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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you decided not to vaccinate your children

593 replies

Mintpepper · 27/06/2017 11:42

Do you regret it? Did they catch any of the diseases that they could have been vaccinated for and what was the outcome?

And anyone who did get their children vaccinated - did they catch any of the diseases anyway? And do you regret vaccinating for any reason?

This isn't intended to start a debate for or against vaccination generally as that's been done many times, I'm more just interested in your personal experiences if you'd be willing to share them. Thank you.

OP posts:
Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:06

@petalsonpearls I explained before how selfish it is exactly because of the children who can't get vaccinated because of cancer and other issues. I think you didn't read my first post.

VladmirsPoutine · 27/06/2017 22:06

My sister didn't vaccinate her children. They haven't contracted anything and she's never regretted it.

I'm sure she hasn't regretted it one bit what with 99.99% of the rest of the population being vaccinated Hmm. Good for her, what wonderful foresight she had.

bumbleymummy · 27/06/2017 22:08

Refilona -Are your children unvaccinated?

bumbleymummy · 27/06/2017 22:09

Vladmirs - that figure is nowhere near correct.

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:09

Refilona

I have read all of your posts. I don't agree; the WHO don't agree that vaccinations should be compulsory.

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:10

" 99.99% of the rest of the population being vaccinated"

Not correct at all. And it's age-group dependent.

Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:11

I don't have kids! I was talking about my future hypothetical children who could have had the misfortune of having a health issue which wouldn't allow them to be vaccinated.

bumbleymummy · 27/06/2017 22:15

Regional - So they would be unvaccinated then?

Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:17

Yes, of course. Some children who had cancer and who are too young can't be vaccinated. I'm obviously talking about everyone else, as if everyone else is vaccinated they are safe too.
A few years old but...
time.com/27308/4-diseases-making-a-comeback-thanks-to-anti-vaxxers/

bumbleymummy · 27/06/2017 22:18

So your unvaccinated children could also put those children with cancer and younger children at risk - yes?

Cailleach666 · 27/06/2017 22:18

Most of my adult friends and relatives have never been immunised against measles, mumps, chicken pox.

I don't know where that figure of 99.99% comes from.

Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:21

What? Of course I would vaccinate my children unless they absolutely couldn't- really not getting your point and I'm sure you're not getting mine either

bumbleymummy · 27/06/2017 22:22

Refilona - I don't think you have thought this through.

Bobbiepin · 27/06/2017 22:22

Not childhood vaccine related but the only time I had the pneumonia vaccine with my flu jab I contracted pneumonia. I've not been offered it since but I don't blame the vaccine, I blame myself for not going to the doctors quickly enough when it was a simple chest infection.

CluelessMummy · 27/06/2017 22:24

OP did you watch John Oliver's piece on vaccination this week on Last Week Tonight? If not, take a look.

I'm linking you to an article on it here rather than a video as some anti-vaxxers have put up some frankly bizarre anti-vaccine clips (including one of a baby doll being injected*) which purport to be genuine clips from the show on Youtube. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jun/26/john-oliver-vaccinations-last-week-tonight

One mum whose child has autism makes the point that the constant research to prove/disprove the link between vaccines and autism (and there is no proven link) is actually detracting and taking funds away from discovering the real cause. An interesting point I thought.

  • Just goes to prove the mindset of some anti-vaxxers who obviously fear a partisan piece of journalism on the subject.
CoteDAzur · 27/06/2017 22:25

"My children are both up to date with vaccinations, because I don't want them to die"

And parents who don't give DC every vaccine under the sun want them to die? Hmm

Think before you post ffs.

Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:26

I'll try and clarify because maybe I wasn't clear enough. All children except those who absolutely can't should be vaccinated. So unless a child has had cancer or has severe reactions they should be vaccinated. This includes my future hypothetical children of course. This way, the sick children who can't be vaccinated would not get measles for example as everyone else would be vaccinated and there would be no outbreaks. Is that clearer?

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:26

Bobbiepin It's only 50% to 70% effective - not necessarily linked to the vaccine at all even if you had gone to the doctors ASAP.

CluelessMummy · 27/06/2017 22:26

Sorry, that came out garbled and unnecessarily bold! There should have been an asterisk in there linking from the bizarre video to my comments about the distrust of some anti-vaxxers towards mainstream thinking.

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:28

Refilona

  1. Everyone else would not be vaccinated, it's impossible.
  2. The WHO does not recommend mandatory vaccination.

Are you really saying your own viewpoint (having not had children) is more educated than the work and recommendations of World Health Organisation?

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:30

distrust of some anti-vaxxers towards mainstream thinking

This distrust works with pro-vaxers too - they distrust anything that goes against vaccination.

Plus I hate the terms pro and anti in relationship to vaccines - it totally wipes out the option of a middle ground and forces people to think they need to be polar in their decision making.

Refilona · 27/06/2017 22:33

Several countries have made them compulsory and it's debatable, with some experts thinking it should be compulsory, others not. As a biochemist with a PhD in medicine I think I'm qualified to have an opinion yes - whether I've got kids or not it's irrelevant really. So I'm happy to agree to disagree - I just agree with the experts who say it should be compulsory that is all!

AliTheMinx · 27/06/2017 22:34

My son (5) has had all of the necessary vaccinations. After his second lot of baby jabs (which included the Meningitis jab) he started presenting with symptoms of meningitis - including the non-fading rash, and was hospitalised and isolated for 4 days. The doctors said that as the vaccine was not a live vaccine there could be no correlation to his jabs and it was pure coincidence. A nurse told me, strictly off the record, that she had seen a number of similar cases and suggested it was more than just coincidence. Thankfully my son was fine. For his third lot of baby jabs he was given the three jabs on separate days, and we had to be extra vigilant for a reaction, but he was fine. It wouldn't have crossed my mind not to vaccinate him.

CoteDAzur · 27/06/2017 22:35

Refilona - "I don't have kids! I was talking about my future hypothetical children who could have had the misfortune of having a health issue which wouldn't allow them to be vaccinated."

Unbelievable. We are being lectured on what to do with our children by someone who has none, no idea whatsoever in fact about making health decisions for one's baby. Such is the state of MN at present Hmm

PetalsOnPearls · 27/06/2017 22:36

Refilona

So you really think your opinion is worth more than that of the WHO? How bizarre, surely with your qualifications you would realise the amount of work, research and updating that goes into their recommendations.

But fair play to you, your the first biochemist I've met who's got a PhD in Medicine, I thought they were reserved for medics only.