did you give all immunisations?

[chicca]

Am I alone in having decided not to let DS (7.5 months) have the first round of immunisations?
Did anyone decide to do this and then change their minds later on?

[TracyK]

Jimjams - what are the natural remedies - is that for immunisation or for treating the illness if they catch it??

[bathmummy]

sorry jimjams - just realised how insensitive my post must have sounded.
I disagree that most of the people who choose not to vaccinate have researched it carefully - whilst I am sure many have made a very careful decision based on a lot of time spent researching and/or personal experience, I know several, well, ok, four, families who have chosen not to because of a much more casual approach and certainly not down to educated study. Just to name one, the family next door haven?t - when she told me and I asked her how she came to the decision she said that her sister in law?s mate had a baby who nearly died after a rare reaction to the Hib jab and so she wasn?t going to risk "jabbing" any of her children if that is what happens...
I foudn out during a mums chat at the local pplaygroup that the other three that I know of, all children same age as DD1, have opted out without really knowing anything about it and one said that she couldn?t stand the idea of allowing someone to hurt their child by sticking a needle into them and making them cry. She reckoned that her son can choose when an adult and have it done then, decision was nothing to do with side effects really as they couldn?t tell me anything other than wasnt there a link with autism but that I remember one saying "it only affected boys so wasn?t an issue for her"- two other mums nodded and agreed saying she was lucky....
There is a lot of ignorance out there and it annoys me. For those parents that have made an informed decision, I fully respect their choice.

[bathmummy]

can I just add one last thing to my posts - sorry if i have sidetracked the oiriginal direction of this thread:
I don?t want to argue about whether or not people should vaccinate as I realise it is highly personal and for many with children who they believe have been badly affected as a consequence of vaccinations I realise it is also a very sensitive and possible upsetting topic to discuss.
I have strong personal views on the topic and I apologise for allowing them to slip out a little my earlier posts - it was unnecessary and unkind. Sorry

[HardcoreEnid]

I gave all mine everything.

[Prettybird]

Ds has had everything. Even got his MMR slightly early (at 12 months) as we were off to South Africa and I couldn't be sure he wouldn't be exposed while we were away, as we might have been visiting some isolated areas.

Recently got his pre-school MMR booster.

[RudyDudy]

DS has had everything but had the mercury-free injections as it was pre the 5 in 1. MMR take up rate is so low in my area that they are recommending that the pre-school booster is given 3 months after then initial vaccination.

I fully respect people's right to choose and I think there are individual circumstances where vaccination would not be appropriate but I also think there is an element of social responsibility involved.

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[andif]

Bathmummy, I completely agree with you arguments. My ds1 and ds2 are both completely vaccinated, but ds2 only had his 2nd MMR last week at 5.5yrs! I kept putting it off, even though I believed it was the right thing to do. I breathed a sigh of relief when they both got through with no reactions, and now am pg again, dread going through it all again.
I also know several people who have only not immunised as it almost seems the 'trendy' thing to do - I respect anyone who has totally researched it, but not those who just rely on herd immunity from everyone else!
I use a cranial osteopath with both kids, and I think his treatment after ds2's 2nd MMR helped his system cope with zero reaction.

[Jimjams]

lisalisa- I haven't given homeopathic "vaccination" partly because a lot of homeopaths think they are unecessary. however I do have stocks of all the remedies for the illnesses and also the noseodes (that's the thing that is used for homeopathic "vaccination") in case my children come into contact with it (so for example a lot of homeopaths would give the mumps nosode if a child came into contact with mumps (although again many wouldn't they would say it was better to let the child catch mumps unless they were a teenager or something). I did give the whooping cough nosose (pertussin) when ds2 was in contact with whooping cough repeatedly at 4 months- he didn't get it, but then I was in contact with whooping cough repeatedly as a child (even when I had measles so my defences woulod have been down) and I didn't get it- so I suspect our family isn't particularly susceptible to whooping cough (whereas the children who exposed ds2 to whooping cough were the kids of my friend who exposed me to whooping cough iyswim )

Are there any diseases you worry about in particular? I'm not that worried about much in ds2's case tbh, he's the "right" age to deal with childhood illnesses- I may worry more when he reaches his teens if he hasn't caught them (which is quite likely). I'm relying on the fact I'll be mixing with a lot of homeopaths by then. DS3 is still the age for things like whooping cough etc to be more than thorougly unpleasant (ie dangerous) so I worry more about him.

DS1's diet is simply dreadful btw- ds2's isn't great but I just shove fruit into him which luckily he likes. Also I make sure they have a good multivi/mineral and fish oils daily.

[Jimjams]

sorry TracyK- I missed your post. I was just thinking of people I know who live in Totnes and/or go to Steiner schools. They tend to avoid using allopathic medicine at all- some give homeopathic "vaccinations" but some would just use natural remedies to treat the illness. Steiner schools tend to have a very high % of unimmunised children ime. If you've ever been to Totnes you may know what I mean.

[Jimjams]

I'm going to Totnes on Friday to pick up some multicoloured handmade shoes for ds2. The shop uirther up the road from the one we're going to sells handmade vegan shoes. We may pop into the "ginourmous" (to quote ds2) bookshop fopr alternative healthcare on the way up the hill and may go for some food in the vegetarian cafe/restuarant at the top of the hill. It's just that sort of place. And part of that philosophy is often to not immunise and use alternative rather than orthodox medicine iyswim.

[TracyK]

Thats the type of place I dream about living in - although maybe 'grass is greener' syndrome.
I love the thought of homeopathic remedies etc - but am easily bullied/persuaded into mainstream medicine by others. although gut reaction is to go more 'natural'

[Jimjams]

If you lived in Totnes the "mainstream" would be to go natural iyswim. I love Totnes personally (although its very middle class hippy for want of a better word so pretty expensive).

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[mummytosteven]

jimjams - off the top of your head, can you think of any good web info on MMR and advantages of immunising later than 12 months? have ignored my call up for the week of DS's first bday as feel it is too early.

[TracyK]

sounds ideal

[TracyK]

and jimjams - is there a web site that tells you all about nosode thingies?

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[harrymum]

I personally think that all children should have all jabs

And I think that we may as well go back 50 years if we are going to stop vaccines

I understand that some parents believe that their children have got autism because of jabs. That is therefore their own choice whether they give them to future children.

IMHO children should have all opertunities to have their health protected.

Children in the third world and their parents would love to have the oppertunities to have our medicine in Europe.

I realise that my opinion is not shared by other mumsnetters but I feel I am allowed my opinion for my family

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[Jimjams]

harrymum- no-one would ever suggest that you shoould not choose to do whatever you feel right for your family circumstances.

Tracyk- not that I'm aware of. There are a number of books which give the siggested nosodes and doses. I need to do my website don't I? (I'd put that on it!)

Mummytosteven- there is stuff out there- I'll google later if I get the chance. US websites are the best as they don't count MMR given before 12 months for the purposes of entry to daycare etc- and so some of them suggest the optimal time- and then sya post 15 months.

lisalisa - always a tricky one I agree. I don't know what I would do in those circumstances as it's not a position we're ever going to be in (the idea of putting ds1 on a plane brings me out in hives ). I did know someone who was planning to go to India with her uminnumised children and I know she struggled with the decison (and I don't know what she decided as I moved down to Devon so lost contact). I agree that polio is a concern.

Other natural remedies would be things like essential oils, acupunture etc.

There is a great book written by some anthoposophical doctors about child health care- It's upstairs _ I'll check the title later. They use a strange mix of orthodox and natural medicines.