Delaying the MMR vaccine...?

[Surrender2Win]

For those of you delaying the MMR...

I have read some of you were delaying the MMR until your child was 3 or so. What have you found as far as research goes that suggests delaying MMR until 3 is more safe?

What I am wondering is, why is it more safe at 3 then at 16-18 months? I can't find any info that says anything about delaying it would be more safe. Can someone please point me in the right direction? My son is due for this shot and I am having extreme anxiety about him getting it. I've rescheduled his appointment 2 times already because I'm not sure I want him to have this yet, if at all.

TIA

 

[Meshavrischika]

I didn't delay my girls, but I had a bad reaction to this vaccine myself... so getting it was a miserable experience. I'm not sure why some delay it other than a bad reaction from an initial injection... I know some people avoid vaccines because of the way some are made... but I cannot see this as a reason for delay.

 

[Leanna]

Good question. We are delaying this one, she's due to get it in a week or so...... the way I have read it (but I really don't understand it) is that the MMR is linked to autism because its too much all at once combined with all the other vaccines given at the same time, for example, at the 12 month appt on a regular schedule they want to give....

Hep B (for the 3rd time since baby's birth)
IPV (for the 4th time!)
Hib (for the 3rd time)
Hep A (first)
PCV (for the 4th time)
DTaP -- which of course is the combination diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (for the 4th time!)

PLUS.... MMR and varicella -or- MMRV (combination)....

This is not the same vaccinations we received as child.... they add more every year.... when we were a child it was just a few! What's really sad about this is that the repetition is almost completely unnecessary.... many children receive full immunity after just one dose... I was reading the CDC pink book the other day on the subject of pertussis and it says there is no adverse effects from spacing out the doses as far apart as you want to... the reason they give repeat doses is to catch some of the ones that did not develop immunity the first time. IMO it would make more sense to test their immunity levels than to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.... but that's what they do.... and I hate to say it but the vaccine manufacturers love it because they make 3 to 4 times as much money that way.

The advantages of delaying include a more mature immune system.... the ability to break up the MMR into 3 separate shots, measles, mumps, and rubella, and the morbid fact that if your child has a reaction at 18 months they can say "it wasn't the shot, that's normally the age autism appears" but if you have a walking and talking 3 year old who suddenly becomes autistic then...... what will they say that time?

As far as my situation, MMR is also a live vaccine which means it contains the chance of shedding and R (rubella) is dangerous to pregnant women. I intend to wait..... and while we are waiting.... I just HAVE to get the new Dr. Sears vaccine book.... that may give more answers than I have for you, I don't know.

 

[Meshavrischika]

http://news.theage.com.au/mmrautism-link-dismissed-by-new-study/20080206-1qil.html
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/2003/June/23/NewStudyShows%20MMR-Autism23.htm
I think you can pick and choose... Some studies support a link, others do not. It's a mess.

 

[Leanna]

http://news.theage.com.au/mmrautism-link-dismissed-by-new-study/20080206-1qil.html
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/2003/June/23/NewStudyShows%20MMR-Autism23.htm
I think you can pick and choose... Some studies support a link, others do not. It's a mess.

Yes its iffy, unproven, and all that. I hope you didn't take my post to say its a proven link, but there is great correlation and a lot of questions that have not been answered. When the government comes out with a scientific study to prove there is no link, then I will be listening, but they have not done that....

Taking mercury out of vaccines is what they always throw out there, but the MMR is a live vaccine therefore has never had mercury.....

 

[gracepaints]

We're going to delay and/or skip it all together as per The Dr. Sears Vaccine Book "Selective Vaccination Schedule" recommendation. We will have our children tested for immunity (also known as a titer) when they are ten and decide then if we will have them vaxed. The illnesses the vaccination offers protection against are both rare and non-life threatening and the shot itself has the highest documented rate of serious side-effects of any vax. These are side effects listed in the product insert by the manufacturer. I am personally not convinced of the autism connection, but with this particular shot, I think the potential harm FAR outweighs the potential benefit even by the manufacturer's own admission.

I will add that if we eventually have a girl, we would probably get her vaxed for Rubella in her teen years as this disease has the potential to cause birth defects if a woman catches it in her first trimester of pregnancy. Most women though recieve this vax so early in life that it's protection has greatly decreased if not vanished entirely by the time they are of childbearing age. It makes so much more sense for a girl to get it when she is older. For this reason, ObGyns are supposed to get a Rubella booster regularly as they come into contact with so many pregnant women. Less than half ever do. This shows how concerned even doctors are about this disease.

 

[Meshavrischika]

Yes its iffy, unproven, and all that. I hope you didn't take my post to say its a proven link, but there is great correlation and a lot of questions that have not been answered. When the government comes out with a scientific study to prove there is no link, then I will be listening, but they have not done that....

Taking mercury out of vaccines is what they always throw out there, but the MMR is a live vaccine therefore has never had mercury.....

I don't take it one way or another... like everything else in life... one day tomatos cause cancer, one day they're cancer preventers... I just wish science was more scientific before they say make statements that cause people distress/or cause people to be lax.

 

[heart of peace]

Does anyone know of any links of the schedule Dr. Sears recommends in his book?

In my situation, we are already delaying the vaccinations (only one shot per visit) and we are still not up to date on the ones he has started. I don't feel like introducing a new vaccine to his body at this point. I'll finish with all the series he has begun and then start on a new series.

My advice to you is if your spirit is that uneasy with it at this point, then honor it. I interpret these things as God's way of sending me an important message for me and my situation. Maybe you just need to put it off until you fully educate yourself and pray about it. Unless your child is in daycare or any other situation that would cause your child to be exposed to the disease, it really is not that worrisome to delay.

 

[jgonz]

I had the measles, mumps (twice, once on each side), and rubella as a child. These diseases are Not that big of a deal! They're "normal" childhood diseases that the pharmaceutical companies "turned into" something to be feared.

And now they've done the same thing with chicken pox. It amazes me how scared some young moms are of chicken pox, and how when I say I want my kids to Get it, they get all upset. It's the same media blitz the pharmaceutical companies played on the public for selling the MMR. It's all about money, not how to keep the general public healthy. It's actually Healthier for the body to Get these diseases and have natural lifelong immunity than get a shot (filled with preservatives, etc.) and have to repeat it every few years.

As far as waiting~ it Is safer to wait until a child is AT Least 2 before giving pretty much Any shot. This gives the neurological system time to develop and there are less side effects. I know for a fact that they have Not changed the MMR shot since my oldest kids (25, 23) were offered it... and their peds back then told me "wasn't safe" to give before 2 years old. Now they want to give it at 12 months and it's all of a sudden magically "safe"? No... it has more to do with statistics~ less parents will bring a child in at 2 for a well-check and a shot than at 12 months old.

 

[Meshavrischika]

I had the measles, mumps (twice, once on each side), and rubella as a child. These diseases are Not that big of a deal! They're "normal" childhood diseases that the pharmaceutical companies "turned into" something to be feared.

And now they've done the same thing with chicken pox. It amazes me how scared some young moms are of chicken pox, and how when I say I want my kids to Get it, they get all upset. It's the same media blitz the pharmaceutical companies played on the public for selling the MMR. It's all about money, not how to keep the general public healthy. It's actually Healthier for the body to Get these diseases and have natural lifelong immunity than get a shot (filled with preservatives, etc.) and have to repeat it every few years.

As far as waiting~ it Is safer to wait until a child is AT Least 2 before giving pretty much Any shot. This gives the neurological system time to develop and there are less side effects. I know for a fact that they have Not changed the MMR shot since my oldest kids (25, 23) were offered it... and their peds back then told me "wasn't safe" to give before 2 years old. Now they want to give it at 12 months and it's all of a sudden magically "safe"? No... it has more to do with statistics~ less parents will bring a child in at 2 for a well-check and a shot than at 12 months old.

the problem is normal childhood diseases are not so great for immunocompromised people, the elderly, etc... those who cannot have vaccinations are exposed to the generally healthy who have the disease, and can die. then there are people like me with no immunity to chicken pox (had it 3 times) and pregnant women who could be exposed and have their children suffer abnormalities and death. if you guys don't want to, that's great... but there is a greater reason for most people to be vaccinated.

 

[stacii]

Can you legally delay vaccines? This whole issue is so confusing to me.

 

[Meshavrischika]

Can you legally delay vaccines? This whole issue is so confusing to me.

depends on where you live. some places no. others yes, but you have to sign a religious waiver or something like that.

 

[Leanna]

I had the measles, mumps (twice, once on each side), and rubella as a child. These diseases are Not that big of a deal! They're "normal" childhood diseases that the pharmaceutical companies "turned into" something to be feared.

And now they've done the same thing with chicken pox. It amazes me how scared some young moms are of chicken pox, and how when I say I want my kids to Get it, they get all upset. It's the same media blitz the pharmaceutical companies played on the public for selling the MMR. It's all about money, not how to keep the general public healthy. It's actually Healthier for the body to Get these diseases and have natural lifelong immunity than get a shot (filled with preservatives, etc.) and have to repeat it every few years.

As far as waiting~ it Is safer to wait until a child is AT Least 2 before giving pretty much Any shot. This gives the neurological system time to develop and there are less side effects. I know for a fact that they have Not changed the MMR shot since my oldest kids (25, 23) were offered it... and their peds back then told me "wasn't safe" to give before 2 years old. Now they want to give it at 12 months and it's all of a sudden magically "safe"? No... it has more to do with statistics~ less parents will bring a child in at 2 for a well-check and a shot than at 12 months old.

I completely agree with everything you said here.

the problem is normal childhood diseases are not so great for immunocompromised people, the elderly, etc... those who cannot have vaccinations are exposed to the generally healthy who have the disease, and can die. then there are people like me with no immunity to chicken pox (had it 3 times) and pregnant women who could be exposed and have their children suffer abnormalities and death. if you guys don't want to, that's great... but there is a greater reason for most people to be vaccinated.

I don't see the relevance.... if a 3 year old gets chicken pox and develops lifelong immunity that makes you safer than if a 1 year old gets the shot and then the immunity wears off at 20 and then they get the chicken pox at 20 and expose a lot more people.

Actually scary enough, I remember having the chicken pox at about 7 years old but it wasn't real bad..... and we were accidently exposed on Monday (the family we were with had chicken pox the next day) so now I have to wait and see if my little Maya gets chicken pox (in case you didn't know babies do not get vaccinated for the chicken pox, they want to give that one at 12-15 months).... and if I have proper immunity.... .... I would rather not do that while pregnant, but I guess I have no choice.

 

[TexasSky]

For those of you delaying the MMR...

I have read some of you were delaying the MMR until your child was 3 or so. What have you found as far as research goes that suggests delaying MMR until 3 is more safe?

What I am wondering is, why is it more safe at 3 then at 16-18 months? I can't find any info that says anything about delaying it would be more safe. Can someone please point me in the right direction? My son is due for this shot and I am having extreme anxiety about him getting it. I've rescheduled his appointment 2 times already because I'm not sure I want him to have this yet, if at all.

TIA

My "baby" is 16 years old now, so a WHOLE lot has changed. However, when he was a baby, his doctor told me not to give that shot until he was older.

He said some children were having respiratory issues with it, and that older children had less trouble with it.

 

[TexasSky]

I had the measles, mumps (twice, once on each side), and rubella as a child. These diseases are Not that big of a deal! They're "normal" childhood diseases that the pharmaceutical companies "turned into" something to be feared.

And now they've done the same thing with chicken pox. It amazes me how scared some young moms are of chicken pox, and how when I say I want my kids to Get it, they get all upset. It's the same media blitz the pharmaceutical companies played on the public for selling the MMR. It's all about money, not how to keep the general public healthy. It's actually Healthier for the body to Get these diseases and have natural lifelong immunity than get a shot (filled with preservatives, etc.) and have to repeat it every few years.

As far as waiting~ it Is safer to wait until a child is AT Least 2 before giving pretty much Any shot. This gives the neurological system time to develop and there are less side effects. I know for a fact that they have Not changed the MMR shot since my oldest kids (25, 23) were offered it... and their peds back then told me "wasn't safe" to give before 2 years old. Now they want to give it at 12 months and it's all of a sudden magically "safe"? No... it has more to do with statistics~ less parents will bring a child in at 2 for a well-check and a shot than at 12 months old.

The real danger with chicken pox is if you do NOT get it as a child, and then DO get it as an adult.

 

[TexasSky]

I completely agree with everything you said here.



I don't see the relevance.... if a 3 year old gets chicken pox and develops lifelong immunity that makes you safer than if a 1 year old gets the shot and then the immunity wears off at 20 and then they get the chicken pox at 20 and expose a lot more people.

Actually scary enough, I remember having the chicken pox at about 7 years old but it wasn't real bad..... and we were accidently exposed on Monday (the family we were with had chicken pox the next day) so now I have to wait and see if my little Maya gets chicken pox (in case you didn't know babies do not get vaccinated for the chicken pox, they want to give that one at 12-15 months).... and if I have proper immunity.... .... I would rather not do that while pregnant, but I guess I have no choice.

Chicken pox in an adult is much, much, much more serious than it is in a child. I don't know "why" it acts much more agressively with adults, but I know that it does.

 

[Leanna]

The real danger with chicken pox is if you do NOT get it as a child, and then DO get it as an adult.

Chicken pox in an adult is much, much, much more serious than it is in a child. I don't know "why" it acts much more agressively with adults, but I know that it does.

I agree, but that was my point. Since the chicken pox vaccine is temporary and does not provide lifelong immunity, and on the whole adults do not get booster vaccines (there was even a recent article in Time magazine on this subject), it seems a lot riskier to have a child that had the vaccine than a child that had the chicken pox-- so long as its a strong enough case to develop lifelong immunity, which I hope I had!!

If I had the vaccine as a child (wasn't invented, but in theory) then I would be even more nervous about our exposure to chicken pox while I am pregnant because I wouldn't have any immunity anymore.

 

[jgonz]

Can you legally delay vaccines? This whole issue is so confusing to me.

YES. You can legally delay or not vax at all. There are waivers for All 50 US states.

 

[Meshavrischika]

YES. You can legally delay or not vax at all. There are waivers for All 50 US states.

not one... someone posted a couple months ago... I'm not sure what state it was, but there is at least one where you cannot (we researched it for that thread)... unless the law changed recently

 

[BananaCake]

My advice to you is if your spirit is that uneasy with it at this point, then honor it.

I agree wholeheartedly. You can always go & get the shot later, but you can't undo a vaccination.