Utterly Meaningless

I wonder how many of the vehemently provaccine people have ever discussed an alternate vaccine schedule with a pediatrician. I’m not anti vaccine by any means, but I seek out the same peds that the anti vaccination people do because I’ve had problems with the health care people who are “this is the schedule, do it or you’re a bad parent “ types.

I suspect that if there were better options, a good portion of the currently anti vaccination people would be open to alternative schedules. Having fought the battle though, it’s easy to see why people get entrenched.

My oldest clearly had a reaction to the DTP vaccine, and a stronger reaction to the second shot. I’m sure that his reaction was not reported, as I was blown off by the office staff and peds. I got a lot of push back when I refused to do the third set, even though I told them I would be happy to do the tetanus as a separate vaccine. Pertussis was the most likely cuprit in the combo. The office atitude was my way or the highway.

I thought they did HepB so early to prevent vertical transmission from the mother, just like the antibiotics they put in the babies eyes in case mom has gonorrhea. I try not to be insulted, and think of it from a public health standpoint. Of course, with the additional information I have about me, I can make informed choices for my kids.

Interestingly, Wikipedia says transmission of HepB among household members is possible, and in areas with moderate infection rates (2-7% of the population) it’s widely spread among children. In the US, with infection rates under 2%, it’s spread mostly through blood or sexual contact. I wonder why it’s so different.

The article didn’t say if those who contracted measles had already been vaccinated (or if it did I missed it). So, if they were, as with the earlier mumps and whooping cough outbreaks, what’s the diff, really?