How Safe are Vaccines?

Just like breastfeeding, co-sleeping and Cry It Out Vaccinations are a hot topic among parents. Whatever your choice chances are you stand firmly in your belief and believe 100% that you made the right decision for your family. You can either look at the facts of how all these diseases have decreased over time or look at the increasingly high levels of toxins used in vaccines and how they correlate with many health problems, such as autism. The fact is, there’s a ton of research for both sides. The only right choice is to do what you feel is right.

When Annabelle was born we started her on the Dr. Sears Alternate Vaccine schedule which spreads vaccines apart and never has more than one live vaccine at a time. As I did more and more research I slowed her vaccines down even more  and after a shot at her 18 month check-up she showed significant behavior changes for about 2 weeks directly following the vaccine, and we haven’t vaccinated since.

I hear a lot of people of my generation and older take the argument that we had all the same shots and if we’re OK why will they harm our children? Well. Lets stop right there for a second and look at the increase in vaccines given to children over the past few decades according to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. 

* Given in combination as DTP
** Given in combination as MMR

* Given in combination as DTP
** Given in combination as MMR

• Discontinuation of vaccine: Oral polio vaccine (2000); rotavirus (1999)

* Given in combination as DTaP
** Given in combination as MMR

“In the early 1950s, there were four vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and smallpox. Because three of these vaccines were combined into a single shot (DTP), children received five shots by the time they were 2 years old and not more than one shot at a single visit.”

“By the mid-1980s, there were seven vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles,mumps, rubella and polio. Because six of these vaccines were combined into two shots (DTP and MMR), and one, the polio vaccine, was given by mouth, children still received five shots by the time they were 2 years old and not more than one shot at a single visit.”

“Now, children could receive as many as 24 shots by 2 years of age and five shots in a single visit”.

So NO, what parents and grandparents grew up with in terms of vaccines is not what we are giving to our children. not at all.

Nowadays we are asked to give our children 49 doses of 14 vaccines before age 6. and 69 doses of 16 vaccines by the time they’re 18. Click Here for more info. 

What else is in vaccines?

If the sheer number of vaccines we give our kids nowadays isn’t enough to shock you lets take a moment to talk about what else is in the vaccines. Probably more than you want to know. And then there’s also the issue of wether or not you trust the government to tell you what is safe in inject into your body, in the same manner the FDA claims that GMOs are safe and that food dyes and chemicals aren’t linked to behavior problems or disease.

Here are some ingredients added to vaccines: formaldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, thimerosal, and polysorbate 80 (Tween-80), ammonium sulfate, formalin, and sucrose, sorbitol, glycerin, MSG, aspartame, gelatin, chick embryo, human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue, continuous line of monkey kidney cells, guinea pig embryo cells, albumin from human blood   to name a few. For a complete list of what is in each vaccine go here.

Have I peaked your interest to do more research?

The key, just like with anything else, is to be informed. Know each vaccine and your childs risk factor. Learn about natural, life-long immunity such as exclusive breastfeeding and “long-term” breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 years. If you choose to vaccinate know that it doesn’t mean you have to get all the vaccines. Pick and choose on a case to case basis. If some of these diseases scare the crap out of you, get the shot, just don’t go in blind.

There are some great books that provide real research to help you make your own decision such as The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears, Take Charge of Your Childs Health by Dr. Wootan, The Vaccine Safety Manual.

Here aare the links for a 4 part blog series by a wonderful chiropractor that frequently lectures of vaccine safety, Jim Bob Haggerton. It even includes his take on the measels outbreak. He is not anti-vaccines but is for people making informed decisions.

So there you have it. Just some tools to help you make a more informed decision. I hope this helps anyone who is on the fence, wether that means they choose to vaccinate or not.