StaceyinLA Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Does the sudden increase in pertussis cases concern you? Why or why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We dont Vax and I am not concerned. I would just take the proper precautions as normal to avoid getting it and go from there if one of us did get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 No. The most dangerous ages for pertussis are 6 months and younger, and the vaccine regimen isn't completed by then anyway, so technically it's not 100% preventable. I take precautions of course, by nursing and avoiding enclosed areas with my younger babies, but generally, nope, I don't worry. To me, the risks of the vaccine outweighs the risks of contracting the disease. It's a very personal decision though, and not one to be made lightly or without careful consideration, family history, and lots of research. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Not now that my children are older. They did have whooping cough 2 years ago. My youngest was unvaccinated but my two older children were vaccinated and still got it. My biggest concern would be for a baby and it was for me when my youngest was a baby. She was exclusively nursed and I was very careful about keeping her away from those who were obviously sick. I was most concerned about whooping cough but I was even more afraid of the vaccine. It is not an easy choice to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We don't vaccinate for Pertussis. No, I'm not concerned. We discovered long ago that the risk of the vaccine is greater for our children than the risk of pertussis. Our doctor is on board with us on this particular vaccine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Without going into great detail, my ds had a horrible reaction to the vaccine, but the doctor swore up and down that it was a coincidence, and being a stupid and trusting new mom, I believed him and let him give ds the second shot... and the reaction was even worse. I called the company that made the vaccine and they told me it was definitely a bad reaction to the vaccine and that I shouldn't let them give my ds the next shot. (They also asked for a lot of information on the doctor, because they said he should have realized that my ds was having a "rare but still known" reaction to the shots.) Ds is 12 now, and he won't be getting any more of those vaccinations. I'm just not willing to take the chance. His reaction was SCARY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We vaccinate, but it is still a threat. I know two kids who have had it, and only one was hospitalized for breathing issues. During an outbreak last year we were around some kids who had it, but my kids never got it. I am more concerned about the flu and west Nile virus honestly though the thought of putting our lives on hold for months to keep from spreading pertussis does bother me. We have a good bit of money tied up in outside activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Absolutely not. Why? Because the majority of the cases have been in vaccinated people. ;) Oh, and looking at the actual numbers of reported cases in my state reaffirmed that the media continues to blow things out of proportion. ;) If you'd like to see how many cases were in your state, go to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/, click on "weekly report" there on the left, choose the week you would like to see reports for, and click the download link. Edited August 3, 2012 by Heather in OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 No, I'm not concerned. The numbers are pretty low, but they make it sound like a huge amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Of all the things vax'ed against, Pertussis is probably the one that worries me the most. DD#3 (now 9 months) is the only one that we've completely not vaccinated (DD#1 got her last vaccine at 2 years old and DD#2 got her last vaccine at 9 months old....we decided to stop vaxing at that time). I figure that we have the advantage. I exclusively nurse DD. I don't send her to daycare....she's always home with me....she doesn't even go into the church nursery. And I homeschool my other kids. So that limits our exposure. Hopefully it will limit it enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buterflysbeauty Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Not at all. If you are going to choose not to vaccinate your children and yourself then you have to have a plan for when your family gets sick. We have an amazing chiropractor, a great naturopath and we are surrounded/have access to an amazing community of herbalists (I am one as well). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Since allergies to the pertussis shot run through our family I would rather take my chances with the disease than with the shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We delay vax but yes, we were alarmed and yes, we got our dc caught up right quick. That's one illness that scares me enough to risk vaccinating for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Without going into great detail, my ds had a horrible reaction to the vaccine, but the doctor swore up and down that it was a coincidence, and being a stupid and trusting new mom, I believed him and let him give ds the second shot... and the reaction was even worse. I called the company that made the vaccine and they told me it was definitely a bad reaction to the vaccine and that I shouldn't let them give my ds the next shot. (They also asked for a lot of information on the doctor, because they said he should have realized that my ds was having a "rare but still known" reaction to the shots.) Ds is 12 now, and he won't be getting any more of those vaccinations. I'm just not willing to take the chance. His reaction was SCARY. This was my situation with first ds except that our doctor didn't give the second shot and wouldn't even give the first shot to ds #2. Fast forward to middle school. Both my big boys were exposed to whooping cough repeatedly and neither caught it. The boy who had whooping cough and exposed them had been vaccinated. It took forever to get an accurate diagnosis, because the dr was not looking for whooping cough. After all the child had been vaccinated. So, he was around for several weeks coughing and coughing and coughing before we found out he had whooping cough. Move on to high school. Different city. Different doctor stated that the vaccine had been changed and suggested I vaccinate my big boys. So, I asked the obvious question. Since ds #1 already had a reaction to the previous vaccine, was he more likely to have a reaction to the vaccine that included lasting side effects or was he more likely to have lasting side effects if he were to catch whooping cough? The dr looked at me and in all seriousness said that no one had asked him that before. :glare: We didn't get the vaccine. Certainly, I wouldn't want my big boys to get whooping cough, but the vaccine isn't effective enough to in our case warrant the risks. Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyMSews Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 No, because my children are older and even though my state is having a higher rate of cases this year (the health dept calls it an epidemic, but I think they're a little hyped up, personally), we haven't heard of any cases in our circle of friends. We do what we can to stay healthy: eat good, fresh, whole foods, get lots of fresh air, exercise and sleep. We wash our hands often and I've taught my kids to back away from someone who is coughing without covering. I know the early symptoms of the various illnesses, such as pertussis and measles, that we are technically more vulnerable to developing. For example, because the rate of infection is higher than usual for our state, I was watching closely when several of us had colds about a week ago...thankfully we all recovered very quickly. But I was ready to make a trip to the doctor if we had any sign that the cold was more than a cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 I feel like I have really beaten this to death, but dd reads then looks to me for input, and I just don't want to sway her based on my own personal thoughts and feelings. In Louisiana, the pertussis rate has actually decreased this year, and she will be here in a few weeks. Dgs is a year and has had no vaccines. He has been breastfed, and still is (although at this point in her pg, he's likely getting colostrum). The concern is mostly for the new baby due in December, and keeping her from exposure. On the one hand, I want us all to get boosters to "protect" her, but OTOH, I've read information saying if you've been vaccinated and still contract pertussis, you can spread it without knowing you have it because you'll have a milder case. Yeah, that makes it an easy call. Overall my kids have been healthy without vaccines. My oldest dds had them (though delayed) up until about 5. Next dd had hers late (around 4-5) and only a few. DS has had nothing but a DT (mainly because we had horses for years and he was always out and about shoeless and getting cuts/scrapes). Oldest dd had one ear infection as a toddler, strep once as a late teen, and that's it. She has had no other illnesses requiring antibiotics. Dd2 has never had an infection requiring antibiotics other than a bladder infection (and she's the one with dgs and pg again). Dd3 has been a bit more sickly in the sense that she's taken antibiotics more, but often just because she's dramatic and probably took them for viruses she could've gotten over. DS got his first antibiotic ever last week for tonsillitis. He has mono though, so I thin he just had lower resistance which allowed the infection to step in. Overall, I think we are healthy and have good immune systems, so I don't know if we should vax with Tdap to protect the baby, or not?!? Sorry this got wordy. I'm thinking "aloud" I guess. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 Absolutely not. Why? Because the majority of the cases have been in vaccinated people. ;) Oh, and looking at the actual numbers of reported cases in my state reaffirmed that the media continues to blow things out of proportion. ;) If you'd like to see how many cases were in your state, go to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/, click on "weekly report" there on the left, choose the week you would like to see reports for, and click the download link. Very informative! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatashainDFW Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 We delay vax and the only shot series dd will be done with soon will be DTaP. With a new baby due in October and ds getting more involved with activities outside the house we decided it was worth finishing up that series now. Of course it is no guarantee but I want to at least try to protect my new squishy from it. I can say when we decided to delay vax we saw a major difference in the health of dcs. DS was constantly sick and had high fever reactions to the shots. DD has had RSV when she was an infant and that is it. She has never had antibiotics nor run a fever for more than a couple hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefragile7393 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 No. Why would it? It isn't a deadly disease in a healthy person, provided proper care is taken. Keep the child away from all people, watch who you are around yourself as much as possible and take very good care to avoid immunocompromised ones. Take care of it. It's no different then many other illnesses but because there is a vaccine we are trained to freak out when outbreaks happen....which will continue to happen because the vaccine does not prevent transmission or infection anyway. Insidevaccines.info has the link to the CDC study that discovered this...sorry I am not at home to link it myself. What scares me is that doctors rely so much on vaccines that they have no clue how to properly treat these illnesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefragile7393 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Not at all. If you are going to choose not to vaccinate your children and yourself then you have to have a plan for when your family gets sick. We have an amazing chiropractor, a great naturopath and we are surrounded/have access to an amazing community of herbalists (I am one as well). Even if you choose to you should also have a plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) No. Edited August 3, 2012 by justamouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Nope. The vax for pertussis doesn't even work that way, for one. We've also had it and it's no more a concern for me than a cold that lasts for a long time. I breast feed, so I'm not concerned for infant exposure. Edited August 3, 2012 by mommymilkies Aaaaaaaaah iPad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buterflysbeauty Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Yes, you should. Research the disease and how it is treated. I know several herbalists who have successfully treated WC in their practices in CA for years. Of all the diseases that there are vaccines for WC is not the one I would personally be worried about. One blog that is great, not just for vaccine information is The Guggie Daily. She also provides links to research and other sites to back up her information. http://guggiedaly.blogspot.com/2012/07/vaccine-article-quick-list.html Also, someone mentioned Tetanus.....that disease is THE most misunderstood! http://guggiedaly.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-thing-that-has-frequently-come-up.html Even if you choose to you should also have a plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I breast feed, so I'm not concerned for infant exposure. Breastfeeding does not guarantee that your child won't get whooping cough. One of mine got whooping cough when she was about 18 months old and she was still breastfeeding. She made it through without needing hospitalisation but it was a miserable ordeal. That said, I'm not overly concerned about my children getting whooping cough. We have had it in our family twice. All of my children except my two youngest, and my second oldest (who was exposed twice but never got it) have had whooping cough. It is miserable, but having it gives much better immunity than the shot. And I'm more afraid of the side effects from the shot than I am of the actual disease. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Absolutely not. Why? Because the majority of the cases have been in vaccinated people. ;) Um, the majority of people are vaccinated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Um, the majority of people are vaccinated. Yea, the vast majority. Not vaccinating against Pertussis is insane. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marychance Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I am not worried. My DD has not had it, but I had it as a child, and I was vaccinated. We delay vax and don't follow the full schedule (right tool for the right job) I don't forsee changing the plans for DS due in December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 we do not vax. i am not going to. pertussis has been around and gone in and out of "outbreak" stages for.ev.er. it appears to me that increasing or decreasing of vaccine rates has NO impact on pertussis infection or transmission rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 My kids were vaxed....they got pertussis. My nephews were vaxed, They got pertussis Df's kids were not vaxed....we're with my kids and nephews daily...THEY did not get pertussis.... I still can't get the doctor to give me a straight answer on that one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Breastfeeding does not guarantee that your child won't get whooping cough. One of mine got whooping cough when she was about 18 months old and she was still breastfeeding. She made it through without needing hospitalisation but it was a miserable ordeal. That said, I'm not overly concerned about my children getting whooping cough. We have had it in our family twice. All of my children except my two youngest, and my second oldest (who was exposed twice but never got it) have had whooping cough. It is miserable, but having it gives much better immunity than the shot. And I'm more afraid of the side effects from the shot than I am of the actual disease. Susan in TX Breastfeeding does, in fact, help. Especially if you are breastfeeding as someone with a known immunity (working in healthcare for years meant I had a lot of tiger checks!). Not to mention the fact that breastfeeding makes you healthier and your immune system more well developed to fight disease. 2 of my kids had to go on formula after 8 and 2 months, respectively, for medical reasons. They were vaxed for pertussis, and would be again, because of that. http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/whooping-cough-pertussis-strain-immune.html http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1270876/is-real-pertussis-immunity-passed-through-breastmilk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) Yea, the vast majority. Not vaccinating against Pertussis is insane. Bill No reason to name call. Many of us are well researched and have worked in medicine or science. My dh used to work in pharmaceuticals, I am a former med tech rat and worked in several units of 2 different hospitals. We do not vax because we have done the research and real life experience. The benefits do not outweigh the risks here. Edited August 4, 2012 by mommymilkies iPad autocorrect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 This was my situation with first ds except that our doctor didn't give the second shot and wouldn't even give the first shot to ds #2. Fast forward to middle school. Both my big boys were exposed to whooping cough repeatedly and neither caught it. The boy who had whooping cough and exposed them had been vaccinated. It took forever to get an accurate diagnosis, because the dr was not looking for whooping cough. After all the child had been vaccinated. So, he was around for several weeks coughing and coughing and coughing before we found out he had whooping cough. Move on to high school. Different city. Different doctor stated that the vaccine had been changed and suggested I vaccinate my big boys. So, I asked the obvious question. Since ds #1 already had a reaction to the previous vaccine, was he more likely to have a reaction to the vaccine that included lasting side effects or was he more likely to have lasting side effects if he were to catch whooping cough? The dr looked at me and in all seriousness said that no one had asked him that before. :glare: We didn't get the vaccine. Certainly, I wouldn't want my big boys to get whooping cough, but the vaccine isn't effective enough to in our case warrant the risks. Mandy Not vaccinating against Pertussis is insane. Bill No, insane is a dr suggesting a vaccine when he can't even tell you the risks involved. :confused: Why would I give my healthy teen a vaccine that carries the risk of life altering side effects, especially with the increased risk factored in as he already had a reaction to a previous pertussis vaccine, when the chances of long term effects from wc are so low? Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 No. As the risk is greatest well before the vaccines are actually close to effective, and there are plenty of pertussis breakouts in the fully vaccinated population. I don't feel the pros outweigh the cons here at all. (Bill darling, this is a thread for non-vaxxers about their concern for pertussis. It appears that you do not have experience as a non- or selective vaxxer. ;) We know quite well what full vaxxers think about the cost/benefit analysis of vaccinations. That's not the question at issue here.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Yea, the vast majority. Not vaccinating against Pertussis is insane. Bill My son with autism presented with sub clinical seizures detected in a 24 hour ambulatory EEG. In my research I learned that the Pertussis vaccine was contraindicated for anyone who has a close relative who has a seizure disorder. When I took my newborn in for a well baby check the pushy pediatrician started to back peddle when I asked about that contraindication. He then said I could delay THAT vaccine. I think it would have been insane for me to have just blindly gone along with whatever the doctor said. He DID NOT have my newborn's interest at heart. He was also the doctor for my son, so he should have known better. Needless to say, we switched doctors. My youngest is now receiving vaccines based on what we feel is appropriate and what our doctor recommends. Our doctor is our partner, but we have the final say. And our daughter is old enough to communicate with us if she feels something is going wrong after a vaccine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 My son with autism presented with sub clinical seizures detected in a 24 hour ambulatory EEG. In my research I learned that the Pertussis vaccine was contraindicated for anyone who has a close relative who has a seizure disorder. When I took my newborn in for a well baby check the pushy pediatrician started to back peddle when I asked about that contraindication. He then said I could delay THAT vaccine. I think it would have been insane for me to have just blindly gone along with whatever the doctor said. He DID NOT have my newborn's interest at heart. He was also the doctor for my son, so he should have known better. Needless to say, we switched doctors. My youngest is now receiving vaccines based on what we feel is appropriate and what our doctor recommends. Our doctor is our partner, but we have the final say. And our daughter is old enough to communicate with us if she feels something is going wrong after a vaccine. People with contraindications have obviously different risk factors than the general population. The risks of vaccination may in individual cases outweigh the benefits. But those individuals who can't be safely vaccinated are the ones most put at risk if large numbers of children who do not have risk factors routinely fail to be vaccinated. Whooping cough should be unknown in our society. Same with small pox. But both are making a comeback because people whose children have no risk factors are making crazy choices. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 People with contraindications have obviously different risk factors than the general population. The risks of vaccination may in individual cases outweigh the benefits. But those individuals who can't be safely vaccinated are the ones most put at risk if large numbers of children who do not have risk factors routinely fail to be vaccinated. Whooping cough should be unknown in our society. Same with small pox. But both are making a comeback because people whose children have no risk factors are making crazy choices. Bill But my point is, I had to be the one to do the research. The practice I was going to at that time would have just given my newborn the vaccine in spite of that contraindication. I agree with the PP who said many parents do research and have knowledge in this sensitive area. I did not wake up one day and decide not to vaccinate anymore. It was an agonizing decision. And while I agree that having the majority of the population vaccinated reduces diseases I was not prepared to sacrifice my youngest for the good of all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 But my point is, I had to be the one to do the research. The practice I was going to at that time would have just given my newborn the vaccine in spite of that contraindication. I agree with the PP who said many parents do research and have knowledge in this sensitive area. I did not wake up one day and decide not to vaccinate anymore. It was an agonizing decision. And while I agree that having the majority of the population vaccinated reduces diseases I was not prepared to sacrifice my youngest for the good of all. If a doctor fails to do due diligence in working up a family medical history, shame on them. I don't think anyone would argue that children with contraindications shouldn't be treated differently that those who don't. But it is precisely children like yours—those who can't be vaccinated due to legitimate risk—who are most threatened by wholesale vaccine avoidance by parents with healthy children with low risk factors. I'm sure you understand that. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Well, if my kid has a reaction to the vaccine, the medical establishment really is not going to be there for the long haul. I already know that due to my son. He lost his emerging language skills after receiving a series of shots. I know the popular opinion that vaccines don't cause autism. But even the doctors I have questioned have said they do not really know for sure . . . and that it is possible my son had some type of predisposition no one detected and the series of shots pushed him over the edge. And my youngest dd DID get whooping cough. Fortunately she was older and it was not the end of the world. Because we do care about others we all stayed home for about a month. When she was an infant we limited her exposure to others because I was very concerned about whooping cough. If she had not been nursed, or had been in a day care situation we may have taken the chance and given her the shot. But that would have been after careful consideration of all the information available to us. My older, vaccinated children also caught it. So either the immunity wore off or the shot simply did not work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Well, if my kid has a reaction to the vaccine, the medical establishment really is not going to be there for the long haul. I already know that due to my son. He lost his emerging language skills after receiving a series of shots. I know the popular opinion that vaccines don't cause autism. But even the doctors I have questioned have said they do not really know for sure . . . and that it is possible my son had some type of predisposition no one detected and the series of shots pushed him over the edge. And my youngest dd DID get whooping cough. Fortunately she was older and it was not the end of the world. Because we do care about others we all stayed home for about a month. When she was an infant we limited her exposure to others because I was very concerned about whooping cough. If she had not been nursed, or had been in a day care situation we may have taken the chance and given her the shot. But that would have been after careful consideration of all the information available to us. My older, vaccinated children also caught it. So either the immunity wore off or the shot simply did not work. It is not "popular opinion" that vaccines don't cause autism is demonstrable scientific fact. There is no demonstrated link between vaccines and autism. None. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Um, the majority of people are vaccinated. Um, I know that. Which was exactly my point. Not vaccinating against Pertussis is insane. :lol: They why are the majority of these cases in VACCINATED PEOPLE????? Why should I worry for my unvax'd kids if the majority of those getting WC ARE VACCINATED??? Vaccines do not guarantee immunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Same with small pox. But both are making a comeback because people whose children have no risk factors are making crazy choices. Bill did you really mean to say small pox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 did you really mean to say small pox? I meant to say smallpox, but stuff happens :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I meant to say smallpox, but stuff happens :D Bill You must have mixed this up with another disease. Smallpox is not making a comeback. Polio maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 People with contraindications have obviously different risk factors than the general population. The risks of vaccination may in individual cases outweigh the benefits. But those individuals who can't be safely vaccinated are the ones most put at risk if large numbers of children who do not have risk factors routinely fail to be vaccinated. Whooping cough should be unknown in our society. Same with small pox. But both are making a comeback because people whose children have no risk factors are making crazy choices. Bill That is simply not how disease works. When one is eradicated, another pops up. They mutate rapidly. Disease has a very real role in the natural world. We, as humans, are not exempt from this. I think your concern is misplaced. How about you worry about real killers like HIV or Ebola? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 No. The most dangerous ages for pertussis are 6 months and younger, and the vaccine regimen isn't completed by then anyway, so technically it's not 100% preventable. I take precautions of course, by nursing and avoiding enclosed areas with my younger babies, but generally, nope, I don't worry. To me, the risks of the vaccine outweighs the risks of contracting the disease. It's a very personal decision though, and not one to be made lightly or without careful consideration, family history, and lots of research. :grouphug: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 But it is precisely children like yours—those who can't be vaccinated due to legitimate risk—who are most threatened by wholesale vaccine avoidance by parents with healthy children with low risk factors. I'm sure you understand that. Bill :iagree: Son and I have a host of health issues. Ranging from a rare liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, and so on. Basically we have compromised immunity. We have up to date vaccinations and our yearly flu shot. But due to a rise in measles and whooping cough, we have to be careful with whom we come into contact with when it rears its ugly head. My pet peeve are with those who do not vax -- it makes life difficult for people like my son and I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I meant to say smallpox, but stuff happens :D Bill you misunderstood - my question was in reference to SMALL? are you thinking something else? it is not even possible to receive smallpox vaccination in this country (except possibly military). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 :iagree: Son and I have a host of health issues. Ranging from a rare liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, and so on. Basically we have compromised immunity. We have up to date vaccinations and our yearly flu shot. But due to a rise in measles and whooping cough, we have to be careful with whom we come into contact with when it rears its ugly head. My pet peeve are with those who do not vax -- it makes life difficult for people like my son and I. so if your pet peeve is with those who don't vax, how do you feel about people who DO vax but still get a mild form of pertussis that they then pass on to you because you didn't know not to go around them because they didn't get diagnosed or have classic symptoms? that's the funky thing about pertussis and the pertussis vaccine. and i am someone who has healthy children, but oldest has a host of allergies that prevent his vaccination. after his allergies (anaphylactic) starting popping up, it became clear that it was a chance i wasn't willing to take with my other children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 That is simply not how disease works. When one is eradicated, another pops up. They mutate rapidly. Disease has a very real role in the natural world. We, as humans, are not exempt from this. I think your concern is misplaced. How about you worry about real killers like HIV or Ebola? i remember in grad school for public health, it was so common to hear professors talk about ebola being "a plane ride away" - yet we NEVER worry about it here. not until somebody develops a vaccine for it. then we'll become terrified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefragile7393 Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 :iagree: Son and I have a host of health issues. Ranging from a rare liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, and so on. Basically we have compromised immunity. We have up to date vaccinations and our yearly flu shot. But due to a rise in measles and whooping cough, we have to be careful with whom we come into contact with when it rears its ugly head. My pet peeve are with those who do not vax -- it makes life difficult for people like my son and I. You do realize that that whooping cough (lately) has been mainly in VAXED kids right? That the shot does not prevent transmission or infection, just a milder case? blaming those who don't vax is pretty ridiculous when you actually look at numbers and who is getting what. www.insidevaccines.info has studies taken straight from PubMed. I'd link directly but unfortunately where I am the overly sensitive blocker has it, well, blocked. The unvaxed I know all take care of their kids when they are sick and if a vaccine available disease they keep them away from everyone. Actually, even those with vax'ed kids do the same. Blaming the unvaxed only for sickness is very unreasonable, considering ANYONE, vaxed or not can catch a disease and spread it-and it DOES happen-and no one should be lulled into a sense of security simply because they have a shot. My kids are no more of a threat because they have no shots-I keep them away from everyone anytime they are sick and kept them and myself away from others when they had a vaccine available disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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