Vaccine Question? - Autism Spectrum Message Board

ANGDAD · 02-12-2008, 09:49 AM

Hello,

I'm not looking for a debate here, I'm looking for people's PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. So please don't let this turn into an argumental thread.

My wife and I are just really struggling with whether or not to catch up on vaccinations for our son at his appointment in two weeks. He will be 25 months at the time of his appointment. He hasn't had a vaccine since his 15 month appt. When we saw his developmental delays, we decided to freeze all vaccinations for a little while so he could do EI, therapy, see the Dev. Ped. etc.

He hasn't had MMR at all yet. Many of you have read my posts, so I won't go into his whole story, but he seems to be doing really good and he doesn't have a diagnosis. We just don't want to see a plateau of skills or any regression. Here are my questions:

Do you think 25 months is long enough to delay the MMR?

Should I try to get a referral to have the MMR split up?

Has anyone seen what they feel are negative effects from having the MMR this late?

Should I catch him up on his other vaccinations first, and then do MMR?

My doctor is of course really scaring me and saying that it is risky for him to be over the age of 2 and not have the MMR because he does spend a lot of time around other kids. The doctor was pretty supportive about delaying the shots the first time around, but feels like waiting any longer is not a good idea.

I've done a ton of research on this and I realize there is no "conclusive evidence" either way.

I would really value your opinions and not just the folks that think it's a bad idea.

Thanks,

John

antiquemother2 · 02-12-2008, 10:01 AM

I understand completely your dilemna. If I could turn back the clock, review the data and have the right to make a parental choice in the matter of whether or not to vaccinate, I would definitely opt on the side of caution and not vaccinate my children until they were at least school age.

I've heard from many sources that people in the medical profession are doing just that; vaccinating right before their child needs to enter a school which requires vaccinations and avoiding them during the developmental years, just as a precaution.

Hindsight always gives one clearer vision. As a young parent you tend to buy into all the medical mumbo jumbo that is thrown your way about things being perfectly safe and necessary. One can recover from whooping cough but once neurological damage is done there is no recovery.

DrewsG · 02-12-2008, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antiquemother2

I understand completely your dilemna. If I could turn back the clock, review the data and have the right to make a parental choice in the matter of whether or not to vaccinate, I would definitely opt on the side of caution and not vaccinate my children until they were at least school age.

I've heard from many sources that people in the medical profession are doing just that; vaccinating right before their child needs to enter a school which requires vaccinations and avoiding them during the developmental years, just as a precaution.

Hindsight always gives one clearer vision. As a young parent you tend to buy into all the medical mumbo jumbo that is thrown your way about things being perfectly safe and necessary. One can recover from whooping cough but once neurological damage is done there is no recovery.

I can't add one thing to this statement. I must edit. I do not agree with the last statement from antiquemother2. My grandson is improving. Complete recovery? He is still in the process. There can be recovery. My opinion, of course.

datgrlstef · 02-13-2008, 07:11 AM

Both of my children were vaccinated on schedule, except for their Hep B shots (because I doubted highly they would be exposed to it as newborns). I do not attribute my son's Autism to any of the vaccines, and he has since had more vaccinations since his diagnosis. If you're going to get them done, I would do it before he starts going to any school setting. You don't know what other kids are bringing around your child. That's just my opinion.

antiquemother2 · 02-13-2008, 07:56 AM

This topic is being debated widely within the autism research community. There are doctors on both sides of the issue. I agree, the verdict is not in as to whether the vaccinations have any direct cause to the damage to the brain's neurology.

I did not mean to say that I feel the vaccinations are the cause, only that since no one can definitely say that they are NOT the cause, I wouldn't put a potential toxin into my system or my children's system unless the medical community had data to prove the safety and rule out the possibility.

Unfortunately, I did vaccinate both of my children because this debate was not being discussed when they were newborns. I only said that if I heard then what I'm hearing now, I would not do it.

And I do not attribute my son's autism to the vaccinations for the same reason - no one knows for sure what actually causes autism spectrum and related neurological damage to a child. It happens and while the scientists search for the cause all we can do is deal with the result.

From what I've read online, doctors and nurses who are also parents are waiting to do the vaccinations which are required to enter school until their own children's nervous system and brain has developed more, past the toddler stages because they are aware of the potential dangers to a growing brain by introducing mercury which is the agent of the vaccines that is being investigated as the possible culprit.