Vaccinations
July 9, 2009
I’m bracing myself to go toe-to-toe with the pediatrician in a few weeks. I’ve mentioned before that Mr. Tonks and I decided against vaccinating the baby until he’s 6-months old. The only shot he’s had thus far was the Vitamin K in the hospital. The pediatrician will, I’m sure, engage in scare tactics (like last time) and cajoling but I’m not bending on this one.
It’s not that I’m anti-vaccine (not even close) but I’ve been reading and educating myself and I feel confident that our decision is in our baby’s best interest. XC is a healthy, happy, normally developing, exclusively breast fed 3-month old. We will vaccinate but using a modified schedule and only allowing one or two shots at a time.
My discomfort and wariness of inoculations started a few years ago when JP landed in the hospital after receiving five vaccinations plus the flu shot. At the time I questioned the doctor (not who we see now) repeatedly about the safety of so many shots. As some doctors are apt to do he made me feel stupid and chided me for being worried, he played the convenience card (“get them all done now and you won’t have to come back before kindergarten”) and gave me the standard “vaccines are safe” speech. I allowed it against my better judgement. Within 36 hours my precious son was in the hospital with a horrible fever, sicker than I’d ever seen him and hooked up to IV fluids. It was awful. Can I conclusively prove that the shots were what made him ill? No. Can it be conclusively said that the shots didn’t make him ill? Absolutely not.
At present I’m reading What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations but am looking for other resources so that I can arm myself with knowledge (it’s trite but true, knowledge = power) and so I can present the doctor with an alternate vaccination schedule that Mr. Tonks and I are comfortable with.
You guys were tremendous when we were debating the pros and cons of circumcision so I’m hopeful you’ll come out in force on this one as well.
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1.
j0lt | July 9, 2009 at 11:33 am
5 vaccines & the flu shot in one visit- jiminy creepers!
When LB was in last year & the doctor realized we were a behind on the ’standard’ vaccine schedule she didn’t just load him up, she did a couple then and then had us come back about six months later for a couple more. Much more sensible.
2.
tonkelu | July 9, 2009 at 1:42 pm
At XC’s 2-month check up they wanted to do four vaccines (one of which contained 3 viruses) and an oral vaccine. I said hell no and they *just* couldn’t understand why I refused to roll with it.
3.
delagar | July 9, 2009 at 5:14 pm
It’s been awhile since the kid’s vaccines, but I don’t remember them being bunched up like this. I think they did them two at two months and two at six months and another couple when she was a year old. Then she got three just before kindergarden, I remember that, because they hurt and she cried and cried, and so did I.
Are they bunching them up because it’s more convenient for them or for the kid?
4.
tonkelu | July 9, 2009 at 7:55 pm
This is the table for the 2009 CDC vaccination schedule. Looks like a lot of shots for such tiny bodies and immune systems to me.
5.
Miss M | July 10, 2009 at 9:01 am
We have skipped the Hep B vaccine all together. So GP has received 2 vaccines plus the oral Rotoviuris at his 2 month, 4 month and 6 month. For the first 2 months we were going back at a later date to get the synagisis shot (not an actual vaccine) for RSV.
I’d like to space things out more. Luckily we get a break until he’s a year.
Just do what you feel is right.
6.
follansbeeinn | July 10, 2009 at 8:02 pm
SUPER hot topic! My sister-in-law has been reading a book that she has found very helpful on the subject, but I un-helpfully can’t remember the title at the moment, I can, however, refer you to the great series run by NPR this past year. They interviewed people on both sides, with many expert opinions. When it comes down to it, though, I think your decision for your own little ones will be the best one . . .
7.
anna | July 10, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Oops–I did it again: “follansbeeinn” was me, logged in still to my “work” self
~anna
8.
InDC...for now | July 29, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I am behind in my blog reading…I know, but I thought I would add…that here at the St. Dept. they won’t give adults more than 2 shots at any given time. If you need more…then you need to make more apts. (PS…I am now vaccinated against Typhoid and will soon be against, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis…crazy huh?!)