My son went to his one year check up today and received his MMR vaccine and pneumococcal booster. His dr. offered the hep A vaccine, she said it is not a manditory vaccine in Illinois so we decided to wait 'til I could research it a little. I didn't know anything about Hep A so I did a little searching on the internet. Why would a baby need this vaccine? I don't want to have a huge discussion about whether or not we should be giving our children all the vaccines that are out there. I am very much pro vaccine, I just don't know why my 1 year old son would need this right now. I would like to hear what you all think about this particular vaccine. Thanks ladies!

"They" claim that giving the vaccine to children will break the cycle and prevent them from getting the Hep. A infection as adults.The manufacturer of this drug claims that they have no idea how long the reciepient will be immunized for and that it may not last until adulthood. Only about 100 people die in the US from Hep. A and most of those are older adults. A child can gain natural immunity to this and it will last a lifetime, rather than the genetically engineered counterpart, which is unknown. There are also no long term effects on the child developing immune system. The manufacter also claims that the Hep. A vaccine has NOT been evaluated or tested for its carcinogenic potential, mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility or reproductive capacity. This to me is very reckless, it seems they actually do not have any answers at all! Read the insert that is suppose to come with the drugs/vaccinations that the doctors do not normally read or provide to you. In my opinion, there is no reason that this is given other than for monetary reasons.

I am glad you waited and I wish I did.

(My child is vaccinated by the way, but I am passionate about finding out the truth of drugs.)

I just don't see the reason for getting it. My husband has this view of "why not get it?" while I'm thinking "why get it?" From what I've read, (correct me if I'm wrong) you really only get it from blood to blood contact or other bodily fluid. I also read that when children get Hep A, some don't even have symptoms and others are just really mild. I just hate to give him one more shot. Thank you very much for your opinion "Alexa". I have read many of your post and I don't usually agree with you, but I do on this issue. :)

DS got his before it was added to the list of vaccines in our state. We were going on a trip to Mexico for a family member's wedding and his doctor strongly recommended it. Apparently not just a concern about contact with bodily fluids -- not just blood, but fecal -- but concerns with food preparation... No adverse affects from his vaccine, nor his first trip as a baby to a different country.

I find it interesting that some states have mandatory vaccines and others don't. I never knew that.

I checked my son's chart and he didn't have it at 12 months. I don't know much about it. Good for you for looking into it though. Let us know what you find out. Maybe it is something you will want as your child approaches school? Perhaps it is good to have if your child is in daycare? I do agree that if you plan to travel it is probably smart to get it. I know we might be going out of the country next year for a wedding (Caribbean) and I might look into it then.

I think all states require some vaccines at the least, but I may be wrong. You have the option to opt out for religious, personal, or medical reasons. I vaccinated up until the age of one, I thought I had to. Now, I skip the boosters and other shots. I will find out the process of filling out the exemption forms when my daughter goes to school.

I am aware that it is not required and you can opt out for personal and/or religious reasons. I believe in vaccinations and will always get them for my son. I don't feel he needs them all now, but he will have them all by the time he goes to school . I don't believe there is some conspiracy out there.

The way my Dr explained it was that some states are more "prone" to Hep A than others, mainly the southern states, so they are mandatory there, but not Illinois. I also found that interesting. I definitely agree with KeltoKel, my son will have all the "mandatory" shots by the time he goes to school. He will be going to a private school, where all the "mandatory" shots aren't "mandatory". However I feel that it is the responsible thing to do, not just for my son, but for anyone who might catch something that my son might get from not being vaccinated. I just don't see why he would need this particular vaccination. Does anyone know anything about Hep A? Or this fairly new vaccine?

I do not believe in this because of the toxins all the vaccines contain, it just doesn't make sense that they contain mercury to traces of mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum just to name a few. They are being injected into the blood stream. With this vaccine, the maker really does not have any solid proof of anything, you can even read the insert that comes with the drug. I think this is reckless. We are not being fully informed, and no one is telling us the ingredients of these medicines and what exactly the ingredients that can do to our bodies. Each time you get an injection, you are depressing the immune system.

Also, any child can carry the the common childhood sickness that we vaccinate against and it isn't true that unvaccinated children make everyone else sick. If you believe in vaccines, you believe that your child should be protected anyways and shouldn't get sick and that is okay. Unvaccinated children are actually more healthy than those who do get their shots. Their bodies are free of the chemical toxins, they haven't had their immune system depressed by the shots, and their bodies were allowed to build and fight for natural immunity which has a more lasting effect. There are countries and areas of this world that do not vaccinate and they are much more healthier, you can look it up, it's true.

Hepatitis A does not contain any live virus and there are two different Hep A shots that were approved by the FDA. The shot comes in two doses, the second being 6 months after the first. The maker of this does not know how long this vaccine will be effective for in the body. This vaccine became for sale for the public in 1995 and over 50 million have been sold in the United States.

We all want to be great parents and we make choices based on what be believe is best for our children! :) Best of luck in your decisions.

Most of the cases of it that I've heard about in the news have been regarding restaurants -- improper hand washing or improper utensil cleaning. There was a pizza place in southern Minnesota which recently had an outbreak or scare. Hep A used to be callled Infectious Hepatitis.

Figured we were travelling to a foreign country, didn't want to risk it. DS also goes to daycare and preschool and has started taking gymnastics and I've noticed there's no possible way they can sterilize/sanitize all the surfaces (including the pit with the foam cubes). Nothing like having a group of germ toddlers crawling around in that. Bleah

Thank you, Ratatosk! You answered one of my main questions. I guess I didn't really think that he could get it here in the states from improper food preparation. We don't eat out a lot but when we do, he eats with us. Yuck! How can restaurants not clean properly?! Yuck yuck yuck! I don't ever want to eat out again! I still haven't decided what I'll do but this is a huge check on the "get it" list. Thanks!

I think you should get it, so that way you not worried. Especially if it is on your list of things to do. I think is it great that you held off initially because when the vaccines contain these chemicals and they recieve multiple vaccines at a visit, their immune system is being overloaded, thats why some parents chose to stagger the shots. I say go for it.

His little system being overloaded was a concern. Poor little things just shouldn't have to get SO MANY shots at one time. :( I told my husband that I'm really leaning towards him getting it at his next appointment in 3 months. I worry about everything when it comes to my sweet baby so this would be one less thing that I would have to worry about. I really really appreciate everyone's opinion, thanks ladies!!

LOL! Alexa, how could you tell that I was worried?! Could it be my hundred posts in the past 2 days? :)

if you ever plan on eating out, putting your kid in daycare, or letting your child play on public playgrounds, get your child vaccinated for EVERYTHING!!!!

just recently, at mcdonald's, there was a toddler playing in the playplace, and the toddler had a poopy diaper, and the diaper leaked all over the slide.... yeah. and this isn't the first time i know of that this has happened either! and how well do you think that teenage janitor person at mcdonald's really cleaned up and disinfected that mess???

both my younger siblings worked in really nice restaurants and they always came home with horror stories of the things that went on in the kitchen! the cook had the flu, such and such waiter wipes his nose before grabbing the utensils, one of the cooks was notorious for dropping food on the floor and then putting it back on the plate, and my favorite, if one waiter didn't like the people he was serving, he'd spit in their food..... and this was happening at NICE places!

and i worked in several different daycares for nearly eleven years, worked with kids of all ages, and with teachers of all ages too. at many of the places, the teachers were very young and inexperienced and did NOT understand the importance of proper hand washing techniques, proper toy sanitizing techniques, proper room cleaning procedures.... and i have to admit, when i first started, i was young and had more "important" things to do after work, so i didn't want to stick around and clean! i was a GOOD teacher, and i LOVED my kids, i just didn't understand why cleaning was such a huge big thing at the time! half the kids would go to the bathroom and straight to the snack/lunch table without washing their hands, and i wouldn't make them because i didn't want the fight! GROSS!!!!!

anyway, point being, with the way these diseases are passed, and with the way you just CAN'T count on people doing their jobs the way YOU would do it, and with how you sure don't want to lock your child in a bubble and never leave the house again, i'd recommend getting the vaccines.