Dana's View - Vaccination Advice

Vaccination Advice

Question:
Where can I get information about whether or not to vaccinate my child?

My Opinion:
I will start by saying that my son is autistic because of the HepB vax, and I know others who say for their child it was the DPT vax, and others who say the MMR vax. So you will know I am biased on this issue. I will say here that it is YOUR decision what to do with your child, and no one should ever think less of you for making an informed decision on what you believe is best for your child. You know your child best, and you love your child more than anyone else, so what you do is the best for your child.

If you decide that you would like to have your child vaccinated, here is what I recommend. Check the vax YOURSELF before allowing it to be administered to your child.

1. Single dose vax, for example, not DTaP but D and then 6 months later T and then 6 months later P (yes P at the end, if at all, this vax causes a lot of neurological problems for many kids). Not MMR but M and then 6 months later R and then 6 months later M. Be sure to separate the measles and mumps vax by at least one full year, because there is much evidence that children who contract both measles and mumps within the same year are at increased risk for autism and other neurological difficulties. Also because measles virus has been found in the gut of many autistic children, you may also consider giving that vax last, then you would have mumps, then rubella, then measles.

Here are Merck product numbers for monovalent vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella, to give to your doctor if you will want to separate these vax.

Measles: # NDC00064709-00, single dose
Mumps: #NDC00064753-00, single dose
Rubella (called Meruvac II): #NDC00064747-00, single dose

Here are McKesson product numbers:

Attenuvax (measle vaccine) McKesson item number 1316769
Meruvax (rubella vaccine) McKesson item number 2717874
Mumpsvax (mump vaccine) Available only from Merck

Your doctor must call 1-800-609-4618 or 1-800-672-6372. These are doctor-only lines so the doctor must call. Merck sells monovalent vax in packs of 10 and the cost is $142 for a ten pack.

Hopewell Pharmacy in New Jersey stocks the single dose M, M, R vaccines, 800-792-6670.

2. Dead virus vax, do not allow any live virus vax [unless it only comes that way]. Do not allow whole-cell pertussis or oral polio vax, they are live virus and are documented to actually cause the diseases.

3. Mercury/thimerasol free, do not allow any mercury in the vax.

Click here for thimerosal content of vaccines.

4. Consider not vaxing for "mild" diseases like chicken pox, our bodies do need some natural immunity to build up for things, so our immune system knows how to fight things.

5. Wait until your child is older than the recommended schedule, to give the immune system a chance to develop a little more. If the child is over one year old, consider not giving the DTaP boosters, because D [diphtheria] and P [pertussis] are not usually severe if contracted by an older baby/child, and consider giving the T [tetanus] booster only if the child receives an injury which may require it.

6. If you have a nice pediatrician, get him/her to rx this vax type and schedule as "medically necessary" so you can have a fighting chance of getting it covered under your insurance, but be prepared to fight, and also be prepared that you may have to pay for it yourself.

7. Do not allow ANY vax if your child is not 100% well from any illness, etc. The immune system would still be weak from the illness, it will not need anything else like vax to have to work on.

8. If this is a booster vax, have your child’s titres checked, and do not allow any vax for something for which your child shows immunity. If your child is "required" to have a vax booster for school entry, you can demand a waiver for religious, medical, or personal/philosophical reasons. The only "penalty" that I am aware of, is that your child may be required to stay home if there is ever an outbreak.

9. Give lots of antioxidants and anti-virals both before and after the vaccinations, preferably several days before and at least a week after. This includes vitamins C & E [antioxidants] and vitamin A [anti-viral, especially important after measles vaccination].

10. If you are Rh negative and required RhoGam while pregnant, consider using BayRho for any new pregnancies, because as of the date of my writing this opinion, it does not contain thimerosal. Here is information on BayRho.

PDR -- BayRho full dose.

PDR -- BayRho mini dose.

If you decide NOT to vaccinate your child, you can request a vaccination waiver form from the school where you are enrolling your child. If your child had an adverse reaction to a previous vax, you can also request your doctor to write a medical waiver for your child. For information on the specific waiver requirements of your state, click here.

If you would like to read a book written by a medical doctor, consider Dr. Stephanie Cave, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations.

I know it is hard to decide these things. Please know that if your child does get one of these illnesses, modern medicine has progressed to the point that none of these diseases is usually life-threatening. So if you decide NOT to vax, and your child does get sick, you will have to closely monitor your child, but if your child gets really bad, it will most likely NOT result in a life-threatening condition, but I will not lie to you and say that will absolutely NOT happen.

It is a difficult decision. But whatever you decide, I know you will make the decision that you believe is in the best interest of your child. Life is not easy, or fair. Good luck to you.

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