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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder if my kids have to be vaccinated to go to school?

163 replies

Cuddler · 04/07/2012 20:23

Hi,

My son is due to start school in September this year.Its all sorted,today he went to an induction thing and i got handed a form about which vaccinations he had/hadnt had,and just general health questions.

He hasnt been vaccinated since the ones at 16 weeks,so no mmr.My other 2 children havnt been vaxed at all.Im not asking for opinions on whether this is right as i have made a well informed choice and its something i have thought about for a long time and feel strongly about,I know theres not really a law about kids being vaxed to go to school but i just wondered if anyone knew if the school could "make a fuss" about it,or if anyone has any expereience of this.

Until a couple of months ago were going to home educate so it wasnt an issue,but obviously now hes going so just wanted to ask.

OP posts:

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 10:13

Cuddler It's not as simple as do they work.

I have chosen to vaccinate both myself and my children. However, my decision to vaccinate didn't mean that my newborns came out of my vagina fully vaccinated!

The vaccination schedule takes place over years, so young children aren't actually automatically protected like a light switch clicking on, you know.

IAmSherlocked · 05/07/2012 10:26

You don't believe they work? Oh dear lord... Yes, that's exactly why smallpox and polio have been all but eradicated because vaccinations don't work.

And that is why measles - which is hugely dangerous, btw - was on its way to being eradicated until the increase in 'well-informed choices'

Original poster

Cuddler · 05/07/2012 11:04

If you look at the statistics disease was on the decline way way way before the vaccinations came in,due to clean water and better living conditions.

OP posts:

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 11:07

Which diseases? I will not deny that clean water, and eradicating slum housing has an effect on disease transmission.

But do you have a crystal ball that says those graphs WEREN'T going to level out? How do you know the drop was going to continue? What do you base that assertion on?

Sidge · 05/07/2012 11:24

The cervical screening programme will continue regardless of the HPV vaccination programme and girls receiving the vaccination are informed they will still be offered smears.

HPV testing is also being undertaken alongside cervical cytology in many areas.

Some diseases were declining due to improvements in sanitation etc but many were not until vaccinations were introduced, eg meningococcal meninigtis

littlemisssarcastic · 05/07/2012 11:24

Cuddler Has a health professional advised you not to vaccinate your DC? Perhaps because they are allergic/family history of allergy/immuno suppressant etc??

littlemisssarcastic · 05/07/2012 11:25

Also mainstream NHS advice is to vaccinate isn't it? Or has that advice changed?

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 11:29

I think this blog explains the importance of using statistics carefully, better than me.

here

I thought it fascinating.

waterlego6064 · 05/07/2012 11:38

I'm in West Sussex too. Would LOVE to know if I know any of you other locals in RL.

manicbmc · 05/07/2012 11:43

The point in vaccinating those that can be (not allergic/immuno suppressed) is to protect those that can't be.

I find not vaccinating, unless it is for medical reasons, very very selfish and think that it should be a necessity for attending school.

Smallpox was not eradicated because people started washing their hands ffs.

Sassybeast · 05/07/2012 11:45

Can those who claim to have knowledge of children being forcefully vaccinated in schools please provide more information about which vaccines were used and the background to these cases please ? Thanks

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 11:46

Well, to cheer others up: my mother is anti-vaccine. I was brought up in a vehemently anti-vaccine house, with literature on the subject.

Then I did my A levels, including Maths and Biology. And I went back, and re -read the literature around the house.

I subsequently got myself vaccinated as an adult, for the sake of herd immunity!

BeatriceBean · 05/07/2012 11:47

Hmm. My daughter had whooping cough as a small baby (after just the first vax) and was in and our of hospital, red lighted when she stopped breathing and it was terrifying. I never want another baby to have to go through that again. It can be deadly for babies, and ruined 3 months of her life, and mine, as I had to check she was breathing every 20minutes while I also couldn't breath well.

In our case it was carried by someone not vaccinated, and only spread to those not vaccinated. She completely relied on herd immunity as she was so small.

It is pure ignorance to assume that just because you are bf your child is safe - I'm a bf, co-sleeping, sling wearing and all that lot mum, clean water etc.

I certainly with a baby avoid anywhere I knew there were anti vaxers (stopped going to an AP group for that reason). I know I can't protect her from everything but I don't think I will ever see eye to eye with these people that are endangering lives.

thisisyesterday · 05/07/2012 11:55

waterlego i live nr Gatwick airport if that helps at all?

CecilyP · 05/07/2012 11:57

If you look at the statistics disease was on the decline way way way before the vaccinations came in,due to clean water and better living conditions.

Certainly not true for measles notifications (1940 - 2008) in England and Wales, at their highest in 1961 with 763,531 cases (did we not have clean water then?), reduced to 3,670 notifications in 2007.

manicbmc · 05/07/2012 12:01

I wish I'd had the mmr. IT would have saved me from 2 weeks of painful mumps followed by meningitis, which is a complication associated with mumps.

CecilyP · 05/07/2012 12:01

Not only public spirited BigJessie, but also means that your babies will inherit some immunity from you.

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 12:08

Funny you should mention that. One of my mother's justifications for not getting me vaccinated was "you wouldn't be able to pass any immunity to your children, so it's pointless vaccinating against measles. Might be good if you caught it, though."

If there had been a measles party in the neighbourhood, I'd have been sent there!

pumpkinsweetie · 05/07/2012 12:11

I think all children should be vaccinated before entry into school is agreed.
I think it is highly stupid not to vaccinate your dc unless there is a medical reason.
When all my girls are old enough they will be having the HPV jab too as i want them protected against the 70% of cervical cancers that it protects against

Sidge · 05/07/2012 12:16

I'm pro-vaccination generally but do NOT believe vaccination should be compulsory, and certainly access to education shouldn't be dependent on medical/health conformation.

TheBigJessie · 05/07/2012 12:17

I second Sidge.

carocaro · 05/07/2012 12:17

Our school asked if all children could be vaccinated as two children were having treatment for cancer.

slug · 05/07/2012 12:28

Manicbmc, I attended my dissertation viva with tubes till hanging out of me after being hospitalized with mumps.

Bloody painful it was too. And frightening when I hemorrhaged from the nose and throat.

GeneHuntsMistress · 05/07/2012 12:28

carocaro how sad. do you know if anyone refused?

GeneHuntsMistress · 05/07/2012 12:29

Op would u do this in the case carocaro has outlined?

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