Unvaccinated Child - wwyd?

[Lucy]

I would definitely say that you need to inform all the other parents that there will be an unvaccinated child in your care. Also, I think this new child would have to be absent for an appropriate amount of time if she comes down with something.

[MaritimeMummy]

This is a choice you have to make based on your comfort level, and not let your personal feelings of the family get in the way.

Both my kids are fully vaccinated and all my other dck's are vaccinated, so with herd immunity I would do it. However, me personally, with a 2-month-old, I would be more cautious. No, this child is not ridden with diseases and germs but it only takes one time, right?

I think of it like this: if you are not vaccinating your child, that is your choice that you want to take a chance at exposure to those illnesses. If you have a 2-month-old that you plan to fully vaccinate, you are choosing not to expose your child, but you just can't do it yet. I (personally) would not put my newborn in that position.

Along those same lines, if I had 1 child in my daycare that was not vaxxed, I likely would not take another, to increase the safety of the 1 non-vaxxed child in my care.

[daycarediva]

I am not allowed to take an unvaxed child unless it is for religious or medical reasons (and then I need a special form signed by a religious official or MD only). Just 'opting out' is not an 'option' here.

[Kaddidle Care]

I have had several kids who were unvaccinated over the years. Only once did it backfire on me. It wasn't a huge deal for me in the end. (the family got whooping cough) it was a bigger problem for the family than for me.

They did ask me to take the seven year old when she got too sick to go to school. :: Bahaha! "WHy, yes, I can't imagine why the school would exclude her for whooping cough". (actually I told them to keep everybody home and watch for symptoms in the little one....which she got)

They paid me for the time they were all off work, and none of the other kids got whooping cough.

This is the only one I'd be really concerned with as it's making a come back and it's pretty wretched with the littlest ones. We adults are also susceptible to it as they are now recommending re-vaccinating at this point.

We did get a notice from School this past year that a child had it and to watch for symptoms.
Here is a short video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GKiBYuzpL0

I would just follow the letter of the law as far as waivers and paperwork if you take the child.

[JustAMom]

I would definitely say that you need to inform all the other parents that there will be an unvaccinated child in your care. Also, I think this new child would have to be absent for an appropriate amount of time if she comes down with something.

I agree with notifying the other parents. Personally, if I were the parent of the 2-month-old, it would make me think about moving my child to a different daycare if the unvaccinated child were accepted. Sure, it may not have any affect on the older children who have received their vaccinations, but as you said, the 2-month-old is not fully vaccinated yet. In addition to pertussis, there have been measles outbreaks in some states over the past couple of years.

[Meyou]

There are vaccine resistant strains of these diseases developing. Here are a few articles about the US whooping cough epidemic and an epidemic in Australia where they have started pulling the whooping cough vaccine because it doesn't work anymore.

Some info about the current whooping cough outbreak and vaccinations.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/03/us-whoopingcough-idUSBRE8320TM20120403

Witt had expected to see the illnesses center around unvaccinated kids, knowing they are more vulnerable to the disease.

"We started dissecting the data. What was very surprising was the majority of cases were in fully vaccinated children. That's what started catching our attention," said Witt.

To figure out just how well the vaccine was working, Witt and his colleagues collected information on every patient who had tested positive for pertussis between March and October, 2010.

Of the 132 patients under age 18, 81 percent were up to date on recommended whooping cough shots and eight percent had never been vaccinated. The other 11 percent had received at least one shot, but not the complete series.

http://online.wsj.com/article/APae1ad7cd922e440eb33dc460e3abe635.html

Some parents in California and other states have rebelled against vaccinations and gotten their children exempted from rules that require them to get their shots to enroll in school. Washington state has one of the highest exemption rates in the nation. But the CDC said that does not appear to be a major factor in the outbreak, since most of the youngsters who got sick had been vaccinated.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/states-ending-free-parent-whooping-vaccine/story-e6frfku0-1226350174856

http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/whooping-cough-beats-vaccine-20120320-1vibp.html

[Blackcat31]

I agree with notifying the other parents. Personally, if I were the parent of the 2-month-old, it would make me think about moving my child to a different daycare if the unvaccinated child were accepted. Sure, it may not have any affect on the older children who have received their vaccinations, but as you said, the 2-month-old is not fully vaccinated yet. In addition to pertussis, there have been measles outbreaks in some states over the past couple of years.

The 2 month old can pick up a virus that is shed from a child who recently received their vaccinations just as easily as getting something from a non-vaccinated child. If I remember correctly, the ones getting the vaccinations are more likely to "spread" the illness/disease.

A 2 month old is vulerable regardless.

I also think that there are laws in each state about whether or not parents need to be informed or a non-vaccinated child in attendance.

Check your specific area's laws before announcing to other parents and causing unnecessary panic.

After all, how many of your children's schools send you notices that unvaccinated children are in attendance?

[MaritimeMummy]

After all, how many of your children's schools send you notices that unvaccinated children are in attendance?

You're right, they *rarely* send notices. Because in my province, your child can not attend public school if they are not vaccinated. Oh, sure, that there are religious exemptions, but here it happens so rarely that a child would attend that isn't vaccinated due to religious exemption that the school would send out a notice. It's never come up. But I promise you, the school would do it.

[Blackcat31]

You're right, they *rarely* send notices. Because in my province, your child can not attend public school if they are not vaccinated. Oh, sure, that there are religious exemptions, but here it happens so rarely that a child would attend that isn't vaccinated due to religious exemption that the school would send out a notice. It's never come up. But I promise you, the school would do it.

Maybe in your school but NOT here.

Here we have a choice that says "conscientiously opposed" as an option along with medical and/or religious reasons for not vaccinating your child.

Not vaccinating your kids has become an epidemic itself here and is actually pretty common in my area.

NONE of that info is sent home in mass mailings or school announcements here.

[jojosmommy]

Maybe in your school but NOT here.

Here we have a choice that says "conscientiously opposed" as an option along with medical and/or religious reasons for not vaccinating your child.

Not vaccinating your kids has become an epidemic itself here and is actually pretty common in my area.

NONE of that info is sent home in mass mailings or school announcements here.

True except that our district lets you know HOW MANY are not vacc and enrolled. Just another reason to get vacc in my opinion. Protect yourself.

[Blackcat31]

True except that our district lets you know HOW MANY are not vacc and enrolled. Just another reason to get vacc in my opinion. Protect yourself.

Weird how districts in the same state vary as I have never recieved that info. I am sure it is out there somewhere but I have never seen it in all my years of being a parent if a school age child.

I agree about getting your kids immunized though.....I am definitely pro-vax.

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

My nephew is not vaccinated. His parents were pro-vax like the majority of people, but then they began doing some research and what they found surprised them and they have made the decision not to vaccinate right now. They may when he is older, but right now babies his age are so vulnerable to what is PUT in the Vaccines now days that they decided it is best not to. The OP doesn't need to be concerned. The majority of outbreaks have been found to come from children who just received their vaccines rather than those who were not vaccinated. It's terrible what all is put into vaccines now. Including mercury... Some vaccines have caused babies to have seizures, some have actually killed the baby... and I have friends whose babies have disorders and the doctor for one of those children even admitted that it was most likely from the vaccines (he told which one, but I can't remember which). But all this is off topic from what the OP asked. Sorry... I think your concern is for the 2 month old, but I wouldn't worry about it too much (after what I've learned about vaccines). I believe their biggest risk of getting something comes from a child who is recently vaccinated, rather than from one who is not. You were also concerned for the unvaccinated child becoming sick with something. As long as your policies say parents have to pay even if the child is home sick, you shouldn't have to worry about it too much. besides that, I believe the child is most likely to get sick if he is vaccinated, according to the research my brother-in-law and sister have done. So I think all your bases are covered and it should be fine to take this new little one on. I wouldn't even think you would need to let the vaccinated children's parents know that one is not. If they are vaccinated, even if this non-vaxed one did get something, their children are "protected" against it.

[Willow]

Weird how districts in the same state vary as I have never recieved that info. I am sure it is out there somewhere but I have never seen it in all my years of being a parent if a school age child.

I've never seen anything like that either....not sure why it's relevant information anyway. What is to be gained by collecting and posting such data, other than to fuel the anti-vax hype that is running rampant in parts of the state? Monkey see monkey do? If others are doing is so should I?

The town I live in now is the most anti-med I've ever seen to boot. So many parents swear by essential oils and many refuse to bring their kids into the doctor unless/until they're on their death beds. I'm not exaggerating



I accepted a sibling pair who are completely non-vaxed. On MN Health Deptartments Immunization Record form they simply chose option D - "I understand that not following vaccination recommendations may endanger the health or life of my child and others that my child might come in contact with. I hereby certify by notarization that (check one):
I am opposed to all immunizations
I am opposed to only the vaccines indicated. Vaccines I oppose:
_____________________________________

Signed/dated
Notary public signed/dated and stamped."

That's all any kiddo needs to be in compliance in a licensed daycare or public school in MN. That is state wide as far as I know, since it's run by MDH. If it wasn't an option everywhere then why would it be offered?



I will say the pair are hands down some of THE SICKEST kids I've EVER had or even met. They were born healthy and by all accounts should in theory (according to mom) be the healthiest kids in town. Reality though is the one has had a green snotty nose non-stop since he started in February and the other one coughs and hacks her way through every naptime. They've missed multiple days for having ridiculous fevers, flus and various other things that drag them down so hard and fast they don't even want to get out of bed.

I cannot help but assume there is a connection.

[Country Kids]

There have been rampid cases of whooping cough in our state and Washington. They constently have it on the news and it scares me because of how sick these kids have been this year and me also.

[Willow]

It's terrible what all is put into vaccines now. Including mercury...

This is super outdated information, and it feels unnecessary paranoia.

Thimerosal *was* a preservative used in vaccine serums and yes, it did contain mercury - however - it was used since the 1930's and was certainly nothing new.

That said due to the hype of the autism paranoia it's no longer produced or used in any of the traditional childhood vaccinations.

Repeat - thimerosal is no longer used as a preservative in childhood vaccines.

Some vaccines have caused babies to have seizures, some have actually killed the baby... and I have friends whose babies have disorders and the doctor for one of those children even admitted that it was most likely from the vaccines (he told which one, but I can't remember which).

There is risk in introducing especially live attenuated vaccines, it's plainly stated and parents have to sign off acknowledging those risks. That said, what do you think contracting the actual virus/disease itself will do if a child?

Mortality rates are infinitely higher in comparison to mere reactions from vaccine exposure.