Dont want to immunise, but.....(Micheal??)

[sunshine_sieben]

I am a selective vaxer. I declined the HepB at birth, didn't find that necessary. I did agree to the Vitamin K, but orally.
I didn't agree to the chickenpox, but DD had all the others.

The problem with the chickenpox vaccine, is that - as opposed to actually contracting the disease - in most cases, immunity from the vaccine won't last a lifetime. Seeing that not many of us keep getting booster shots as adults, this could mean an outbreak of adult chickenpox in 30 years time. Chickenpox is usually a lot more severe in adults, so this could cause serious problems in the future. Same goes for pregnant women. If they never contracted chickenpox, their fetuses might be at risk if the immunity from their childhood immunisation has worn off.

By the way, this is the same case for the Rubella shot (german measles). I, like most other young girls was vaccinated against it. But by the time I was thinking of starting a family, the immunity had worn off - if I ever actually developed it in the first place.
So, in my opinion, if these immunisations are given to protect unborn babies, they should be given as close to a girl's child bearing age as possible (rather than in infancy). And ideally followed up by a test to see if immunity was actually acquired.

I believe in considering every immunistaion individually. I think we all should weigh up the pros and cons of every immunisation and then make a decision based on whether or not we believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Cause one thing is clear: as with every medical treatment, there is always a risk.

I also believe that there is a need for more research into the long term effects of wide spread immunisations. There are so many questions still unanswered. So many theories out there.
None of us likes to see our children sick. But maybe the odd disease primes and strengthens our immune system.
And it is not only about whether or not we vaccinate, but also what we vaccinate with. As some of you have mentioned, it is the other chemicals and also other diseases that vaccinations can be contaminated with, that might cause the biggest problems.

What I really don't understand is when people say: "My older child just had disease xyz and he was so miserable for a week, it broke my heart. So I'm getting my younger child vaccinated." Of course it breaks our hearts when our littlies are sick. But to me, that is just not a good enough reason. If the child had contracted polio and couldn't walk, I would understand the position. But just because the child was sick, but had no lasting effects, in my opinion does not outweigh the risks you might run by vaccinating. On the other hand, having a runny nose and maybe an elevated temp after a vaccination, wouldn't make me think that the vaccination was a bad idea. It is the long term effects that have me worried and they are so complex that nobody really knows what is going to happen in the future. It's a bit like cane toads. It might eradicate one problem and create a whole lot of others. JMHO.

Yes, in rare cases, these "mild childhood diseases" (chickenpox mainly) can be very severe or even life threatening. But this is rare. And as pointed out above, even a vaxed child can still contract it.

Sasa