Children Vaccines and Autism

[SarahFair]

Hey guys its been AWHILE since I posted last. My computer has been RIDDLED with viruse after viruse and I think Ive finally got it all cleaned out.

Anyways my son just turned 3 last week and I guess its time for his yearly appointment.
So Ill admit it.. Im a bad mom. I havent taken him to see the Dr since he was 1. The reason is because last year when I went up there for his 2 year check up they told me while in the waiting room my insurance had run out and they couldnt take me unless I had cash on hand. Well for some reason the paperwork didnt reach the insurance office in time for the cut off. I had a difficult time getting it all straightened out and he was back on in a few months. Well by that time he was healthy and I just didnt think about it.
I just looked up vaccine schedules and it seems like hes missed a lot. Honestly I fear taking him to the Dr in fear they might want to just give him everything in one day!

After reading reports on people who say they can track the time their children developed autism back to vaccines it scares me! My SO has a family member who says she will NOT get her child vaccinated after (x) age (Im not sure but I think it was all her baby ones) because she is so scared. It was years ago when she told me.
Its not only annual shots that scare me but things like the flu shot, etc. If Im not mistaken doesnt the flu virus change every year so they have to change the shot every year? How do they know this is going to be safe in the long run!?!


Are there some shots that are ABSOLUTELY necessary and some that arent?
Does anyone have or know of a family with a child that developed autism by what is thought to be vaccines?

 

[danielle82]

Ive heard that immunizations are linked to autism as well, however, I was told by my family doctor, that autism is more easily detected these days, and many kids are diagnosed with it, who would have been labeled as a "difficult" kid years and years ago, she believes that autism cases are not on the rise, just more are being diagnosed, and that they are linking the rise in autism to vaccines because there are many "new" vaccines that they didn't have when there were not very many cases of autism. I do have a friend whose 5 year old is diagnosed mildly autistic (not aspergers, but autisitic) and If I didn't know, I would just think hes a wild little boy, he does have trouble following direction at times, and sometimes he does repeat what people say to him, but if someone didn't know he was austisitc they'd just think he was sassy, so that kinda supports what she was saying.
anyways, I'm not a big fan of extra vaccines, I say no to flu shots for my kids, but I did get the chicken pox vaccine because they said they couldn't go to school without it (I found out later that they can go to school if theyve actually had chicken pox, I just shoulda searched for a kid with chicken pox and exposed them), however they do have all their vaccines, some of those diseases are very avoidable with vaccination...polio, pertussis etc and all they need is a shot to keep it away...so I do want children vaccinated against the standard stuff

 

[mom'sfolly]

I don't believe there is a link between autism and vaccines. I do believe there is a link between the age most vaccine are given and the age autism is detected. The doctor who pioneered the idea of vaccines causing autism has lost his license to practice medicine in his native country due to falsifying data. The rate of MMR vaccination (the one "linked" to autism) in this country has been fairly steady over the last 40-50 years, but the rate of autism has skyrocketed. If vaccines cause autism; the rates should parallel one another. Do the research yourself, and look at real data, not information from folks with a particular world view.

I know that Wikipedia is not the worlds best source, but it does give a decent overview, and plenty of links and additional avenues to research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine_controversy

 

[pips&peeps]

I was under the impression that no medical provider could legally "deny childhood vaccines due to inability to pay". (or lack of insurance)

 

[ultasol]

People can give all the anecdotal evidence they want, but when researchers have gone back through the records of children who received vaccination there has been no link between vaccination and autism. Other studies where children were monitored before/after vaccination have not found a link between autism and vaccination.
Now, there are several recent problems that have been linked to NOT getting vaccinations. There was a whooping cough outbreak in CA, there was an outbreak of measles in the midwest, and a couple other diseases that were believed to be absent due to community immunity have popped back up in children because parents didn't vaccinate. The chance of your child dying or becoming severely ill from a disease that could have been prevented is a real threat.

 

[Amyable]

Sarah, you can decide what vaccine schedule you want your kids to be on. They don't have to get 4 shots in one day if you don't want them to (I would strongly advise against it.) Do a search for alternative vaccine schedules; most docs will go along with you.

I am also very leery of vaccines. Most, if not all, states have exemptions available. There are 3: medical, religious, and philosophical. WI allows vaccine opt-out for all 3 reasons, some states allow one or two; see what your state allows. No one can force you to inject your kids with any substance.

ETA: You are NOT a bad mom for not taking your kids to check-ups! My 4-yr-old hasn't been to a doc since he was 2 months; my newborn has never been at all. Why take healthy children to a place full of sick kiddos? You know your kids better than anyone - if something is amiss, you'll know. I guess I just don't need to pay $150 for someone to look at my kids for 10 minutes and give the stamp of approval, when I know they're healthy and thriving.

 

[Livinzoo]

I don't quite believe that vaccines= Autism, but I do believe that vaccinating is more of a risk than the disease. This is my personal feelings and I don't think others are bad for choosing to vaccinate. This is a decision I have made over many years of research for my children. I started out feeling that maybe I would just delay vaccination, then after more research I decided I would also selectively vax, and then after more research I decided I would not vax altogether.

I would recommend everyone do their own research. Here is a good place to start: http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1270902/feel-like-i-don-t-have-a-valid-reason-but-still-don-t-want-to#post_15943423

If you think about it, vaccine immunity lasts about 10 years and natural immunity lasts longer. So when was the last time you had a vaccine?

Oh and in GA there are only 2 exemptions: medical or religious. Using the religious one is what we are going to do, they have no right to ask you further questions about your religion or views. All you say is that you are religiously opposed.

 

[Southernbelle]

As far as I know there hasn't been a proven link to vaccines and autism, but it was thought to be thimerisol (which is a preservative) in the vaccines that caused autism. They removed thimerisol from all children's vaccines in 1999, although it is still in some flu shots (I think.) Even with the removal of thimerisol so long ago, the rate of autism diagnosis hasn't changed.

There's some theories that Autism is linked to a Vitamin D deficiency during gestation and infancy. You'll have to google it for more info because I'm no expert.

Just ask your doctor which vaccines your child missed and discuss a schedule to get them done. I doubt he'd suggest getting them done all in one day. You can confirm with him that the vaccines are thimerisol free.

 

[Mattemma]

When I researched vaccines I started with the full inserts for each vaccine,and the local disease stats from the health department. The insert will list the acknowledged POSSIBLE side effects that can occur from vaccination. Have you looked at that list? It can be scary,but learning about possible side effects is a good thing.If you are going to do the vaccine you should know what can happen.You should be prepared for denial.It is comical how obvious a vaccine injury can be,and yet doctors will deny,deny,deny. I wish a doctor would just say," Yes,this is a possible adverse event,and here is what we can do to treat it." Denial will not help a child recover.

If you look through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program(NVICP) it will list what vaccines are covered,and what injuries are covered. If you can prove vaccine injury/death you might get compensated,but it takes years.Most often parents do not get past the initial stage of filing.Claims are denied more often than not.

I would recommend you keep detailed medical records.Get the vaccine lot numbers.Can't file anything without those. I have only read of one autism case being covered by the compensation program.Most cases are denied. With the rate of autism cases there are now I think the NVICP would be emptied$$$$$ if there was an admitted link.

Some parents wait until the child is older.Say just before 5 and entering K. Usually autism cases are dxed at a younger age.I think waiting is good to see development and so your child can let you know what is going on after a vaccination.

If I vaccinated I would do one vaccine at a time. It is getting harder to get monovalent vaccines,but I would pay extra for them.When you do combo vaccines and a side effect occurs you have a hard time figuring out what the cause was.

Yes,the flu virus covered in a vaccine is changed,but the basic ingredients are the same.Each lot is slightly different though,so you want the lot number in case the lot was bad(or a hot lot).Get the inserts to the vaccine before you get the vaccine.

I have only ever considered the tetanus and diptheria vaccines. It is such an individual thing for each parent.Also I have read that you should still be aware of the diseases even if you vaccinate.The vaccine inserts clearly state that not all vaccine recipients will develop immunity.So know the signs of the disease just in case.

Best wishes whatever you decide to do.

 

[ultasol]

The issue is as more people choose not to vaccinate, we lose community immunity. This is a problem that gives epidemiologists nightmares. As more and more kids are potential victims/carriers as they don't have immunity against these diseases, we will start to see diseases that haven't been seen in years in the US pop up. When almost all kids are vaccinated, it protects the community as a whole as they can't act as vectors of the disease.