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My disclaimer here is that I’m not sending this with the intent to get others to do exactly as we do, or to say that people are wrong for doing vaccines, or anything else. Honestly, I’m eager to hear responses because I don’t feel I’m an expert on this subject (and if you ARE an expert, please respond, and then we’ll let other experts respond as well and compare it all!).
It takes 2-3 years for the files to actually be awarded, so looking at the chart that shows cases that were awarded and dismissed, technically in ’05 we were dealing with around 82 people that actually filed and won a case…and going just with the numbers of those who have won vs. those that were dismissed, wow—JUST in 2007 (which is basically 2005 complaints), the gov’t awarded $91,449,433.89. Yikes. Below that chart it actually breaks these down by specific vaccines—this is very helpful and I’ll be studying this more!!
I’ll be open about where Nathan and I stand for right now. Ladybug Girl has not had any vaccines yet, and we’re not anti-vaccine, but we want to use extreme caution. We have read numerous reports where waiting until they are 2 and spacing out the vaccines has been very positive—I have a great article about that from my doctor (email me if you didn’t get it and want it). For LG, we’re going to spend from now until next year really researching the vaccines that are out there—especially with the latest newsbreak this April (first link above), I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the vaccines changed. When LG is two, we will pick and choose the ones that are the most important to get her vaccinated (i.e. polio) and forgo others that we don’t see as a good idea (i.e. HPV, chicken pox).
Ultimately the decision is the parents’, and that’s a scary thing, as you are responsible for the decision you make, and there is NO black or white on this subject—there are risks either way you look at it. Know that the decision is completely in YOUR hands, though—all you have to do is write a sheet saying you don’t agree with vaccines for religious or medical reasons and your child is exempt for life. Definitely not to say this is what everyone should do, but just to let you know that just because a school says it’s necessary doesn’t mean your child can’t go there…(and I’m proven wrong in the first comment below).
Please comment–I’m posting this on my blog because I know this is a controversial topic, and it helps for us to educate ourselves on it! There are many contributing factors as to why all of this is on the rise…is it really about the medicine, or because we are lawsuit crazy? Are there really that many more kids who have autism, or merely that many that are being properly diagnosed now? Are vaccines at this point solely about preventing the diseases, or have politics and money taken over (a typical claim of anti-vaccine people). I’m not sure of all of the answers, but I’m eager to learn more about it!
