Anti Vaxx threads shouldn't be allowed

[turnthebiglightoff]

AIBU to suggest that anti vaxxer threads should be reported and removed? This site is so important to many members, impressionable women will inevitably take someone's word as gospel if they already have concerns themselves. I suggest the deletion message signposts to speak to your local NHS teams / GP / visit the NHS website etc. I don't think MN allows MLM promotion; arguably this is of greater importance as it could affect so many (children's) health.

Does anyone disagree? I'd be really interested to hear why. *I really don't mean this as a TAAT as I believe this is a wider issue.

YABU. Allow such threads on MN is great way of enabling a light to be shone on their nonsense. MN is full of articulate posters who can take apart the anti-vacs position.

Vaccine damage happens. But the complications of measles Hoik refers to also happen, and at a significantly higher rate. One of the cruellest facets of SSPE is the much higher risk of it in people who were too young to have been vaccinated when they contracted the infection. It sets in up to ten years (sometimes more) after the initial infection. There is (AFAIK) no confirmed case of it having occurred after vaccination with no history of wild measles infection.

Deciding not to vaccinate on concrete, specific, thought-through grounds, after serious research and medical consultation, is one thing. Not vaccinating on the basis of bonkers conspiracy theories and/or reactionary dislike of anything 'non-natural' is quite another.

'MN should chime in with a warning that the views expressed promoting anti-vaxx theories are not legitimate and that concerned users should seek legitimate sources, such as actual doctors, before choosing not to vaccinate.'

I agree with this.

The problem with banning anti-vax threads is that it only confirms to the tin foil hat brigade that there is a conspiracy with vaccinations.

But the problem with anti vaxxers in general is they think they've done their research by reading a few webpages by anti vaxxers and shared a few things on Facebook. As with any conspiracy theorists, reason never changes their minds because that's how conspiracy theorists think.

The best thing is to allow the debate and behave in a way that keeps things clear for the lurkers.

I disagree totally. The next step will be to stop people talking about not breastfeeding.

You can’t ban those sort of conversations. They concern young children and parents and people have naturally have questions and thoughts.

People will wonder why they are shut down and with regards to vaccination this will add to the conspiracy theory aspects of it all. Counterproductive.

So so wrong to censor any debate or conversation.

do you think that ex pro vaxxers who have been through the torture of the adverse effects and have then been silenced should be shut away with nowhere to seek support. vaccines are not a one size fits all. accept that there are reasons some will no longer vaccinate. Its not black and white.

Those who have tomavoid some or all vaccines because of previous bad reaction, or any other medical contra-indications, are not anti-vaxxers.

They cannot vaccinate, but did not choose it.

Anti-vaxxers are those who choose not to vaccinate, in the absence of medical contraindications

so we should all vaccinate until the kids are hurt then say oh well it happens! That's why there is a choice.

The last anti vaccination thread that was deleted had a message from MNHQ saying (paraphrasing) they thought the poster had started the thread with an agenda and that there were sock-puppets on it (a poster using multiple accounts to comment under different names on the same thread.)

Vaccination is a parenting decision. Yes, it’s advised by the NHS, but it’s not compulsory.

In the future there will not be a choice.

My children are vaccinated (as am I...) but I do think the anti-vaccine movement is legitimate. The medical establishments loses a lot of credibility when they think anything but blind devotion to vaccines is acceptable.

I ultimately decided to vaccinate my kids because I weighed the risks and decided it was worth the crap shoot. The medical community should say the same -- that there are risks but they are small. Instead if anyone mentions the risks or decides to avoid vaccinating, they're treated as if they're talking nonsense. I don't like that.

People have a right to talk about the risks and benefits of vaccines. Not blindly follow along IMO.

Totally agree.

Why silence them? The majority are not anti but ex vaxxers after their child was injured. It is unfortunate we do not have a sympathetic ear for these children and their families and class them as anti vaxxers.
I for one did not know there are side effects of vaccines just like medicine has side effects. I did not know there is a compensation programme so vaccine damage is real. For threads to be shut down where the parents of affected children explain what happened to them is quite sad. We should always have a listening ear as it can help us notice signs in our own children. For some odd reason most people think they will never harm a child when they clearly can for whatever reason.
If it wasn't for the mums coming online and sharing what happened to them on any subject, even cot death and those for bumpers then I'd have never known. No midwife told me. We need to stop saying it's a random website on the internet. We babe to admit it's our biggest resource.

Luckystar777

Then the future is tyranny.

"A febrile convulsion is a seizure or fit that happens because of fever, which is a temperature higher than 38°C. The rapid rise in temperature causes an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. Febrile convulsions usually happen in children between six months and six years old."

Having any injection can cause a fever. If the parent doesn't watch the fever and take steps, it can cause a seizure. It is the body's natural reaction to a foreign body/substance being injected.

Not the actual vaccine itself.

Proper care and attention after a vaccine will prevent this.

impressionable women will inevitably take someone's word as gospel

That's their own problem. You can't sensor people like this.

"so we should all vaccinate until the kids are hurt then say oh well it happens!"

If your aim is to have fewer hurt kids then, to put it blunty yes.

All the diseases have a higher rate of complications, including lifechanging ones (and death) way way higher than the vaccinations

Yabu. Free speech. Things arent as black and white. My df and myself reacted to the measles vaccine as babies as i was nervous re dd. However i knew a child who died in my village as hadnt had her measles jab so was vvv keen to have it done. Did it after discussion with gp and no reaction. Was on fence re flu due to mil immune system but arranged for mil not to see dd for two weeks so dd could have it. When i have flu jab ever year i have to sit in a vest for 30 mins in the gp surgery as my temp goes sky high. Doesnt stop me having it but done under gp guidance. If i did have a fit (as has done when a child) id be in right place as reception is made aware to keep eye on me. Its worked ok for last ten years so will keep doing it.

Agree that it is not black and white. My family have immune issues, which are onto transpiring over the last few years. My dd was hospitalised due to a vaccine and now has to be vaccinated carefully.

I guess we assume that everyone has a standard immune system but the truth is we don’t, so many different parts can and do go wrong or don’t function as expected. Therefor the response and immunity it varies.

I don't agree with another viewpoint - let's ban people talking about it!

I'm not an anti-vaxxer but I am pro freedom of speech.

I am not sure but I do think anti vaxxers are selfish and misinformed and their children shouldn’t be allowed in school and they should not receive child benefit until their children are vaccinated.

Oh god...another one for the nanny state to police then. I'm no way anti vax but free speech is a vital part of a functioning liberal democracy and it is ebbing away in this country with the police now starting to record hate incidents that are not even classed as a crime.

Let's not burden Mumsnet with it