Immunisations, why wouldn't you?
This is an issue that genuinely interests me. I’m not blogging about it to ignite a firestorm of controversy. I just want to know why it is people choose not to immunise their kids.
I ask this, because a news story caught my eye recently where a 5 week old baby died of whooping cough in Adelaide and I can’t imagine the heartbreak of those parents. The end of the news report said there had been over 4000 reported cases of it in SA last year, up 1000 cases on the year before.
And it got me thinking. Clearly people are choosing not to immunise their kids. But why not?
The Federal government currently has a National Immunisation Program Schedule where children under five can expect to receive 13 injections and several oral courses, which makes up a total of 45 vaccine doses. I’ve had to cuddle and comfort many tears from my offspring over the years as I’ve taken them to have each of their shots.
My logic has always been that prevention is better than cure, and I sure as hell didn’t want to allow other kids to get sick if I exposed them to something my child might have had if they hadn’t been immunized.
Earlier this year the FluVax programme was halted due to the side effects children were experiencing. Nine out of every 1000 children under five had febrile convulsions. The expected side effect rate is less than one child per 1000. Now that must have been a terrifying side effect for any parent to watch their child suffer and I could understand why parents would have been questioning the wisdom of having their child immunized if this is what happened. That said, having watched one of my kids suffer through a horrible bout of swine flu before the vaccination was readily available, was pretty awful too.
I also know parents who worry about the safety of having multiple vaccines administered at the same time. I wonder if there is an alternative being offered to these parents or if they choose to avoid vaccinating for that reason.
It is a complex issue. I’ve always had a very straight view on it and immunized my children accordingly.
But seriously, why wouldn’t you immunise your child?
24 Member comments Post a reply
Asking THE question. Sarah wonders why people choose not to immunize their kids.
Read the full blog post: Immunisations, why wouldn't you?
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:09 AM
What makes you think just because a child has been immunised they dont get whooping cough? I think you might need to research the topic again and than repost.
As for flu vacs well strick me down but the doctors themselves withdrew them for a while not really giving me much trust.
I personally dont immunise because after much research I am not happy with what I have found. Also I believe there are better ways to protect my children. Personally my dh nearly died from his servere allergic reaction. Not going to take the risk with my children.
It is such a personal thing. I dont judge those that do choose to go ahead but I am sick of them judging me for not.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:33 AM
[quote name='7wildmonkeys' date='07 October 2010 - 04:03 PM' timestamp='1286429604' post='2815468'] What makes you think just because a child has been immunised they dont get whooping cough? I think you might need to research the topic again and than repost. [color="#800080"]I havent actually read the article but just wanted to add my niece has been fully immunised and has also had whooping cough so it most definately happens.[/color]
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:42 AM
Ive read that immunisations doesnt fully protect children from certain sicknesses it just minimises the severity(spelling oops), thats what ive read anyway,
I immunise my son but its my choice just like every other parent its there choice. Everyone should just worry about there own kids and not critisize others for what ever they choose to do.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:49 AM
Personally, I believe in immunisations and my children will be fully immunised. However I do know someone who does not get her son immunised as some (or all?) of them contain traces of egg to which he is severely allergic.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:49 AM
Yes, I agree. You can still contract an illness even though you are immunised against it! The benefit of immunising I guess is that there is less of a chance of getting it and the first place and if you do, the symptoms are often much less severe.
A 9 in 1000 chance of febrile convulsions are pretty bad odds if you ask me. For something so dangerous... There's no way I would risk that. There's probably less of a chance of getting severe influenza..
I'm quite happy after doing research myself to get DS all the immunisations on the schedule, but each to their own. 7wildmonkeys I think I would lose any faith in immunisations after having an experience like yours as well! May I ask, what are the other ways you protect your family against diseases? Just curious smile
Posted 08 October 2010 - 03:54 AM
Hi
At 5 weeks old, the poor little mites can't be immunised anyway, so if they contract an awful disease, their chances of survival are minimal.
Every parent has to make decisions for their children as they see fit.
Let's PLEASE not get drawn into judgmental & offensive posts & instead support each other on more worthy topics.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:01 AM
There are lots of reasons as to why people don't vaccinate. Vaccination isn't a black and white issue. It is an extremely complex one as it encompasses medical, cultural, philosophical and personal issues. It isn't a matter of vaccinating a person and having that person free from disease and therefore "protecting" the rest of the world.
If you are vaccinated you can still get the disease. (there is no evidence to say you will get a milder version of it. That is purely down to the health, immunity and genetics of that person) If you are vaccinated you can get a version of the disease that only occurs if you are partially/completely vaccinated. (atypical measles for example) If you are vaccinated you are at risk of reaction to the ingredients.
There are drs against vaccination and there are drs also campaigning to change the schedule to split up the vaccines and give them individually. There was also talk of testing people for antibodies and then coming up with a vax schedule to suit the individual. ( that makes excellent medical sense, just costly so not likely)
Another issue for me is the transparency of data. I am unsure about other states, but in SA they have to record the vax status of somebody hospitalised with a disease that has a vax available. It would make sense, if this was worldwide and the data studied. As far as I am aware only SA records this information. Currently data is manipulated in the media to have the effect they are trying to achieve. eg. whooping cough outbreaks that appear in the media are in areas with low immunisation rates. I had a look at SAs whooping cough data according to the health website and our numbers were roughly the same. Not an outbreak here though.....our vax rates are too high.
So there are many reasons as to why people don't vaccinate. It isn't because they are having a "free ride," it isn't because they are slack. It is simply because their family has different risks to yours.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:09 AM
I COMPLETELY agree with every word of your post. I am also sick of the judgement- I never tell people who choose to immunize that they shouldn't but somehow they feel they have the right to tell me I should!
Each to their own- I have thoroughly researched the issue and my husband and I have decided immunization is not for us or our family.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:12 AM
To clarify, I do understand that vaccination doesn't always mean you won't get whooping cough, though the vaccine should reduce its severity.
I also realise little ones aren't vaccinated against it initially, though they are trialling it at some hospitals soon after birth. My point there was that people aren't vaccinated against it, which means they can unknowingly pass it on to babies who themselves aren't immune to it yet.
I hadn't known about egg allergies being a reason why people wouldn't immunise, but that makes perfect sense.
Thank you everyone for being respectful.
I am not judging, I am asking why people choose not to because I really am interested in the reasons why.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:13 AM
why should having a vaccine reduce the severity?
Posted 08 October 2010 - 04:16 AM
Good on you for researching it more. Are you part of the immunisation group on facebook. Some seriously interesting data on there and also some scary information as well. But as always I take everything with a grain of salt.lol
Posted 08 October 2010 - 05:54 AM
Just out of interest. How do people who dont immunise their children go with getting your children enrolled in school and childcare.
I heard that you cant enrol a child in childcare without them having been immunised but that sounds stupid and like discrimmination. Can the government punish you for not immunising and has anyone found they have come across any issus as a result of them not being immunised.
My children are immunised and will be fully but I do think there is a lot we dont know about the long term effects and im not fully convinced about the safety of all of them.
I am all for choice so I ask out of interest smile
Posted 08 October 2010 - 06:14 AM
I pretty sure it's not usually an issue.. But correct me if I'm wrong. If there is ever an outbreak of an immunised disease at the school however, un-immunised children have to stay at home until the threat is clear.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 06:18 AM
no, I'm not on facebook.... I was for a day - then i got to a point where
i couldn't take one more "ding" x has sent you a strawberry plant. "ding" x has sent you a quiz etc.. lol I think I will stick to my couple of forums and email!!
Posted 08 October 2010 - 06:25 AM
Vaccines are supposed to give immunity or at least reduce severity due to the fact that the vaccine is made up of a minute sample of the illness you are hoping to prevent. When the body is exposed to the illness it produces the antibodies to fight it. Therefore when the body is exposed to it again it will recognise it and produce the same antibodies to destroy it before it multiplies. Some bodies never produce the antibodies, others already have a natural immunity. eg I have been vaccinated fully against Hep B 3 times but still not built up a decent level of immunity, whereas I have been around so many people with mumps but never contracted them.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 06:27 AM
Vaccination is a personal parental choice. Only the parents can make such a decision. The decision should not be up for discussion, as such a decision is not taken lightly. Each to their own!
Posted 08 October 2010 - 06:30 AM
I appreciate your answer, but that still doesn't explain why a vaccine will reduce the severity. If you have the antibodies (as is the aim with the vaccine) then you shouldn't become ill as your body knocks it off before it gets to that stage. If you don't have the antibodies after being vaxed (which is common) then your body hasn't recognised them and has to start from scratch. So why is the severity reduced? Even if you produce some antibodies but it multiplies faster then your system can fight it - that wouldn't be due to the vaccine, that would be due to your general health.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 08:16 AM
I think splitting the vaccines is a good idea. There was an outbreak of measles not so long ago and as I was at the doc having a tetnus shot the nurse asked if I would like a measles shot as there is an outbreak. I thought about it and decided to have it. The measles vaccine is put in with mumps and rubella and it turned out I was pregnant, which we found out after the shot. Rubella is extremely dangerous to babies and it is of course a live vaccine. If they split the vaccines I could have had a measles shot which doesn't carry the live virus.
Sorry if this has been explained before but if there is an outbreak of something, children not vaccinated are required to stay home until the disease has passed.
A couple of years ago in America there was an outbreak of rubella (german measles). The immunisation programme had been running for so long that when the outbreak occured doctors didn't know what it was and had to look it up in text books. That to me speaks volumes about the success of immunisations.
About 10 years ago I was working in a department store and this boy about 8yo came in coughing and spluttering. He sounded awful and I really felt bad for him - and felt his parents should not have been dragging this obviously very sick little boy around town. Not long after I got whooping cough. I believe this little boy had it and that's how I caught it. It was worst sickness I've ever had - and it's not as bad in adults as children (I had been immunised but hadn't had a booster shot). There was never any question I would have my children immunised after this. As for the little boy - I respect his parents decision not to have him immunised but he should have been home because their decision affected me (and he should have been taught to cover his mouth when he coughed).
Posted 08 October 2010 - 08:36 AM
The way I had it explained to me at uni was that the body recognises the illness due to the vaccine. It does produce the appropriate antibodies, just not enough and not quickly enough to kill the virus before it becomes symptomatic i.e. you start feeling worse before the body starts winning the fight. The recognition is there, which it wouldn't be without the vaccine, unless natural immunity is there, it just hasn't learn't to respond quickly enough. Sorry I'm probably not explaining it very well.
Posted 08 October 2010 - 08:42 AM
My understanding (and I could be completely off the mark here!) is that most vaccines do not contain the actual live organisms that cause a specific disease. Some vaccines contain dead cells, some contain organisms that are closely related to a virus- providing a broad spectrum but not as strong protection, some contain virus' that are modified so they aren't dangerous. There are heaps more different types. Therefore, as the vaccine often doesn't contain the exact cells of a virus/bacteria for your body to make antibodies, you can still contract the disease, but because your body has fought off something similar in the form of a vaccine, it can learn form this and produce antibodies more quickly. smile Hope I didn't confuse you!
Posted 08 October 2010 - 08:47 AM
i'd just like to say its my understanding that this website is here to give us information and support. Being a first time mum i like to hear the pros and cons on everything possible and think it would be a shame if things were not touched on just because they may cause controversies. so many people use this site and no matter what topic it is, not everyone out there will have the same opinion. Thanks Sarah for your blogs. i may not always have the same thoughts as you but i always appreciate reading your blogs
Posted 09 October 2010 - 07:53 AM
Hi There
I just wanted to point out that it was not Sarah's intention to "stir people up unnecessarily". The forum and the blog are designed to inspire debate on these issues. While we encourage healthy debate on the forum and blog we do ask you to respect the fact that you are all going to have different opinions on a subject such as this one based on personal experience and your own beliefs. Therefore, we ask you to please keep the debates on this subject relevant and do not attack people on a personal level. If we see replies that are being unnecessarily negative and getting too personal we will have to take action. Hopefully you can all keep the debate lively without things getting out of hand and respect that you will all have a different opinion.
Thanks!
Huggies Moderation Team
Posted 09 October 2010 - 09:42 PM
My Children are immunised and my partner and i also got re done after the birth of our last child.
I to wonder why people dont do it but i know its personal choice but i to fear for those babies who have not yet reached the age of being fully immunised and who have caught off those who choose not to have it done.
Infact a good friend of mine he 10 week prem baby caught whooping cough and almost died a few times!
So to me and my personal experiances its well worth getting done
Posted 10 October 2010 - 01:39 AM
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