the bbc article about Australia considering a "no jab, no play" policy?

[Reow]

PP above is bang on Up to them but don't let them send their unvaccinated children to schools, creches etc, unless they have a medical exemption for a proper reason.

[OddJobMan]

@Applebite

Yes i did.. that's how the discussion started.. I agree with it but i still think the parents should have the final say as long as they understand the consequences.

The argument for making it a legal requirement is that it should be seen as child neglect if any parent deliberately stops their children being vaccinated whether that be because they either do not agree with it or because of scaremongering type articles they have read.

[Myfavouritechild]

In the US state that I live in, all children attending school must be vaccinated against a prescribed list. The only exemptions are for medical reasons (if a doctor authorises it, but this can be overturned by Dept. of Public Heath) or for sincere religious beliefs. It's checked every year. It's taken very seriously where I am. I agree with it.

[Gowgirl]

Not vaccinating is neglecting to protect your child, whatever the lentil weavers say.

[lalalalyra]

I don't think it should be enforcable - I don't think it could be, how would you deal with delaying them for illness for example? The nurse felt my DS was good for his MMR, but I disagreed. I knew he was coming down with something and I knew he tended to get under the weather after vaccinations. How could I prove that? Why should there have been someone able to over-rule me?

There are two children in my DD's narcolepsy support group who became ill after the swine flu vaccine - I can totally understand their parents, and relatives (or even family friends) being incredibly nervous at trusting vaccinations after seeing the devastating effect on them. Playing a part in herd immunity must be a very big ask after you've seen that happen to a child you love.

You have to allow parents to make an informed decision. Our HV says parents should have their kids vaccinated "because they should". Four anti-vaxers in our group changed their minds after a discussion with other parents - where they were given actual facts rather than "because I say so".

I do think, however, parents should know if there is an unvaccinated child in a nursery or school class. I don't know how that would work, but as a parent with one immunocompromised child I would like to know if she's mixing with an unvaccinated child.

I think there should be a campaign reminding people of the death statistics of diseases like measles. DH's niece is a young Mum and she didn't know that children died from measles.

[DJBaggySmalls]

I have a problem with forcing people and fining them. Except my Grandad was deafened by Rubella before the vaccine was available, and spent a lifetime being disabled. I also knew someone who lived in an iron lung because they had polio as a child.
So I think kids should be able to sue their parents if they arent vaccinated and get a preventable disease.
Approach the problem from the other end.

[Vinorosso74]

I'm very much pro vaccination but I don't think it should be enforced. I think there should be better information around vaccines and exactly what the illnesses they prevent are like.

[MamaHanji]

You don't have to vaccinate your kids.

Just don't bring them anywhere near mine.

[Burntbum]

It should be the parents' choice. However, if they don't vaccinate then they should not be allowed to send their children to any state funded child setting and should not receive any child related benefits.

[Soubriquet]

Up to them but don't let them send their unvaccinated children to schools, creches etc, unless they have a medical exemption for a proper reason

This

[Sirzy]

The parents having the final say as long as they understand the consequences is all well and good but even then it's only going to be consequences for their child they consider not what their refusal to vaccinate could do to someone who is immuno-compromised.

[Prawnofthepatriarchy]

Yes, I agree with no vaccination, no school / nursery.

[sobeyondthehills]

I think if the policy is one of no jabs no nursery/school, then the government should make sure that the single jabs are available as a private option.

[BabychamSocialist]

I'm not a person who actively likes the govt. in my life, but I do believe vaccinations should be forced. Sorry, but you thinking the govt. is illegal does not mean you get to infect my child who is already immuno-compromised.

If you don't want to give your kids vaccinations, fine, but keep them away from the rest of us.

The fact that vaccine-preventable diseases like Measles, Polio and Diphtheria are all re-emerging because of anti-vaxxers is bloody worrying. I mean, we wiped out smallpox thanks to the vaccine - imagine where we'd be if people refused it!

My granddad had polio as a child and I'll be honest, it's not something I ever want to see coming back on a large scale. The amount of children who died or were paralysed because of it should be enough to have you banging down the doctor's door asking for that vaccine. My grandma had diphtheria pre-NHS and it was bloody awful. Two of her friends died because they couldn't get her into a suitable hospital. My grandma was one of the lucky ones.

[BarbarianMum]

I think most anti vaxers are stupid but I don't understand the "No vaccines, no school" argument. By school age, all children are vaccinated unless their parents have chosen not to go this route, so the unvaccinated children will only infect each other (which is clearly what their parents want for them).

[BeMorePanda]

Parents have shown themselves to be fucking idiots when it comes to vaccinations. I know many of them personally.

I live in central London and outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella are commonplace around here now - which is very sad and entirely unnecessary..

I'm all for the govt not being too involved in our lives, but if you choose not to vaccinate simply "because" then I think you should have to provide schooling for your kids yourself.

Obvs I am not talking about children who for various reasons can not be vaccinated, and who should rightly be protected by "herd" immunisation.