Shots

alison, spread them out and don't accept more than one shot a day, then wait at least 2 weeks for the next shot. as for MMR, don't do it before the age of 2.
i totally understand the medical experts saying no link found between autism and shots. ok for now. what about 10 years from now? can they guarantee it?
i asked my kids' ped. to sign a doc. saying he guarantees us the shots won't harm my kids in any way and that he guarantees this for 20+ years. i asked him this after he lectured me on the diseases they protect from and after lecturing me how he has to deal with a few moms a year every time shots are brought up. needless to say, he didn't sign it but got my point. and agreed to spread them out. my kids are 4 and i still refuse mercury filled flu shots. our ped does not carry mercury free flu shots, therefore i get them through the county
good luck
ps i agree mccarthy is no expert...but she did have her son diagnosed with autism and her through her efforts she was able to reverse it. so in my opinion, her advice should NOT be ignored

Hi Alison-
I am in the same boat, and I am sure there are many thousands of other parents with us. My son is 10 weeks old and has had 2 Hep B shots and the first dtap, polio and rotavirus vaccinations. I spoke with my doctor and she wasn't much help and very brief in her explanation. At that point I started researching. My favorite book is The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. Its not anti vaccination or pro. Its very informative and interesting. My husband and I have decided to space the shots out and delay the MMR as long as possible. We will also be asking for the MMR in 3 seperate shots. We have a four year old who has Asperger's, so this is very scarey for us. As for Jenny McCarthy, I truly respect what she has done and am thankful for her. She is using her name (and Jim's) to fight for something we need. Check out her website, generationrescue.org, it has great info and links. Educate yourself and make your own choices, its your baby! My thoughts are with you.

My kids aren't on the regular shot schedule. They never have been. They never will be. They do get all their shots just not on the doctors time frame. And you don't have to allow them to give your kids any shots you don't want them to have. They can not force you into it at all. You can say that the baby is just getting over a cold and I would prefer to wait on this round of shots. Also, change the schedule. Move them back and don't let them have more then a few shots at a time. They can not give your kids any shots without your permission. This is what I told my doctor's..."having children is the most important decision I have ever made in my life. If something happens to them, I am the one responsible, not you. I have to handle it, not you." Vaccines are important. They do save lives. Yet they aren't great for every child, and by the time that is realized it's to late. Get your kids vaccinated. But you don't have to follow their rules. Set up a different schedule. My son had his MMR at 2 not 18 mos. And he didn't have his hep B shots and chicken pox shot until he needed them for preschool. The schedule is not set in stone. Follow your heart. Putting them off a month or 2 isn't a problem. And if it makes you feel better then that is all that matters. The thing is, is that a baby doesn't start building antibodies until their between 4-6 mos. yet we start injecting them when they are hours old (this doesn't include the vitamin K shot or the eye stuff). My kids started at 4 mos with their shots and here is the schedule.
4 mos: DTap, Hib, Polio
6 mos: DTap, Hib, Polio
9 mos: DTap , Hib
12 mos: Polio
15 mos: Hib
18 mos: DTap
24 mos: MMR
My kids did not have Prevnar (the menangitis shot), it's not required in CT.
The Hep B and Chicken Pox my son was older the 3 for them.
No pediarex, it's 5 shots in 1 and then they get the hep B on top of that. That's 6 vaccines at 1 time. Far to many at once. I never allow more then 3 at a time. Yes this schedule allows for more needle pricks. But what is more important, the chance for their bodies to have a better chance to build antibodies or less needle sticks. I'd rather more tears and worries about what could happen. Again their my kids, my resposiblity, my life. And if anything happens to them...my problem.

Im sure you already know what your going to, just my 2 cents... I recently asked this same question and you can see the kind of responses you get... from people saying way to go, and others saying your nuts not to do it.... And I was only asking about the chicken pox vaccine. To me science is not better then nature. You'll be amazed at what your body can do...

Besides we had chicken pox when we were kids and lived. Id rather my child get the disease and build an immunity to it instead of being loaded up with poison to 'maybe' prevent the disease. A poison that is temporary!

No one can tell you want you have to do in this area...dont be bullied into it. Stretch or postpone the schedule if you want to. But to load up an infant with all those drugs cant be good all their systems are still developing.

The biggest thing I heard was that a child without vaccines can give another child with vaccines a disease.. how can your child 'without shots' put another child who as had them in danger? If they have the shots are they not 'allegedly' protected? People dont make sense sometimes.

Has anyone actually read whats these are made of? Its pretty gross...

And no you cant believe everything you read in the internet, but can you believe that companies are only out there to make money! Did you know the last 'cure' made was for polio over 50-60 years ago! And when it came out, so many companies went out of business... no one wants a cure to be made cause no one wants to go out of business...

There are also a heck of a lot more vaccines that are given to our children then back when we were kids... why do you think that is?

Do what feels right, after all you birthed that baby, you have a say in everything related to that baby.

Talk to a medical professional. Not an actor or a friend, or someone you do not even know online. This is your child's life and not a time to be ignorant. Good luck.

Hey Alison,
I, like you, was soo paranoid about giving my daughter her shots at 1 and 2 years of age...I voiced my concern to her pedi and he gave me much info to read on this...how it isnt a proven medical fact that the vaccines cause autism...they say that the children who develope autism already have the trait and will eventually get it, the shots just activate it to come out sooner...there are lots of studies published on CNN, one very recent one where it shows this proven fact...only shot I was very aprehensive about getting was the Chicken Pox vaccine....I felt that my daugher should be exposed to them and get them so that she doesnt get shingles later on in life...even though she still could get shingles, her chances are much less if she has the chicken pox....like my Mom said to me....what did they do years ago when we were born, and there was no knowledge of this??? We all had our immunizations and turned out perfectly fine...I tried to focus on that each time my daughter got her shots....my daughter is now 2 1/2 and perfectly fine....I really feel its a personal choice whether or not you immunize but like my daughters pedi said to me...which would you rather want...your daughter to get her shots or for her to get some horrible disease such as menengitis and be on a breathing tube in the hospital....its true...when they dont get there shots they are also putting other people/children at risk...I wish you the best in whatever you decide!!
Meg

Since when is Jenny McCarthy a medical expert?? :)

I think that you really need to do a LOT of research before deciding what is right for you and consider the consequences should you/should you not get your child vaccinated. There is a lot of info out there (lots is propaganda - be careful – but lots is excellent). Should you delay vaccinating or decide to stop, how will you feel if your child gets whooping cough or mumps? Also, are you willing to FIGHT the state to enroll your kid in day care, pre-school or school (it’s a pain to get non-vax kids into school - religous exemptions, etc.)?

I’m personally for vaccinating children but know many people who do not (and I am not afraid of their kids harming mine since mine is vaccinated). It’s your choice and all choices have consequences – some kids do get sick from vaccinations. Nothing is fool-proof. Try speaking to your pediatrician and getting some stats and advice.

Good luck!

I understand that there is so much conflicting information in the media, but please do not believe that shots cause Autism. That just isn't the case - there is nothing out there in the medical literature that shows this. It would be great if the solution were that simple, but it's not.

Think about it this way - Thimerisol (which was believed to cause the problems) was taken out of shots yet the rates of Autism continue to go up.

Please don't listen to an actress who is trying to sell books - listen to the researchers who live this every day. I've talked to autism experts on this subject - there is just no link.

I can tell you that the shots caused my Daughters Autism.I watched her slip away each time she got her shots.When I went to get her 18 months shots 2 weeks later she did not talk,she would not respond to you.My Daughter is now 7 just got her pottie trained.She does not understand our world.If I could do it all over again.I would have never got her shots.I know thats what caused it,and I'm sorry if I upset anyone.....Good Luck with everything....godbless roxy