MMR

[Sarahkka]

An excellent and recent article from Nature magazine sums up worldwide risk and talks very briefly about the resurgence being seen in the US, partly attributed to people not vaccinating due to fear and poor understanding of vaccination risk:

United States: Measles was officially eliminated in 2000, but cases imported from elsewhere threaten to reestablish the virus. More cases have been registered in 2011 than in any year since 1996, leading to fears of outbreaks among unvaccinated children.

https://www.nature.com/news/2011/110525/full/473434a.html

And here is another very good article from the same issue of Nature:
https://www.nature.com/news/2011/110525/full/473436a.html
Very good info on the real scientific risks and some very good advice on how to assess those risks for ourselves and our kids.

 

[Eve]

There was a case or two of Measles out west here... which is a big reason we got the MMR a few weeks ago.

 

[AirForceWife7]

To me, the benefits of vaccination superbly outweigh the risks. Whoever doesn't want to get their children vaccinated, so be it - to each their own. However, your child poses as a threat to mine & to everyone else because you did not choose to get them vaccinated. I believe that natural immunity used to be a reliable way of disease prevention in the olden days years & years ago, but in this day & age, there are way too many extremely aggressive diseases out there that are the result of expansion. Therefore, I'd rather take the risk of a needle jab in order for my family to not die from a disease that could have easily been prevented with a simple vaccine.

 

[Sarahkka]

AirForceWife - you make a good point. It is a tricky balance. I think freedom of choice is important, but what happens when someone else's choice sort of chooses for me, too?

 

[AirForceWife7]

Excellent point. That's why I am so for vaccines. If someone does not have their child vaccinated & that child ends up contracting a horrible virus, then in turn that virus is passed on from child to child, which can lead to death. All the while, this could have been prevented? It puts all children (not only yours) & every other person at risk for all diseases if you choose to not vaccinate

 

[Ashley8806]

We recently passed a no smoking law here, where there is no smoking in public places. I kind of see this as that - those that smoke choose to, but those that do not but had to be around it before the law was passed didn't have a choice but to inhale the smoke.

We know a couple people who chose not to vaccinate their children, and are home schooling them. It takes everything in me not to say something to them, I just wish people realized their impact on everyone else. Personally, I feel they should be mandatory. I can maybe see passing an extension, if someone feels more comfortable doing it when they are a little older (like the 15 month arguments previously said on here), but I still don't feel completely comfortable with that either.

 

[Sarahkka]

Funny you should say that. That analogy sprang to mind for me, too.
At what point do the rights of the individual supersede the common good? Not sure I have the answer, to be honest.
Most of the major childhood diseases - there is a strong argument for making those mandatory, with obvious medical exemptions.
But what about the yearly flu vaccine? That one is estimated to be about 20% accurate. And as a healthy adult, having the occasional bout of flu is good for your immune system. So do we mandate those, as well?
What about varicella? That one is kind of on the line. Yes, it can be awful, but is it really in the same league as something like measles?

It's tempting to want to take away the individual choice to protect the community, but it's a really slippery slope.

 

[Ashley8806]

Well here we have certain ones mandatory to get into the public school system. So I feel those should be mandatory, and others should be an option. Flu, for example, would be an option. I think that's one way that would make it easier to mandate them, but it wouldn't work everywhere as I doubt the laws of immunizations and school are the same everywhere.

 

[Sarahkka]

Our laws are similar, as far as I understand. You are required by law to have them to attend public school, but you can get exemptions for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. Once those exemption are filed, the children may attend school. However, they must be withdrawn should an outbreak of one of those diseases occur. Which I guess would be more for their own protection, really.

 

[Ashley8806]

Yeah sounds similar. If they made the rules to exemption more strict, then they can enforce laws mandating the vaccinations I guess. It would be tricky, but it's just my opinion of what should be done anyway lol not like they are going to pass a law for me

 

[MillyBert]

What i find interesting is the fact the MMR can be free on the NHS yet those of us that are reserved about the triple vaccine and would rather get the single vaccines we have to then go private and pay. I think the MMR and the single vaccinations should both be free on the NHS that way it will give some parents more of an option other than MMR or no MMR therefore it might encourage more parents to get there children vaccinated.

 

[discoclare]

What i find interesting is the fact the MMR can be free on the NHS yet those of us that are reserved about the triple vaccine and would rather get the single vaccines we have to then go private and pay. I think the MMR and the single vaccinations should both be free on the NHS that way it will give some parents more of an option other than MMR or no MMR therefore it might encourage more parents to get there children vaccinated.

I haven't read the whole thread but I'm sure it must have been mentioned numerous times that mumps is not currently available as a single vaccine (at least in Europe, I am unsure about the US). That is one of the reasons MMR is on NHS but single vaccines aren't - you can't vaccine against mumps with single vaccine. Secondly, I believe the MMR is much cheaper than the combined cost of rubella and measles single vaccinations. The NHS is already strapped for cash and I think it would be wasteful to spend the extra when there is no scientific evidence that there is anything wrong with MMR. People who feel very strongly about having single vaccines have the option to go private and pay.

 

[MillyBert]

I was just thinking outside the box sort of thing thats all. I know many people that have vaccinated their children and some that have not. Personally i have not. My thought was only if there was options put out there would more people get their children vaccinated as there was more choices open to a wider range of people?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I have chosen to vaccinate Alex. With his heart beating out of sync and at a slower rate, I would not run the risk of him catching any illness that would force his body to work harder than it already is. I spoke with his cardiologist about any risks to vaccinating him and he said I should to protect Alex. The reason MMR was linked with autism is because symptoms of autism develop around the same time MMR is given (surprised no one has mentioned this yet). People were looking for a link and blamed MMR.

I think for people that choose not to vaccinate, they should very carefully consider why they are doing it. In ticking.tock's case, there is a valid medical reason not to vaccinate her children due to a very real risk to her children. I, for one, would really hate it if my son was not vaccinated, had measles and passed it on to a baby who was not vaccinated and that baby later died from complications. Vaccines help build your immunity to a disease. Even if you have that disease, you are still a carrier and can still pass it on. I'm confident in my choice.

 

[AirForceWife7]

Love that response! ^ Exactly how I feel.

 

[summer rain]

I am not anti vaccination, however there is a certain vaccine (not the MMR) that two of my boys have reacted badly to and even the manufacturer leaflet does now say that anyone with an allergy to bovine protein should not have this vaccine-the NHS own advice for health professionals and parents states that this bovine protein should be completely avoided by those with cows milk allergy as well, my son appears to have outgrown this particular allergy but I am still wary of giving him this particular vaccine and no-one seems sure as to when it will be truly safe for him to have it. I personally don't have a problem with those who choose not to vaccinate, whatever their reasons may be, as I know they have done their research and made an informed decision. While I don't believe vaccines are part of some 'evil government conspiracy' there are certain children/adults for whom certain vaccines are contraindicated, even according to the manufacturers but at least in this country in order to tick some boxes the NHS is ignoring this fact and giving advice out that often contradicts the manufacturers' own information on their product. xx

 

[JASMAK]

I just find it sad that many years ago, babies were born stillborn, or with defects, or pregnancies were lost due to measles. Many many women would worry and fret when they were pregnant as to whether or not they were immune, and if not, try to avoid those with the measles and such. And now that all this turmoil is a thing of the past, people have started not vaccinating. I just hope that those who do not vaccinate have considered all of this. It almost seems like it has become 'cool' for some to not vaccinate...and I really hope I am wrong there, because these choices will affect your children for the rest of their lives, from their own pregnancies, schools, daycamps, and travelling.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I vaccinated. I did research on it and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the risk. It is proven that there is no valid link to autism from having the MMR. And even if there was, I would rather my child be autistic than die from contracting measles. I will be honest and say I don't fully understand why anyone wouldn't allow their child to have the MMR (not including those who do it later than recommended or have the single vaccines, I mean those who don't let them have it at all) I'm afraid there are far too many high risks, for me, in not having it that led to my decision.

 

[Mrskg]

This is a hard one something i have done a lot of research on since researching the hpv vaccine (that's prob for another post)

All 3 of my girlsnhave had it didn't really think of the side effects x my third girl has only had the first vaccine she took a squint in her eye straight after it I have been told by a doctor if a vaccine is going to do anything it will it will most likely effect the eyes has anyone noticed how many young kids wear glasses now ? I was unsure about getting the second vaccine so I researched it the booster is the exact same vaccine they give it because the first one fails on 5% of children I happy to believe she is one of the 95% it worked on and I'm not prepared to go through something worse happening to her with having a reaction to the first x

I also looked into the 3 doses but was also told there is then 3 more chances of a vaccine related injury??

I have reason to believe the government won't accept there is a link to autism because the payout would be too much x people get payouts allmthe time for other vaccine related injuries we just don't hear about it because that would cause panic xx

I am ttc an dreading having to make that vaccine decision again but after everything I have learned in the last year about vaccines x

At the end of the day we can only make the decision that feels right at the time x

 

[Septie]

The paper and author about the link between MMR and autism have been discredited very recently - it was a fraud (and one that has caused many measles deaths and complications!!). It turns out that several of the kids studied likely did not have autism, and most of the ones that did actually showed signs prior to the vaccine. Vaccines are not without risk, but the risks of severe complications are vanishingly slim for most people.
Measles, on the other hand, is a very very dangerous disease which can cause death and severe brain damage, and that fairly frequently, especially in infants and adults. It used to be a major killer of children. My mom is a doctor, and several decades ago, she worked in an institution where more than half of the brain damaged patients were measles victims! Mumps causes sterility in men, and rubella causes birth defects when pregnant women catch it.
There have been severe measles outbreaks in Europe and Quebec this year (and smaller ones in the US, where thankfully the vaccination rate is higher) - with tens of thousands of people affected. Thousands have been hospitalized due to complications! People have already died! Who knows how many will have life-long complications!
Please please please consider the vaccine for your kids - for their sake, and the sake of those who can't, such as babies, and the small percentage for whom the vaccine is not effective. Measles is very infectious - there is no way to avoid it if you are not immune: If you are in a room with an infected person, you are virtually sure to get it (over 90%). And people are infectious prior to the tell-tale rash. How would you feel if your kid got the measles and survived, but he infected your neighbor's or sister's newborn who died (or had major brain damage)?? Could you live with your decision? As a society, do we really want to go back to a time where these childhood diseases were major killers of children?