[blparent] immunizing.

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Hi, Shannon.  Whether or not to immunize a baby is a controversial subject 
that has been a source of contention on this list before, so hopefully it 
won't be this time.

I had heard about possible dangers to immunization, and Gerald, in 
particular, was on the fence about it.  There were two things that 
eventually helped us decide to go forward with the immunizations on the 
schedule recommended by our pediatrician.

First, Gerald and I both had pertussis (whooping cough) a few years ago.  I 
gave it to him, actually, after having contracted it where I worked on a 
college campus.  For months, we both had coughing fits that were so bad we 
would end up gasping for air--or "whooping" which is where the name of the 
cough came from.  We would wake up at night feeling like we were getting 
suffocated.  I coughed so hard I pulled an abdominal muscle, and I cracked 
three ribs, two on the left and one on the right side, so then I was wearing 
a tight bandage around the middle because the coughing hurt like hell. 
Eventually, the cough subsided, and Gerald and I were none the worse for 
wear.  But I could easily see how a cough like that would be deadly for a 
young child or an elderly person.  A baby would just tear its little body 
apart coughing.  A friend of mine said she got pertussis when she was nine 
years old, and she remembers throwing herself to the floor and sobbing 
because she was so sore and tired of hacking her lungs out.

The second thing that swayed Gerald and I toward immunization was our 
pediatrician.  He was passionate about immunization, and not in an "I'm the 
doctor and I know best" kind of way.  He told us that he had worked at the 
children's hospital in Denver for fifteen years, and he had treated many 
children and seen some of them die needlessly because their parents had 
chosen not to have them vaccinated.  It was heartbreaking to see children 
with their lives cut short when there could have been a way to save them. 
Some of the diseases for which babies are vaccinated, once almost eradicated 
in this country, are making strong comebacks.

I don't know if vaccination is completely safe.  It's been wrenching to see 
Sarah get so many injections at once each time, usually three or four shots. 
I've been worried about autism or allergic reactions every time Sarah has 
gone in for her shots, especially when she was a tiny and vulnerable 
newborn.  I don't presume to judge anybody else for making a different 
decision because it would be tragic if immunizations harmed their babies. 
But especially having had pertussis and seen how serious it could be--and 
it's one of the more mild diseases on the vaccination list--I'll take a deep 
breath and let the nurses give Sarah the injections in her thighs when she 
goes for her next pediatric visit at a year old.  To me, it seems like the 
best way to keep my baby safe, and all I can do is weigh the options and 
make the choice that I think is most wise for Sarah.

I did enough research to find out that if you decide not to vaccinate, you 
need to get forms from your pediatrician or your county health department 
that say you didn't give your consent for immunizations.  Those forms can be 
used in place of the proof of vaccination when a child enters daycare or 
public school, though I don't know if all daycare centers have to accept 
unvaccinated children.

Jo Elizabeth

It is easy--terribly easy--to shake a man's faith in himself. To take 
advantage of that to break a man's spirit is devil's work. Take care of what 
you are doing. Take care.--George Bernard Shaw in "Candide"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shannan Zinck" <shannanzinck at gmail.com>
To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 1:44 PM
Subject: [blparent] immunizing.


> Ok, here is an area of major conflict for me especially. I am visually
> impaired as a result of Rubella Syndrome so you can imagine my dilemma 
> here.
> To immunize or not that is the question. There is endless controversy on
> this subject. I know 2 kids that are Autistic and it seems to be a result 
> of
> their 18 month needle yet if people don't immunize then the risk of 
> Rubella
> comes back and could potentially kill countless unborn children. I have 
> also
> heard that there is a connection with needles and SIDS. Man I know that 
> you
> can't buy into everything that is said but, who is right here anyway. 
> First
> they say that needles are great and now doctors push for them and you're
> faced with ticking them off because you don't know if want to get it done 
> or
> not. Docs around here make it sound manditory so it's hard to argue with
> them about it. They don't seem to give you the option of not doing it. 
> It's
> funny but, I can see how getting it done could be harmful considering you
> are pumping small amounts of disease into your kid yet the later affects 
> can
> be potentially fatal as well. I hate making these decisions. UGH.
>
> -- 
> Shannan Zinck
> Survival is letting GOD take over!!!
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