Dear MNHQ why does this board exist?

[TalkinPeace]

Having the board encourages people to think that not vaccinating is a valid viewpoint.

I am pro vaccination, but you can't just tell people they're not allowed to debate or discuss their viewpoint because it's wrong, or you don't agree with it.

To some folk it is. I agree they are wrong.

That's a bit daft TIP, at least this board is easy to hide if you don't like it (hint, hint).

I've got 3 boards full of utter weirdo tinfoil hat wearing numpties hidden

So that you can hide it!

Well, I suppose it keeps it all in one place. And those who are looking for eg reputable clinics offering jabs not available on NHS would find it useful.

I think the trouble is that there are 4 main camps:

a) those who vaccinate pretty much exactly in NHS schedule
b) those who amend the schedule, but who want their DC vaccinated and, even with some spreading out, end up with children immunised pretty much to the same level as thise following standard NHS advice.
c) those who have been advised on medical grounds not to vaccinate, or who have curtailed vaccinations following a worrisome reaction.
d) weirdos who see all vaccination as a conspiracy.

And I doubt any thread here is going to change anyone's mind.

Personally, I'm happy with all those who fall into a, b and c. I have my doubts about d (and I do know someone 'anti-vax' in that way). But have learned to be a bit more circumspect in posting, as I don't include group c families in that (and careless wording can quickly lead to all sorts of misunderstandings).

But whilst we're in a 'redundant topic' theme, why is Swine Flu still around?

The fact that the board exists will make the anti vac brigade assume that they have a valid starting point.

If they were forced to post in children's health in amongst real issues they would not be able to only listen to each other

remember that for all those who hide or did not have the foggiest about the existence of this board, there are also those who only come to its ilk

I agree OP. Not vaccinating is neglect imo unless there is an actual medical reason. Generally speaking there's 1 person with a genuine reason (and I don't mean 'we have a vague family history of blah blah so I'm refusing all vaccinations because they're unnatural') for every 9 paranoid fools.

The anti-vaxers get plenty of hassle for their minority view here, it's not a safe haven.

Although considering all the other things MN bans nowadays, maybe they'll warm to your POV, too.

They get hassle because they are endangering their kids. (by anti vaxers I mean the conspiracy loving fools not people with genuine medical factors at play)

ragged
They are welcome to argue their corner
BUT
the fact that people consider the possible risk of a potential contaminant of a mis reported vaccine to be worse than
measles or mumps or rubella or TB or whooping cough or meningitis or diptheria
HAS to be challenged

a child health board is a GOOD thing

a vaccinations board is NOT a good thing

Agree that it does seem to condone the swivel-eyed "modern medicine evil! Medics want to eat your children!" brigade.

I guess I missed all the MN threads where it wasn't challenged.

My mother quit smoking for 12 yrs (my mother died of smoking-related causes). Then she went on a foreign trip with a load of peace-nick hippy types (to admire Sandinistas), except the organiser took a dislike to the group's only smoker. Did things like dismissively ban the smoking woman to back of the bus on day trips.

My mother was so fed up with the rude group leader that she went to back of bus & lit up with the fag-addict.

I'm definitely channeling my mother right now. Or maybe Voltaire.

@TalkinPeace

Having the board encourages people to think that not vaccinating is a valid viewpoint.

Well, to be fair, we are nearly 15, and this was a mahoosive issue at the time See here Thanks for your thoughts on this - we will have a muse after the w/e

I agree with OP.

Olivia,
It was indeed a big issue at the time.

Until the main protagonist was shown to be a fraud and a liar who experimented on children without informed consent.

The sooner it sinks back into the sands of time, along with phrenology, eugenics and miasmas the better.

The existence of this board prevents that.

MN is such a FAB resource for worried parents, keep all of the child HEALTH issues in one place.

Agree. This board is now not necessary

Having the board encourages people to think that not vaccinating is a valid viewpoint.

It is a valid viewpoint. Making decisions about vaccinations is pretty important. And free speech is a benefit of living in a democracy.

Whether the subject requires a whole board is another matter.

Isn't it good that people have a place to discuss their concerns?

I vaccinated mine, concerns did go through my mind but there was no easy resolution to them (I did not know how to go about finding an alternative single vaccine regime or reputable private practitioner, also concerned about non licensed vaccines) so decided to vaccinate using NHS despite concerns. However I would have felt worse if my concerns were not allowed to be discussed or just shut down.

Surely it exists in the spirit of the site, helping parents make choices.

The anti-vax choice is a contentious one, but it remains a choice.

Fwiw. I'm not a anti-vax, but pro choice, so I'm happy for it to stay.

Lets just shut down freedom of speech - Maybe you would feel better living in a place like China, where force vaccination and free speech is enforced, but the rest of us don't.

I don't mind debates or people voicing the concerns, no matter which side of the table your standing from. In fact, that is one great thing we can still do, to a certain extent in this country. What I really get angry on, are comments like this. We should be asking for more freedom, not to restrict it. To be completely honest, if your too closed minded and arrogant to entertain other peoples point of views, change your own beliefs system, then you have the choice not to read it. Simple.

doitjulia / bettertomorrow

I am not in any way asking for censorship of the threads of worried ill in formed parents
they are welcome to ask questions on any area on the site - in fact child health is the perfect venue

BUT
the fact that Google are currently looking at altering their algorithm to push factually inaccurate hits down the list
shows the danger that the "anti vac" sites cause.

There is a massive measles outbreak happening in California at the moment.
As the child of a measles victim it makes me weep.

Polio has not been eradicated because dodgy websites spread erroneous information - I grew up in a household affected by polio

I have a cousin who is a german measles baby (the R for rubella in MMR) who was brain damaged to the point of never living independently.

We all want to do the best for our children.
Creating a venue that invites misinformed views is not the best way

MNHQ : Evidence based medicine .... be on the right side of the data

I thought it was to confine the loonies ie keeping general health etc free from this nonsense...

Unfortunately climbing, it sometimes seems to work the opposite way, drawing in extremists from elsewhere.

Certainly during the measles outbreak a couple of years ago when worried parents in S Wales and nearby areas were trying desperately to get information about what clinics were open for jabs, advice on whether they should postpone visits to relatives etc, and several helpful MNers working in the NHS were doing their best to help - those threads were repeatedly invaded again and again, some by MNers, but often by outsiders who'd parachuted in from antivac groups and who were, to put it mildly, fucking vile.

It made me incredibly angry to have to wade through that shit in order to try to find info - it should have been an example of MN at its finest, providing practical help and direction to useful info, and emotional support for worried parents. Instead it became a conduit for fuckers to march in here and hurl abuse, telling parents they were poisoning their children etc.