DISQUS

Karoli · 1 year ago

Marina,

If your child is not vaccinated, and my baby is not fully vaccinated (because that takes more than one vaccination to complete), you place my baby at risk of contracting those diseases. Because certain vaccines are not given in infancy, an unvaccinated older child can carry a disease that is deadly to my infant.

Because many of us who were vaccinated with the first round of measles immunizations in the late 60's are probably no longer immune, an unvaccinated child leaves me at risk for contracting the disease.

Unvaccinated children who travel abroad run the risk of contracting and/or carrying the disease to others.

I grew up with children who had polio and struggled with the lingering health problems as a result, problems that follow them into adulthood and limit their ability to earn a living in some (not all) cases.

Diseases that had been nearly eradicated in this country are now returning, largely because of the trend toward refusing vaccines.

if there were some scientifically valid reason to refuse them, i'd listen. But right now all there is, is hysteria. Even the father who recently won an autism court settlement said he understood the value of vaccines, but wanted them spaced out, particularly in the case of children who might have a genetic predisposition to be reactive.

Proof, not hysteria. Empirical, double-blind tested proof. That's what's missing from the debate at this point. Even as thimerosol was removed from vaccines, autism diagnoses rose. Yet we still hear the hue and call to NOT vaccinate our kids. It's just wrong.

Marina Feygelman · 1 year ago

It is a very good answer, but how do they impose upon others? They do parasite on the community, but don't pose any risk, as long as vaccines are available for those who want them. Or am I missing something?

Liz Ditz · 1 year ago

Thanks, Karoli.

As I said at Denialism:

I read it and threw up my hands in despair.

Then I read the comment stream and threw up some more.

I posted a quote from this post there, too.

Mike Haubrich, FCD · 1 year ago

I had my kids vaccinated, and I wonder why scientists aren't investigating the links between vaccination and cuteness, vaccination and A's in biology class, vaccination and intelligence, vaccination and empathy, vaccination and whining for new video games, vaccination and bickering. None of these traits came out before my kids were vaccinated, and I want to know if there is a link.

Great article. I am glad that my kids have been protected by modern medicine.

Kandee · 1 year ago

...because links between vaccinations and cuteness don't cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills. The point is, science is not absolute. The same science will say that prozac and paxil are great one year, then turn around and conclude that they increase the likelihood of suicide the next. Allergic reactions to anything can cause disruptions in a child's development. People want to have the choice to vaccinate or not vaccinate because of the potential side effects, which may be more physiologically damaging than what the vaccination is trying to protect us from. I understand your passion for being vaccinated, but the same passion goes to the other side. As far as these parents are concerned, it takes hysteria for the scientific community to even begin to research, let alone find a connection to these types of cases. And lastly, for those parents who are encroaching their values onto your children, they are fighting because your values were originally placed on them. There was a time where people couldn't even question the vaccination schedule. Now they can. I have not seen any science stating that an epidemic is on the horizon, just a reintroduction, so it seems like hysteria is on both sizes. I have had my children vaccinated but support the right to choose. I also support those in the autistic community in their fight to save their children from this condition by exploring all possible causes, no matter how unpopular they are now.

Sarah · 1 year ago

I used to be just like you... I could have written this letter ten years ago... I thought all anti vaccine people needed their heads read! I fully vaccinated both of my children. My older one has been sick ever since he had his MMR. He is now eleven. His symptoms came a day later with huge amounts of blood in his nappies (bleeding from the bowel.) Not very cute, Kandee. IBS can be triggered by vaccines we know that now.

I even merrily inflicted the schedule on my second child. Blissfully ignorant! Of course Doctors denied any link so they must be right, science always is, right?? Vaccines afterall are for the good of man or so I thought...

To cut a very long story short...Thank goodness that medical doctors cut him open and operated on his left kidney misdiagnosing his condition. It opened my eyes to how ridiculous a belief in these people can be. You go along with the herd. I wish I never had.

What I am thankful for though is that I learnt some very valuble lessons in how to truly take care of my children. I know how to prevent illness and heal them now. Something I would never had learnt had I not been through what I have. Every cloud has a silver lining... In my household the "silver" is more colloidal than mercury now! Good health to you and your family.

babblebeth · 2 months ago

Thank you for this. It angers me to tears that people can put their children through these horrible and preventable illnesses.

I look at my son and think "I can't protect you from everything, but it's my duty to keep you from what harm I can."

I would never want him to suffer needlessly

forVaccines · 2 months ago

I LOVE THIS ARTICLE!!! I'm so sick of the anit vaccine people, I want to scream. I live in NJ and whenever I pass a sign on someone front lawn that says "NJ NEEDS VACCINATION CHOICE" I cringe. Go live in the back woods if you dont want to vaccinate but its UNFAIR and IRRESPONSIBLE that you have your children go to school unvaccinated and then you say its because of your religion. ANNOYING and disgusting!!!

That one person... · 4 weeks ago

http://www.sodahead.com/living/vaccines-toxic/q...
that's all I'm going to say...

Karoli · 4 weeks ago

LOL.