"How Can You Have Too Many Children? That's Like Saying You Have Too Many Flowers" ~ Mother Teresa

A Peek Into Our Hectic, Crazy & Loving Family of Eleven

~♥~

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Vaccines

Another one of those 'my views have completely changed' post.
I just did it because that's 'What you do'. Wrong.

Again, there is so much more that can be written on this topic, and I am not an expert. I'm still stumbling along, trying to do what in the best interests of my child. All I have is some experience to go on and the reading I've done thus far. And my conclusion to date is that I don't yet know enough to do something to my child that is irreversible. Injecting a vaccine into my child cannot be taken back. I need to know fully and completely what I'm doing BEFORE I do it. So I am still learning. And reading. And stumbling. I'm sharing what I know SO FAR. I still have so much more to learn. And until I am SURE, I will err on the side of caution. There is also a ton more info out there that I didn't include. It would take pages upon pages. So please, read what I have and do your own, more thorough research if that is what you choose.

Vaccinations. Again, I've been on both sides of the fence on this one. My 4 older kids are fully vaxed. On schedule. To.the.day. Gods forbid if we were even one day late on a vaccination, who knows what would happen!

This WAS how I thought. I also naively thought that the world also had my childs' best interests at heart, as I did. I mean, truly, who would PURPOSELY inject a baby with toxic chemicals unless it was for her good? Alot of people it seems.

My 4 older kids, were always sick with some common childhood ailment. Ear infections, colds and runny noses. Joey suffered from night terrors and migraines. It seemed it was always something. My kids always seemed sick.

Then along comes Annabel and I start to get smart(er). She had birth, 2 month and 4 month vaxs'. Then we stopped. I started researching and thinking. And noticing how much less Annabel seemed to get sick than her siblings.

Delilah. We decided to selectively vaccinate. VERY selectively. She's had one vaccine. A few months ago. She will be 3 in January. No ear infections or runny noses. 2 fevers from which she recovered from without incident, in less than 24 hours. She's been really sick once. At the age of 6 months. With Pertussis. Whooping cough. That she got FROM HER FULLY VACCINATED BROTHER. And you know what? It sucked, but it wasn't the end of the world. We treated her with homeopathic medicines and she coughed badly for maybe a week. And now, her body has a life-long immunity to the disease. A GOOD immunity. Not a fabricated one. Not one that she will have to get 'boostered' every 10 years. This 'experience' is what truly got me thinking. I have first hand experience of a vaccine fail.

The triplets. Not a single vaccine yet. They are 10 months old. None of them have had so much as a runny nose. They've been to the Dr. for 'well-child checks' 4 times. I was told to prepare for alot of illness because they are preemies. Hm. Nope.

I believe this is more than a mere coincidence. True, breastfeeding takes alot of the credit, but so does that fact that my younger childrens' bodies aren't pumped full of toxic chemicals that we are told is 'not going to hurt them'.

Right. Because putting these chemicals into your 7# baby can't possibly do him any harm.

Ammonia
Formaldehyde
thimerasol
bovine animal parts
sheep red blood cells
chick embryo
human diploid cells (from aborted fetal tissue)
embryonic fluid (chicken egg)
VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells
sorbitol
calf serum
fetal monkey lung cells
fetal bovine serum
aluminum hydroxide

And that is just to name a few.

Now, I am not totally anti-vaccine. Yet. Or, at least, I'm trying not to be without validation. I'm trying really hard to keep an open mind, but to be honest, the more research I do, the more I am leaning towards being 100% anti-vaccine. As it stands right now, I partially feel that the reason alot of these diseases were eradicated was because of vaccines. I do *think* that I fear that if we stop vaccinating, the diseases could come back. But I'm wavering. In part due to alot of the reading I've been doing on herd-immunity and the general effectiveness of most vaccinations. I do think that we vaccinate too much, too early. Our babies tiny bodies should not be injected with all those chemicals so soon. If at all. IF AT ALL.


Just a few of the thoughts that swim around in my head on a daily basis:


*Why is the SIDS rate highest between months 2-6? Is it coincidence that at months 2, 4 and 6 our babies get the most vaccines?


*If vaccines are so safe, why do we have a Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting Database?


*We also have a National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Why is it necessary if vaccines are so safe?


*Why is it that Pharmaceutical companies make so much money? The least regulated and highest paid business in America. Why?


*How is it that my non-vaxed kids are healthier than my vaxed ones?


*Why do they keep adding more and more vaccines. Every year?


*Do they really test them? I mean, the H1N1 vaccine was available as fast as your head could spin. Now it's being recalled.

My favorite part upon hearing that my children are not vaxed is the vaxing parents that say " Your child is going to get my child sick. You don't vaccinate which means he/she will get the diseases". My response, "Really? But I thought your child was vaccinated? If your child is supposedly protected against the diseases that my child could have, what are you so worried about"?

It's common sense.

And Autism. I won't get completely into that, as I don't have an autistic child, but look at the graph at the top of the page. I believe that says alot. Our children today are OVER-VACCINATED whether you vaccinate or not. It's TOO MUCH.

A few good books by doctors to read that give a good overview either way : Stephanie Cave , Robert Sears , Neil Miller and Robert Mendelsohn. They give good info, a list of ingredients, their personal opinions on each vaccine and an alternative schedule for those who choose to vaccinate selectively. All these books helped me alot as I was trying to make such important decisions.

Also, some very good articles on varying levels of thought:

Challenging The Theory Of Artificial Immunity

Aborted Human Cells: The Solyent Green Of Vaccines (from a friend's blog, broken down in easier0-to-understand language)

Thimerosol Content In Some US Vaccines

NVIC

VaccineInfo.net

CDC Info

Reported Cases & Deaths From Vaccine Preventable Diseases

VAERS


Some stories about personal vaccine reactions


CDC Mobidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

PLEASE remember that I am only sharing the little bit of information that I have. There is a plethora of information out there. My intention with this post is to merely plant the seed of thought. Do your research before you vaccinate. They cannot be undone. You can always do the vaccine later, you cannot undo any damage that may have been done. On the other side of thought is that if you do choose not to vaccinate, you do so with the knowledge that your child may or may not get one of these diseases. In my opinion, a disease that is fully treatable in todays medical society. Vaccines are not an issue to be taken lightly. Research thoroughly no matter what way you road you choose to take. As for me, my children will not be getting any vaccinations until I am 100% sure. And it's looking like that may be never.

Also, please remember that vaccines ARE A CHOICE. Nobody can force you to vaccinate your child. Here is a chart that tells you, state by state, what is legal in your particular state. States allow either religious, medical or philosophical exemptions. Know yours.
*another thank you to Guggie Daly for sharing all her vaccine info so that others can share it too!

17 comments:

  1. Our first baby had 2,4, and 6 mo vaxes (all but the Hep B)...our others have had none. Guess who the sickest one is? Every time she gets sick, it settles and she stays sick for a long time. The other kids just don't have the same problems. She was also breastfed the longest (over 2 years), so in our family that doesn't seem to be a factor. I know it's just personal experience, but mine is similar to yours...oh, and for the record, my graduate degree is in Public Health, so I consider myself the anti-poster-child LOL.

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  2. Omg, it's devine intervention that I have found this page, this family, this incredible woman who is looking out for EVERYONE, I love you, woman to woman, Thank you! <3
    Meg Holt,

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  3. Agreed! I have four children, all of whom are selectively vaccinated or not at all. We also dealt with pertussis, which they caught from a fully-vaccinated person.

    I think I will just follow you around, nodding.

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  4. Are you familiar with Mary Tocco? Www.childhoodshots.com.

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  5. Thank you for this list of further reading. I have been researching, on and off, for several years now. My first two are full vaccinated, the third is selectively vaccinated, as he had a reaction to one... at this point I can't believe I chose to finish things with him... counteracting the effects with a homeopathic 'vaccination'. My youngest two have never had a shot.

    Thank you for writing!

    With chickenpox, I have seen the vaccinations fail. My two who were vaccinated against it got it first, and then after one of the younger two got it, they got it again! Not as bad the second time, but still... ridiculous!

    Another thing that got me researching was when I heard that Europe had the same polio rates as the USA, and they don't vaccinate against it. I would like to verify that, because I have not seen official statistics, but if it is true, then there is NO benefit!

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  6. You rock Woman! I have a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 18 month old twins. none are vaccinated. Not because I'm anti-vaccine.. but because I'm not ready and want to err on the side of caution. my kids are hardly EVER sick. I'm always hearing parents talk about colds, and flus and fevers and it's all second nature to them. Kids get sick. Often. (at least that's what they are told). However, in my opinion kids do NOT get sick often. They are most often HEALTHY. Keep posting. Like another follower.. I'm just going to walk around nodding as well. :)

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  7. The thing I really need to research (as you know) is what shots your child might need to get if they are going overseas. We are going to Thailand when our daughter will be 8 months old... and while I'm pretty anti-vax, I can't help but wonder if there are some that might be necessary for that trip.

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  8. Amber, message Guggie on Facebook. If you go to her page, then notes, then Welcome To The Rabbit Hole. There is a ton of info about vaxs' on there. But message her, maybe she will know?

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  9. Nicole, the link you provided for the state info doesn't work. Would like to see that.

    We did a few vaccines in the beginning but then stopped because it just screamed internally wrong to me. It's tough because I am almost completely deaf due to the HIB menigitis but I STILL don't want to vaccinate.

    I really want to know what happens when kids go into pre-school, school, etc. I know alot of anti-vax parents homeschool but I don't know that we will be doing this yet. One of my dearest friends runs a daycare and will not take kids unless they are on a schedule. She doesn't know I don't vax as I find it's better not to talk about it. But I realize that I need to prepare myself and make some decisions for the school thing somehow as this is around the corner before we know it.

    And I agree... my daughter is healthier since we stopped. If you ever have time (ha ha ha ha!), pick up the book "Evil Genes: why Rome fell, Hitler rose and my sister stole my mother's boyfriend." She talks a lot about how disease like Polio causes sociopathic behaviors, etc. But as I read it, I couldn't help but notice that the U.S. has the highest rate of sociopaths and we also do the most vaxing. Makes me wonder if vaxes are messing with our chromosones on the same level.

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  10. They all work for me. Hm. Try again? I will check out that book for sure! It sounds interesting!

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  11. Just on some of your questions:

    Vaccines aren't "safe" just as nothing is really "safe." There is a risk to everything. Even walking across a quiet street in your seldom-traveled cul-de-sac. Because vaccines have become encouraged by the government (for group reasons), it then follows that the government would need to (1) make sure the trials done didn't miss something important (even a large trial could miss something that happens 1/10,000) and (2) provide a way to help those who do have adverse reactions. If the government took no stance on vaccinations and left it solely to doctors and patients then neither of those would need exist, I think.

    H1N1 was available quickly because it was the flu vaccine, with the same ingredients as the vaccines for years past. It just had a different flu strain in it, just like every year the flu strains in the vaccine change.

    Adding vaccines - because there is a medical bias that intervention is always good. If you're coming from a view point that intervention is good then you will see all the things an intervention can "fix." You may miss seeing the other side. In my experience, many doctors fall into this trap, though unintentionally. IMO the best thing to do is learn as much as you can about both sides and then make your decision.

    Not that I'm trying to disagree or fight with you - just that those are some possible answers to the questions asked. :)

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  12. @stone cottage mama...Your child does NOT have to be vaccinated to go to pre-school or any other school for that matter. On the back of every immunization record is the exemption form. If she is licensed through the state,she must take exemptions like any other school would.

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  13. Nicole, one thing that jumped out at me in your post is that you said the pharmaceutical industry is the least regulated in the country. I'm curious where you got that information? My brother-in-law's job for many years was doing consulting for pharm. companies to make sure they met FDA regulations, and my husband was in that line of work for 12 years as well, so I've heard many stories on how stringent FDA regulations are; even the type of ink you can use to fill out forms is regulated to make sure people can't falsify them! I won't address other points in your post; I understand your concerns and would encourage you to continue researching both sides as you've been doing, and just make sure too much of your reading isn't coming from either particular slant because I think there's some compelling information on both sides!

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  14. Thank you miss nicole for this article.
    Though I have none and aint likely to ever sire any children, Im still gratefull for moms like you who are willing to puth this stuff out there for us to read...And for those who believe that the pharmaceutical company has our backs...Please research the controversy surrounding aspartame.

    Heres a link to get you started...

    http://www.dorway.com/

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  15. Oh and regarding the statement that pharm companies make so much money ... that is also not true. (Just talked to DH about this.) It costs 100 million dollars to bring a drug from discovery to licensure--all before you make a dime on it. And if the drug fails any step along the way, all that money is lost, plants are closed, thousands of people lose their jobs, etc. He and BIL and many others lost their jobs. This is *not* an industry with high profit margins at all; the expenses of trying to bring drugs and vaccines to the people as safely as possible, meeting all FDA regulations, are astronomical. *That* is why drugs are expensive, not because the companies are just greedy. (And I say this as someone who has to take an MS drug that costs almost as much as my husband's entire net pay, so I definitely understand the patient side!)

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  16. I just read your blog about vaccinations and our only son was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer that is very tough to cure. He passed away on 2/26/2010 and I have researched everything we did and the only consistent thing that I can nail down is that he was healthy until we gave him the flu vaccine at 16 months. He was then treated and responded very quickly to treatment for his cancer and was in remission in record time. They witheld ALL immunizations until he completed treatment. He was cancer free for 2 years until we returned to vaccinations with the first and only one being the flu shot and H1N1......a month later......relapse!!!! Come to find out the doctors office involved BOTH times used the adult prescription and just dosed it down to the amount needed per child. The adult prescription has thermasil which some children's body changes to Mercury and various other things. I believe with all my heart that this caused our son's cancer. The research world of pediatric cancer cannot tell anyone what the cause is: they it is not hereditary or due to diet or environment. So until they give me a cause I will ALWAYS believe it was the vaccine!!! It could not have been diet as he was solely breatfed as well. I know what he got!!! I would definitely NOT do the flu vaccine and as far as other children in our family......absolutely NOT!! I have a daughter that is going to be a pediatrician and she is NOT going to force the vaccine's either, but she is going to be a D.O. instead of a M.D.....a more holistic approach.

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  17. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion. I, however, side on science.... There are many very smart scientists and doctors out there, working for science, to help create safe and effective vaccines. Just like anything, there are always going to be risks. I think we forget, though, that not too long ago MANY children were dying or becoming VERY ill from the very diseases and illnesses that vaccines have helped to stamp out. And we have to remember that scientific studies have to be proven many times over (peer reviewed) to actually be "right" or on the "right" track.. case in point, the vaccine/autism study that has been disproven and the doctor has been charged with creating a fraudulant study. I think it is important that we all get the facts, but just be careful where the facts come from - pro or not.

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