Vaccines

There is a misconception that the only people looking into vaccine efficacy are trendy internet moms, and Jenny McCarthy, who read dramatic fictional articles just for fun or stupidity. In reality, most people who apply for a partial or full vaccine exemption have one or more college degrees, and have an upper middle class income. It is not fun, to sift through pages and pages of books, journals, and articles all the while flip-flopping inside your own brain about doing what is best for your family. Reading horror stories on both sides of the decision, and realizing that there is a chance you and your child could be one of those people. You could be the person who didn’t vaccinate and experienced debilitating illness, or you could be the person who did vaccinate and experienced debilitating illness. There are ways to avoid (a few or all) vaccines, and there are ways to fully vaccinate according to the CDC schedule in a safer manner.

Healthcare is not one-size-fits-all. No other medical treatment is used across the board on every individual without testing, screening, and examination. Some vaccines may be right for your family, some may not. You might pick all, none, few, or most vaccines, but you should be supported the entire way.

Making the decision to vaccinate or not:

• It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There are adjusted schedules, & everyone’s situation is different
• You get to choose because you are the parent. No friend, grandparent, sister, brother, or doctor can choose for you
• It should involve tough questions and honest answers
• It should not be full of peer pressure, judgment, hate, ridicule, or persuasion
• It should be full of good intentions, support, and accurate information

There are more factors affecting your child’s immunity than vaccines alone. Immunization and vaccination are not interchangeable terms.

• Food (breast-fed, formula, processed foods, organic foods, plants vs. fast food). Food is a huge factor; Disease and vaccine injuries alike are much more likely to occur if your child is not getting the nutrients they need
• Environmental toxins (soaps, detergents, farm chemicals, toxic cleaning products)
• Genetics

Before you vaccinate, ask yourself:

• Am I, or is my child sick right now?
• Have I, my child, or anyone in our immediate family had adverse reactions to vaccines?
• Do I know the disease and vaccine risks for myself and my child?
• Do I have the full information about the vaccine’s side effects?
• Lifestyle (activity level, etc.)
• Do I know how to identify and report a vaccine reaction?
• Do I know I need to keep a written record, including the vaccine manufacturer’s name and lot number for all vaccinations?
• Do I know that I have the right to make an informed choice?

It’s okay to ask your pediatrician for the vaccine package inserts for every vaccine before you make a decision. It’s okay to ask your doctor if they have read the package inserts. If they read it, they would know that it says:

“The healthcare provider should provide the vaccine information required to be given with each vaccination to the patient, parent, or guardian. The health-care provider should inform the patient, parent, or guardian of the benefits and risks associated with vaccination. Patients, parents, or guardians should be instructed to report any serious adverse reactions to their health-care provider who in turn should report such events to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System 1-800-822-7967.

Doctors used to smoke. Doctor’s used to advertise for cigarettes. They also used to recommend cocaine for toothaches. Doctors are a resource of information for you. They can only tell you what they have learned, and it is possible for scientific information to change. Physicians cannot be sole reason you make any decision.