Vaccinations - should I continue with them?

[Adashaw]

Hi I am new to Mumsnet and it was suggested that I joined so to ask this question - I am possibly going away soon, but the trip was going to coincide with the 3rd lot of my daughters (she is now 3 months) Hib Polio etc so I was trying to find out on the internet if it would matter if it was administered late, well she is due her 2nd lot now and after reading some of the info regarding the link with autism, various other neurological disorders, asthma, SIDS etc (god the list is endless) I am really concerned about continuing with them at all or at least waiting till she is a lot older, the problem is that we do occasionally travel due to hubby's work, but I was wondering if anyone else has opted not to give the vaccinations and know of any implications?

Thanks

Message withdrawn

there are loads of vaccination debates on here... do a search. there is loads of web info too.... be careful to get both sides of the debate.

Hi Adashaw and welcome! We have chosen to do a much more delayed and spread out vaccination schedule with ds. He has had:
5 months - Hib and Polio
8 months - 1st DTaP
12 months - 2nd polio

13 months - 2nd Hib
16 months - 2nd DTaP

we go in this week for his first Prevnar and will be giving single measles (instead of MMR) probably in March.

Some good information about what's safe on this site

Good luck! It's so difficult to decide what to do.

Message withdrawn

DS2 hasn't had any vaccinations and ds3 won't be having any. I suppose the implications are that you leave the child at risk of catching the diseases. Depending on where you travel that might have more of an effect (diptheria and polio aren't really in the UK). If you leave too long a gap between the tetanus shots then you can end up with a more severe reaction- so would be worth talking to the dr about that if you decide to hold off for a bit.

In terms of the diseases- whooping cough is nasty in young babies (especially under 6 months) although the jab isn't all that effective. Hib is mainly found in the under 2's- especially those in daycare/not breastfed. meningitis C is mainly a disease of teenagers- although small jumbers of babies do get it (and die from it).

In our case we haven't vaccinated ds2 and ds3 as we think the jabs constibuted to ds1's (severe) autism. However we don't travel abroad (severely autistic child=no chance of sunny package holiday ) and so some of our decision has been based on that iyswim.

Thank you all for your advice and website info will now go and jumble my nappy brain with more stuff! It is never simple, but jimjams as you pointed out possibly too serious to ingore

Adashaw a great book is this one by randall Neustaedter. it's very sensible and summarises the pros and cons of each vaccination (although some have been added to the schedule since it was published).

Another good book on vaccs is "What your doctor may not tell you about vaccines" by Stephanie Cave, M.D.

Hi have managed to find the time to do a bit more research and I am awaiting the book you suggested jimjams! But thought I would add a link to a very interesting www I have found New Yorkers for Vaccination Information and Choice \link{http://www.goodlight.net/nyvic/default.htm} there is an interesting artical in health & disease called dispellling vaccination myths.

Cheers A

whoops try again this

Message withdrawn

Hi, if you are wavering regarding the safety of vaccinations,see:
site :www.vaccinetruth.org/

this is one of the best sites I have ever seen regarding the dangers/myths of vaccinations.

Also a book by Greg Beattie. Vaccination A parents dillema is an interesting read too.

Remember that the vaccinations thread on MN is mostly inhabited by people who are very anti or suspicious to vaccinations. IMO you rarely get a balanced view because pr-vaccine people rarely contribute.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Adashaw I personally am pro-vaccination as a general rule. If I had a family history of autism, bowel disease etc I would probably seriously consider not immunising. But I do not and so have immunised and would be even more careful to do so if I was likely to be travelling to countries where there was an increased risk.

As for the delayed immunisation. My DD's 3rd DPaP was cancelled 3 times (DS had chicken pox so I couldn't get her to the surgery, DD had bad cold, DD had chicken pox) and so was several weeks late. This was just circumstances in our case but I know a lot of people think it is better to spread the impact on the baby.

Adashaw, I'm not sure you said where you were travelling but...

I lived in parts of Africa for several years and although I am permanently in the UK now, I have chosen to give my kids all the vaccinations as we still go back every now and then - although only to southern parts (and I would be first in the queue for this new meningitis/pneumonia vaccine if it comes out). If you are travelling to any part of Africa I would think long and hard about not getting some of the vaccines done - in many of the countries, some of the diseases that haven't even been seen here for decades are still rife and the risk of catching the diseases is higher than here.

It's an entirely personal decision anyway and wherever you look, you'll find evidence for and against the vaccines.

lockets - no disrespect to you, but I cannot believe you can catch measles from an immunised child (unless she/he had measles when she was being immunised). In fact, I was definitely told you can't.

...what I mean is you can't catch it from the sort of mild measles reaction some children get from the MMR (my dd had this)

I only say that lockets as dd got the measles 'reaction' after the MMR. She is also egg allergic so I was a bit worried. I had a newborn baby at the time and was worried it was contagious. I asked my GP and dd's paediatrician and they both said it wasn't. In fact, it says this on the MMR the facts site as one of the questions (but I know a lot of people don't trust what's on there!)
mmr the facts measles question

Message withdrawn