Vaccines are such a hot topic right now. I've been meaning to post this blog entry for a looooong time.
Let me first say that I got all the vaccinations with Westen, including flu shots. I even got them myself, during pregnancy and all. I didn't think twice about it. I don't think it was until after I had Aeson, when they wanted to give him his shots at 2 months old.. despite him being a premie and despite the fact that they developmentally consider him a month younger than he actually is.. that I actually started thinking about it.
As I started doing my research, I realized that you can CHOOSE whether or not to vaccinate. There are two sides. There ARE horrible reactions in some people from vaccines. VAERS exists because of this. The governments pays tons of money every year to people harmed by them. This is non-debatable. Any vaccine insert will read not to vaccinate if this this and this... Well, at 2 months old, how do you know your child doesn't have those things? Aeson was in the minority at birth when his lungs weren't developed, he has a fairly rare syndrome that wasn't diagnosed (or even considered, as far as I know) until months after he was born... So what's to say he wouldn't be one of the ones severely damaged by vaccines??
Also, the toxins present in them.. This too is non-debatable. We're told to stay away from things like mercury and preservatives in everyday items, yet it's okay to inject us with them?
It's not a decision I can or would make for anyone else, but I CAN make it for myself and my children. I researched BOTH sides. I looked at the reactions vaccines can cause versus what the diseases looked like..I looked at other countries immunization schedules and rates of SIDS etc..I looked at NUMBERS and the chances.. I looked at what vaccines we got when we were little compared to vaccines now. I did so much reading, I felt like I was going to go crazy! Both sides appear well supported. I honestly believe it's a personal risk assessment that each person SHOULD be doing. I don't blame those who do vaccinate, because like I said, I was there. I was that person. I had no clue! I post things all the time not to convince others of my side but to get people thinking about it.. and to get people to understand on some level possibly why I made the decisions I have.
So here's some of the information I've found...
Directly from the CDC website:
"Anyone who takes a vaccine should be fully informed about both the benefits and the risks of vaccinations." ...Are they?? Were you??
"Individuals react differently to vaccines, and there is no way to predict how individuals will react to a particular vaccine."
"Approximately 30,000 VAERS reports are filed annually, with 10-15% classified as serious (resulting in permanent disability, hospitalization, life-threatening illnesses, or death."
It won't let me copy this whole table but here is a link to the vaccines and the adverse reactions they can cause, broken down into each individual one.
www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/table.htmHere is the guide to vaccine contraindications and precautions (also includes vaccine ingredients):
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/vac-admin/downloads/contraindications-guide-508.pdf
An article on the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons website http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/0027
Good question & answer page: http://www.know-vaccines.org/?page_id=350 ...Which reminds me, there is no guarantee you won't get the disease when you're vaccinated. I think that was one of the biggest things for me.. If you vaccinate, you have the risk from the vaccine and also from the disease STILL.. whereas if you don't vaccinate, you only have the risk of the disease.
An article written by a doctor about vaccines and the immune system: http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=539
Here are all the statistics about 'how vaccines did not save us.' This also brings up the issue of how many vaccines kids get these days.. vaccines to things like chicken pox and rotavirus! The rotavirus one is new just since Westen. Is it just coincidence that people's health is deteriorating as they're adding more vaccines? Children today seem to have so many more problems... Granted, I know that even if vaccines are a cause, they're not the ONLY cause. But it just doesn't make sense to me that as living conditions have gotten much better and healthcare better, we're vaccinating MORE.. http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/graphs/
Here's a whole bunch of studies showing the immunological benefits of breastfeeding: http://www.vaccineriskawareness.com/Disease-Killing-Properties-Of-Breast-Milk
This is a long, scientific article by Dr. Russell Blaylock. If you don't want to read it all, at least scroll through and down to the conclusions at the bottom. Among other things, this was significant to me: "
This may also explain the 10X increase in Alzheimer's disease in those receiving the flu vaccine 5 years in a row."
Here is an excellent article (very, very thorough) entitled "The Case Against Immunizations" by Richard Moskowitz, M. D http://www.vaclib.org/basic/caseagainst.htm
Some other info on ingredients:
Mercury (Thimerosal) is still present in some vaccines. To show why mercury in vaccines is a concern, the
National Vaccine Information Centre (NVIC) points out that 200 ppb of mercury is the “level in liquid the EPA classifies as hazardous waste,” while 50,000 ppb of mercury is the “current ‘preservative’ level [of] mercury in multi-dose flu . . ., meningococcal and tetanus (7 and older) vaccines.”
Several childhood immunizations contain aluminum, which helps to make the vaccine more effective. These vaccines include the DTaP vaccination, the hepatitis B vaccination, the HPV vaccination, and the Hib vaccination, all of which are given several times to babies under twelve months. Neil Z. Miller explains that “babies who follow the CDC immunization schedule are injected with nearly 5000 mcg (5mg!) of aluminum by 18 months of age” (Aluminum in Vaccines: A Neurological Gamble, PDF file, 2009).
This should raise some alarm, as Dr. Sears notes that “aluminum can build up to toxic levels in the bloodstream, bones and brain when injected.” Miller quotes the American Academy of Pediatrics, who say aluminum can interfere “with a variety of cellular and metabolic processes in the nervous system and in other tissues.” Miller notes that the CDC, WHO and FDA are aware of concerns connected with aluminum – but ignore this hazard in vaccines.
The NVIC notes that vaccines may contain, in differing amounts depending on the vaccine, “lab altered viruses and bacteria; ... formaldehyde; ... monosodium glutamate (MSG); hydrochloric acid; hydrogen peroxide; lactose; gelatine; yeast protein; egg albumin; ... antibiotics; unidentified contaminants.” These ingredients are present in vaccines in very small quantities. However, Dr. Sears notes that formaldehyde is carcinogenic and that MSG “can affect how the brain functions” and cause nerve tissue damage when injected.
Also, most of the things vaccines are supposed to protect against are most damaging to infants under 1... yet they don't even get all the vaccines & aren't considered 'fully vaccinated' until they're over a year. Does that make sense? And vaccines aren't even started until 2 months (except for the Hep B), so they're not vaccinated at ALL when they're MOST at risk? Does that make sense??
There are posters in our doctor's office, with stories about people who were damaged by the diseases.. Yet it doesn't say if they were vaccinated (my guess is they were) and sometimes they were too young to even have the vaccinations (so did it even matter if they had them or not?). And is it really just coincidental that SIDS rates are highest at the exact times babies receive vaccines?
To me, you can't really listen to anyone that has financial interest in vaccines either.. So many people talk about Dr. Paul Offit and others.. Well, he's the one that invented the rotavirus vaccine.. Of COURSE he's going to say they're safe! Most of the studies that say vaccines are okay are funded by the vaccine manufacturers. Plus, there have never been any long-term studies on vaccines.. NO proof whatsoever that they are safe or even effective.
Dr. Mary Tocco, Dr. Sears, Dr. Mercola, and Dr. Mary Tenpenny are some doctors that have raised awareness about vaccines and they would be worth looking into if you want to read even more. Mothering.com is an excellent resource as well.
Finally, there are SO few deaths from the diseases that we vaccinate against now.. I know some people say it's because of vaccines, but I really don't think so. There are still deaths, and there's going to be from anything. Here is the number of cases and the deaths from each.. In my opinion, it is much more likely that a person would be harmed by a vaccine than contract the disease. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/G/cases&deaths.pdf
There is SO, SO much more than this. Once you start looking into it, you'd be amazed how much there is. I have a really great book that also lists the number of people who get the diseases each year in the US and the numbers regarding people who have side effects from the vaccines, all as reported by the CDC. If anyone wants to borrow it, let me know! I believe it's by PlaySchool or something... I got it at the bookstore uptown.
Anyway, this is just this side of things. I fully realize people believe vaccines do prevent disease and death. I just feel that side is out there ALL the time, whereas this side is not. I honestly don't know which side is correct, and I don't think anyone can say with 100% certainty. Usually, I think both are to some degree.
vaclib.org and know-vaccines.org are websites that have great information. I've read stories from people who used to work for vaccine manufacturers.. from people whose children have been harmed by vaccines.. It's just not worth it to me at this time. I hope and I pray that Aeson doesn't contract any of the diseases.. but at the same time, I know that any of us could get those diseases as well.. and I also know that our doctors and hospitals are able to treat so many things these days.. and also at the same time, I hope and I pray that he doesn't get ANY illness, not just ones that they have vaccines for.
I personally couldn't tell someone else what to do either.. So it makes me angry when people try to tell me what to do. People in health professions often try to tell me I'm putting their children or the rest of the public at risk... If I really thought that, do you think I would be doing it? Clearly I've done the research on BOTH sides (something I would be willing to bet they HAVEN'T), and I love my children more than ANYTHING. I absolutely would not do anything to harm them. That's why I'm NOT vaccinating! And I fully understand that people believe THEY are doing what is best BY vaccinating. I don't blame them for that, nor would I try to tell them to do differently. I DO think that people should be educated on each side of the matter. I can tell you I never knew ANY of this stuff when I let Westen and myself get vaccines.
I also honestly believe it's each person's decision to make for themselves and for their children. You absolutely cannot tell someone else what to do. There is not enough conclusive evidence in my opinion. Who's to say that someone who chooses to get the vaccine wouldn't have ended up getting a disease and maybe that vaccine DID protect them... and likewise, who's to say that the ones choosing NOT to get vaccines wouldn't have a horrible reaction to them? I always want to say that to people who try to convince me to give Aeson the vaccines... What would you do.. How would you feel.. if he did suffer some horrible reaction? On the flipside, if he does contract some disease in the future, I may change my opinion.. I honestly have seen no stories whatsoever like that, though.. only stories from the other side. No matter what, there's risk and there's death- on both sides. We are 100% comfortable with our decision, and I think everybody (on either side) has to be.
I hope I've covered the main points! It gets exhausting, looking into it all. If you have further information, please give it to me! I know there's much more. I just ask people to please respect my decision and to maybe try just a little to see why we made the decision we did. Also, please don't feel the need to comment on things giving the other side or trying to convince me TO vaccinate.. I don't do that to you. I do post things from time to time about vaccines, but that's for the people who ARE interested. If you're not, ignore it! Also, as I stated, I think the pro-vaccine side is well known.. And I WANT people to look at that.. I want them to look at BOTH sides and make a decision they're comfortable with. Basically, I'm just posting this so other people know why WE don't.
