The issue of vaccinations is a topic that every parent must face when they have a baby. Some people don't think about it and just proceed with the doctor's recommendation. Others fret about it and the possible consequences.
Check out my debate over vaccinations with Laid-Off Dad on Oxygen Media's brand new Oh! Baby Opinionated Parenting blog.
Check out our passionate opinions on both sides of the debate, our fiery rebuttals (on Wednesday), readers comments, and our final words (on Friday). And don't forget to join the discussion by voicing your opinion!
yes and no. I think the chicken pox vaccine is absolutely ridiculous and nothing more than profits for the companies that manufacture it. I can't believe it's actually being required!! Fortunately when our kids were little we knew other kids who had chicken pox and had them play together with them, so they've actually had chicken pox and don't have to get the vaccine. Given that the vaccine is new and no one knows the long term effects (in terms of shingles, effects wearing off -- we already know one kid who had the vaccine but who did get chicken pox), and given that chicken pox is not smallpox or rubella, it just seems irresponsible to mandate it. < /rant >
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the Oh Baby Opinionated Parenting site. Looks like a fun and interesting gig!
ReplyDeleteI too try to focus on the oddities of being at home after once being a professional working person on my blog
I think the vaccine issue is tough. A lot of moms I know (especially in Santa Fe and Boulder, pretty "natural" places) spend a lot of time looking into it; some go ahead and vaccinate and others don't. But here in New Mexico - mostly I think out of poor health care and parents uninformed about state requirements - so many children are not vaccinated (and we have close proximity to Mexico, where some of these diseases are more prevalent) that it is tough to be on the "free rider system." In other words, if you oppose them (I don't love that there are so many of them), you can't assume the other kids have their shots so that yours will be okay.
Guess I'll copy this over at your other site too...
Krisco
Yes and no. Flu shots are pointless. And I delayed them as long as I could.
ReplyDeleteThe chicken pox vax nearly killed my first daughter.
But I do them out of social responsibility. Even though I don't trust doctors.
krisco talks about the "free riders", people who don't vaccinate their children because everyone else did. If the vaccinations are as effective as the drug companies say they are the vaccinated children have nothing to fear from the non-vaccinated children.
ReplyDeleteAs a first time mom at age 39, and a person who encourages "independent thinking" and the questioning of authority, I am trying to educate myself on the vaccine issue because I'm now responsible for another human being and the decisions I make for my baby will impact him his whole life possibly. I've read some alarming things on the net about harmful effects to infants from vaccinations and suspicious links to immune system overactivation which may be causing some conditions like MS, Asthma, Crohn's and also Autism rates rising. On the flip side, infections diseases also have risks. We need to demand more test studies from sources not funded by the CDC, FDA, or pharm companies. Any parent who blindly trusts that a government agency will protect his child as well as he/she would is fooling him/herself I believe. And this believe is based on the idea that where big money is involved, there's a big temptation for corruption/deception. Both arguments for each view are fear-based: fear of infectious disease vs. fear of long-term vaccine side effects. We need more unbiased scientific study.
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