Please Tell Me......

[Xero]

Okay, so I just watched that video on YouTube called "The Truth about vaccinations" and I've been crying ever since. I'm really worked up right now. I don't want to sound dramatic, but have I allowed poisoning of my baby to support a big money making business? I mean... the movie said that. I am so upset. I am so wigged out. Please, I just want to know which of you guys were immunized and if you're still okay. I was immunized but when I read about them, some of the stuff that I've had problems with in life can be directly related to the stuff they talked about can happen in the videos!! I mean I'm alive, and I'm OK, but I'm so worried. I just need some people to say they got the shots, and did you guys get your kids the shots? Everything went okay and there's nothing you think the vaccines might have caused in them??? Eli has been vaccinated. God I hope it was okay like the media, and the doctor makes you feel like it is... and those people out there are just all psycho and full of conspiracies. I am so upset right now!!! I can't stop crying over it.. I'm sorry, I know I'm being such a baby.

You got the shots? You're okay?
Your kids got the shots? They're okay???
Please tell me it's okay that I got Eli those shots....

Oh man. I feel so awful right now, watching a video like that about something I thought I was doing to protect my child... Please, somebody make me feel better about this. I hate myself right now. I'm so confused.

 

[zeitgeist]

If you give me a couple of minutes, I can find convincing links and references that claim that just about every single ingestible available causes cancer, that the Apollo moon landings were faked, and even a video that paints a phenomenally convincing picture that the 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by the US Government as an excuse to go to war.

I've heard this one before too. There is a growing population of parents and physicians that have found a correlation between vaccinations and all manner of ailments. The last time I heard about this I looked into it briefly. The evidence seemed to be largely circumstantial and the most responsible pediatricians who were giving it any creedence at all were saying that more study was needed before any conclusions could be drawn.

The one conclusion that they were comfortable making was that it would be irresponsible to choose to not vaccinate your child based on incomplete research, and suggested anyone who was concerned about the subject should speak with their children's pediatrician directly.

They absolutely did not recommend using YouTube as a primary reference.

Calm down. Take a deep breath. Let's do a little research.

 

[zeitgeist]

<r>Time Magazine: <br/>
<URL url="</s>How Safe Are Vaccines?<e></e></URL><br/>
By Alice Park Wednesday, May. 21, 2008<br/>

<QUOTE><s>

</s>In 2001, however, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration study revealed that a 6-month-old receiving the recommended complement of childhood vaccinations was exposed to total levels of vaccine-based mercury twice as high as the amount the epa considers safe in a diet that includes fish. By the end of that year, thimerosal-free formulations of the five inoculations that included it—hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and some versions of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)—had replaced the older versions. The result was a drop in mercury exposure in fully immunized 6-month-old babies from 187.5 micrograms to just trace amounts still found in some flu vaccines. Yet there's been no effect on autism rates. In the seven years since the cleaned-up vaccines were introduced, new cases of autism continue to climb, reaching a rate of 1 in every 150 8-year-olds today. That trend suggests that other factors, including heightened awareness of the condition and possible genetic anomalies or environmental exposures, are behind the climbing rates. What's more, in the decade since Wakefield's watershed paper, 10 of its 13 authors have retracted their hypothesis, admitting that the study did not produce solid enough evidence to support a connection between the measles virus in the MMR vaccine and autism. <br/>
<br/>
But the damage had been done. Parents, already uneasy about immunizations, now felt betrayed by government health authorities and a vaccine industry that simply kept the shots coming, with today's kids receiving up to 28 injections for 14 diseases, more than double the number of shots required in the 1970s. "There is no doubt in my mind that my child's first cause of autism is the mercury in vaccines," says Ginny DeLeo, a New York science teacher whose son Evan, born in 1993, was developing normally until he was a year old. The day the boy received his fourth dose of Hib vaccine, DeLeo had to rush him to the hospital with tremors and a 104 deg F (40 deg C) fever, which later led to seizures. Evan recovered, and several months later he received the first of two MMR shots. Within months, he stopped talking, and autism was diagnosed. <br/>
<br/>
So, is there a link? In 2003, a 15-person committee impaneled by the CDC and the National Institutes of Health analyzed the available studies on thimerosal and its possible connections to autism and <B><s></s>concluded that there was no scientific evidence to support the link. <e></e></B>In a further show of confidence, the committee noted that it did "not consider a significant investment in studies of the theoretical vaccine-autism connection to be useful." Instead, the panel recommended that studies focus on less explored genetic or biological explanations for the disease.
<e>

</e></QUOTE>

I'm still looking, but that's certainly encouraging.</r>

 

[zeitgeist]

The rest of that article, in brief, goes on to give further credence to the fact that there's no scientific evidence that vaccines are causing autism and illness, and suggests that NOT vaccinating them is not only a bad idea for your child but is also giving diseases that have nearly been irradicated a host in which to thrive.

 

[zeitgeist]

I've browsed a dozen or so sites now that say that vaccines are causing autism. They seem to rely on the fact that the emotional impact of the idea that we could be hurting kids stampedes with little resistance over the reasoned, complete studies. From the emotional foundation, they continue to make their cases mostly with circumstantial evidence bolstered by selectively citing only the parts of scientific studies that support their claims.

When you look at the whole picture, the conclusions of the full studies that these sites are cherry-picking their information from, you get a different picture.

Newsweek, less than four days ago:

The warfare over vaccines and autism is heating up yet again. This week, Alison Singer, the executive vice president of communications and awareness at Autism Speaks, one of the nation's leading autism advocacy groups, announced her resignation, citing a difference of opinion over the organization's policy on vaccine research. "Dozens of credible scientific studies have exonerated vaccines as a cause of autism," she wrote in a statement. "I believe we must devote limited funding to more promising avenues of autism research."

This woman is certainly in a position to know.

How confident are you in the studies that show no vaccine-autism link?
I've read the studies and I've talked to many doctors. One thing that has been a hugely wonderful part of being at Autism Speaks is that I've been able to consult with the top scientists in the field. We work with the top minds. I think that there's this feeling [among some parents] that the vaccine decision is a choice between, "Do I want to risk measles or do I want to risk autism?" That's not a good characterization. We know for a fact that the measles vaccine reduces the risk of getting measles. One choice is backed by science, one choice isn't.

What do you say to the families who believe their child's autism was triggered by vaccines?
It's very hard because people feel very strongly and love their families so much. But not all opinions are created equal. Some are based on fact and science and some are not. Do you remember when Jenny McCarthy went on Oprah? She said she doesn't need science. Her science is at home and his name is Evan. That's not science.

Here's another story. A few weeks ago, Jodie went to the pediatrician. She had Tdap [tetanus-diptheria-pertussis] vaccine, a flu shot and a vaccine against meningitis. The next day her teacher remarked to me that Jodie was much more attentive and participated in class much more than usual. Her gym teacher said that for the fist time Jodie was able to compete in an obstacle course. Should I start pontificating that vaccines are a great treatment for autism? Of course not, that's not science. That's called coincidence.

I think she's pretty much saying it all.

 

[16th ave.]

hubby and i have had them all. our siblings too and every one we know. we don't know anyone how hasn't had the vaccinations. None of us have had ill affects from these things. except the minor discomforts that are normal for them such as a mild fever and sore arm or butt or thigh where the shots were given. in our lives any ill affects we've had mostly came from how we were raised and the pure meanness that can come out of others' mouths and minds when they don't think....

it is scary to read and hear something like that. it can totally make you question everything you've read and done thinking that it was right. We've
found that comparing the chances of getting autism to the chances of having another outbreak: much rather take the chance of our children developing autism than risk the an outbreak of measles or small pox or something.

imo: its ok that you and eli and your dh got the vaccinations. you come off as a good mom. its ok to worry and be concerned. and atleast you are paying attention--->there's some that don't even do that or try...

go with what zeit said too---the youtube is not always the best place to get your news...great for music and laughs but not for news.

 

[JessicaMadison]

Xero,

It's going to be okay. I've had the vaccines, all of my kids have had the vaccines, my 14 nieces and nephews, my husbands siblings. We're all fine. I think I can promise you Eli will be fine okay? Don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[fallon]

I had a horrible reaction to one when I was 2 and never had another but Debralyn has had them all and Logan has had most. My girlfriends son was fine until 2, had his shots and is now autistic (I'm not going to argue this with anyone, you are all free to believe as you choose, I personally think there very well could be a link) Logan got the chicken pox from the VAX, so that was huge waste of time. All that said, millions of kids come out OK. I will delaying VAX for this baby but in the end he will probably get most of them as well. I think this is an issue each family needs to research on their own and decide for themselves what's right. I'm sure your little boy is just fine though Xero.If you really want a more nonbiasis view Dr. Sears has a lot to say on the subject and is very interesting, you can google his name and it will pull up some good stuff. I'm not really against the shots, I don't agree with the way they are given

 

[Dadu2004]

It's the parenting topic of the day...everyone is up in arms about it now. Look, make the best decision you can. Chances are vaccinations will not cause anything to go wrong. Is there a slight chance that something could happen? Yes, there is. But there is a risk with EVERYTHING in this world...you have to weigh the pros and cons and decide for yourself. As far as my opinion is concerned, my children will be vaccinated. The positives outweight the negatives for me.

 

[meow_173]

Well xero, Luke has had all of his shots, i've had all of my shots, and we are fine.
The best thing you can do for yourself is look at ALL the information provided for you and make an informed decision with your doctor.

 

[mom2many]

You have not poisened precious Eli, of course vaccines make companies money...otherwise why make them. But imagine a world were they didn't exsist....we would have polio, measles, mumps and a whole slew of stuff that is pretty horrible. Know imagine your son got any one of those, but there had been a shot all along that could have prevented it. Vaccines have risk, but is a samll risk, and what we as parents have to do is way those risks, I could never live with myself knowing that I could have prevented something.
No matter which side you look at you will find conflicting information, a lot of parents are still choosing to vaccinate but on a more relaxed and drawn out schedule. Delayed vax is what it is called, parents who don't vax are actually relying on the rest of the country to do it, but what about when those children are grown and want to go out of the country? Heck some countries won't let you in if youren't properly vax'ed.

My husband is vaxed, I am and so are all of my kids. I don't regret it. It was the right choice for me and my family.

 

[bssage]

Go to the Ian link on my last post and click "in the news" It has all of the most recent studies and articals on the subject.

There are a lot of opinions and a lot of people with vested intrest in the outcome of thier opinion (law suits ect) Its a mine field. That IAN website just reports whats avaiable and does not seem to pick a side. My opinion is pretty much the same as zietg's. But it is just that "an opinion" based own what I have read and my gut.

I think a big part is that imunzation and diagnoses occure around the same age. I am pretty well read on the subject and IMO it more dangerious NOT to have your child get the shots than to get them.

Really right now the biggest link to autism seems to be advanced parental age. But There is nothing conclusive. Go to the website and make informed discisions thats really the best we can do.

 

[Xero]

Thanks guys... I talked to BF and slept and feel a little better now. I did actually do other research last night, a ton of reading before I watched the video, but the video really upset me. And you can actually find almost any informational and serious video you search for on YouTube, it's not always just for laughs. It's a very good website to find any video movie or film you want, not just for fun. You can actually WATCH the news on there if you missed it lol. I read a lot of other stuff though. I just really didn't like what they said on the video. Yeah, I agree that it's coincidence that kids get the shots right around the same time autism generally developes, so it's easy to blame. It was a really scary video!! I'm glad to hear you guys say all that. Thanks.