Over-vaccination of infant

[ashkyla]

What is the name of your state? Oklahoma.

I'm not involved in any kind of medical malpractice suit, nor do I plan to be, but I have a question about my options insofar as vaccinations go.

My issue is with the outrageous number of vaccinations the pediatrician is trying to insist my daughter get.

I'm not an alarmist, and I usually don't distrust doctors, just because they've got the degree and I don't, but six to seven shots at every check-up seems a bit much when my baby isn't in daycare or school.

And, I've looked up what's in the vaccinations they're trying to make me let them give my daughter, and I have serious issues with allowing them to pump her full of formaldehyde, preservative or not, as well as another chemical that is a cute way of phrasing 'anti-freeze'.

If it was one or two shots, I wouldn't have such a problem with it, but seven?!

If someone ran a toxicology screening on my daughter after she'd been to the pediatrician, they'd probably think I'd poisoned her!

Any ideas what my options are, as far as cutting the non-essential vaccines from her appointments legally so they don't try to report me to DHS? The DTap I can understand, but why are they vaccinating her for 3 types of Hepatitis, 2 kinds of viral pneumonia, etc. when she's not likely to be exposed to any of that, and everyone in the family is fully vaccinated?

My first instinct is that because I have insurance, they're giving her any shot they can get away with, to collect the money for it.

Help?

 

[ellencee]

What is the name of your state? Oklahoma.

I'm not involved in any kind of medical malpractice suit, nor do I plan to be, but I have a question about my options insofar as vaccinations go.

My issue is with the outrageous number of vaccinations the pediatrician is trying to insist my daughter get.

I'm not an alarmist, and I usually don't distrust doctors, just because they've got the degree and I don't, but six to seven shots at every check-up seems a bit much when my baby isn't in daycare or school.

And, I've looked up what's in the vaccinations they're trying to make me let them give my daughter, and I have serious issues with allowing them to pump her full of formaldehyde, preservative or not, as well as another chemical that is a cute way of phrasing 'anti-freeze'.

If it was one or two shots, I wouldn't have such a problem with it, but seven?!

If someone ran a toxicology screening on my daughter after she'd been to the pediatrician, they'd probably think I'd poisoned her!

Any ideas what my options are, as far as cutting the non-essential vaccines from her appointments legally so they don't try to report me to DHS? The DTap I can understand, but why are they vaccinating her for 3 types of Hepatitis, 2 kinds of viral pneumonia, etc. when she's not likely to be exposed to any of that, and everyone in the family is fully vaccinated?

My first instinct is that because I have insurance, they're giving her any shot they can get away with, to collect the money for it.

Help?

Beyond the routine MMR, pertussis, and chickenpox vaccinations, just say "NO". Many parents refuse the additional vaccinations.

EC

 

[ashkyla]

My main issue is that I don't want them to 1) try to report me to DHS for negligence or something stupid like that or 2) have it bite me in the ass in five years, when I'm trying to enroll her in kindergarten and she doesn't have the fifteen million shots up to date.

Someone mentioned to me that I could sign a religious waiver or something to that effect? Or possibly get a notorized statement from an attorney that I was refusing on the grounds of possible health problems resulting from excess vaccinations. (My daughter did run a fever, screamed constantly, had nightmares, and had diarrhea for a week following the last round I allowed.)

 

[ellencee]

My main issue is that I don't want them to 1) try to report me to DHS for negligence or something stupid like that or 2) have it bite me in the ass in five years, when I'm trying to enroll her in kindergarten and she doesn't have the fifteen million shots up to date.

Someone mentioned to me that I could sign a religious waiver or something to that effect? Or possibly get a notorized statement from an attorney that I was refusing on the grounds of possible health problems resulting from excess vaccinations. (My daughter did run a fever, screamed constantly, had nightmares, and had diarrhea for a week following the last round I allowed.)

The children in my family do not take vaccinations over and above the MMR, pertussis, and chickenpox vaccines and no parent has been reported to DSS and no child has been refused entry into any school or activity. If you do not want your child to receive the vaccines, refuse them.
EC

 

[ashkyla]

The children in my family do not take vaccinations over and above the MMR, pertussis, and chickenpox vaccines and no parent has been reported to DSS and no child has been refused entry into any school or activity. If you do not want your child to receive the vaccines, refuse them.
EC

Thanks.

The pediatrician I've been using has made it sound like I'm breaking the law if I don't let them do every shot.

Thus far, I've refused to let them give her anything but the DTaP (diptheria, tetanus & pertussis) since she's not old enough to start MMR or chickenpox vaccines yet.

And honestly, I think I'll skip the chickenpox vaccine. I had it three times, and was fine. Supposedly, having the chickenpox makes you immune to shingles, but they may change their stand on that in a year, the way things seem to go in the medical community.

 

[ellencee]

Thanks.

The pediatrician I've been using has made it sound like I'm breaking the law if I don't let them do every shot.

Thus far, I've refused to let them give her anything but the DTaP (diptheria, tetanus & pertussis) since she's not old enough to start MMR or chickenpox vaccines yet.

And honestly, I think I'll skip the chickenpox vaccine. I had it three times, and was fine. Supposedly, having the chickenpox makes you immune to shingles, but they may change their stand on that in a year, the way things seem to go in the medical community.

I totally forgot about the DTaP! My family does not take this triple vaccine because of a family "trait" towards the development of autoimmune diseases, but I have no opposition to it. I oppose the current vaccination craze and I believe time will prove me (and you) correct. I support polio vaccines and smallpox vaccines, both of which I insisted that my own children receive and both of which are essentially no longer available.

If you are saying the chickenpox vaccine makes you immune to shingles, you may be correct; however, if you are saying having had chickenpox makes you immune to shingles, you are mistaken. Shingles come from chickenpox and being exposed to shingles places a person at risk for developing chickenpox if the person has no immunity to chickenpox.

It is interesting that you developed no immunity to chickenpox. Your children may also not develop full immunity against the diseases for which they receive vaccines. If they contract one of the illnesses for which they have been vaccinated, the illness should be of lesser severity and duration than if they had not been vaccinated.

Best wishes,
EC

 

[ashkyla]

It is interesting that you developed no immunity to chickenpox. Your children may also not develop full immunity against the diseases for which they receive vaccines. If they contract one of the illnesses for which they have been vaccinated, the illness should be of lesser severity and duration than if they had not been vaccinated.

The two I'm most worried about are the polio part of the DTaP, and the flu shot.

A cousin of mine got the polio vaccine (mind you, this was 21 years ago, when it was still live virus), got polio, and has never walked, and it also caused an autoimmune disorder.

The flu shot bothers me because they go crazy trying to get people to take it before flu season starts, when they don't even know what strain is going to be going around.

Add to that the fact that everyone I've ever know who's gotten the flu shot has gotten the flu, and you see why it flips me out.

 

[ellencee]

The two I'm most worried about are the polio part of the DTaP, and the flu shot.

A cousin of mine got the polio vaccine (mind you, this was 21 years ago, when it was still live virus), got polio, and has never walked, and it also caused an autoimmune disorder.

The flu shot bothers me because they go crazy trying to get people to take it before flu season starts, when they don't even know what strain is going to be going around.

Add to that the fact that everyone I've ever know who's gotten the flu shot has gotten the flu, and you see why it flips me out.

You have described some very real complications of vaccinations.

Don't worry about the P part of the DPT vaccine--it isn't for polio; it is for pertussis (whooping cough).

EC

 

[zippysgoddess]

I, too, refused more than the regular/normal vaccines that are required for my son, though we did, willingly add in the Chicken Pox one, because my husband caught it at 18 and suffered very badly, so I had fears of my son going through the same thing.

Not only that, but I also refused to put him on iron supplements when he was mildy anemic, because Hemachromatosis (high iron disease) runs in my husbands family, so we are safer keeping him a little on the low side.

I simply made sure that my reasonings were recorded in his charts, and that was the end of it. Since none of that is "required" vaccinations, no laws broken, no report to child welfare, and no problems enrolling him in school at all.

Just refuse them as Ellen said, and you will be fine. The doc wants to make money off of you and is blowing smoke to make you feel intimidated into agreeing.

 

[ashkyla]

You have described some very real complications of vaccinations.

Don't worry about the P part of the DPT vaccine--it isn't for polio; it is for pertussis (whooping cough).

EC

DPT is different from DTap. DPT is diptheria, pertussis & tetanus. DTaP is for diptheria, tetanus and polio. And I think the pertussis vaccine is in either the Pediarix or Prevnar, which I've also allowed. (Though I don't remember which one right offhand...shot records are in a locked fire-box.)

 

[justalayman]

You can always call the area school and ask them what they require for immunizations before starting school. You may find that you are immunizing your child adequately with what you have allowed.

One thing everybody should remember:

most of the diseases the docs immunize for are very serious diseases. The only reason we do not see them all around us is because the general public does get immunized.

Not to take a shot at immigrants but the reason some of the diseases are making comeback is that many immigrants come from countries where there are no immunizations for many of these diseases given to the general public. What happens with this is they then bring them here and if not properly immunized, people here can get them. The rate of TB in larger cities is a prime example. I am old enough to have seen the tail end of the polio that was so prevelant in our country. The thought of people in braces with crutches, in wheelchairs, and in iron lungs makes me fear what would happen if too many people did not immunize their children.

As far as the child that contracted polio from the immunization, even the poster noted that this was when live virus shots were used. The current vaccine is much safer although not totally free of hazard.

Granted, nobody wants to give their child anything that might harm them but in many of these shots they benefits far outweigh the risks involved.

 

[panzertanker]

You can sign a medical waiver and have your children NOT vaccinated at all, if you so choose. A copy will go to the school/daycare, and they cannot be refused admission...

I have several pediatric patients who are not vaccinated, per parent request.

 

[ellencee]

DPT is different from DTap. DPT is diptheria, pertussis & tetanus. DTaP is for diptheria, tetanus and polio. And I think the pertussis vaccine is in either the Pediarix or Prevnar, which I've also allowed. (Though I don't remember which one right offhand...shot records are in a locked fire-box.)

This is just a little note--I have three "complete" lists of available vaccines with all of the data about each vaccine, each list is dated 2005, and not one of them lists the DTaP. I had to do a web search to find it! Is that not crazy?!
EC

 

[zippysgoddess]

Definitely screwy EC, wonder why? It makes no sense.

 

[luvbskts]

Thanks.

The pediatrician I've been using has made it sound like I'm breaking the law if I don't let them do every shot.

Thus far, I've refused to let them give her anything but the DTaP (diptheria, tetanus & pertussis) since she's not old enough to start MMR or chickenpox vaccines yet.

And honestly, I think I'll skip the chickenpox vaccine. I had it three times, and was fine. Supposedly, having the chickenpox makes you immune to shingles, but they may change their stand on that in a year, the way things seem to go in the medical community.

Whoever told you that chickenpox makes you immuned to shingles was wrong. The "real" answer is:
you can't get shingles until you've had the chickenpox

I had shingles at 18 months (yes, months I was one of the youngest cases ever seen in my state) and I've had them two or three times since...all post-chickenpox.

Before giving your children the chickenpox vaccine, I'd do a lot of research. When my children were younger, they are now 13 and 16, our Dr. said that the vaccine is only good for about 30 years...meaning that they would get chickenpox as an adult. He advised against it.