I am much the same as MicahelShaun with respect to choosing some vaccinations and I waited until my kids were 7 or 8 months to start. I felt that 4 vaccines 10 minutes after you come out of the womb on a 6 pound baby is a little much!! Anyway, my almost 5 year old son just received his second polio shot yesterday. I decided this mostly because of the new cases that popped up.

Now, Texas is a fairly conservative state (really?) and I had to jump through hoops to get Bella exempt from some of the vaccines before kindergarten last year. I contacted the state, did the form, got the doctor to sign and brought it to school. This exemption is good for 2 years. I think she hasn’t had Hep A or varicella (which is just stupid). Perhaps an Italian physician or lawyer would be able to help michaelShaun. And, I applaud your efforts to make an informed decision. What is next? My school telling me my son has to be circumcised?

quote:

What is next? My school telling me my son has to be circumcised?

If it is discovered that the circumcision/lack of circumcision affects the health of the others in the class, then I suspect that the answer is "yes."

well..thank goodness that isn't an issue...

Pertussis is a FAR GREATER risk than Polio. Let's keep things in perspective. MichaelShaun wasn't advocating no vaccincations nor was he imposing his values on anyone else.

Sorry Julie,

I'm not sure of your point here. I didn't mention Michael (and, if you read my previous response, I fully support his freedom to choose), and I'm not intending to impose my values on anyone else.

quote:

I think she hasn’t had Hep A or varicella (which is just stupid).

(Should be Hepatitis B vaccine)

Why would you consider a chickenpox vaccine stupid?

quote:

Originally posted by JCM:

Why would you consider a chickenpox vaccine stupid?

You know in England we don't have the chicken pox vaccine, or at least we didn't when I was growing up. I had the chickenpox, as did everyone else, without any severe consequences.
Is there some special reason why you vaccinate in the US? surely nobody ever died of chickenpox - did they???

My guess is it's because kids will always share one thing. It's germs. If one kid gets chicken pox then the whole class gets it. The other thing is I think I remember it causing problems for adults that have never had it. Or am I remembering wrong?

The secondary reason for all mass programs is to protect the people that don't get the shots.

As far as Chicken Pox goes, I only started hearing about a vaccine for it in the last 5 years or so. It was introduced in 1995 but really reached a critical mass in the last few years.

I too had the illness well before the vaccine came out (I'm 22), as did everyone I know; I don't personally know anyone who has suffered any ill effects long-term.

However, it DID, on average, result in about 100 deaths and 5.000 - 9.000 incidences of hospatli(z/s)ation per year, out of about 4 million annual cases.

Honestly, most people are not worried about their child dying from it, and I think the main reason people get their kids vaccinated is to avoid the kids missing school during the time they would be sick. Avoiding trips to the doctor and the expense involved would also be a reason to vaccinate, as the vaccine is less expensive than going to the doctor again for a visit should the case turn out to be serious.

Additionally, there always has been (and always will be) a small proportion of the child population that does not get the chicken pox. These people therefore do not develop an immunity to the disease, and are thus susceptible to contracting it as adults. And apparently the disease is more serious in adults, with a majority of the fatalities reported in adults, although 90% of infections occur in children under age 10.

The majority of fatalities and complications in both children and adults were reported in immunocompromi(z/s)ed persons.

On the negative side, some deaths have been attributed to the vaccine itself (I read as many as 14), as well as a number of complications, including contraction of varicella- like symptoms, in a localized or generalized manner.

(Statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control's webpage on varicella,} and from the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that promotes awareness of the potential risks of vaccination (link leads to their varicella vaccine info).

And no, I'm not studying to be a doctor. I just have an Internet connection and a bit of curiosity

It IS Hep A vaccine (in the states you are supposed to get Hep A and Hep B).

Bottegal, I never said anyone was trying to impose values, but I thought, of course without seeing you or hearing you b/c all of this is written, that you were trying to say that vaccines are for the greater good. (This by saying if circumcision protects people.) My bad if I mis-read your post.

And, the only kids who die from chickenpox are immunocompromised/already ill. Now that almost everyone gets the vaccine, I can't find anyone with a bad enough case to practice herd management with my kids. The varicella vaccine is one of the leat effective vaccines anyway--you can still get chickenpox but it will be milder.

Julie,

My apologies on the Hep A/Hep B confusion, I should have checked on that before saying anything, sorry.

JCM

No worries JCM! I know with all the battles on the board lately it is easy to get caught up in interpreting things in a way that wouldn't happen face to face! Cheers

Cool, no worries!! Thanks Julie

i know this is an old post, does anyone know the current postion on compulsary vax, i have just received a letter wanting my vax docs for all 3 children, luca 11 mths has had no vax as yet, my 12 and 4 year olds stopped having them two years ago. i would lve to know what they can force me to have, any european rulings etc.,
chears ears

Can't they stop you sending your kids to school?! Might be incentive enough for most to have them done.

This link will take you to the Italian Minister of Health: http://www.ministerosalute.it/speciali/pdSpeciali.jsp?i...itolo=&sub=1&lang=it OR; http://www.ministerosalute.it/faqGenerale/faqGenerale.j...a=null&numeroFaq=1#1 The list of required vaccinations are few, and the list is only in Italian on the official website. As to the consequences of not vaccinating your kids... I really have no clue (I don't even know what the consequences are in the U.S. and my mom is a Pediatrician)! I hope this helps.

I guess the law re vacination exists as it is believed to be for the greater good of the population. If you can find good quality research against this stance why not take it to your local public health service but I think that general medical consensus is that vaccinatin does more good than harm.