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A question about immunizations


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I had to take 10 year old ds to the doctor today because he put his hand down on a rusty nail yesterday while playing outside. Even though he got a tetnus shot when he was 5 apparently they have started giving a tetnus/whooping cough booster for 11 to 12 year olds.

 

While we were there the receptionist was telling me all the shots that they kids will need. They suggest that my almost 16 year old dd get a chicken pox booster, Gardisil and a shot for meningitis. My 13 year old dd needs a tetnus booster, chicken pox booster, the shot for meningitis and Gardisil. My ds got the tetnus booster today and they recommend the chicken pox and meningitis shots when he is 11 or 12. Apparently they are also talking about starting to give boys something similar to Gardisil.

 

It really worries me giving the kids all of these shots. I've have really been putting off the one for meningitis but I'm starting to think it is a good idea. I didn't even realize that they needed a chicken pox booster. As far as the Gardisil I am holding off. Neither of my girls have any interest in boys right now. Even if oldest dd starts dating she says that there is no way that she will become that involved with a guy. I trust her and really don't think it is necessary but it seems like so many people think that teen girls should get this shot. It also worries me because there do seem to be side effects with that shot.

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I'd recommend getting The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. This book is truly wonderful. It goes through each vaccine and what is in it and what the possible side-effects are. I saw him speak last summer and he definately leans toward pro-vaccine, but he wants each of his patients to make educated decisions.

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oops, you forgot the question. LOL

 

Well, the gardisil is a complete no brainer for me. There is no way that I'm giving that to a girl. The smallest amount of research brings up WAY too many questions and no answers. It's dangerous.

 

I knew about the tetnus and whooping cough and understand those at least.

 

I can't help you with the others. I couldn't do chicken pox for multiple reasons and it's a non-issue for me as I refused it up front and my kids got the chicken pox when little. Thankfully.. And I know nothing about the meningitis one.

 

I do think there is some concern with given any but especially with giving so many. And I think there are issues with giving unproven and ones where there are still concerns not addressed.

 

At some point, the kids have to be a part of the decision making process also so 1) they know how to do so but also 2) it's their bodies and they will deal with the consequences, positive and negative of each choice.

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I have extremely strong opinions about immunizations...especially all the new ones that are on the market. Every time I watch tv I see a new commercial about some new vaccine and think..."it's all about the almighty dollar!". I wonder when our almighty, know-it-all gov't is going to start mandating these new vaccines. Obviously, we don't vaccinate. However, if we did...I would certainly NOT be getting any of these new vaccines until they are PROVEN safe, effective and to have absolute NO adverse effects on my dc. Gardisil is one that makes me the most angry for so many reasons. I'd never get that one for my dd. Meningitis is scary, yes. BUT, there is so much unknown about the vaccine AND I wonder the risks vs. benefits.

 

As for chicken pox...that is another vaccine that just blows my mind! Your receptionist just confirmed the argument I've had for years: Chicken pox is soo very much more harmful to teens than infants and young children. The gov't mandates this chicken pox vaccine for infants/toddlers knowing full well it will NOT be effective for 12 more years (they don't know HOW long the immunity will last!). So what happens? Your teen, who was vaccinated as a toddler, is now NOT immune to cp and will either a. get chicken pox and suffer so much more NOW than they would have as a child or b. have to be re-immunized! These vaccines do NOT provide immunity for life!

 

I'm not going to tell you what to do and I'm going to step down from my soapbox. I'm sorry...the vaccine issue gets my blood boiling when I think about what it really comes down to: money to pad the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies who make them. IMNSHO...it's not about the "public's safety". Oh, and if dr's didn't talk up vaccines...you wouldn't have so many well-child visists and thus a loss of income for the dr's! Okay, really, I'm stepping down now. Again, just my very strong opinions. Go with your gut would be my advice. You know what is best for your dc! :)

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I was wondering which of those vaccininations you have or will be giving your children.

 

I'm not giving dd's the Gardisil. They all were given the chicken pox one when they were little so now I'm wondering if it would be safest to have them get the booster. Now I almost wish I just let them get the chicken pox when they were little. The meningitis one worries me the most. It hasn't been around for very long so I'm worried about the side effects. On the other hand, meningitis scares me.

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I have extremely strong opinions about immunizations...especially all the new ones that are on the market. Every time I watch tv I see a new commercial about some new vaccine and think..."it's all about the almighty dollar!". I wonder when our almighty, know-it-all gov't is going to start mandating these new vaccines. Obviously, we don't vaccinate. However, if we did...I would certainly NOT be getting any of these new vaccines until they are PROVEN safe, effective and to have absolute NO adverse effects on my dc. Gardisil is one that makes me the most angry for so many reasons. I'd never get that one for my dd. Meningitis is scary, yes. BUT, there is so much unknown about the vaccine AND I wonder the risks vs. benefits.

 

As for chicken pox...that is another vaccine that just blows my mind! Your receptionist just confirmed the argument I've had for years: Chicken pox is soo very much more harmful to teens than infants and young children. The gov't mandates this chicken pox vaccine for infants/toddlers knowing full well it will NOT be effective for 12 more years (they don't know HOW long the immunity will last!). So what happens? Your teen, who was vaccinated as a toddler, is now NOT immune to cp and will either a. get chicken pox and suffer so much more NOW than they would have as a child or b. have to be re-immunized! These vaccines do NOT provide immunity for life!

 

I'm not going to tell you what to do and I'm going to step down from my soapbox. I'm sorry...the vaccine issue gets my blood boiling when I think about what it really comes down to: money to pad the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies who make them. IMNSHO...it's not about the "public's safety". Oh, and if dr's didn't talk up vaccines...you wouldn't have so many well-child visists and thus a loss of income for the dr's! Okay, really, I'm stepping down now. Again, just my very strong opinions. Go with your gut would be my advice. You know what is best for your dc! :)

 

:iagree: with Sue. May I join you on your soap box?;) I had Chicken Pox when I was 17. My parents didn't even call our doctor. My dds have not had a Chicken Pox vaccine and have been exposed more times then I can remember. To this day, they have not had the chicken pox.

 

Gretchen

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Right after initial rounds of chicken pox vaccines,they came out with the news that a booster would be needed. I would not have gotten it in the first place if I'd have known that a booster would be needed.....

 

Tetanus boosters are needed 10 years after the last shot; so if he got it at 5, he shouldn't need it again until 15.

 

Yes, Gardisil has been pushed hard. Pharm interests tried to get it legislated as mandatory nationwide until there started to develop a backlash from parents that grew to a statement by the AMA, then they backed off. Yes, there is something similar in the works for boys.

 

Yes, I have huge concerns about the pushing of all these vaccines, particularly when they're trying to give them all at once. If you do decide to get them, I'd do one at a time over a longer period of time..... I would not do Gardisil at all...... Others have recommended some good info you can use to read up on vaccines.

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I'm a pediatrician. The recommended vaccines for adolescents:

 

TdaP- Tetanus booster has always been recommended to be given every 5-10 years. Pertussis was added back as a booster at this age due to the rising incidence of pertussis in adolescents and adults. Yes, vaccines do "fail". And we are constantly learning in medicine and changing our practice based on what we learn.

 

Varivax-Now recommended that everyone get a booster of varicella. This can be given as early as 5 yrs old (with the other boosters they receive then for DTaP, IPV and MMR) or anytime after that.

 

Meningococcal-The current vaccine is called Menactra and is "new" but we've been vaccinating for this for quite awhile, just with a different vaccine (Medimmune). Meningococcal vaccination is required by almost all colleges. Risk of meningitis starts increasing in college age due to close conditions of dorms, etc. Recently, it has been recognized that the rate of disease in adolescents is 1:100,000 which is fairly high for a fatal disease. The high schools in my area are almost as crowded as colleges, so this makes sense. The vaccine is offered after age 11, personally I usually recommend it for kids going into high school.

 

Gardisil-HPV vaccine. Is required in some states for school ...I know in my state of Virginia it will be required soon for school (which I disagree with by the way) but is pretty easy to opt out of (parents just have to sign something saying they know about and are refusing it).

 

Hepatitis A- Another newish (past few years) recommendation. The shot has been around a long time (20+ years) but used to be given primarily for travel. Is now recommended for everyone over the age of 1 yr old. Is a series of two shots. The schools here don't require this one, not sure about other places. Hepatitis A can be a fairly benign disease but we are seeing more of it in this country.

 

I

I'm not going to tell you what to do and I'm going to step down from my soapbox. I'm sorry...the vaccine issue gets my blood boiling when I think about what it really comes down to: money to pad the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies who make them. IMNSHO...it's not about the "public's safety". Oh, and if dr's didn't talk up vaccines...you wouldn't have so many well-child visists and thus a loss of income for the dr's! Okay, really, I'm stepping down now. Again, just my very strong opinions. Go with your gut would be my advice. You know what is best for your dc! :)

 

Ok, now I have to get up on my soapbox. ;) Vaccines are really not about money. The drug companies don't make much money off of vaccines and vaccine research...in fact one of the big problems we have had lately is that when one company decides to stop manufacturing a vaccine there have been frequent shortages of the vaccine as other companies are slow to step in and take it on. Drug companies make a LOT of money and I am not at all a defender of them...but the money is coming from the high blood pressure meds and the allergy meds and the reflux meds and the cholesterol meds and the psychiatric meds....Not much is from the vaccines. Sure, when there is a new one like Gardisil they are going to market it strongly as they do want to make money off of it, but it's not the main source of their riches.

 

And, as I've said before...doctors really really really don't make money off of vaccines. We don't. We usually are losing money on them or just breaking even as we often get paid less by the insurance companies than we are charged by the drug companies. Not a "poor little doctor" plea..but we're not making our money this way. And the well-child visits are really not just about the shots. In my practice I still see all the non-vaccinating people just as often as the ones that do vaccinate. I think it's just as important to follow their height, weight, development, etc. We diagnose unsuspected conditions all the time at well checks. For us it's not a scheme to "talk up" vaccines and somehow generate more income. Believe it or not, we actually like kids and want to be part of keeping them healthy. We actually make the most money on sick visits...so ideally for us financially we'd do no well checks and just see ear infections all day long. Lucrative, perhaps...but incredibly boring. :D

 

Ok, now I'll jump off my soapbox. :001_smile: Vaccinate or not...the decision is, of course, yours as a parent. Hope the info above helps some.

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