The New York Times is reporting that that the New Jersey Public Health Council will be voting on a new rule today (Monday) that will require the addition of four new vaccines to the schedule, including one for any child entering school or daycare.
The flu vaccine is one of four that the council will consider. There is a vaccine that would be given to children entering day care or preschool to protect against pneumonia, and two others that would be given to those entering sixth grade: one to guard against meningococcal disease, a fast-killing strain of meningitis, and the other an additional booster of a three-part shot already administered at a younger age against tetanus, pertussis and diptheria. The New York Times
I am probably more neutral on the whole vaccine debate than your average homeschooler, but there is one thing in this discussion I am not neutral on: who should make the decision.
It concerns me that so much of our children’s health decisions are being made by bureaucracies which are not directly responsible to anyone, yet subject to the pressures of lobbyist organizations. What vaccinations my child is subject to should be between me and our family’s pediatrician without the pressure of health insurance companies, government agencies and pressure from vaccine manufacturers.
I do believe that a number of these vaccines have played a large role in improving public health in America and that you are safe in opting out of most or even all of them due to the fact that most Americans are vaccinated. Because of these and other health factors such as nutrition and clean water, some childhood diseases are now virtually unheard of, introduced only by unvaccinated immigrants.
On the other hand, there is the concern with mercury levels and other potential side effects of vaccines. There are questions about the long-term effects of vaccines, both in its proposed link to autism and in its overall effectiveness against the diseases they are designed to prevent. Chicken pox, for example, is an uncomfortable illness but is not generally fatal. It can be considerably more dangerous to the elderly, however. Is the immunity from the vaccination as long-lasting as it is from contracting the disease? Is the slight benefit to children worth the potential risk as they age?
The overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobial cleaners and hand sanitizers has been linked to the development of “supergerms” such as MRSA and other antibiotic resistant diseases. Treating every infection with a round of antibiotics has proven to have unintended consequences. Is it possible that the same could be true of the overuse of vaccinations?
I believe there is a strong case for the routine vaccination of children against diseases such as pertussis, diptheria and polio. But the flu? Chicken pox? Rubella? Every few years, it seems, new vaccinations are added to the schedule as we seek to stamp out all disease, all discomfort. But not all the questions regarding the increased use of vaccines have been answered and they are not likely to be so long as so much of the money for research is coming from those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.
Hat Tip: The Not Quite Crunchy Parent, who shares some more interesting links. A User Friendly Vaccination Schedule is also an interesting read. And this one from the Huffington Post raises a few questions, but without any sources, I am not sure how to follow up on any of the information.
[tags]health, vaccines, CDC, education[/tags]
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
We sit on the side of having our children vaccinated. The concern I have about those who aren’t vaccinated is that they can lead to epidemics, even if they are only among other non-vaccinated people. We have had a couple of those in our area of the world in the last 10 years or so. And trying to eradicated these diseases is not just a desire to eradicate discomfort, but it is a desire to eradicate death. We are so far removed from a time when people routinely got all of these illnesses and many were left scarred, crippled or they died. Since it is so far behind us, we concentrate on the downside of vaccines now. But this is a mistake. And as you point out, with the number of unvaccinated immigrants growing in this country, that leads to a larger number of epidemics and a greater chance that those unvaccinated here will get ill. And lastly, should you wish to travel to foreign lands, vaccines are in your future. You have to have proof of what shots you have had as part of your passport process, if I remember correctly.
Just my 2 cents.
Is there a vaccine we can give children at birth that will eliminate any possibility of them ever becoming a politician?
Now, there’s a vaccine that should be mandatory.
Good insights.
The whole vaccine argument is difficult for parents.
If I lived in a country where almost no one was vaccinated, dangerous diseases would be rampant and I think I would probably RUN to get my child vaccinated.
Since I live in a country where most ARE vaccinated, the chance of getting one of these diseases is minimal and… I have a choice. The more people who choose not to vaccinate, the more vaccinated children are vulnerable.
At this moment in history, where most are vaccinated but there is vocal pushback…perhaps the focus of government entities can move from - “get everybody vaccinated…don’t worry so much about the few that will have serious side effects”…to a thoughtful and safe vaccination development plan.
Good insights.
The whole vaccine argument is difficult for parents.
If I lived in a country where almost no one was vaccinated, dangerous diseases would be rampant and I think I would probably RUN to get my child vaccinated.
Since I live in a country where most ARE vaccinated, the chance of getting one of these diseases is minimal and… I have a choice. The more people who choose not to vaccinate, the more unvaccinated children are vulnerable.
At this moment in history, where most are vaccinated but there is vocal pushback…perhaps the focus of government entities can move from - “get everybody vaccinated…don’t worry so much about the few that will have serious side effects”…to a thoughtful and safe vaccination development plan.
Thank you, Not Quite Crunchy Parent. Twice. : ) I agree that this gives us an opportunity to really look at the vaccinations and decide what is the best course of action.
Melissa, I do not disagree with you, really. My children are vaccinated. But we are continually adding to that, and I sort of draw the line at chicken pox. Not all of these diseases are that dangerous and debilitating. Polio? Definitely. Rubella? If you are pregnant. And many of the vaccinations do not last throughout your lifetime. In fact, if you get a mild case of chicken pox as a child, you are vulnerable to contracting it again more severely as an adult when it could be more dangerous.
The reason I mentioned a push to eradicate discomfort is because we are adding vaccinations to diseases which are not dangerous like polio. And then not just making them available which might be advantageous in children who have other issues, but making them mandatory.
I’m pretty much a see-saw on the subject. Three of my kids are vaccinated and 1 is only partially.
(I used to work in a pediatrician’s office and my dad is a doctor, so I am fully informed…believe me)
but frankly, it really comes down to what YOU said.
choice.
The vaccines that I had my youngest daughter do were the main killing/maming ones.
I’m not to concerned about her getting influenze or varicella. We’re not talking polio. (which once was a horrific problem!)
I vote for a rubella vaccine, just because of the pregnancy complications. I’m less definite about flu, but then again, isn’t it true that less than 100 years ago the big influenza pandemic killed more people than died in WWI?
You really do like discussing the hot issues, don’t you! (care to tackle Santa/No Santa next, for me???)
I’m like you. I’m pretty neutral on the whole thing, but I’m not neutral when it comes to WHO gets to decide these things.
Parents are the parents. Not the state. They should retain the right to decide if and when their kids get the flu vax or any other vax.
Personally we vax the “biggies” but we don’t do the loaded combo vaccines and we do not do the ones like varicella & flu. I had a child who needed a flu vax every year due to a brain injury (we were told flu could cause her brain to swell significantly). We did it for 4 years but quit when we got the ok.
I don’t mind vaccines, but one thing we all need to remember is that THESE DRUG COMPANIES NOT ONLY CARE ABOUT YOU….THEY’RE SELLING A PRODUCT AND RECORDING A HUGE PROFIT TOO.
I’m not saying they’re insensitive and don’t want to be leaders in the change of public health for the better. But in the end, the bottom line is ALWAYS the bottom line.
More mandatory vax’s equal more $$$ in their pockets, baby. And that is why we have gone from vaccinating “big” things like MMR to things like the flu and chicken pox.
What is next? A vax for the common cold? I’m all for the anti-politician vaccine. Great idea
You know, I debated how to approach this because I really don’t know where most of my readers stand. I know some people incredibly passionate on both sides of the issue, but I cannot get that worked up. I think there are some good things about vaccines, even for the ones I personally think are a bit much. But it needs to be an issue determined between the doctor and the family, and should not be political.
I did Santa last year, Lindsey. : ) It was a little more tongue in cheek, though. Intended to bring a smile, not an argument! The thing I don’t like about him is that he always brings the good gifts. Why can’t he bring the socks? (We actually don’t do Santa, but you aren’t going to hear much about that here.
Before my third child had negative reactions to vaccines I would have said, “What’s the big deal?” When your child is the 1% who suffers life long consequences from taking a vaccine, it is a very BIG deal. Vaccinating my child cost us our retirement. Thank God we had it to spend on therapy. Many don’t.
So, please, think carefully before supporting any mandatory measures.
P.S. After 8 years of ST, OT and early interventionists, he’s just a typical kid. (An above average, brilliant, cute as the dickens, highly lovable kid, but I’m biased!)
I am glad your son is doing well now. That is frightening, and a large part of why I don’t think it should be mandatory. We have a whole system set up to help with children who have reactions to the vaccines which proves in itself that there are known complications. To me personally, it is worth the risk for some diseases (especially since none of our children have never had any issues). But not for other vaccines.
And it should always be between parent and doctor.