Advice from those who delaying or haven't vaccinated

[looseleaf]

I strongly feel DD was affected adversely by her very early vaccinations and when I looked up their ingredients 3 years on I was also horrified she was given levels (of mercury or aluminium, my sleep deprived brain no longer remembers) way above the recommended amount deemed ok.

I've since seen a summary of an independent study suggesting that non-vaccinated children are 4 times less prone to various health problems - I'm not trying to make any arguments here as it's such an emotive subject but I want to ask , when u have such a very strong gut instinct not to vaccinate this time round, and have read widely (, and I've also consulted a private doctor who's studied the subject extensively and raised lots of wuestions rather than dictate answers) have I still come away afraid to stand firm with my instinct - ie do you too find yourself patronised or spoken to aggressively by health professionals?

Please give me any advice as I'm so worried and we've just joined a new surgery where the receptionist was frankly rude when I said we're deliberately delaying DS' vacs (he's 16 months). I kept very calm and confident but I worry am going to have problems and if only they understood the hours and hours I've spent researching and deliberating over making what I feel is the right decision (DH trusts me but is programmed with the rest of us to feel vaccines aren't to be questioned )

No debates please as I do need help from anyone in the same boat and reassurance that surely I'm not alone? I really feel so angry at my total blind faith the first time and wish I'd at least waited a couple of months even for dd's immune system just to develop a bit first?

Sorry for my stressed post and DC's health stresses me out as dd (fully immunised btw) has had a tough health history

For the record - pro vaccine poster here
However I think the post is getting away from OPs original post.

I think from the emotive response you can get a good view of how people will react to your DC not getting vaccinated but good for you for not just following blindly.

Vaccines are on the whole very safe and have been fantastic for saving lives ,y grandparents brothers and sisters died of diseases like TB and measles but now these are much rarer and fewer people die from them (helped along with better medical treatments). No one can argue vaccines have been very good on the whole.

However, no child is the same and few can have an adverse reaction, if you suspect your child may have a reaction then yes you should do more research but look at the pros and cons if you can give a balanced argument showing you have looked at all the options then they will take you more seriously.

But you do need to look at the credible research quoting anti vax stuff will not win you any support - even if there is truth the way it is written is heavily biased (so are some pro vaccine sites so choose your citations wisely).

I personally hope that whilst doing this research you feel better and get your child vaccinated as other posters are correct we rely on herd vaccination. But herd vaccination is not 100% of the population and it is better to do the research and have valid reasons not to vaccination than the 'I just won't bother' or 'my child is more special'. Vaccination will help your child if they come into contact with this illnesses they will have the armoury to try and fight it - it will not make them completely immune though but without the vaccination they may have a more serious reaction.

My sister had epilepsy therefore did not have the original vaccine for whooping cough as the mercury that used to be in it caused some children to fit. There is not a one shot fits all I'm afraid or we wouldn't have this controversy.

Goodluck in your decision and thanks to other posters some of the links are very useful epsecially bruffin.

the content of the vaccine list posted intrigued me, so I looked up what I needed to.

30.8 micrograms of pneumococcal purified capsular polysaccharides - active ingredient
32 micrograms of CRM197 protein - active ingredient
aluminium phosphate -to increase the vaccine efficacy. NO EVIDENCE that it is harmful.
sodium chloride - scary stuff, that.
succinic acid - found in plant and animal tissues.
polysorbate 80 -surfactant and emulsifier
water for injections - dihydrogen monoxide is a well known killer.

yep, pro-vaccine. Met people suffering a lifetime of polio aftereffects, great-grandmother died of TB, have seen photos of smallpox. No treatment for measles.

looseleaf, maybe you will find some support here:
www.facebook.com/vaccinetruth?ref=stream

Vaccine Truth is so badly anti-vaccine that it almost looks like parody. Certainly not a place for information (unless you are researching for a Fringe show).

Wow - tons of scaremongering on this thread - how many children have actually died in the last 10 years in the UK due to not being vaccinated? ANSWER: One, a traveller child who had underlying health concerns.

However doctors practices do have targets - they have to have 98% vaccine rate.

I went with all vaccines bar the mmr, I spaced them out though - i wouldnt want 9 vaccines in 3 injections in one day so why is it ok for a toddler to have it? because its cost effective for the NHS.

For the mmr, i went the seperate jabs route and paid privately.

Food for thought.

Wow - tons of disinformation in the previous post. Probably to be expected if you get your vaccine info from facebook ffs.

The one death you're talking about is from measels. You conveniently ignore mortality from all other vaccine-preventable diseases, not to mention all the other misery and disabilities. Even the figure you quote for measels is wrong, it's actually two.

And finally, all that low mortality proves is that vaccines work. If you don't believe that, look at mortality pre-vaccination or in the third world.

what is more important, the seperate M, M and R are no longer available. You may still be able to get dodgy, imported measles and rubella vaccines, but single mumps you cannot get from anywhere. So while single M, M and Rs don't have any benefit to begin with (apart from lacing your private GP's pockets), it would now be even more irresponsible to start with singles, because your child would never get the full protection against all three diseases.

14 pertussis deaths in 2012.

OP, you are not alone. There are other like minded people. My DC's are not vaccinated. I haven't had that much contact with the medical establishment, mainly because my children are so healthy! the worst I have experienced was some sarcastic comments from one gp (not at my surgery). I think you will find that you will encounter the most negativity from other parents. From speaking to others, I think that as long as you explain that this is not a desicion you have made lightly, but an informed decision based on your own research, you shouldn't encounter too many problems

I'm not interested in debating the pros and cons here, I just wanted to let you know that you are in a position to make your own decisions regarding your child. Have you heard of Arnica? www.arnica.org.uk/

OP I have four unvaxed children who's aged btween 14 and 8 and the hardest part of all has been the hostility of others.

Adverse reactions are SCANDALOUSLY unreported. The dangers of measles are overstated. The 'herd protection' argument goes totally unquestioned.

It's a tough path to take but I am true to myself and, having read fantastic arguments on both sides I totally stand by my convictions. By the way I had never even heard of Dr. Wakefield when I made my decision.

Good luck to everyone on this path. I hope one day a proper unbiased debate can take place so that parents get ALL the information they deserve, not just that which makes someone the most profit.

Thanks for that link mummyinthemiddle. I've never come across them before. I wish I'd known about such a group at the time I was making the decision. I felt quite alone but it seems the body of questioners are growing. I guess with the democratisation of the media and with ease with which one gets hold of information these days that's ineviatble.

Exciting times.