MOMania

By past50mom

May 8, 2007 7:42 AM | Link to this

Our pediatrician’s office did a great job with shots when the kids were babies and toddlers. The key they told me was to have mom step away from the child. As mom steps away two nurses deftly approach and jab the child and it’s over. The child is surprised, then remembers to yell, and you step back and say you’re OK, and it’s done. With older kids that saw the needle coming I never prepped them or offered a bribe or even much comfort, just said it will sting like a bee for a second and be over, and you can handle it, and they did.

By Tina

May 8, 2007 8:02 AM | Link to this

I tell my four year old the day before that we’re going to Dr. B’s and getting a “pinch.” He’s never had a problem with it. The little one (15 mos. today) hasn’t either, and I’ve started telling him he’s going to get a “pinch” too. I think the trick is to not be nervous yourself, because they know when you’re holding them that you’re frightened. I have big time needle issues (my mother worked in a lab at Piedmont drawing blood), but I’m determined not to let my boys in on that secret. And, since I was in the hospital in 2001 for six days hooked up to IVs the whole time, I’ve kind of lost part of the fear.

By Teacher's Kid

May 8, 2007 8:24 AM | Link to this

Having had to do fingersticks to do WIC certifications (and boy I will NEVER do THAT again!), I can tell you the best thing is to get the whole thing done quickly. I agree with Past50 mom’s idea on how to do it. No long, drawn-out explanations (Kids are smarter than we give them credit and know why they are at the doctor’s office!), just go in and git-er-done.

One thing I would ask as a clinician, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE NEVER use the idea of getting a shot as a form of punishment. I cannot tell you how many times I would hear people in the waiting room of the clinic telling their kids, “If you don’t stop misbehaving, that nurse is going to take you back there and give you a shot!” It made everyone’s job much more difficult because ANY kind of needle (fingertip lancet, hypodermic, etc.) in a kid’s mind equals a shot. These people usually had their own anxieties about going to the doctor and kids pick up on this fast! Food for thought.

By Jennifer

May 8, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this

My 5-yo has an appointment with the needle next week and I’m dreading it. I haven’t mentioned shots and won’t until we get into the exam room. I’m going to Orlando this weekend and I’ll pick up something special to whip out after the shots to take her mind off of the pain!

By nurse&mother

May 8, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this

If this is a duplicate, sorry. My son hit a button and my post disappeared.

I agree with past50mom. I don’t make excuses for shots. I don’t give my daughter any warning. We just show up to the doctor’s office. My daughter will usually ask if shots are involved. I will usually answer, “I’m not sure, possibly”. But of course, she doesn’t have much time to ponder this. I explain in a matter of fact tone that shots will keep her from getting sick. We have had a recent episode with a flu shot. My daughter went nuts. This was the first time she has ever acted like this. I think it was a power struggle. When we got out, she quickly learned that there were consequences for her actions!

We use the same approach for medicine. I don’t coax, plead or beg. And I don’t apologize either. I tell her she has to take it now. She takes her meds quite well.

I also agree with Teacher’s Kid. Never tell your child that that doctor or nurse is going to give your child a shot if he/she misbehaves. I can’t tell you how many times parents would tell children that (when I worked in the ER). And we wonder why children are afraid of the hospital or a doctor’s office. Just be firm, be matter of fact and BRIEFLY explain why he/she needs them. When children beg and plead with parents, they know that they are still going to get them. They are just buying more time. Please don’t make the nurse wait 30 minutes while your child is out of control. This will not help your child. Also, your nurse is a busy lady/guy.

By Monica

May 8, 2007 9:11 AM | Link to this

When my oldest son was 11 months old, he had a horrible ear infection that required 4 days of rocephin shots. Our pediatrician’s office at the time was in front of a Wal-Mart. For two years, every time we turned in to go to Wal Mart, my son would start to cry and say, “no shots! no shots!”

Thankfully, that phase is over, but it took him until his 6 year check-up not to scream at the top of his lungs while getting a shot!

By anne

May 8, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

Ask the nurse to put a cold pack or a few ice cubes wrapped in a towel on the child’s arm two minutes before the shot. The arm becomes numb and the shot doesn’t hurt as much. The child only remembers the cold arm, not the shot, and isn’t anxious about getting another one. Works every time!

By LM

May 8, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this

To this day my 14 y/o acts up when getting a shot. When she was 3 she started limping, we went to the doctor who sent us to the hospital for lab work and x-rays. Of course the lab work was first so when we went into x-ray with the big machines and loud noises and I could not be with her she expected it to be worse then the lab.

By Jeff

May 8, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

Baskethold.

Not sure if the nurses will be able to get the right vein in it (actually, thinking about it now, I may need to find a different hold), but I can garauntee two things: a) that kid isn’t moving and b) it will only take Daddy, not a team of nurses!

Somehow I get the feeling Daddy will be handling most of these issues… my fiancee gets WAY too nervous about situations, and let’s just say that the bomb-squad saying is accurate for me. (“If you see me running, you’d better keep up!”)

By DB

May 8, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

With my two, my son pitched a FIT every time he had to have a shot — he required four nurses (one for each arm and leg) to get a shot. He outgrew that part of it by the time he was 6 or 7. I had always treated it matter-of-factly (shots don’t bother me, so no anxiety, there), so it puzzled me. Getting him to take medicine was a bigger deal, until he was diagnosed with sensory defensiveness — it explained a lot of things, especially a heightened sensitivity/aversion to taste & texture. He also had a severe gag reflex, and had to take liquid medicine until he was about 14. Even now, at 18, he prefers liquid to pills, but can manage a pill if necessary.

On the other had, shots never bothered my daughter. CNN was at her doctor’s office when she was 3 — she happened to get one of the first kids in Atlanta to receive the chicken pox vaccine when it was first introduced. CNN wanted to get footage of kids getting the shot, and I think they were hoping to have some tears to add interest to the footage! Much to their dismay, my daughter just looked down at her arm, frowned and said, “Ouch.” The camera man shrugged and went on to the next kid, who was a screamer :-)

By Lynette

May 8, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

I had a major surgery before I was 2 monthes old and also had lots of Dr visits for a birth defect to be corrected. I assure that to this day (I am 42) I am terrified of Nurses.

The color white (as in old time nurses uniform) sent me into hysteria till I was about 11.

God bless the day that nurses started wearing scrubs. That is so much less threatening.

I think if the parent will show a smidgen of sympathy at the moment of truth, things can be less traumatic.

By Ohhh...the pain

May 8, 2007 12:32 PM | Link to this

I have a major fear of needles and my 4 YO daughter held my hand when I had to get stitches in a cut. She, and her brother, have always handled shots much better than me.

Well… that all changed last year!! I had a major problem with my ear on a return flight and was being treated for very painful swelling/ pressure in my ear. It was the same time I had to take the kids for their well-child visit (their bdays are two days apart so they go to the doc at the same time). My daughter (now 6) had to get a shot. I wasn’t worried because she was such a trooper every other time. This time she reminded me of Linda Blair- complete psycho fit! I was trying to hold her and she threw her head back, into my problem ear. I screamed and actually dropped the child (is still feel bad about that). Her doctor came running in and ended up checking on me!! She gave my daughter a stern lecture and brought in a team of nurses to hold her down. She got her shot, then turned to me and said- “see Mommy, shots don’t hurt”! Kids…

By R.S. Bell

May 8, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this

I found a pediatrician who is smart enough not to vaccinate his own children. Problem solved. No medical assault to cause my children to fear a doctor visit. There is a lot more to health than stimulating antibody production by artificial means. This should not be controversial, but is often met with opposition from doctors (and some parents) with what amounts to misplaced religious fervor.

By thatswhytheycallmemama

May 8, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

Our pediatrician does not give shots.

They call them injections….

By JJ

May 8, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

I, too, am terrified of needles, doctor’s or dentists……When it comes time to get a shot, I tell the doctor/dentist, “Don’t let me see the needle”….that way it doesn’t seem to hurt as much. I learned that when I was pregnant, because they are always after blood. When my daughter was little, I would tell her, you are going to get a shot today. I held her, basically covered her with my body, while the nurse gave the shot. I would look into my daughter’s eyes, and tell her it would only hurt for a second. It worked. Not too big of a deal.

By Jones

May 8, 2007 1:30 PM | Link to this

RSBell If you don’t vaccinate your kids, how do they get into school. Don’t you have to have proof of Immunization?

By Deeply concerned

May 8, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this

Virtually every vaccine is STILL filled with thimerosal (a mercury based preservative) despite common sense precautions regarding mercury everywhere else. The number of vaccinations that kids are forced to endure is excessive. They are forced to deal with these foreign invaders well before their immune systems are capable of handling these kinds of onslaughts. The number and volume of foreign proteins that kids/infants are exposed to is unbelievable and based more on convenience (well, I’m already here) than on sound science.

It can be shown genetically that some people can handle mercury better than others, but kids are not evaluated prior to beginning the vaccination series.

Autism now affects neary 1 in 150 kids. All the “experts” want us to believe that “better diagnosis” is making the difference, but come on now. 1 in 150! That is an epidemic or worse. All the while, the government that passes laws that exempt pharmaceutical companies from vaccine liability (yes, laws have recently been passed) are the same folks that say there is no link between autism and vaccines.

At the same time, the number of vaccinations has risen 3 and 4 fold since the 60’s and there are plenty of stories of parents who specifically noticed adverse reactions in their kids immediately following the MMR vaccine injection (with the ultimate results being a diagnosis of autism).

Could there be more going on than just vaccines? Sure. Are vaccines still a questionable and potentially dangerous practice our children are subjected to? Definitely.

The farther apart and later you can start vaccinating your kids the better. If you can find an alternative health practitioner that does mercury chelation then even better, and this should be done immediately following the vaccination so as to minimize the effects of the thimerosal.

Overall I think that every parent should consider the source of their information on vaccines. Both the government and the vaccine makers have a vested interest in keeping the public calm and compliant. The folks who are trying to raise a red flag are only looking for the truth.

By Teacher's Kid

May 8, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

Regarding not vaccinating kids because of potential side effects, I have this to offer. One of my college friends said that his mom did not have him have the Pertussis (whooping cough) component of his DPT vaccine as a child for fear of the potential side effects. He wound up having whooping cough and said it was the closest to death he has ever come. While I was stationed out in San Diego, we had a child admitted to the Peds unit for scarlet fever. She had not had the vaccine. Food for thought.

By nurse&mother

May 8, 2007 2:17 PM | Link to this

My children’s pediatrician told me that the vaccines in his office do not contain thimerisol anymore. No worries about Autism.

Just wanted to make a statement about vaccines. Although some people think that childhood diseases such as mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, polio, etc. are not a big deal and that your child will eventually get better if they become ill. The truth is that these diseases can kill. The reason that you don’t hear that much about children dying from them is that most children are immunized. If you ask those people 50 and over, they can probably tell you lots of stories of people they know becoming seriously ill or dying. Even if there is a link between autism and thimerisol, I will still take my chances and protect my children. The benefits, IMO, far outweigh the risks.

Anne, good suggestion with the ice pack! I will have to try it with my own children. I don’t work in the ER anymore just L&D (don’t give shots to kids anymore).

One other point, another person stated in a post that it is an immunization, not a shot. That’s just symantics. Children will quickly pick up on the fact that an immunization is just another word for shot.

By Jeff

May 8, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

Deeply concerned:

Have you ever heard of the words “delusional paranoia”???

What about “conspiracy theory”?

If you aint down with that, I’ve got THREE.. WORDS.. FOR YA!

“YOU NEED HELP!!”

By Bobby

May 8, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this

If someone is allergic to penicillin, then the Pertussis vaccine is skipped. They instead get a DT shot instead of STP/DTaP. A couple of my sisters kids skipped the Pertussis portion due to penicillin allergies.

As for Scarlet Fever (actually a form of Strep), there is no vaccine for it as of yet.

By not blonde

May 8, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this

Past50mom, is your last name Boyce by any chance?

By CDog

May 8, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this

Have there been any studies that compare vaccinated versus non-vaccinated people? how long they live, general health issues, quality of life, etc.?

By Jen

May 8, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this

CDog…are you serious? Studies comparing vaccinate dna non-vaccinated?

Have you heard of the CDC?

Or the FDA? or the USDA?

By R.S. Bell

May 8, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this

Jones: Every state in the union has exemptions for philosophical, religious or medical exemption (to varying degrees). Ultimately, it is your decision as to whether to have your children vaccinated or not, NOT the state’s. Check your state statutes and it will spell out exactly how to claim an exemption. Some states want you to write an affidavit of belief, others will have forms from the county to fill out and sign. They cannot keep your child from school unless there is an “outbreak” of a given disease for which there is a vaccine available. In those instances, they will make you keep your child home, which is fine. Learn more about state exemptions at www.909shot.com .

By R.S. Bell

May 8, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this

CDog: That’s a great question. Where are the placebo-controlled, double-blind studies confirming the safety and efficacy of vaccination? I suppose that I am just being unreasonable even to ask such a thing.

By Casey

May 8, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this

What’s all the hoopla? Take your child in, have them get the shot, leave.

It ain’t that hard folks. You’re the parents - ACT LIKE IT.

By R.S. Bell

May 8, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this

Jen: Could you enlighten us all as to what the USDA has to do with compiling or conducting vaccine studies for data release to the general public?

The CDC? They have become the de facto marketing arm of the vaccine industry. It used to be that ordinary people could recognize conflicts-of-interest; now, however, if you wear a white lab coat and you’re with the government, you get a free pass and automatic exemption from being questioned as to motivation. If your mortgage payment depends upon believing a certain thing…

FDA? Are they protecting us from dangerous drugs and vaccines, or the drug companies from us?

Since passage of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986, well over one billion dollars have been paid out to families of injured or killed children due to the little “sticks” that are the subject of this thread.

My argument? Full disclosure and fully informed consent and the freedom to say “no” to governmental mandates of experimental medical procedures.

Anything less is a form of medical tyranny and has no place in a constitutional republic, especially one based upon individual liberty.

Don’t worry, you would still have the freedom to choose vaccines if you want them.

Freedom means responsibility and it comes without pharmaceutical conflicts of interest.

By Jen

May 8, 2007 5:08 PM | Link to this

The USDA has a huge role in vaccine licensing. A lot of people don’t know that.

You’re wrong about CDC and a suggested conflict of interest. A private business whose bottom line is the all mighty dollar would certainly be in a conflict of interest to market, sell, and then assess safety. But a government agency without that bottom line has no such conflict.

The CDC is accused of becoming “the de facto marketing arm of the vaccine industry” because of it’s former NIP - National Immunization Program. The NIP’s public face was to promote health through vaccination. However, these “programmatic” branches of the former NIP are completely separate from the research branches, in funding and goals.

I sound like an insider because I am one. I work in the NCIRD - National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. The NCIRD combined the former NIP and the former NCID - National Center for Infectious Diseases.

I am part of a research team in vaccine safety. I can assure you that nothing my branch does is connected with vaccine promotion. We have a research agenda to ferret out any potential problems with vaccines. And if you think I or other scientists with the CDC’s surveillance teams would “hide” any scary results you should know this…if we find nothing “scary” or interesting then it doesn’t get published in scientific journals. If we don’t publish, we perish. So, it’s in our best interest to aggressively seek out the dangers….

And we’re not the only ones. Take a look at VAERS - http://vaers.hhs.gov/vaers.htm

At the end of the day, you’re right about dissemination of information and the freedom to say no. Every time you are scheduled to receive a vaccine the clinic is required to give you a pamphlet regarding the known effects and adverse events. You should read it.

And you (I mean this figuratively) should get on CDC’s website and educate yourself.

By momto4

May 8, 2007 5:16 PM | Link to this

Well we solved the shot anxiety problem. We don’t get them anymore and file a waiver with the school. We have totally lost all faith in vaccines. Once case of Autism Mercury poisoning was enough for our family. My son got hundreds of times over the EPA allowable dose of Mercury in his shots. Autism has been a nightmare. His immune system is shot-no pun intended. We are now in the long hostile vaccine injury court process. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Little known vaccine points: Hot lots, shots that maim or kill kids, are not pulled. The flu shot has 25mgs of Thimnerosal/ 49% Mercury in it. Mercury was never banned in vaccines. It is still in there. Many vaccines are made with or cultured in aborted fetal cells, monkeys or pigs. Live viruses may say in your child’s system or harm his T cell immunity. Vaccines are made with many toxins-things you would never dream of giving a baby. Just ask to read the insert. Vaccines do not mean you will actually be immune. Ask the children from recent mumps outbreaks that were vaccinated. Parents you have the right to educate before you vaccinate. It is called informed consent. The vaccine Nazis won’t tell you that only shame you for asking what is going into your infant. The CDC is the only government agency that promotes and regulates. Vaccines are NOT safety tested! In other words if they fail you are on your own. You can sue no one but must enter a claim in the victim hostile VICP program. Hey if it were me-I’d scream too. Those of us with Autistic children can’t believe we actually held our kids down for the process. Take a minute and read up before you shoot your kid up. Vaccines are a choice. Educate BEFORE you vaccinate.

By Ginger

May 8, 2007 7:07 PM | Link to this

It is a difficult decision not to vaccinate. We wish we had never shared with family and friends that we were not doing so. We have taken much guilt. I constantly question this decision, and I have even cried about it. I’ve read arguments on both sides, and after reading your post, I feel again that this is the best for our family.

By Sandy_G

May 8, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this

With regard to vaccinations containing Thimerasol, as of 1999, this preservative was banned from vaccines used in the United States for children. This preservative was NEVER included in the MMR vaccine, although this myth still persists via the internet. Over 30 independent studies world wide have been done in an attempt to link vaccinations with Autism. NONE of these studies has found a link. In fact, in countries where the suspect preservative was banned even prior to 1999, Autism rates in children have continued to rise.

Do the research on your own and don’t rely on scare tactics and misinformation on the internet. The fact is that the Mercury contained in Thimerasol is a form of Mercury that is excreted by humans, not retained in the tissues like the form of Mercury we generally think of (the type that is in virtually all of the fish that we consume).

New studies have isolated a gene marker for Autism meaning that there is a genetic component. Studies are also showing that children with Autism have abnormalities in the development of their brains at a very early age, long before most are vaccinated for mumps, measles, etc. Also, due to the advances in how Autism is diagnosed, many, many children who just 10 years ago, would have been diagnosed as having learning disabilities, developmental delays, retardation, etc. are now being diagnosed as having one of the many newly created “Autism spectrum disorders”. So, researchers are unsure if the rise in Autism is an actual increase, or simply a difference in how children are being diagnosed. I would also ask people to question the source and the motives of people who are spreading this misinformation on the internet. Many of them are attorneys who are seeking to get rich through lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies and are spreading this propaganda to 1000’s of parents of Autistic children who are looking for someone or something to blame.

Also ask yourself this, if the offending preservative has been removed from vaccines around the world for over 8 years now, why are more and more children under the age of 5 being diagnosed as Autistic now?

For those of you who are thinking that all children in your child’s school have been vacccinated, think again. All a parent has to do is to sign a waiver saying that they object to vaccinations on a religious or philosophical basis. There are many children of supposedly educated, upper class people who have never had a vaccination and they are sitting next to your child in school every day.

With the age of global travel that we live in and many of these diseases, like polio which still exist in some countries, all it would take is contact with someone who has just arrived in this country that is carrying the virus to start an outbreak. Not vaccinating your child is insanity and borders on child neglect.

By Momto4

May 8, 2007 7:33 PM | Link to this

Ginger you have made a good decision. My upper 3 children who had Thimerosal (Mercury in their HIB, DTaP and Hep B.) All have learning disabilities and Autism. They are being chelated and Mercury is pouring out. People who say Thimerosal is out ARE LIARS. The CDC ACIP meeting in February actually had a MD speaker(also was on the Pharma speakers network)who claimed flawed studies showed Mercury laced shots were actually beneficial. HUH? We who were sitting there, that had our children maimed by Thimerosal in vaccines, collapsed. It has not been been banned it is in the Tetnus shot, the Flu shot advised for pregnant women and it is used in processing. Old shot lots with Thimerosal have not been taken off shelves. It is 49% Mercury and carries a skull and crossbone warning. You can search the FDA website an see the shots that still have Thimerosal. If your doctor tells you it is it out of shots he is a liar. It is not. It has NEVER been banned in the US. Vaccine producers hide the content by using word “trace”. Trace - second most toxic substance on earth. Thimerosal and many other vaccine ingredients are neurotoxic. Live viruses have been found in the spinal fluid and brain matter of Autistic children. Ginger I did not vaccinate my fourth child. I stopped. Why? Because my doctor told me the Thimerosal was out. He swore up and down it was out. East Cobb Pediatric no less. I asked for the insert on my babies Hep B shot and low and behold it was in there. He himself was dumbfounded. This was 2002 and we have not vaccinated her since. She is the healthiest and smartest of my whole bunch. My late mother ran well baby clinics. I thought the most important thing I could do was vaccinate. I have completely lost faith in this corrupt system. We have spent our life savings fixing our precious 3 vaccinated children. They have immune damage. They have allergies. They have GI disfunction. They have Autism. 3 of them have medically documented Mercury poisoning. You are a smart woman Ginger. 1 in 50 boys has Autism. There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. Something is rotten in Denmark.

By Momto4

May 8, 2007 7:46 PM | Link to this

“With regard to vaccinations containing Thimerasol, as of 1999, this preservative was banned from vaccines used in the United States for children.” Sandy- You are either a from another planet or grossly misinformed. Please tell us when Congress, The FDA, the USDA, or the CDC banned Thimerosal. They did not. Infact the CDC met in secret at the Simpsonwood Retreat and collectively determined from VAERs data that Thimerosal caused severe neuro-damage. Then they embargoed that data. It was mined and disclosed only because the Freedom of Information Act. It has only been advised to phase it out of pediatric shots. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BAN. In fact ironically the AAP fights states like California and NY that ask to ban it. That vote to ban it. The pediatricians. The doctors who care for our babies. Fight the ban of Thimerosal. Absurd. Unless you realize why they fight to misinform. Please follow the Omnibus proceedings this June when thousands of families have their vaccine related Autism cases reviewed by a federal VICP court. There are dozens of flawed studies saying Thimerosal is safe. Upon a closer look the studies are rife with conflict of interest. Not one toxicology study is utilized in the IOM or CDC evaluation of Thimerosal safety. Parent be aware. Read inserts. Research ingredients. Research toxins on your beautiful developing infant before you believe these lies. Exercise your right to refuse as you see fit.

By Anne

May 8, 2007 8:16 PM | Link to this

Why worry about the unvaccinated children infecting your children if your vaccine works so well. The studies on vaccinations that I have traced were funded by the pharmacutical companies.

By Ohio Muffin

May 9, 2007 7:15 AM | Link to this

After reading some of the comments I am even more convinced about the dangers of immunizations. My husband and I have delayed some of the injections for our 9-month old son. I wish I had been a bit more educated about this with my 3 three year old daughter. I’m looking for a pediatrician who doesn’t vaccinate. Can anyone recommend someone? Please email me directly at leighbarnes@rocketmail.com.

By past50mom

May 9, 2007 7:34 AM | Link to this

Public Health vaccinations serve to benefit the entire population, and the statistics prove that. The number of deaths from the diseases we are vaccinated for are virtually zero. While parents should inform themselves of the the hysteria generated by the very few cases of bad reactions are NOTHING compared to the thousands of lives saved by mass vaccinations. With the influx of illegal aliens who may not be vaccinated, and who circulate freely among us, the fact is that your children have a higher risk today of becoming ill if they are not vaccinated. Think before you put your children at greater risk by NOT vaccinating them.

By eric

May 9, 2007 7:39 AM | Link to this

WOW!! What a bunch of nutbags on this blog.. How can the government even allow you to reproduce?

“yes, the chemicals used to de-caffinate are shown to have caused third eyes in many children, and I don’t want my children to have to be exposed to dirt because it has been shown to cause low IQ and I know because all three of my children are morons…”

Bunch of conspiracy psycho’s .. I know, I know, the 10,000 people that Obama Hussien claims to have died in Kansas last week are a result of weather changes caused by Bush’s failed policies on global warming.

Maybe if you’d go to work instead of spending all of your day reading Bulls**t on the internet…

Nevermind, DON’T vacinate your kids.. PLEASE. The sooner they are removed from the gene pool the better.

By past50mom

May 9, 2007 7:43 AM | Link to this

not blonde, No, my last name is not Boyce.

By Jen

May 9, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this

Momto4, I’m sorry but you cannot prove or determine ANYTHING from VAERS data. VAERS is a passive surveillance system. VAERS stands for Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. When someone has an adverse event after receiving a vaccination AND that adverse event is reported to their doctor then the doctor reports it to VAERS. Even adverse events like car accidents.

The benefit of VAERS is that if there is some AE that is acute (as in close in time to vaccination), such as infection or fever or a heart attack, and it DOES happen in true association with vaccination then you will be able to detect a signal. A signal is simply a mathematical calculation that serves as a threshold for whether or not these AEs are actually worth worrying about.

The problem with VAERS is (cut and pasted from the Institute of Medicine, though it’s not proprietary information…anyone who works with VAERS knows this):

“Adverse events that occur soon after a vaccination may be reported to VAERS whether or not they are causally related to the vaccination. Duplicate reports of the same case may be submitted, and the medical information provided may be incorrect or incomplete. The complexity of the information that comes into the system (e.g., multiple exposures and multiple outcomes) also makes analysis difficult. In addition, VAERS provides no information on the incidence of similar events among persons who have not been vaccinated.”

As for Thimerosal…check out the CDC info site:

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/faqs-thimerosal.htm

Don’t misunderstand. I wouldn’t say that vaccinations are totally safe for everyone all the time. Vaccinations are known to be associated with certain autoimmune disorders in certain people. But the actual risk of developing these disorders is outweighed by the benefit of the vaccination. And you can’t predict who is susceptible to harm. All you can do is weigh the risks of the possible side effects versus the disease you’re protecting against and make a decision.

Whoever came up with the term “exact science” wasn’t a scientist.

By Sandy_G

May 9, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/thimerosal-vacs-facts.htm

Try this link to the CDC’s webpage on Thimerosal for the facts, not hysterical misinformation. The problem is that people hear the word “mercury” and “50% mercury” and think their children are being injected with 50% mercury everytime they are vaccinated. If you have a basic level of understanding of chemistry, you understand that methyl mercury and ethyl mercury are two entirely different substances and react in the human body in totally different ways. Anyone who has every eaten fish, has consumed mercury. Every mother who has eaten fish and then breast fed her child, has transmitted mercury to her child through her breast milk. Mercury is a naturally occurring element in nature and comes from sources as varied as volcanic eruptions and power plants. In the microscopic amounts that are taken into the bodies of most people, there are no adverse health effects. In larger amounts, yes, Mercury is a neurotoxin. However, the amount of Thimerasol that USED to be in SOME vaccines was less than a tenth of a percent and half of THAT was Mercury, not half of the entire vaccine.

Read the facts people and educate yourselves before you make a decision to not vaccinate your child and place them in harm’s way. There is a genetic component to Autism and perhaps there is an environmental trigger that plays a role in that, but Thimerasol has been studied and studied and studied and NO scientific study has EVER shown a link between autism and vaccinations.

By Casey

May 9, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

momto4 - you’re psycho! It’ a FACT - Mercury is out - no more!

You have a personal tragedy - I’m sorry - but it’s totally irresponsible for you to go on this way and try to scare other parents.

Try this other fact - A much larger percentage of kids who don’t take vaccines die - than those who do. By your wreckless comments you’re endangering lives of other children.

Bottom line - just shut the he11 up cause you’re making up facts as you go along.