Vaccinations are due......

I wanted all the standard ones done but I was unhappy about giving a new vaccine (for us it was menzb) because it was so new and I didn't want to give lots at the same time incase there was a bad reaction to any of them. We did have a bad reaction to one so I'm thankful I made that choice, we delayed menzb (and I realise it's not really available now, there's that other one) and he reacted really badly to that too, so much so I refused to finish the course of it.

I'm with Flissty. In the beginning I immunised Maya coz it was the done thing, but I've since attended a seminar on immunisation in NZ and it only convinced me more. I did delay the gremlins MenzB so they didn't have to have so many needles tho.

Maya and Mercedes both had allergic reactions to some of their imms (Maya had to have adrenaline after she swelled up like a balloon after her 15 mth MMR vaccine and Mercedes came out in a top to toe rash after her 2nd MenzB) and as a result Maya had to have her 4 year MMR done under supervision at Starship.

Lil miss has just had her 12 week ones this week (delayed coz she has been sick) and she has been a lot more grouchy and grotty than I remember any of the others being.

Flissty wrote: I did because I wanted Daniel to have good immunity. I know there is an argument that some of the diseases aren't around much so kids don't need to be immunised against them, but one reason they died out is that most of the population was immunised.

This pretty much sums up how I feel about it too.

The big thing for us was being able to hear/read all the points of view (and as far as reading goes, checking whether they were written in the 80's or actually were current) and then asking a list of questions to our GP. If you are unsure about vaccinations at the moment, it is okay to procrastinate and go on board later - we started vaccinations for Hannah when she was 10mos.

anakk wrote: ...... for example, women who get rubella when they're pregnant are more likely to give birth to autistic children (surely there must be some link between rubella and autism?).

I haven't heard of that so that is very interesting.    I have a few months to think about it and research it more.

You are right though - you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. You just have to do what you think is right and hope it's the right decision.

The only one I wasn't sure about was Prevenar (the one that's replaced MenzB) because I thought it was new and after the menzb scandel didn't want to risk something that might not even work -- but talked about it with doc and nurse who both told me that it's been around for ages used in heaps of other countries with no big issues, it's just that the govt here has only just decided to endorse it... if that helps!

I have a 5 year old that is autistic after receiving the 15 month jabs and lot long after we noticed a diffference in his behaviour we took him to our GP and he put it down that he is seeking our attention and to ignore it plus he was still not saying any words. By the time he was 22 months our paediatrician referred us to someone else and diagnosed him with autism. It is catch 22 as we don't know what causes it but all I can relate back to is the 15 month jabs. Our daughter is 2 months and we are in two minds about it and she won't be getting any vaccines until we are 100% sure.

I Am with Flissty on this.
I never even considered not having Caden immunised. Its for his protection against some of the most horrible illnesses out there.

This is a topic that is very much on my radar at the moment and we are not having DS2 vaccinated against MMR in 2 months time when he is due and I wish he wasn't vaccinated with the others he's already had. He never had the MenzB because we never could decide and by the time we had decided it was no longer an option....but we'd already decided against it anyway. His were delayed anyway due to illness so he was always "behind" in the schedule, just wish I had started looking into this sooner.

If I knew half the stuff I know now, DS1 probably wouldn't have had half the vaccinations that he had. He is fully up-to-date. I personally find it appalling that as a parent my choices are essentially to vaccinate against MMR or not vaccinate as you can't get single jabs here to answer your question Star. We are both quite "happy" to vaccinate him against mumps, but not measles or rubella. If it didn't cost so much in flights, we might have considered taking DS2 back to the UK to get the single mumps jab.

For me, it's much less about the ineffectiveness of many of the vaccines and more to do with what actually goes into making them! I am really not looking forward to explaining to my Plunket nurse why Alex is not having his MMR. I don't want to be scared, or bullied into doing something just because it's the "done" thing, I want to know that it is the right thing for me and my family and for us that may be only partially vaxxing or not vaxxing at all (not an option currently, but any future children would not be getting vaxxed at such an early age, if at all).

There are quite a few good books to read on the subject, I've found all mine at the local library and as with most topics, you can always find "proof" to support your position so you have to do the research and then decide for yourself which is the more plausible. The more I read, the more questions I have, and until I get satisfactory answers Alex won't be getting anymore jabs.

cuppa,

Cheers for that! Might have to look into it.

My plunket nurse isn't very helpful, or supportive, to start with so I get the feeling she might balk at the whole not getting his MMR done...but I suppose she could surprise me yet. LOL Might do what I normally do, just smile and nod politely when she says something I don't agree with and then "escape as fast as I can.