All of you who CHOOSE not to vaccinate your children

[UniqueAndAmazing]

Do you realise that's the reason why there's now an epidemic of measles in Wales?

You know children with auto-immune problems, children with cancers, children with allergies that mean they can't be medicated, children who react badly to drugs?
You know them? They're suffering because of you not wanting to vaccinate your child.

You have no medical reason for not vaccinating, but plenty of reasons TO vaccinate.

You are causing a whole generation of children to be endangered from a preventable disease.

Measles can be fatal
(that means it can kill )

There has been a lot of talk on the media about "compulsory vaccination".

I have discussed this with my eldest daughter, who works on a children's ward and has passed the exams to be member of the child health college, and she is against the idea. She is of the view that it could actually do more harm than good.

"Compulsory vaccination", yep, great idea. And when I say no way, what are they going to do, hold me down, handcuff me and shackle my ankles?

The media is talking rot - thankfully it will never happen.

I can not believe we are having this tread in this day and age. Be smart, immunize. If you had all other immunizations why not have MMR? The others are more nasty, why not opt them out too? I give up with stubborn people, let your kids suffer, let pregnant, elders suffer too. Soooo selfish.

My eldest son does suffer, thanks.

"If you had all other immunizations why not have MMR? The others are more nasty, why not opt them out too? I give up with stubborn people, let your kids suffer, let pregnant, elders suffer too. Soooo selfish."

My unvaccinated kids aren't suffering and have never suffered, thanks. Nor have I.

And what's with the arrogant presumption that those who haven't forced MMR upon themselves or their children have had any other immunisations?

The only thing you've said which may remotely right so far is that my (and I can only speak for myself) decision is selfish. And if it is, what of it? Tough, lady. My responsibility is to my children first and foremost, not to yours.

HazardLamps, just as you say you are selfish and care only for your family, I do not see a reason for you writing here and giving advice to others. Live in your shell and let others, non selfish people have their say.

Sophie - no matter what you say, when push comes to shove nobody puts other children above their own - I defy you to say otherwise. You can't dicate tell people not to post just because it doesn't fit in with your way of thinking.

My kids were immunized and I would encourage others to do the same, but people shouldn't be coerced into it. It has to be a personal choice.

"Baby Sophie, people insisting, in order to protect their own children, that others immunise where it may not be safe for their children are pretty selfish in my view." I don't think anyone. Is doing that. My children are vaccinated. My concern is for the children who cant^ be. They are being put as risk by the parents of children who can be but aren't.

ALL the people I know (including myself and DP) agonised over what to do...spoke to friends who are gps etc.No one I know made the decision not to vaccinate lightly.

Well, if you read my previous posts you will see that I agree some children cannot have the jabs for medical reasons and this is normal, I am not saying they should have it. My view is that everyone not medically restricted should have it, otherwise kids that cannot have the jabs, pregnant, elderly will suffer. Internet is very useful, but still full of crap, some people just read an article and decide not to do MMR, they do not have a reason. This people are selfish and stubborn. They should read more.

""That reply was to your comment that all the naysayers are primarily wringing their hands about the children of other people."
Leaving aside the gratuitously offensive turn of phrase- what the hell other motivation do you think we've got???

Would you use the same argument about the swine flu?

Do you get vaccinated every year, so that you don't pass it on to the vulnerable?

do people really vaccinate soley to protect others kids? Sorry but I dont believe that for a second.

According to the figures i have found.

70 children died in the 9 months spanning 2009 and 2010 of swine flu.

In the last 10 years, only 1 child has died from measles.

Why all the hysteria around measles??

Of course they don't! I vaccinate my children firstly to protect them.

"HazardLamps, just as you say you are selfish and care only for your family, I do not see a reason for you writing here and giving advice to others. Live in your shell and let others, non selfish people have their say."

Well, that's nice babySophieRose, that's TWO rude individuals who have effectively told me not to post here/there's no reason for me to do so just because I don't agree with your point of view. You won't win me round with insults, you do know that, don't you?

And besides that, babySophieRose, you're at it again! Making arrogant assumptions! I am not "giving advice to others". Quite the opposite, in fact. I don't care a teeny weeny flying shinbone what others do with their children, I merely object to people acting like little Hitlers and telling me what I should do with mine.

I suggest that you've taken umbrage because each time you've made an assumption I've pulled you on it and pointed out where you're mistaken. Instead of responding to the accusations you've made which are wrong you've gone on the attack.

I find that telling.

Hazardlamps. For people in areas where there is an outbreak who perhaps have immunosupressed or very young babies then this is quite a worrying time. This outbreak is actually spreading quite fast through Wales. From South Wales into Mid Wales and now into Shropshire.

But hey...

MY kids are vaccinated. MY responsibility. YOUR KIDS aren't!

Just sayin like

"MY kids are vaccinated. MY responsibility. YOUR KIDS aren't! Just sayin like "

Yes, I'm fully aware of that latter. I should be, I'm the one who made the decision. I'm cool with that decision. Has that not fact registered with you?

sassy makes a good point about swine flu - at least as many people die of that as of measles in the UK. I had swine flu myself - it is horrible and messed up my immune system for a good while afterwards.

So why isn't everyone being pressed to get vaccinated against swine flu?

Well this is an interesting paper. It looks at children born between 2000 and 2002 (so due MMR in the years when the rates dropped) and if you look at the single antigens given in this group as well you'll find that the total measles antigen given (so MMR and monovalent measles) is very close indeed to the magic 95%

So this outbreak may be occurring in a population that has near or even above 95% of children immunised against measles. Don't know for sure, because no-one knows how many of the 'unimmunised' have been given singles. In this study it would suggest a significant number. In this large cohort study we found that around 88.6% of children were immunised with MMR, 5.2% had received one or more single vaccines, and 6.1% were unimmunised

If you look at the breakdown for the single antigens nearly everyone opting for singles had had a measles vaccination (unsurprisingly mumps had the lowest uptake).

So in this population about 94% of children had had a measles jab (the figure they give in the conclusion is for all uptake of three singles which drags down the overall figure because of the low mumps uptake - not parents fault), very different than the scary headline figures.