The Choice Not to Vaccinate

[CraftyMom]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/06/anti-vaccine-movement-is-giving-diseases-a-2nd-life/7007955/

I know there is a lot of controversy on this topic and I'm not trying to start a debate

Just wanted to share a couple of stories from families who had life altering experiences due others' choices not to vaccinate. Parents choose not to vaccinate because they want "the best for their child". Not realizing that choice can affect the lives of another family.

I know the Riffenburg family in this story. Their healthy newborn baby boy died after contracting whooping cough, he hadn't yet been vaccinated because he was too young. His doctors thought he just had a cold. It progressed rapidly and two weeks later he died.

[LysesKids]

Well as a parent who almost lost 2 of her 3 kids after the first round of DPT ( both had seizures and went into coma), I will tell you sometimes medical exemptions trump what others think of non Vaxing families. Some of us had no option...

[Unregistered]

Well as a parent who almost lost 2 of her 3 kids after the first round of DPT ( both had seizures and went into coma), I will tell you sometimes medical exemptions trump what others think of non Vaxing families. Some of us had no option...

I consider your kids in the same category as those who are too young to get the vaccines. Your family is dependent on the herd immunity to keep your kids safe. If I were in your shoes I'd be so super pissed off at families whose kids can and should get their shots, but don't just because they believe in some junk science.

[Scribbles]

Interesting article that is sort of related

Three-quarters of American parents would consider removing their children from day care if other kids did not have all the recommended vaccinations, and many say that under-vaccinated children shouldn't be allowed to attend day care.

Those are among the findings from a national survey of parents of children up to 5 years old. The parents were asked how they would respond if 25 percent of children in their day care center were not up to date on vaccines, which mirrors the actual situation in the United States.

Seventy-four percent of parents said they would think about removing their children from the day care center. And 52 percent "strongly agreed" and 22 percent "agreed" that day care providers should review children's immunization status every year to ensure they have received all the recommended vaccinations.

Forty-one percent of parents said under-vaccinated children should not be allowed to attend day care, 28 percent supported a grace period to get those children vaccinated, and 21 percent would insist that parents of those children get a waiver from the child's doctor.

Only 10 percent of parents believed a child should be allowed to attend day care if he or she was not up-to-date on vaccines, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

Two-thirds of parents said they should be told the number of children in their day care center who are not up-to-date on vaccines, but only 25 percent said they should be given those children's names.

While all states require vaccines for children who attend day care, some don't require those children to have every vaccine recommended between birth to 5 years of age.

"Results of this poll indicate that most parents want strong policies around making sure children in day care are up-to-date on vaccines," Sarah Clark, associate director of the poll and associate research scientist in the university's pediatrics department, said in a university news release.

"Checking vaccination records every year is beyond the scope of many state requirements, and may represent a significant change in practice at many day cares," she said.

Clark added that "the bottom line is this poll shows that parents of young children have real concerns about whether vaccination standards are upheld in the day care setting. Parents should feel empowered to ask about day care vaccination policies, such as how the day care handles the situation of children who are not up-to-date, and whether they check children's vaccination status every year."

http://www.kttc.com/story/27415166/parents-want-children-in-day-care-to-be-vaccinated-poll

[Unregistered]

We have had to keep track of all immunizations for probably 30 years.
Regulations sure must vary a lot.

[BrooklynM]

I do feel like doctors should be more careful about not over vaccinating though. My son (who is 12) ended up getting 2 of the same flu shots this year. I had explained to them that he already had a flu shot, then they said, no that was for last season's virus, so I said ok and then later when we went in for something different, the nurse looked at the records and told me- oh, they gave him the same vaccine twice. The doctor was made aware and he apologized, but...1 month later, I brought my daughter into the same doctor and they almost did the same thing until I stopped them and said- no, she already had that shot.We changed doctors!

This is just a side rant, sorry. LOL

[Thriftylady]

I gave my kids all vaccinations accept the new gardasil. I just accepted that science knows what is best and such. Until three years ago when I got a flu shot and got very ill. They couldn't really explain my reaction, only would say "you had some kind of reaction to it and can never have another flu vaccine". If I had to vaccinate my children now after living through that, I am not sure that I would. None of us have had a flu shot since then that is for sure. I just sit on a fence about this now.

[craftymissbeth]

We have had to keep track of all immunizations for probably 30 years.
Regulations sure must vary a lot.

You have to hold onto all of your dck's immunizations for 30 years?

[BrooklynM]

I gave my kids all vaccinations accept the new gardasil. I just accepted that science knows what is best and such. Until three years ago when I got a flu shot and got very ill. They couldn't really explain my reaction, only would say "you had some kind of reaction to it and can never have another flu vaccine". If I had to vaccinate my children now after living through that, I am not sure that I would. None of us have had a flu shot since then that is for sure. I just sit on a fence about this now.

Out of curiosity, why not the gardasil vaccine?

[Unregistered]

You have to hold onto all of your dck's immunizations for 30 years?

No, we have been required to record all immunizations for all children in care for that long, not keep children's records for that long.

[CraftyMom]

Out of curiosity, why not the gardasil vaccine?

There are many videos and articles online. Here are a couple.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2014/04/merck-dr-exposes-gardasil-scandal-ineffective-deadly-profitable/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2z6RK2uTWc

[Angelsj]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...-life/7007955/

I know there is a lot of controversy on this topic and I'm not trying to start a debate

Just wanted to share a couple of stories from families who had life altering experiences due others' choices not to vaccinate. Parents choose not to vaccinate because they want "the best for their child". Not realizing that choice can affect the lives of another family.

I know the Riffenburg family in this story. Their healthy newborn baby boy died after contracting whooping cough, he hadn't yet been vaccinated because he was too young. His doctors thought he just had a cold. It progressed rapidly and two weeks later he died.

The pertussis vaccine is minimally effective. The baby's death is a tragedy, but it is not the "fault" of those who choose not to vaccinate their children. Pertussis can be spread even by fully vaccinated children.

[DaveA]

I've never had the situation come up yet in my program.

I'm not commenting on the personal decision of vaccinating/ not vaccinating. That is for each family to make on their own.

As a provider, I look at it this way: Every family can decide not to vaccinate. I can decide not to provide care for a family based on their decisions that could affect myself and others. I don't think less of people who don't vaccinate, but I don't think I would provide care for the family .

[LysesKids]

I've never had the situation come up yet in my program.

I'm not commenting on the personal decision of vaccinating/ not vaccinating. That is for each family to make on their own.

As a provider, I look at it this way: Every family can decide not to vaccinate. I can decide not to provide care for a family based on their decisions that could affect myself and others. I don't think less of people who don't vaccinate, but I don't think I would provide care for the family .

I am an infant only provider and I accept all families as long as they follow state law; that includes non vax waivers... all families here are aware coming in that at any time there could be a non vaxer in here, but most are doing alternative schedules anyway - nobody knows who is who, but because my own kids were under medical exemption, I sort of understand (my kids are now all adults); And No, my daughters did not get the Gardasil - there was a big push when it first came out and after doing research we agreed together it was NO (my youngest dd was a young teen at the time).

[craftymissbeth]

I've never had the situation come up yet in my program.

I'm not commenting on the personal decision of vaccinating/ not vaccinating. That is for each family to make on their own.

As a provider, I look at it this way: Every family can decide not to vaccinate. I can decide not to provide care for a family based on their decisions that could affect myself and others. I don't think less of people who don't vaccinate, but I don't think I would provide care for the family .

My concern business-wise is where have they drawn the line as far as discrimination goes in this situation? In Kansas, the only exemptions are religious or medical. If I deny a family care based on not vaccinating then is it religious or medical discrimination?