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?

[lilsmum]

my dd had everything, i was really worried when the time came for her mmr but she was absolutely fine, no temp or rash or anything

[Nemo1977]

Ds has had all his immunisations to date...with mmr i was really worried but decided would be worse if he picked up any of the illnesses he was ok after. He did have tonsilitis 2 weeks later but it was unrelated

[harrymum]

yes sorry but that is what I believe

Unless children are immune suppressed ie with cancer beforehand

If they are fit and healthy then it is my belief that they should be immunised.

I do realise about autism and the links etc. I do know how hard it is for families but not as much as if their child dies

I would much rather have a living child with autism than be arranging the funeral of a DD/DS who has died.

[Jimjams]

harrymum I suspect you know absolutely nothing about severe autism. Yes of course anyone would rather have a living child (even one that smears poo on the wall and who ensures that as a family you are never able to go anywhere) than a dead one. Most of us would prefer a healthy child wqho grows up to live independently thanone who never lkearns to speak and will require lifelong care. And that's not for me, that;s for him. Autism does not make my son happy.

[Jimjams]

In factg reading your message agaqin I have know that you have absolutely no idea how difficult it is l=to live with severe autism (and HFA come to that) so don't know why I bothered replying

[mummytosteven]

harrymum - I believe that immunisation is important for the reasons of immuno-suppressed children etc. noone is arguing that MMR is a threat to the vast majority of children. However more effort should be made by the govt to identify that tiny minority who ARE at risk from it, and to support those who are disabled after vaccination (and of course for any other reason).

[Cam]

harrymum, not even current medical advice is that all children should have all jabs. There are contra-indications for some children with certain family histories, even if those children are well and healthy in themselves. This fact alone proves that jabs are not safe for all children.

[harrymum]

Jimjams I have read your posts for many months and so the amount I know about autism is in reality from here OK my DS does not have autism so the knowledge I have is 2nd hand.

But I still believe that the finality of watching friends losing their child is worst

Today is my debut of typing rather then lurking perhaps I should go back to lurking as I realise I cannot agree with the opinions here and that mine doesn't really count

Sorry for butting in

[harrymum]

I am really sorry for interupting the thread with my comments and viewpoint

I realise that I am in minority

But I know what I believe and why

You know what you believe and why

So will leave you to it

BTW I think they should also have jabs for foreign Travel if anyone is interested in my opinion which I doubt anyway

Sorry again

[Cam]

You're not butting in harrymum, what did your friend's child die from?

[HappyMumof2]

Message withdrawn

[Jimjams]

Harrymum- of course you are welcome to doo what you want with your children. No-oine doubts that.

I have also watched a friend's child die- well no - he dies after a short illness and the pain she has gone through is awful; Funnily enough we've spoken a lot- partly because losing a child to autism is actually similar (although I agree nowhere near as bad) as losing a child. And the situations I find painful are the same as the ones she finds painful - we've spoken a lot about it.

The thnig is it isn't as black and white as if you don't immunise your child will die. Say for example hib- ds3 is in the age risk group for him. Before hib vax was introduced about 56 children a year died from hib- truly horrible for the parents, but as ds2 and ds3 are no more at risk from hib than any other child the chances of them getting it are somewhere in the millions to 1. However as they have a sibling with ASD their chances of getting autism are hugely higher than Joe Publics (about 75 times higher IIRC). Given that they have a family history choc a block with autoimmune conditions their risk from vaccinations is probably- and thimerosal almost defintely - far far far higher than Joe publics. So their risk of dying from not vaccinating is very small whilst thier risk of becoming autistic from the jabs may be very high indeed. Whilst becoming severely autistic doesn't kill you it does destroy any chance of something remotely approaching what could be called a life for that child. It really does. I joke on here about washing machines and hoovers but my son spends a lot of time pretty unhappy and there are very few circumstances where I would say he feels fully relaxed. We really can't go anywhere with him at the moment because of that (no park, no beach, not to most friends houses- we can go to my mum and dad;'s but we can't stay overnight).

BTW disagreeing with me is absolutely no reason to stop posting-plenty of people disagree with me on here about all sorts of things. Although mumnet does havea surprisingly high % of non-vaccinating mums on it- 99% of mumsnetters have vaccinated- we are very much in the monority.

[coppertop]

I think with immunisations you can only make decisions wrt your own family. Ds1 didn't fit the usual profile of children who should avoid immunisations. We had a family history of asthma but at the time that was about all. It turned out though that his risk of dying from the DTP was far higher than his risk of getting whooping cough.

[Jimjams]

I think coppertop is right- really every decision needs to be made on an individual basis - not at a population level. I wish they would do that oficially actually - if all available evidence had been taken into account and that had been done then ds1 would probably have recieved all jabs (except maybe petrussis) but spaced out and minus thimerosal. Might have led for a different life story for ds1. Might not have.

[Gwenick]

having been born there so having natural immunity



I'm not sure I believe that one - Malaria is a killer disease and I know of many born and bred in Malaria stricken areas who have died from the diesease (as well as a fellow gap student who came close to death with it).

[Gwenick]

BTW disagreeing with me is absolutely no reason to stop posting-plenty of people disagree with me on here about all sorts of things



I agree with that Jimjams and I disagree on lots but we tolerate each other ( I think )

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[Gwenick]

I'd be doubtful too - having lived in a 3rd world country for some time I'm not entirely convinced about 'natural immunity' for those born and living there - just doesn't add up in my mind.

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

[Jimjams]

You do build up a natural resistance to local bugs- providing they don't kill you first! The illest I've been in recent years was the year I spent in Japan. I got virus after virus- just because they were all new. You will pass on passive immunity to your child- but it doesn't last long- they have to start making thier own.


Gwenik- I'd agree with that

[Prettybird]

If your FIL has "natural immunity" it is becasue he caught the disease(s) when he was young - or maybe has a sub-clincial (is that the term) form of it/then.

I agree about malaria - while many "locals" may have a dagree of resistance to some of the forms of malaria - though having had it - there are many different forms, some more dangerous than others and I don't think it is worth the rsik not to take prophylactics (or avoid going to a malarial area).

My great grandfather died of "Blackwater fever" - a form of malaria - and that was having lived all his life in the area he caught it.

[Sarahx2005]

I believe that we should vaccinate our children, but will probably go for the single jabs instead of MMR, its only for the fact that the majority of children are still vaccinated that our children are protected, as it stems the spread of these illnesses.
My first three children had the MMR and were fine, but we sadly lost our four year old son in June 2002 after an 18 months battle with a brain tumour.
We are over cautious because of this, but still intend to get our baby girl (11 months) vaccinated.
We were very specific when she had her first set of jabs and wouldn't let her have the mercury based ones and my HV was fine about it. It meant taking her every 2 weeks and having several more jabs but we felt it was worth it, and wouldn't you know it just as she was finishing the course they banned the ones we didn't want her to have and brought out a new one!
Sarah xx

[bobbybob]

I gave the whole course of DTap, but ds still hasn't had MMR and he was 2 last week.

I have had a call from paediatric outpatients trying to book it up (want to do it in hospital if at all because of allergies), but have realised that what I actually want is for him to react to the pre injection skin test, and therefore be refused the MMR.

Then I have done all I can, but he doesn't have to have it IYSWIM.

I'm still breastfeeding him while I make up my mind - not that I am sure it does any good in this case - but it makes me feel better.

[Sarahx2005]

Hi Bobbymum,
I really sympathise with you through all of this, are single vaccinations not an option in your area? The only jab I really want my daughter to have is Measles, I didn't have the Rubella jab until I was 14!!
Regarding your breastfeeding I breastfed all my four children, my daughter (now 11 months) fed for the longest, she weaned herself off at 8 months. All of my children weaned themselves off which was great, as I felt it was the right thing for them and not for me.
I have heard evidence that there is no point breastfeeding after 9 months as there is no benefit, and actually it can have the opposite effect as it's far too high in fat for them. They did some tests on older men who had been breastfed for a long time, and they had more health issues than those who were fed less than 9 months.
The trouble is they change their minds all the time!
Breast is definately best in the beginning, but I think you have really done your bit now. Well done!!
Sarah xx

[MOMMALIS]

DD has had all of hers so has ds until after recieving his first MMR (dont wish to start a debate) but he is now autistic and will not be having any mmr boosters or vaccinations of any kind.