Should Parents Be Forced to Vaccinate Their Children?

[Welshcookie 17]

I am also quite torn on the subject. My eldest child was in the generation of kids first given the first MMR vaccine here in the UK back in 1987...did he go on to have a diagnosis of autism? yes, he did. I left it very late taking my other babies to get the same vaccination because I found it very emotive, I would have preferred to have them done separately but that wasn't available unless I joined the groups of parents who hired buses to France to have them done.

In the end I had to put emotion aside and see the bigger picture...my children have had all vaccinations offered...I do feel it is the responsible thing to do....diseases don't die, they just lurk.

[rebeccajo 14]

At age 73, my mother sits in a wheelchair, a victim of post-polio syndrome.

What's that?

It's a secondary stage of polio that begins to re-deteriorate the body again later in life after the victim has recovered from the original disease.

My mother contracted polio at age 11 before the vaccine was available. She was paralyzed from the chest down but 'recovered' - she led a normal life although she could fall easily and could not run. She walked on crutches as a young girl and wore leg braces for a time. She worked and raised two daughters.

Now she can barely stand for more than two minutes. She has to have her legs lifted into a car. She has trouble controlling her bladder. She chokes easily on food or fluids and constantly clears her throat because the 2nd stage of the disease is working on her esophagus. She has trouble paying bills or reading because PP syndrome victims have trouble concentrating.

This is all I need to know about whether or not you should vaccinate a child.

[HAL 9000 96]

Very emotive viewpoints on both 'sides' if that can be said...

[Sheriff Uling 3]

At age 73, my mother sits in a wheelchair, a victim of post-polio syndrome.

What's that?

It's a secondary stage of polio that begins to re-deteriorate the body again later in life after the victim has recovered from the original disease.

My mother contracted polio at age 11 before the vaccine was available. She was paralyzed from the chest down but 'recovered' - she led a normal life although she could fall easily and could not run. She walked on crutches as a young girl and wore leg braces for a time. She worked and raised two daughters.

Now she can barely stand for more than two minutes. She has to have her legs lifted into a car. She has trouble controlling her bladder. She chokes easily on food or fluids and constantly clears her throat because the 2nd stage of the disease is working on her esophagus. She has trouble paying bills or reading because PP syndrome victims have trouble concentrating.

This is all I need to know about whether or not you should vaccinate a child.

I'm saddened to know about your mother's condition, but you point is well made. It is undeniable that parents should be forced to vaccinate thier children. What is surprising to me is that people care so dearly about pro-life, but not in the care and maintenance of a child. To me the two go hand in hand.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Sheriff Uling

[Marilyn. 340]

I don't see too many people here denying the fact that their kids should be vaccinated... they just think they should have some say as to when their child gets vaccinated and how many vaccinations the child gets at one time etc....

[sparkofcreation 0]

As someone who is immune to the measles vaccine, and therefore in danger of catching it if I go anywhere near someone who's carrying it (i.e. hasn't been vaccinated), HELL YES I think people should have to vaccinate their kids. Vaccines take in about 95% of people ... the rest of us depend on the other 95% to have been vaccinated. It's called "herd immunity."

My husband has a friend whose first son started developing symptoms of autism after the MMR vaccine, so she didn't have the second son vaccinated. Guess what? Second son started developing symptoms right at the same age the first one had. The fact that the MMR vaccine is normally given at about the same age that autism symptoms often begin is just a coincidence. The one study that suggested a link has been (1) disproven repeatedly, and (2) disowned by its authors.

Edited June 5, 2008 by sparkofcreation

[gabby4ever 1]

ok, sorry to bring this up again, but i was wondering...can i give my son all the shots except the MMR?? or you think they're gonna force me to give him that too since im in the doc's office??

[HAL 9000 96]

ok, sorry to bring this up again, but i was wondering...can i give my son all the shots except the MMR?? or you think they're gonna force me to give him that too since im in the doc's office??

The doc can't FORCE any of that on you or your son. If you are going through with it and are concerned about possible (if any) complications from having a cocktail of vaccines, spread them out over time.

[gabby4ever 1]

well, i stop giving him the shots when he was 1 y/o ... now , he will be 2 next month and we have to travel to romania, and i wanted to give him the flu shot, hep and polio but i didnt wanna give him the MMR...and i wanted to tell the nurse that, and i was worried that she might say something like "well, you give him one, you have to give him all"...we're in the military, and ive been dealing with idiots so far, so thats why i asked the question here, maybe someone can enlighten me

[Sinergy 3]

hmmm lets see....my son was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome today, which is a mild type of autism. His pediatrician even said that he believes autism is from the imm shots that kids get. He said unfortunatly there is no way around it since schools wont let you in without the shots. Had i not had Joshua's shots spanned out in a 4 month period, God only knows how my child would be right now.

so i dont think some shots should be forced, like the hep shots...mainly bc they are the ones linked the most with autism.

thats all i have, i need to go now and research this....im just completely numb right now.

[Jenn! 918]

I'm so sorry, Tara.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

If they are home schooled: no.

If they are public schooled or private schooled then yes on some of them.

The only one I am absoultely against is the one for little girls to prevent precacerous cells in the #######.

[Sinergy 3]

Joshua wont be home schooled as i work a full time job and Edi is going into coast guard basic in october, i wish i could, but i would rather him have that interaction with other children, especially now.

thanks jenn

[gabby4ever 1]

where did you hear that the hep a and hep b shots are linked with autism???? i only heard of the mmr shot...anyone has a link or something? i was planning to homeschool my boy anyway, so that another reason not to give him that shot...but now the hep shots too?

im sorry tara <<<<<<hugs>>>>>>>>>

[Sinergy 3]

It was a special on tv, it was like 2 yrs ago so i cant tell you what channel. But some pediatricians also agree with this, such as Joshuas, im not sure about the MMR shot, it could be as well. My advice, research the shots before having them done, and do them in a time frame, not all in the same day.

My sons doctor recommends this as well...not having them all done in the same day.