Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Whaaat? You don't Vaccinate? Part 1

Nope. Never. Not once. This has to be one of the most 'controversial' parenting decisions that people say I have made.

You're a terrible parent! You're putting your child at risk! Child protective services should take your kid!

No, not really. I have continually done close to, or over, 200 hours of research in peer-reviewed medical articles, web resources (including the CDC, WHO, NCBI), and continually read debates on the subject in attempt to gain perspective or see if I can't come across any information I have yet to look into. As far as CPS taking my child...if parents called CPS for every little thing they didn't like about another parenting style, no child would be left in their parents' care. I have determined the risks outweigh the benefits for us. You may have come to another conclusion. And that's okay. 

You're just another anti-vaccinator. You're ignorant and you just want to bash my parenting skills for vaccinating.

On the contrary. I am not inherently "anti"-vaccination. Also, sharing opinions on something ≠ judging/bashing opposing opinions. If you are insecure in that you feel that way, you should re-evaluate why you made that decision and firm your confidence in that decision, or change it.

But....you're taking away from herd immunity!!!

This is one thing we don't know for absolute certainty. 'Herd immunity' is a phrase that sprung up in 1933 in reference to the natural life-long immunity cattle received after getting an illness naturally in the American Journal of Epidemiology. It is just theories when it comes to humans at this point. Researchers and doctors can't even agree on what percentage of the population needs to be immune for artificial 'herd immunity' to be effective if it exists. Some say 80%, some 85%, others 95%. We just don't know. Any studies that use 'herd immunity' as a given fact are basing their study on assumptions, which negates their study by definition.

There have been studies since the dawn of time on herd immunity. You're lying! The government wouldn't tell us this if it wasn't true.

Again, incorrect. There has been a total of one study done on artificial herd immunity in humans. [1]

It is not a true placebo-controlled study. They use the Hepatitis A vaccine as their placebo to the flu vaccine, which negates the placebo. A true placebo would have no relation or ingredients that the drug/vaccine/etc being tested may share. Since the Flu vaccine and HepA vaccine share similar ingredients, then any reactions or responses caused by those shared ingredients cannot be identified. How would they know what is 'normal' then? They don't.


It itself only claims to be "experimental proof" and not definitive; it states "Selectively vaccinating youngsters against influenza may interrupt virus transmission and protect those not immunized." May. As in, 'we're not sure.'

 It only follows the children for six months following vaccination, and therefore many adverse reactions and side effects will not have been included in the experiment. It also does not measure the immunity 1 year, 3 years, or any amount of time into the future to see how it affects flu transmission and the child's overall health over time. Natural herd immunity is supposed to be life-long with no side-effects, and artificial herd immunity must be kept up on (a great deal of the population must receive regular boosters) and at a price. Do you know many adults who run out to get booster shots every 3-7 years? A very small portion of adults get boosters, and therefore, we wouldn't have artificial herd immunity to begin with.

[1] M Loeb et al. Effect of influenza vaccination of children on infection rates in Hutterite communities. JAMA 303:943-50 DOI: 10.1001/jama.303.10.943 (2010)

The government doesn't lie to us? If you are that naïve to think the government doesn't lie or promote its own agenda, you are well-deserved to get duped.

But....smallpox! Polio! I suppose vaccines didn't get rid of those diseases. You're out of your mind.

As far as smallpox. Smallpox was well on its way to eradication well before the vaccine was ever introduced. Only a small portion of the population ever got vaccinated for smallpox, and many of the trials had catastrophic side effects, such as leprosy. Even before vaccination, smallpox had less than a 1% mortality rate worldwide although secondary problems from smallpox arising from pre-existing conditions have a maximum estimated mortality rate of 30%. So, that's right...if you're healthy, even smallpox has a very very small chance of killing you. And if artificial herd-immunity isn't protecting you (since we no longer vaccinate for smallpox, not that the population would have any immunity), what is?

Even the modern vaccine has a serious adverse reaction statistic from 1/100 to 1/1000 people including spreading smallpox to other individuals. 1-2 people in 1 million will die as a result of smallpox vaccination. [2] And that's the modern vaccine, which isn't regularly in use.

[2] http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/facts.asp

With polio there are some important facts you need to know.

1. There were successful insecticide programs with DDT, BHC, lead, and arsenic which surpassed FDA approvals in the 1940's by a hell of a whole lot and persist in our environment in the form of neurotoxins. The symptoms of illness associated with this match that of polio almost exactly. Including temporary paralysis. [3]

[3] 'Images of Poliomyelitis; A Critique of Scientific Literature. Pesticides and Polio'  http://www.harpub.co.cc/overview.htm

2. The clinical definition (which they used to diagnose Polio) changed the year that the vaccine was introduced. The criteria was reduced and therefore reflected less cases of polio. So the CDC graphs are skewed to look in favor of the vaccine. 

3. Even using the newer clinical definition, 95% of people who contract the illness never even knew they had it. 4% had cold-like symptoms and 1% got very ill and SOME were paralysed. Less than .1% of people died from polio. Sound scary? I didn't think so. Considering they say 95% of people never even knew they had it, how were they diagnosing these people? How do they know how many people ACTUALLY got polio and lived? If they don't know how many actually contracted polio, how could they draw up a mortality rate? Their current rate is just guesstimation.

But but but but.........you're just a lousy conspiracy theorist!!!

No. Everything I've stated is fact or is based in fact.

You're just afraid of Autism!

You're right. I am afraid. I am afraid for our generation's children. I am saddened that many with severe Autism will never experience life, that some will never be able to communicate and run on the playground as children...never hold a fulfilling job, never find a spouse, never have children and grandchildren. Anyone who has a severely Autistic (or moderately, or mildly) child will tell you...it is HARD. It is worth it and they don't love their child less, but if they could undo their child's Autism, I'm sure all of them would say yes. Not because it is tough on them...but because their child deserves better.

And for those Autistic who can live a nearly-normal life, what is their quality of life health-wise?  For those who can't live on their own or function without help, what will the cost of their care be? How will it impact taxpayers? How will we fill those jobs up?

I am afraid of the future. The number of children with Autism is 1 in 86. Who wouldn't be afraid? Who wouldn't be afraid how Autism will impact their non-Autistic child? Who wouldn't be afraid they are going to have an Autistic child who has a myriad of health and/or mental issues which they now have to try and afford care to and help with? Who wouldn't be afraid their child will never speak 'Mommy!' or be able to tell you where it hurts when they are in pain? Who wouldn't be afraid their Autistic child will become too old, heavy, big for them to be able to care for? Who wants to put their child in hospice care? It doesn't mean I think vaccines cause Autism, and it's not even a great concern. But Autism isn't a joke, and the concern about it isn't something to throw around as an argument for why someone is a bad parent.

My question is.... Who wouldn't be afraid? If you're not, you should be.

I'm A Mommy

First and foremost, I'm a mommy. I change diapers. I feed, burp, and soothe. I laugh, play, rejoice, and cry. That's what's the most important.

While those are most important, they are not the only things that are important. There are a lot of other things I consider important and I will be discussing them. A lot of what I do is considered "controversial" because it does not concede to what is popular or accepted. I don't have to do what everyone else is doing or do it because they don't know any different. I make choices that others don't agree with. I am okay with that. I respect others' choices even if I don't agree and I expect the same courtesy here.

Why is this a big deal to me?

Well, along with changing, feeding, burping, playing, and soothing...I feel it's important to respect my daughter. I expect respect from others and if it is received, it is returned. If it is not received, there is a chance it may not be given. I feel respect is extremely important to teach and I will strive for that on this blog. So don't come to troll, you won't get a rise out of me, and likely your comments will be deleted. An advanced warning.

Now that that's over with.

My name is Ashley but I prefer to go by Rose, although those that know me refuse that preference. So I will take either interchangeably. I have an almost-9 month old daughter, Mairead. That rhymes with parade, FYI. I have a loving partner who is the love of my life, Jeff.

So, you're probably wondering what type of mom I am. At least, if you're another mom...you're wondering. I'm one of the nuts. The crunchies. The granola hippies. 'Attached' parent. Whatever you'd like to call it, I prefer to be called a 'mommy.'

Do we co-sleep? Yes.
Do we breastfeed? Yes.
Do we CIO? No.
Do we vaccinate? No.
Do we homebirth, homeschool, or homeopath? Not yet. But we will.
Do we do other controversial things? Of course. But that's not to say others who do not do what we do are wrong. They're just other parents, doing their thing.

This is going to be an open forum of my thoughts and topics I want to talk about; and I welcome suggestions for topics, advice, as well as opinions, comments, and people of all kinds.