Getting your children immunizations.

I have been very reluctant on getting my last two children certain vaccines. This is a very controversial issues in the US. I waited until both of my children were at the age of two before I took them to get just a select few vaccines like the chicken pox vaccine. There were many that infants are suspose to get from birth to 18 months that I opted out on getting due to lack of evidence that they were even safe to be given. Do you agree with the amount of vaccines and immunizations children get in the first two years?

I believe that they are necessary and that the controversy stems from *very* false information of what immunizations can cause. I do not personally believe it's true.... it was never an issue in other generations for the very same vaccines... now someone spreads the word that it causes autism and no one stopped to think "well wait, why wasn't there more of an autism problem ten years ago then if the vaccine hasn't changed?!"

In addition, the younger generations now (myself included) don't have any memory of how devastating things like polio were... and risking our kids and anyone else's children around them is not a risk I am willing to take. My daughter is fully vaccinated and I would make that same decision every time.

Diphtheria?! We can't even imagine what horror an outbreak of that would be. But I've cared enough to study what it was like, and I sure don't want to go there.

I too think it's absolutely necessary. Some people I know who are sceptical of vaccines tie it back to the 'it causes autism' debate, and that was actually found to be fabricated by a doctor who is now stripped from practicing - but so much damage has been done by the lies and misinformation he spread.

Like Mariposa said, I think a lot of us now live in a time where we can't even imagine what a widespread disease outbreak would be like - I think that's why people are complacent about vaccinating their children. I think if we saw first hand what some of these diseases could do, but knew that immunizations were available we'd be lining straight up!

I'm glad that I've immunized my daughter and wouldn't have it any other way!

I believe this is extremely necessary for children to be immunized. There is no factual scientific basis to the arguments for not immunising children. This is a very big issue the world over I believe. All my children have had their needles as needed when they reach a certain age. Here in Australia, the government have made it difficult to access child care and certain benefits if a child is not immunized.

It is also dangerous that parents of non immunized children do not have to inform anyone else that their child is not immunized. This can create serious issues if they are sick with something around immunized children, or the elderly. Most if not all of our friends have chosen to immunize their children and I have not seen any adverse reactions of effects in any of them.

Andy_Lothbro said:
Most if not all of our friends have chosen to immunize their children and I have not seen any adverse reactions of effects in any of them.

Same here, Andy... I haven't seen any bad reactions, either. I think what happened is that someone started spreading the word that immunizations could "cause" some problem or another (autism most likely) and people started picking up on the rumor and running with it.

I think it needs to be mandatory. I understand and realize that there are some very slight risks, but there have always been that. There were risks that my parents were told about when I got *my* shots... it's just called full disclosure and needs to be done.

There are even warnings on headache pills, allergy tabs, probably vitamins. For that matter, I've seen "warning" labels on frozen pizza... that's just a part of using any kind of medication... and even food.

I can't wrap my head around choosing something that could cause repeat epidemics of things we eradicated decades ago. Even in worse case scenario, I'd have to assume that parents would choose autism over diphtheria or polio... know what I mean?

I think the topic of vaccinations has to be taken very seriously and there's a lot of unknowns about it.

Forget anything about people being worried about autism with regard to vaccinating their children (as that has supposedly been de-bunked) From my personal standpoint, there are way more vaccines that are out there now than before, and some, yes may not be necessary, but there are a number that I think are probably safest to get for our children regardless. Keep in mind, even though there are many diseases that are not in the US, we have people coming from overseas all the time, who are not vaccinated that can be carriers.

That said, I do think the current schedule of 4 shots per visit is a lot for a little baby. I mean, their body has to absorb all of that. While I know they can handle it, I find it hard to believe it's not better to give them less vaccines, let their body absorb it, then give them more later and spread it out. For our children we definitely did the alternate schedule because there was no way I felt comfortable giving my little 6 month old baby 4 vaccines to have to fight off and the body to accept.

I think it is extremely important for children to be immunized; reason being they are exposed to all forms and kinds of places and their immune system is not as strong as that of adults; not forgetting, they are likely to travel abroad where they are not familiar with the air and water. It is best children get immunized for preventive reasons.

Both of my children have had all their immunizations and I would not have it any other way. I believe that they are being protected as well as other children from diseases that we no longer have any knowledge about because of the immunizations. I would not want my child or any other child to have to suffer from polio, rubella, or any other disease that they are being protected against. I agree with @Mariposa when she asked why the previous generations who have had these same immunizations not get autism. It seems to me that it should have been just as prevalent when my sisters and I were born. I just do not see the connection and I will not believe it until there is solid scientific proof of it.