Comments on: Today At The Doctor

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:04:56 +0000

I normally don’t comment on old posts but you brought up vaccination… In general I totally advocate vaccination. Some are more important than others in both what would benefit the child most and what time it should be given. The one off the top of my head that I would recommend staying “on schedule” with is pertussis (aka whopping cough), it is the P in DPT. A few years ago it was found that adults often get sick with that bacterium, it does not kill normal adults but it has a high mortality rate in infants and children. An adult with it has an annoying cough, they likely would think they had a cold. The problem with this one was that the vaccine was only approved for people 7 and under and it wears off after about 10 years, so people 17 and up were susceptible and could pass it to infants who had not yet received the vaccination, scary situation that resulted in an adult approved vaccine (I just got it when I cut my finger and needed a tetanus shot).

It is very common for a child to feel ill after getting vaccinated, that is actually not a bad thing (the kid feels puny and you feel bad but it protects them from the dangerous version). Vaccinations are basically showing the body what a pathogen looks like and the body fights it just as it would the real thing and then has memory of what it was. The body’s immune system is actually responsible for many of the symptoms of real illnesses and not the organism they are infected with (it being there causes the body to make the symptoms, of course it can directly cause some too). It is the body’s way of either trying to flush the bad stuff out (vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose), kicking the immune system into higher gear (fever), and forcing the person to rest.

I am not telling you what to do, just giving some information that could help you decide what is best for you and that adorable little man. I think that doctors often just tell you that you need to or else and don’t sit there and discuss the options (of course if you want to send him to public school you will need to get him vaccinated for many things). I personally think it would be better to try and educate people about the different vaccines and detail what they are protecting against and how much risk is involved if you do or don’t get the vaccine (how likely he is to be exposed to the pathogen, the mortality rate, treatment options if he does get it, etc). In general in order for a vaccine to be required or highly recommended they have to show that the risk of the disease outweighs the risks associated with the vaccine and pharmaceutical companies mainly focus on vaccines they can get made mandatory (more money that way).

Hope I don’t sound preachy and violate the no unsolicited advice rule! This is a much discussed topic among microbiologists so I had to throw my bit in .

Karens last blog post..Sunday Stylin’

By: Velma

Velma — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 03:54:56 +0000

I'm also in the "better vaccinate than not camp," but I totally think it's fine not to follow the recommended schedule after talking to your doctor. I actually have a son with may of the food allergy/autistic spectrum disorder issues that so many people worry about vaccines causing, but I feel pretty strongly that not vaccinating at all will lead to larger social problems down the line. Velmas last blog post..Friday's NaBloPoMo Post

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:26:05 +0000

have you tried importing your videos through iPhoto? thats how I do it. maybe even try when you plug up your camcorder/camera, find it on your desktop as a removeable device and click and drag it to your desktop but i recommend using iPhoto.

btw, congrats on your baby, he is a doll!

my thought on vaccines are as i firmly believe in them. all my kids (ages 11, 8, and 15 months) have had them. if something were to ever happen to them because I DIDNT get them vaccinated, i would fully go bonkers. they have never had a bad reaction to them, they just sorta whimpered and moved on. done. never given it a second thought. but that is a type of decision you as parents will have to make. dont let other influence your decision, as you know what is best for your baby.

By: Sky

Sky — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:33:43 +0000

He's growing so fast! How time flies! I'm with you on the vaccine concern. My daughter has had 3 sets of shots and the last 2 sets was very ill afterwards. I told my concerns to my doctor and she was so cool with it! I was shocked, most (or so I thought) doctors want you to go with the schedule. We aren't going to vaccinate Pea anymore until she's 2 or 3. Whew! Good luck! Sky's last blog post..Week of Miss Nebraska

By: Keisha

Keisha — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:20:27 +0000

Y’all make such beautiful babies
He’s growing so much so fast, he’ll be walking before you know it.
I don’t think the Pedi staff compliment babies out of obligation, I think it’s sincere. It would have to be with Jay because he is so adorable.
~K.

By: Lisa C

Lisa C — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:52:56 +0000

The dilemma to vaccinate our children still gets to me. All I can say is the it's a personal decision made by mommy and daddy. Our little ones are so precious to us, the thought of anything happening to them because of a vaccine shot is scary. You think to yourself, isn't this what I should be doing but then on the other hand you do (as a parent) have a choice not too. We chose not to get all and it was definitely not recommend by our Dr. but stood firm, you have too. We also split the shots up so that they wouldn't get so many at one time. You and Greg seem like the type of parents who will do your research first, which I commend. Just be prepared to change your pediatrician if you have too. We did on many occasions. Lisa C's last blog post..*~For Women Only*~

By: Manda

Manda — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:55:34 +0000

Good luck with your decision to vaccinate. It’s a hard one to make. I don’t vaccinate my children at all. Sascha is 6 and never had a single one, not even at birth. It’s not something I feel safe about at all.
If you want any websites with good information I have some links on my site, and there is a livejournal community as well that usually has good information. http://community.livejournal.com/moms/profile

He’s getting so big!

Manda’s last blog post..My Mind Went Blank

By: 1stopmom

1stopmom — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:27:43 +0000

He is looking really good. You know when I was working at a doctor's office my compliments were always honest. If I saw an adorable baby I would say so. I tried to find something nice to say to parents when they came in. I agree with Gina. All babies are not cute but I would never tell a parent that. Of course Boogie is super cute and I am not saying that just because Boogie is my son's middle name. 1stopmom's last blog post..Wordless Wednesday

By: crunchy domestic goddess

crunchy domestic goddess — Sat, 31 May 2008 01:04:24 +0000

yay for healthy babies growing strong on mama’s milk!! glad to hear breastfeeding is going well.
jayden is a doll.
i’ve heard great things about The Vaccine Book. hope you find it to be a helpful reference and can make the decisions that are right for your family.
we delayed and selectively vaxed ava (starting at 12 mos) and julian (at 18 mos) hasn’t had any vaxes yet. the jury is still out on what we’ll do.
keep up the good work, mama.
p.s. have you worn your “i make milk – superpower” shirt yet?

crunchy domestic goddess’s last blog post..China’s heroic mother and the importance of breastfeeding in natural disasters