MMR vaccine - I am so nervous! Help, please!

[Hope]

My youngest is turning 5 next week and is scheduled for her MMR tomorrow. I am a wreck! Her older brother has mild tics and I have read about possible correlations with the MMR vaccine. I wish I didn't have to give this to her. We are in NY state and it is mandated within the first 14 days of school and she started Kindergarten last week.

 

I refused the other shots which aren't mandatory at this time. I will space them out.

 

Just wish I felt more comfortable giving this to her. She doesn't have tics that I know of right now (although every time she clears her throat or licks her lips I think it's a tic!) I am just a wreck.

 

I wanted to try to have the Measles, Mumps and Rubella shots given separately but then I read (maybe even on here?) that the individual shots may still contain thermisol?

 

Any advice? I feel like pulling them all our of school and homeschooling just to avoid all the shots!

[CSP]

Hi Hope,

 

I have read that one mother asked to see the ingredients of the MMR before she agreed. She did in fact find thermisol listed. I thought aluminum was to be used now, but I would ask to see to make sure.

 

I'm sick that my poor neighbor for family reasons, has to put her kids in public school. She has been homeschooling them, the oldest is 12, 7, & 5. The 5yo was given 6 shots last week because he had never been vaccinated. I felt so bad for her the school put down the reason why she did not vaccinate was parent neglect.

 

I'll be praying for you and her.

CP

[Caryn]

Hope,

If your child has a known allergy to an ingredient then I believe you can avoid the shots for medical reasons. Here in Illinois we are allowed a religious exemption. I used that to avoid giving my son the MMR. Although he has been almost fully vaccinated my doctor advised us to use a religious exemption and we handed in a blank form for the school.

Every state is different.

Our son was diagnosed with celiac disease and a member on the celiac forum said that undiagnosed celiacs, according to a study, showed no immunity to Hep B after the series of shots. (She is an adult who worked in the medical field and she herself was not immune after her titers.) I just want to throw this out there as a point of interest.

There is a lot of discussion on the effectiveness of certain vaxs lately and also the connection to autism. There was a discussion here a while back about the Huffington Post article. You should look through the archives to find the comments and article.

If your child has a genetic predisposition to a metabolic disorder and vaccines can be a catalyst then I understand your concerns.

We are proof that there are families that avoid the vaxs and still get to enroll our kids in school.

Caryn

[Caryn]

Here it is:

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...huffington+post

[Caryn]

Okay, Hope--

So you have someone to talk to,

Check out:

http://www.vaccineexemptionlaw.com/index.jsp

They are in New York!

This site provides information to parents and students concerning vaccination and immunization issues. Our office provides legal assistance in drafting documents to secure vaccine exemptions/immunization exemptions and in some cases litigation when appropriate. Our representation also includes vaccine injury, child neglect, immigration and other related issues.

 

Call our office (845-398-0521) for a consultation concerning your vaccination exemption request or other vaccination legal problem.

[Chemar]

Hi Hope

I sure understand your concerns and would be in a real quandary myself on vaccines if I had to do it all over again.

The diseases are awful....but the growing evidence of harm from the vaccines cannot be ignored. A real dilemma

 

I think most states have now removed *thimerosol* (the mercury containing preservative) from their vaccines but that isnt the only aspect of the vaccinations that is of concern.

 

I am really not fully clued up on all the vaccine info but have heard that separating the MMR into the 3 shots is better than the all in one blast that a kid's immune system gets from the combo

Kim might have more on this for you

 

here is an article by David Kirby on the subject

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/...mb_b_93627.html

 

and here is more info

http://www.evidenceofharm.com/index.htm

[peglem]

It is my understanding that the MMR does not and never has contained thimerosol. It is a live vaccine. Thimerosol would kill it. I think the problem with the MMR is that you are expecting the immune system to respond to 3 things at once, in addition to the things it is normally fighting off.

[kim]

Hope,

 

The best advice that I can give you is to do nothing until you are perfectly comfortable with your decision, either way. I know this means that your daughter may miss some school and I know that is probably the last thing that you want with a child just starting kindergarden because it is a huge adjustment for most kids, but if your gut is sending you panic signals, personally, I would listen. You may feel much better after you have fully researched. You may end up feeling that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risk in your daughters case. If you are comfortable that you have done evereything that you can to inform yourself, I think it makes it much easier. Our best, is all we can ever really ask of ourselves.

 

Did your daughter have the first MMR at one year? Are you aware that the 2nd MMR is NOT A BOOSTER? It's given to catch the 3 to 5% (approx) of children who did not achieve what is considered an adequate level of response to the first vaccine? If your daughter did have the first MMR, did you know that you can have titers tested to see if she is considered immune?

 

My youngest is turning 5 next week and is scheduled for her MMR tomorrow. I am a wreck! Her older brother has mild tics and I have read about possible correlations with the MMR vaccine. I wish I didn't have to give this to her. We are in NY state and it is mandated within the first 14 days of school and she started Kindergarten last week.

 

I think you may be thinking of the tic and thimerosal connection? Or the suspected autism/MMR connection? Peglem is right, the MMR has never contained thimerosal for the reason that she stated. The individual vaccines for MMR do not contain thimerosal either.

 

Here is a page with info exclusive to NY exemptions. Not sure if this was posted already or not

 

http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/newyork.htm

 

Here is a pkg insert so you can look at the ingredients in one of the combo MMR vaxes

 

http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circul...i/mmr_ii_pi.pdf

 

This is a table with the vaccines which still contain thimerosal......there are some marked with** that contain trace amts according to the manufacturer but no one seems to be able to answer the question of who is monitoring "trace" amts. Apparently the vaccines are still being manufactured with thimerosal, but then it's removed. Some parents are leary of how much "trace" really means.

 

http://safershots.wordpress.com/2008/09/12...sed-his-autism/

 

Hope, are you positive that the only vaccine that your daughter is missing is the MMR? I'm afraid that you are going to get blind sided tomorrow. It seems that 5 yr old appt. is time for more than that one vaccine? I'm going to check the recommended schedule.

 

Edit

 

Ok here is an easy read chart. Is there a reason that your daughter is not being required to get any others? Maybe some of these are recommended but not mandatory in NYS? I'm thinking of chicken pox, which I'm not sure if it's mandatory for school entry or just recommended at this point?

 

http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/...ic.jsp?id=75700

[kim]

I removed an article that I had posted in the above response. I realized that the article could be taken in a different way than I originally interpreted it, and found where it could be hurtful or offensive to some members. That was not the way I took it, but when I checked the link, I reread the article and it struck me a different way. To anyone who read, and felt what I did the 2nd time, my apologies!

[Hope]

You are all so great for helping me! Just knowing there are some people who understand my concern helps alot!

 

I spoke with the doctor yesterday and he is in agreement with doing a MMR titer. I am going out to pick up the script in a minute. I am sure it won't be easy to get my almost 5 yr old to sit for the blood test but DH is up for the challenge. He will be strong and supportive with her. Exactly what she needs! I would be too soft... Besides, DH gets his blood drawn routinely so he is a good one to explain to her exactly what happens.

 

The DTaP and Polio are recommended but not mandated. I will do more research and consider doing them separately at a later date. The Chicken Pox booster will be mandated next year. We are having her titered for that, too.

 

Say some prayers that she is in the 95% of kids who don't need that second MMR! What a blessing that would be!

 

Thanks again for all your support!

[kim]

Hope,

 

I am so happy that your Dr. was willing to do this. Did he hastle you about it at all? Will your insurance cover the titers test?

 

I hope you'll post your daughter's results. Sure will be praying that she shows "protective" levels, althou several people are reporting that their Dr.s are recommending females have rubella titers tested prior to starting a family as many are showing no immunity even when having had 2 MMR's. My SIL was one and she didn't show immunity.

 

I hope your daughter handled the draw Ok!