15 Month Well Check

Today Kyle is 15 months old!  Happy Birthday little guy!  Kyle went for his 15 month well check today, and came out with a clean bill of health!  He is 25 lbs. 1oz., and 33.5" tall.  He is in the 50-75% for weight, and the 97% for height.  His numbers have always been off the charts since he was born, so these are "normal" numbers for him.  He's a big boy!

Today we told the doctor that we have decided to stop vaccinating Kyle.  I was very anxious today, not knowing what kind of a response to expect.  I know that some pediatricians will literally kick you out of their practice if you do not vaccinate, and there have even been accounts of pediatricians calling Child Protective Services for child abuse...for not vaccinating your child.  How obserd!  Parents should be able to make an informed decision and not be made to feel guilty for doing so.  Our doctor is very nice, and I didn't expect there to be any drama...but I wasn't sure...

The Dr. was very nice about the whole thing.  He listened to our concerns, and didn't make us feel bad for our decision.  He understood that we had valid concerns, although he still held his position of recommending the vaccinations.  I respect his recommendation, but we have decided not to take it.  He was honest and said he didn't have a response when I mentioned that the people who are recommending these vaccinations (CDC, FDA, and the manufactures) have done some shady things in the past with contaminated vaccinations.  My point about it was...what contaminants might be in these vaccines now that we won't find out about for another 10 years that are harmful...?  He couldn't answer that question...nor did I expect him to!  But, it's a valid concern.  He said that honestly these diseases we are vaccinating for are rare, but of course can (not will) have complications if you get them.  He basically told us that we have to weigh the benefits and risks both ways, and decide which risk to take.  Are the vaccines a bigger risk, or getting a not so common disease that could have complications...?  Of course we told him that we thought the risks of the vaccines were higher.  He could tell that I had done my homework, and there was no talking us out of our decision.

He didn't fight us at all, or make us feel stupid for our choice.  We actually discussed the topic a bit, and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be after all!  The Dr. was very respectful, and had me sign a form saying that I was declining the vaccinations for Kyle today.  He was supposed to get a DPaT booster, and a Hep A vaccine today.  He also recommended the flu vaccine, which we also declined.  I assume that every visit where vaccines are routine, I will have to sign that form declining the vaccines.

He told us flat out that some practices kick patients out who decide not to vaccinate, but this practice has decided that the kids that don't vaccinate need a doctor too.  So, they try to support the decision, even though it goes against their recommendation.  It makes me feel good that this is their position, and that they genuinely care for the kids!  It clearly isn't all about money at this office, which is really nice to confirm!  Our doctor said that if we ever change our mind and decide to vaccinate, they can do it at any time.

It was a good day, and I have a happy and healthy baby!  It was really nice coming home with a healthy baby today...one who wasn't fussy, or running a fever from shots!  What a relief!  :)

Chickenpox Vaccine

First off I want to say that never in a million years did I imagine I would be sitting here writing about vaccines!  I never thought I would take this position about them either!  I have had my share of vaccinations in my life.  (Although, I'm not sure that in my whole life I have had as many vaccinations as Kyle has had in his one year of life!)  If you haven't already read about how I got to this anti-vaccine position, you can read some of my older entries.  The one titled "What Do We Do? - The Vaccine Controversy," is were it starts (in the October 2009 archive folder).  Hope you find some of my banter useful, or at least entertaining if nothing else.  :)

So, I've been wanting to write this entry for a couple days now, but I needed to take a breather from the vaccine stuff.  All this reading and research is exhausting!  Anyway, this entry will hopefully educate you a little bit about the chickenpox vaccine, so that you can make an educated decision on whether to do it or not for your kids.

The chickenpox vaccine, in my opinion, is one of the most ridiculous vaccines!  Kyle was given the chickenpox vaccine at his 12 month well check, and I am so mad now about it!  By the end of this entry, hopefully you will understand why.  Of course I can't dwell on the past, and all I can do is make decisions for the future based off of the information I now have.  I hope you will find the following information useful, and for convenience of writing I will make a numbered reference guide on the left side bar (you may have to scroll down a bit to get to it), so that I don't have to write the title of every book I have referenced, every time.

What is Chickenpox?

"Chickenpox, or varicella, is a contagious disease caused by a virus.  The technical name for this virus is varicella-zoster, a member of the herpes virus family.  Chickenpox is considered by many experts to be a relatively harmless childhood disease.  Symptoms include a fever, runny nose, sore throat, and an itchy skin rash which can appear anywhere on the body.  The rash and disease usually disappear after one or two weeks.  The disease confers permanent immunity, the child will not contract it again." (1)

Okay...I had chickenpox when I was little, and yes it sucked.  But, it was short lived, and now I have immunity for life.  The vaccine does not provide immunity for life, in fact, no one even knows yet how effective the vaccine is, because it is so new.  The FDA thinks that they are at least effective for the first 5 years, until the next booster shot, but aren't sure yet.

"...the FDA does not know how long beyond the five years immunity will last.  "The only way to sort that out is going to be to see what happens after the vaccine is introduced," said Philip Krause, M.D., a senior research investigator in the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.  The FDA asked Merck to follow several thousand vaccinated children for fifteen years to determine the long-term effects of the vaccine and to see if there would be a need for a booster shot.  Unfortunately, the results of that research will not be available until at least 2010."  (2)

"According to the vaccine manufacturer, "The duration of protection...is unknown." (5)

Not only does that mean that we don't know how long it will last, but we don't know what the long term effects of the vaccine itself are.  Essentially, our children right now are the experiment subjects for this vaccine!

"No one knows the possible effects of latent vaccine virus stored within the nervous system.  Varicella-zoster virus may be a cause of cancer.  This association has never been proven, though varicella-zoster-invected human cells have transformed mouse cells to cancerous cells in a laboratory setting and varicella-zoster virus-infected cells produced cancers when inoculated into hamsters, which also developed viral antibodies.  ..... The possible long-term effects of this herpesvirus vaccine remain unknown." (4)

How is the Varicella vaccine made?

 "The virus was taken from an infected individual decades ago and placed in a culture of lung cells from human embryos.  The virus used the lung cells to multiply.  The viruses were then removed and placed in a culture of guinea pig embryo cells for further growth.  Finally, they were put in a culture of human diploid cells (in human tissue) to multiply even more.  These viruses were then taken to Merck's laboratories.  Merck keeps the virus replicating in a different human diploid cell culture nourished with serum from a cow fetus (the liquid part of the cow fetus's blood) and removes batches of the virus to go into the vaccine.  The viruses are put into a solution of saline, sugar, electrolytes, MSG, and gelatin.  The virus is whole and living when injected, so it can potentially cause chickenpox."  (3)

"In other words, children vaccinated with the chickenpox shot are mobile carriers of the virus, and can spread this highly contagious disease to every susceptible person they come into contact with." (1)

"The DNA and proteins from the human cells are an unavoidable byproduct of this particular manufacturing process.  These aren't known to be harmful, but some parents find it a little odd to inject unknown human DNA into a baby."  (3)

Personally I think this is gross!  And "unknown human DNA" is being put into my baby...?  I wonder if most people know how the vaccine is made and that their kids are carrying the disease around just from the injection...?  Do parents of this generation realize that their kid is a guinea pig for this relatively new vaccination...?  I didn't have a clue when we vaccinated Kyle!  These things aren't discussed in the doctor's visit, unfortunately.

The next set of information is most disturbing to me.  This disease is usually harmless for young children, but can be very serious and even deadly for teens and adults.  That's why parents used to have "chickenpox parties" to get their kids sick when they were young, so that they would have lifelong immunity and not get sick when they were older (and it was more dangerous or deadly!).  The vaccine was originally created because chickenpox can be especially dangerous for children who have a weakened immune system, such as those who have leukemia or other cancers.  But, here is the bottom line of why we are all required today to give our kids this vaccine (whether they are healthy or compromised).....

"Prior to licensing the chickenpox vaccine, an important study concluded that a national chickenpox vaccination campaign would shift the age distribution of chickenpox cases from children, who are not likely to experience problems with this disease, to teenagers and adults, who have higher complication rates.  Yet, this did not stop authorities from licensing and mandating this vaccine, because "the U.S. could save five times as much as it would spend" on this shot by avoiding the costs incurred by moms and dads who stay home to care for their sick children." (1)

This fact was mentioned in every 5 of the books I have referenced (although in different wording of course).  I am not siting from anti-vaccine books, by the way.  Most of these books are written by doctors who are simply giving the facts (and for both sides).  Just wanted to make that clear.  Anyway... 

I am a stay at home mom!  If the whole reason why parents are pushed to vaccinate for the varicella virus is to save money so that mom's and dad's don't have to miss work...then Kyle should never have had that vaccine!  I am home to take care of him if he gets sick!  Why is this not a discussion at the doctor's office prior to vaccinating?  It is "routine" to get this vaccination at 12 months of age, and again at 5 years.  Why...?  Oh yeah, because it makes a lot more money for the manufacturer if you give it to all children, and not just those who have compromised immune systems!

Now knowing how it is made, and really thinking about all the information I have shared with you...it makes me furious that Kyle was vaccinated...I know, I authorized them to do it!  I should have looked into this more before it was time for the vaccine!  I just trusted our doctor, and that he is pointing us in the right direction.  But that is all water under the bridge, and Kyle will not get the booster shot at 5 years.

"...adults are 10 times more likely to require hospitalization and 25 times more likely to die from chickenpox than children.  Yet, this did not stop authorities from licensing and mandating this vaccine.

Before the vaccine became available, more than 90 percent of people entering their 20's were immune to varicella, mainly due to natural chickenpox infection.  Thus, very few adults contracted this disease.  Infants were usually protected as well because their mothers, who contracted chickenpox as children, had protective antibodies that they passed on to their babies in utero (during pregnancy).  However, as more children receive the vaccine and lose the opportunity to acquire natural immunity, moms will no longer be able to protect their babies and the disease is likely to shift to infants, another age group at greater risk for complications.  Anyone who doubts this possibility merely has to look at what officials did with measles.  Before the vaccine was introduced, less than one-half of one percent of all babies contracted measles.  Today, following years of mass immunizations, about 30 percent of all measles cases now occur in babies under one year of age."  (5)

What makes me so mad is that we are keeping our kids from getting sick with the disease while they are little (and it is mild).  This makes it possible for them to potentially get seriously ill or die from the disease in their teen or adult years (because they do not have the life long immunity)!  Again, the reason for this vaccination (like many others) is to save $$$.  Other than that, it is actually doing harm by pushing the disease into the later years, and who knows what other side effects will come to the surface from the vaccine itself.  Not to mention that there are already lots of reports of adverse reactions and even death from the vaccine.  Then there is the whole discussion about giving several vaccines at the same time.  I won't get into that in this entry, you can read more about that if you wish to do so.  And finally there is the issue of long term problems and diseases from the crap that is in the vaccines, that we have yet to discover in the years to come.  There's just too much to even mention in this one little blog entry!

For those of you with little girls, you need to think even more about this one.  It is very dangerous for a woman to get chickenpox when she is pregnant.  (You can do more reading on your own if you are curious about the details.)  I didn't have to even think about this when I got pregnant, because I did have chickenpox when I was a little girl.  Also, if a pregnant woman hasn't received the natural immunity to the disease, they can not pass on the antibodies to their babies.  Again, something I didn't even have to think about when I got pregnant.  But, unfortunately this new generation of girls are going to have to think about all these things as they get older and come of child bearing age!

Just a few things to think about moms and dads!  Start researching these vaccines and asking more questions!  The information is out there, but unfortunately you have to go looking for it on your own.  :(

Bottom line...we don't know that the varicella vaccine is safe or effective long term...and it is not necessary!!!  I do hope that despite the vaccine, Kyle will get chickenpox naturally while he is young, so that I don't have to worry about him getting older and having no immunity to it.  I know it will be a rough week or two for all of us if he does get it...but long term it's worth it!

Anyone know where the "chickenpox party" is being held this week...?

Money Motivation?

I do not claim to be an expert on vaccinations...in fact...my research has only begun, and I read more every single day.  I thought that this was important enough to mention (and I'm sure there are more figures out there like what I am about to share with you).  I'm sure this is merely one $ figure of many that are "motivating" our mass vaccinations for "herd immunity."  You can't tell me that vaccinations have nothing to do with money!  They have everything to do with money!

This is written by an M.D.  She tries to give both sides of the coin when it comes to health and vaccinations...but the more I read....the more I conclude that the risks far out weigh the benefits of the vaccinations.  I have come to my own conclusion that the public has turned a blind eye to some very scary truths regarding vaccines!  I have been one of those people for the last year!  We don't know, what we don't know!

Our doctors and pediatricians are required by the states to mandate vaccinations for all children.  Hmmm, I wonder why....

The information below was taken from the Hepatitis B section of the book, so that is why she specifically mentions Hep B.  It applies to all vaccines though, not just Hep B!

Taken straight from What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, By: Stephanie Cave, M.D. with Deborah Mitchell.

How States "Encourage" Vaccinations

"If you want to encourage people to do something, one of the most effective ways is to offer them an incentive.  The CDC has given hundreds of millions of dollars to state health departments in the form of immunization grants since 1965.  When the hepatitis B vaccine was added to the recommended list, the states could hope to get some of that money if they enforced mandatory vaccinations and tracked them.  Today state health officials who cannot provide proof to federal health officials of a certain rate of vaccinations cannot get the funds.

And the amount of funds is substantial.  The Comprehensive Childhood Immunization Act of 1993 gave the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) the authority to give more than $400 million annually to states that establish a registry that tags and tracks children as they receive their mandatory vaccinations, including hepatitis B vaccine.  Each state receives between $50 and $100 per child who is fully vaccinated with all federally recommended vaccines.  This tracking system is part of a larger registry program under development by the CDC."

Encouragement from Other Sources

"Parents are further encouraged to vaccinate their children with the hepatitis B vaccine through the efforts of the nonprofit Immunization Action Coalition, which funds the Hepatitis B Coalition, a national effort to push the vaccine for all children.  Funding for this nonprofit comes from private donations, including a grant from SmithKlein Beecham, which manufactures one of the two hepatitis B vaccines on the market.  The CDC also gave the nonprofit a $750,000 grant." 

You can decide for yourself...but this information makes me feel very uneasy.

The First Vaccination - Hepatitis B

I was intending to do one long entry about all the vaccinations, but because of time constraints, I may end up doing several separate entries.  This one is about Hepatitis B.

What is Hepatitis B?

Taken from, Vaccine Safety Manual: For Concerned Families and Health Practitioners, By: Neil Z. Miller

"Hepatitis B is a viral infection.  Symptoms may be similar to the flu, including weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, a low-grade fever, diarrhea, sore muscles and joint pain.  A swollen liver and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) are possible as well.  In some instances, individuals who contract this disease are carriers of the virus yet exhibit few or none of these symptoms.  Acute hepatitis B usually runs its course within a few months.  Most patients do not require hospital care and 95 percent recover completely; they will not contract the disease again.  Long term or chronic hepatitis B infections can be serious." page 261

Kyle got this vaccination the first day of his life.  It seems almost automatic for babies to get the Hep B shortly after birth.  Unless the parents feel very strongly about their baby not getting this vaccination in the hospital (or otherwise), it is almost a non-discussion.  When Kyle got the shot, there was no discussion about it at all, or even an explanation of what it was for...just "sign here" to authorize the nurse to vaccinate.  I never really thought twice about it, to be honest.  No one else seemed to have any concerns about it, so it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  After reading about the Hep B vaccination as of recent, I wish I had done a little more research before Kyle was born.  I would have made a different decision!

All quotes to follow are from, Vaccines: Are they Really Safe And Effective?,  By: Neil Z. Miller.  I find this book to be the most user friendly, short, sweet, to the point...so I will be using it a lot in my entries as a reference.  You might want to pick up a copy of the book for yourself to get the whole picture.

"The groups at highest risk of contracting hepatitis B are intravenous drug users, prostitutes, and sexually active gay men.  Infants and children rarely develop this disease.  In fact, less than one percent of all cases occur in children younger than 15 years." page 49

"Infants born to hepatitis B infected mothers have a greater chance of acquiring this disease.  However, children are very unlikely to contract hepatitis B if the mother is not infected.  Pregnant women may be screened for this disease if they are concerned." page 49

"Authorities often claim that hospital employees are likely to contract and spread hepatitis B.  they use this as a rationale for mandating the shot.  However, in one study of 624 health workers, the risk of contracting hepatitis B was associated with the frequency of contact with blood, but did not correlate with the frequency of contact with patients.  The authors concluded that health workers may become naturally immunized rather than infected through continuous exposure to low levels of hepatitis B." page 50

"Surveys in medical journals indicate that up to 87% of pediatricians and family practitioners do not believe the hepatitis B vaccine is needed by their newborn patients." page 51

In the book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, the author talks about added ingredients in vaccinations (page 26).  She says that the Hep B vaccine has aluminum.  "This metal is added to vaccines, in the form of gels or salts, to promote the production of antibodies.  Aluminum has been named as a possible cause of seizures, Alzheimer's disease, brain damage, and dementia." She also says that this vaccine also contains ethylene glycol.  "This is the main ingredient in antifreeze.  It is used in some vaccines (for example, DTaP, polio, Hib, hepatitis B) as a preservative." 

I'm sure these are only two of the many added ingredients in this vaccine.

So, why are all of our tiny newborn babies required to get this mandated shot?  The only conclusion that I can come up with is $$$.  It makes more money for the companies making the vaccinations if you just require everyone to get it!  Why not just test mother's first, and then decide if that baby should get the shot or not?  Seems like that would be safer for our babies!!

Why is there not more discussion about the necessity of the vaccination before it is given to a newborn baby?  If I had read this information before Kyle was given the shot, I would not have authorized him to have the shot!  He did not need all that toxic crap pumped into his blood stream the day he was born.  It was not necessary!  I guess I will know for next time...!  :)

What Do We Do? - The Vaccination Controversy!

Vaccines.  One of the most controversial topics among the parenting community!  Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and their own decisions for their children.  I will share with you my opinion on this subject, and how my husband and I have come to the conclusions that we have, regarding vaccines and our son.  I am not a doctor, nurse, or scientist...I am merely a loving mother who wants to make the best decisions she can for her son.

Just a couple days ago a friend of mine sent me an email stating that a few months ago she thought that parents that don't vaccinate their children are "nuts,  misinformed and irresponsible."  (She is now questioning that opinion, I think.)  I think this is an all too common belief in our society.  In fact, I have learned recently that if you actually talk to parents that have chosen not to vaccinate their children... those are the parents who have done lots of research on the topic!!!

I guess I'll start with our story and how I got to this moment where I am writing about this topic.  I should start by telling you that our son, Kyle, has not had any adverse reactions to vaccinations. I don't have a super tragic or dramatic story to tell you - but I do have a story that I'm sure many share.

Our son received his first vaccine the day he was born.  Hep B.  There wasn't much discussion about it, it was just the automatic thing to do.  As parents, as far as vaccinations go, we were going off the theory that, "everyone else is doing it, so we should too."

We had heard a couple people tell us before Kyle was born, "Do not vaccinate Kyle when he is born - those things are poison!"  To be honest, I had not done much research on the subject, but deep down I knew this statement to be true.  A gut feeling, I guess.

I knew that all of my girlfriends, friends, and family were vaccinating their kids, and the pediatrician didn't make me feel like there was much room for discussion.  He (like most pediatricians) are trained to truly believe that vaccinations are good for kids.  "Herd immunity."  We like our pediatrician and feel that he truly does have the best interest at heart concerning Kyle's health.  I did not question the doctors recommendation to vaccinate Kyle, because I trust his medical expertise (after all, that's what he went to school so many years for, right?)  So, with little discussion (other than the warning of the "normal" reactions (fussiness, fever, etc.)) - I signed the pediatricians blue paper authorizing them to vaccinate Kyle.  We had expressed a little concern about autism regarding vaccines, but were assured that there was very little risk for Kyle.

Kyle was at his two month well check, blue form signed, and needles in the nurses hand ready to go.  It took everything in me to not scream "STOP!" at the top of my lungs, as she was reaching for Kyle with the needle.  My husband held Kyle while the shots were being administered.  I watched as she injected Kyle with 7 vaccinations (not that many needles, because some of them were combined).  He was a trooper.  He only cried for about 20 seconds and it was over.  I was relieved that it was over - until the next well check that I knew was coming all too soon.  I was also a little nervous because I didn't know how Kyle would react to all these shots in the days to come.  Kyle had a mild reaction (compared to some).  He was very sleepy, a little fussy, and a tiny bit constipated.  But no fever, so that was good, we thought.  All was "okay", until I had to sign that blue paper again at the next well check....and do it all over again.

Four month well check - big healthy baby - and time for more shots.  Again, I signed the blue form, Josh held Kyle, and the nurse poked Kyle with the needles.  Short bout of crying and it was over.  I once again held in my urge to scream, "STOP!", going against my gut feeling as Kyle's mother.  Reactions in Kyle were mild again, so I though, "Okay, I can do this."  Kyle never got a fever from shots, so I thought we were doing alright.  This continued, same routine for each well check appointment, until his 12 month.

Kyle's fussiness after each set of shots was increasing, and his cry started changing into a high pitched cry (different than his "normal" cry).  His behavior in general was always different after his shots - but only in ways that his mommy and daddy would notice!  It would take him up to 2 months to get back to his usual self...and by then it was always time for the next round of shots!  This was frustrating to Josh and I.  But, this was "normal" according to the doctor.  We also noticed that Kyle was loosing what little "vocabulary" he had.  Kyle was saying "ma,ma" at a very young age when he wanted me - much earlier than expected for the average baby.  So, it was a little odd that he stopped saying "ma,ma".  He points at everything, and wants us to say what it is.  We thought it was cute.  We have made excuses like, "he's just a late talker", or "he'll talk when he's ready."  And maybe this is so - but there is something inside of me that wonders.  That darn gut feeling again!  He does understand everything we say, so I'm not too worried about it...and hope that he decides to talk soon.

12 month well check.  24 lbs., 32", healthy boy!  Time for shots again, and this time they were adding a new set on top of all the others.  MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)  The doc told us to watch for a rash that could show up anywhere from one to three weeks after the vaccination.  This was a possible reaction to the MMR vaccination, but "not likely."

One week after Kyle's shots he broke out in a rash.  Little red dots all over his body - looked just like measles!  Kyle was very fussy, and his rash was getting worse.  I got him in to see the pediatrician right away.  The doc looked at Kyle's rash and told me that it was not from the vaccinations...even though the timing was "coincidental and questionable" (he even said that).  He diagnosed Kyle with eczema.  "Put lots of lotion on him (Eucerin), especially after bath time."  And we were sent on our way.

I had asked the doctor more than once at the visit if he was sure it was not from the MMR shot, and he assured me it was just dry skin.  This didn't sit well with me, since Kyle had never exhibited signs of eczema so far in his 12 months of life, and all of a sudden one week after the MMR, he has a horrible rash all over his body that looks like measles.  (And we were supposed to keep our eyes open for a rash, remember?!)  After a couple days of the rash getting worse I took him back to the doc...again.  Kyle's pediatrician was not there that day, so his office partner saw Kyle.  She said, "eczema", and we were sent on our way...again.

I bought Kyle a tub of Eucerin and we were slathering it on.  There wasn't much change that Josh and I could notice with the use of the lotion.

As a side note (we'll get back to the rash in a second...)...  Another thing that started after Kyle's set of 12 month vaccinations was constipation and irregular bowel.  Up until Kyle's 12 month well check, he was having a bowel movement every day, same time, like clockwork.  His bowel movements were nice and soft, just like they should be.  Ever since his 12 month shots, he has had constipation on and off, and doesn't go like clockwork anymore.  It's been a battle now for almost 3 months.  He was eating solid foods before his 12 month check, so his diet isn't too much different than it was before.  Of course we've added things to his menu, but nothing that should be backing up his system like that.  In fact, we have been trying to give him lots of things to get his system going, and it's still been a challenge.

Getting back to the rash....

In about 3 or 4 weeks the rash was gone.  I though this was very curious, since eczema is usually an ongoing problem for those that have it.  Josh and I know it was not eczema.  Kyle has had some normal dry skin, but nothing that has not been manageable with some lotion.  A friend of mine was over visiting (maybe a day after we had gone to the pediatrician the first time to look at the rash).  She used to be in the pharmaceutical business years ago.  She took one look at Kyle's rash and said, "Beth, Kyle has live measles in his system!  That is a measles rash!"  My heart sank because she was saying what I knew deep down to be true.

I've looked at pictures of children with measles (on pro-vaccination websites), and that was what Kyle looked like.  His rash looked like measles.

After the MMR shot (and others), it took Kyle about 2 months to get back to acting like "himself", which brings us to the present.  Again, these are little things that only Josh and I would notice, but that is definitely something to pay attention to.  Kyle is 14 months old, but will go in to see the pediatrician for his 15 month well check at the end of this month.  Hep A is the vaccination that is scheduled for the 15 month well check.

It's been 14 months of secretly questioning the safety and necessity of Kyle's vaccinations.  Every time he gets shots I pray every day that he will "bounce back" from them and be a healthy little boy.  We've been lucky so far that he hasn't had any adverse reactions, such as autism, asthma, auto-immune disorders, allergies, the list goes on and on.....  I know that I would simply die if one day I looked into the eyes of my sweet, happy, healthy, energetic, engaged little boy, and he wasn't there anymore!  It is not a chance I think I can risk taking anymore.

Even though Kyle hasn't had any of what they call adverse reactions, it is obvious to Josh and I that Kyle is being affected by these shots, and we need to start listening to our gut instinct and stop doing what is easy!  It is easy to go to the doc every couple months, get the required shots, and go home with the Tylenol bottle on the counter waiting (just in case).  I know I am "just a mom", but it doesn't seem "normal" for my child to get sick every time he gets vaccinated, when he is otherwise a very healthy little boy!

I am now doing what I should have done over 14 months ago - before Kyle was born!  Vaccination research and education.  How can I make an educated decision on such an important topic, when I have done nothing to educate myself - other than to follow the "herd" and do what the state and pharmaceutical companies say I should do.  I have spent the last 2 months reading and gathering information on this very controversial issue.

In a nut shell, we are putting toxic chemicals in our children every time they get a vaccination.  Just to name a few, here are some of the things that are in our vaccines...aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, 2-phenoxyethanol (a toxic chemical comparable to antifreeze), Ethylene glycol (antifreeze), antibiotics, and disinfectants.  Also most vaccines are grown in either animal tissue, or aborted human fetal tissue, and all of the effects from this are not known.  Really we don't know what toxins are in those vaccines that shouldn't be!  These vaccinations are not as well regulated as the public thinks they are!  We as parents go off of blind faith that the CDC, FDA, WHO, and our pediatricians, are leading us in the right direction.  When really if you do some reading, case study after case study provides evidence that this is just not so!  It is time to wake up and look at the history and studies that have been done regarding vaccinations.  Do you really know what is in those vaccines?

As far as current events, how do you debate the rise in autism with the increased vaccination schedule, when they are a match?  The people in power use this argument to sway the public, "It has not been proven yet that autism is directly linked to vaccinations."  Are you kidding?  Then why do some children "all of a sudden" become autistic after a series of vaccinations, when they were happy healthy children prior to those shots?  I think autism is terrible, but is also overshadowing (in the news and such) so many of the other things that can happen to your child as a result of vaccinations that a lot of us (me included!) don't even think about ...but there are so many other things....like lowered immune systems, asthma, arthritis, allergies, cancer, and the list goes on.  These reactions are more likely to find your family, unfortunately.  Autism is definitely a risk, but there are other risks to consider as well!

I am shocked at the information that I have come across regarding the very scary facts around vaccination and the companies that are set in place to make sure that these are safe and effective!  The FDA and CDC have approved vaccinations that they knew had toxins in them, but did it anyway.  That does not make me feel trustworthy of any of the vaccinations...how do I, as the consumer (or even the pediatrician, for that matter), know if the vaccines Kyle is receiving are contaminated or not?  I don't!  Too risky in my opinion!  Yes, I question the credibility of the pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, CDC, and WHO organizations...why?....because of their history and practices that I do not feel have been appropriate.  I will go into more detail about the actual vaccines, reactions, metals, ingredients, and how some vaccines are made...in future entries....

Just like we have experienced with Kyle...many reactions are under reported!  The pediatricians do not want to admit that there are reactions to these vaccines if they can avoid it.  Why....?  Money....!  Vaccines and the pharmaceutical companies are one of our nations top money makers!  It is sad, but true.  If we all suddenly stopped vaccinating, what would happen to those companies....they would loose a lot of money!  Another reason pediatricians push vaccines is so that they don't get sued.  If they do not recommend the vaccinations (as the state mandates them to do, by the way), and your child comes down with one of these viruses, they can expect a law suit.  However, if they recommend the vaccination just as they are required to, and your child has an adverse reaction to a vaccine...you can't do anything about it!  The system is designed that way!  There are people who sit on the board of the FDA and CDC (companies that are designed for the public's safety), who own stock in these pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines.  That is a conflict of interest, and should not be allowed, but it is happening!

I have heard this expression, "If you decide not to vaccinate, it is safe for you to make that decision, because the majority do vaccinate."   After doing some reading, this statement simply is not true!  Vaccinated children are actually carriers of the virus, therefore, they can spread the disease to those who are susceptible!  Almost all of the vaccinations do not give immunity for life.  Several studies have shown that a larger percentage of vaccinated people actually catch the very diseases that they are vaccinated for, than the un-vaccinated community. Studies have found that un-vaccinated children have healthier immune systems than those who are vaccinated.  Most of the diseases that we vaccinate for are very mild for children if they are to catch it naturally, and most of them often pass for a common cold!  Why the scare tactics from our pediatricians and doctors?  The question is, why do we really vaccinate...?  $$$!  That discussion is for another entry....

One of the rationalizations that us parents use for why we have to vaccinate our children is because of school and childcare.  It is a misconception, really.  People think it will be so hard for their kids to get into school, sports, or whatever.  Josh and I bought into this rationale, why not, that's what everyone tells us.  The reality is that all you have to do is sign an exemption form when you enroll your child, simple as that!  Most states have vaccine exemptions (you'll have to check with your state).  I know that in the state of Arizona there are two different vaccine exemptions that you can take.  One is a religious exemption, and the other is a philosophical exemption.  It isn't the big deal that it is made out to be.  I think people are just not educated about their options!

At the end of this month Josh and I will take Kyle to his 15 month well check.  I will NOT be signing that blue piece of paper, and I will finally say what I have said inside but not outside yet, "stop!"  "Stop vaccinating my child, we are done putting toxins in Kyle's body!"

In Kyle's short one year of life, he has had about 29 vaccinations!  What does any baby need that many vaccinations for?  It's way too much!  When I was a kid, the vaccine schedule was about 5 or 6 vaccines over the period of 5 or 6 years.  That was it!  What has happened in the last 30 years that supports such an increase in vaccinations?  This is crazy!  Look at the increase of diseases in this country...it is not a coincidence!  We are putting all these toxins into our little babies at such a young age...before their bodies can even tolerate them, and before their immune systems have a chance to even develop.  Studies show that these vaccines are making our immune systems weaker, not stronger!  We have an immune system for a reason, and it's to fight off unwanted diseases.  I want Kyle to have a strong, healthy immune system for life.  From what I have gathered so far, it does not appear that vaccines are in his favor when it comes to a healthy immune system for life.  Why do we need booster shots...?  Because these vaccines do not provide life long immunity.  And every one of those shots is full of toxins and all kinds of added crap that in reality actually help break down our immune systems (and can cause other diseases long term...like cancer, etc.).  Sign me up!  (Yeah right!)

I am learning that not vaccinating your kids is like being a part of a 'secret society.' It is taboo to not vaccinate. Why?  People who choose not to vaccinate have obviously done a lot of research and decided that this is a healthier decision for their babies.  Why would people take such a stand to do something 'against the norm' if it didn't mean a great deal to them?  I am not one who takes confrontation well (just ask my husband), so for me to take a stand like this is a big deal!  I am very passionate about this, and it is very important to our family.  For our family, the risks of vaccinating are far greater than the benefits!

If you feel compelled, here is a book to get you started... Vaccines: Are They Really Safe And Effective?  By: Neil Z. Miller.  I bought my copy from Amazon.com for $10. It is very short and to the point, with references in the back for you to cross-reference if you so desire.  (This book was revised in 2009, so this is current information.)  There is lots of information on the internet as well.

I am not scared anymore!  I was so afraid of what everyone else would think of our family if we didn't vaccinate, that I didn't listen to that mommy voice inside that told me that vaccinations are not right for Kyle.  After vaccinating Kyle for a year, we are now making the decision to stop vaccinating.  We are making the decision that we feel is best for our little boy, and we are prepared to proudly stand by that decision.  It is such an important decision, and I hope that my friends and family can stand by our decision, even if they don't agree!  I urge you to do some reading....you might be as shocked as I was to find out the scary truth about vaccines!