I may be considered crunchy when it comes to some of my parenting choices (practicing extended breastfeeding, advocating for natural childbirth choices, preferring to read Mothering over mainstream parenting mags, etc.), but my crunchiness begins to crumble when it comes to vaccines for my children.
I’ve been reluctant to broach this topic for myriad reasons. First, I have friends and family members who read this blog (and I read their blogs) who have chosen to not vaccine their children. I don’t want to alienate anyone. I’ve always hoped this blog will serve to bring people – especially moms – together, not divide them. Finally, I also have friends who struggle every day with an autistic child and can never begin to silence the “what ifs” or “whys” that constantly rifle through their mind. They want answers. I would, too.
Yet, my feet are planted firmly on the side of science in the vaccine debate. Just recently I’ve been reading even more about the potential dangers of vaccines as my husband and I faced the decision of whether or not to vaccinate our girls against the swine flu (we chose to get the vaccine for all three girls). In the past, I’ve seen the research on vaccines and the incidence of autism, and none of the data suggests a causal link between vaccinations and the neural disorder, although mainstream media would have you believe otherwise (they’ve got to keep you panicking about something).
I’ve listened patiently to my husband’s arguments (remember I’m married to a doctor) that pseudo science does what science refuses to do: It makes fallacious jumps from a “toxic” trigger (AKA vaccines) to a disease with no known cause or cure (autism) in order to provide balm to a confused, hurting parent with a sick child. Science says, “There is not enough evidence to show that vaccines cause autism.” As a mom, I can see how to a concerned parent that statement is not all that comforting.
Pseudo science says, “There isn’t enough evidence to show vaccines don’t cause autism; therefore, they must be to blame.”
But to use the old Leprechaun theory: Just because you can’t prove Leprechauns don’t exist doesn’t mean they do.
The burden of proof lies in the hands of science, which won’t – despite the fact that study after study shows the currently recommended vaccines are safe and effective – conclude, “There is NO evidence that vaccines cause autism.” It’s unfortunately virtually impossible to prove a negative claim such as this.
I wince every time my babies have to endure the prick of a shot. I know, too, that there are risks to vaccines. In fact, very few – if any – medical interventions come without any risk. It’s up to doctors and their patients to determine whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Modern medicine, which I’m not claiming is always an exact science, helps us make this sometimes difficult decision. In the case of vaccines, the benefits overwhelmingly outweigh the risks (adverse reactions are very, very rare). (I’d present a much different position when it comes to certain medical interventions during pregnancy and labor, but that’s another post for another day blogging lifetime.)
My husband recently encouraged me to read an article on the topic of vaccines from the November issue of WIRED. Whatever your stance on vaccinations, I highly encourage you to read the entire article; however, the following quote from “An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All” by Amy Wallace really jumped out at me because it shoots straight in to the heart of the debate:
“Offit [a pediatrician and coinventor of the rotavirus vaccine], like everyone else, will do anything to protect his children. And he wants Americans to be fully educated about risk and not hoodwinked into thinking that dropping vaccines keeps their children safe. ‘The choice not to get a vaccine is not a choice to take no risk,’ he says. ‘It’s just a choice to take a different risk, and we need to be better about saying, ‘Here’s what that different risk looks like.’ Dying of Hib meningitis is a horrible, ugly way to die.’”
(Again, the whole article is worth your attention. Read the rest here. The “How to Win an Argument about Vaccines” sidebar has good information as well.)
Put simply, Vaccines don’t ruin lives; they save them. Without widespread vaccinations, some pretty hideous diseases could make a comeback.
Still, despite what science tells me, I admit that in the past I’ve been tempted to demonize vaccines and see them as not being worth the risk. Why? Because autism has a face. Because I personally know of children who have autism. You may, too.
However, I don’t know any kids with the measles or the mumps (thanks to vaccines). I don’t know of a child who has died of the rotavirus. You probably don’t either. But Dr. Offit has. Wallace’s article shares how he watched a young girl die of dehydration caused from the infection during his medical training, and the experience fueled his desire to develop a rotavirus vaccine.
Truth is, it’s easy to start seeing the very diseases the widely recommended immunizations are administered to protect against as being no more real than the Boogedy Man. Yet, everywhere we turn and with a quick click of the mouse, we’re put face-to-face with autism. Not surprisingly, the disorder seems much scarier and real than some “abstract” disease that no outspoken, pretty celebrity is writing books about or going on Oprah to discuss.
Autism has a face – a scary one. Diseases like measles are faceless in this country – for now. But that could change (and is starting to change in some areas) if we don’t start showing parents what we could be up against if we stop vaccinating our children. While I don’t doubt for a second that parents who choose not to vaccinate are doing so out of a great love for their children, this love as well as the fear of autism is hurting the very children we want to protect.
Still not convinced? Consider these words from Dr. Offit in the same WIRED article:
“I used to say that the tide would turn when children started to die. Well, children have started to die,” Offit says, frowning as he ticks off recent fatal cases of meningitis in unvaccinated children in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. “So now I’ve changed it to ‘when enough children start to die.’ Because obviously, we’re not there yet.”
I realize I’m opening up a can of worms here, but the anti-vaccine movement is opening something much worse: The return of potentially-deadly diseases. All this said, I do welcome your thoughts on the topic. Just please no personal attacks, and keep your comments respectful.
Nice job, Kate! Very thoughtfully and respectfully written article. I always appreciate when people can take a "let's talk reasonably" approach to the vaccine discussion.
I tend to be vaccine-hesitant. (We vaccinate on a delayed schedule.) My youngest sister had a vaccine reaction to the MMR and has Asperger Syndrome (on the autism spectrum). The connection between the vaccine and her neurological response is not psuedo-science – it was confirmed by federal vaccine court when my family was part of a class action lawsuit and my sister and other children affected by that batch of vaccine were awarded one million dollars (not sure that was the award for every family, I just know my sister was awarded a million – it's in a trust for her) by the federal vaccine court. Of course, this was WAY BACK in the 1980s when NO ONE was talking about vaccines and autism.
Even so, my parents are strongly pro-vax because each of them are medical professionals and strongly believe in the power and purpose of vaccines. I guess when it comes down to it, I do too, or we wouldn't vaccinate.
My chief concerns stem not so much from the vaccines themselves, but from the schedule created by the CDC and used by the APA. I think it's too much, too soon. Of course I have the luxury of creating a delayed schedule because my breastfed babies are at home with me and not in daycare where they might be exposed to some of the things that those early vaccines need to protect against. Were our family circumstances different, I would most certainly rethink and rework our approach to vaccinating.
I wish more parents knew that you CAN take a delayed/selective approach to vaccinating. It does not have to be either/or. We can still create herd immunity and address the concerns you raise here without risking harm to the individual health and well-being of our children.
I pray that our freedom to continue to make the best possible decisions for our own families based on our unique family histories, genetic concerns, and individual circumstances is a freedom we will continue to have in this country.
Did I wonder too far from the path here? :) I applaud you, Kate, for taking a bold and brave stand for your beliefs in this area. I'm working up a post on public schooling and I am inspired by your gentle firmness here. Thank you for speaking with such courage on this topic!
OH! And I meant to add, when my family and the other plaintiffs won that court decision back in the 80s, the words "autism" weren't used (I don't think). In fact, it wasn't until years and years later that my parents discovered what my sister has is actually Asperger's – it was always just classified as "neurological delays," etc.
Again, the autism rate had only just begun to take off in the late 80s and no one was really concerned with a connection between the two at that point.
Megan, I always love hearing from you. You didn't wander too far off from the path at all. In fact, I've delayed some of my kids' vaccines as well (it does seem like too much for such little people, although my husband would argue with me!). Thank you so much for your insight.
More recently, per the ruling you mentioned, the federal vaccine court has rejected a causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism: http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20090212/vaccine-court-rejects-autism-claims
and:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/DevicesandVaccines/12866
Unfortunately, whatever the courts decide, we have to be careful to rely on legal rulings in the realm of medicine. Juries, judges, and experts appointed by courts often have personal agendas and/or are persuaded by passions more than facts. In fact, malpractice suits in OB/GYN cases have led to fear-mongering in the trenches of L&D when science and outcomes actually suggests that the birth process is natural and extremely safe in most cases.
All this said, my heart goes out to your family and any family touched by autism.
Thank you for sharing your comments in the spirit of Christ.
God bless.
Very well written, Kate.
Great article, Kate. I have friends too that are concerned about the vaccine, who like you know a child with autism. And I too have been engaged in this debate over the years. While most of us have never seen the "Face" of these "childhood" diseases, we don't have to look far for it. Talk to your parents and your grandparents. Recently, I had a conversation with my mother about this issue. She is old enough to remember standing in line for the polio vaccine. I'm 35, she is 59. She was born before they gave these vaccines and when I was young many were optional. She said she had them give us EVERYTHING because she knew how horrible these diseases are. And she retold a story I had heard many times growing up, but with a different slant. When she was a child she and all 4 of her brothers got the mumps. Her father had never had them and her mother was pregnant. Both were told to leave their home when my uncle came home with the mumps because of the risk to their health. An aunt was asked to come and stay with my mom (who was 8) and her brothers (all younger). My mom said it was the most horrible thing, a horrible sickness and her parents were not there to take care of her only as a parent knows how to.
She vaccinated us because of that memory. And while as a parent I understand the fear, especially if you know a child effected by autism, as the wife of a physician I know the dangers of these diseases if left unchecked. Thanks again for this great article showing both sides.
Great post Kate! I've been posting a bit on it too (rosemary-sauce.blogspot.com) and I've been hoping you would, because of your dr husband and because you always write with confidence and authority about medical things! If I post any more about it (I'm a bit hesitant to do so, because of some feedback I've received … all well meaning, but tending to confuse and unsettle me more than help), I'll definitely link to your post.
Oooh you did crack open a can of worms! Brave blogger You and your readers are so lovely, though, that I’m sure it will be fine.
Personally, I recognize that this is an issue that I can’t be an expert on w/o a degree in immunology :) I remain neutral and open to both sides and rely on the counsel of an excellent ped.
Re: autism, we continue to identify environmental contaminants, so there are probably many substances we are increasingly exposed to that could be causing it. I have come across some questions about vaccines that I think are worth asking, though, and I wonder if it isn’t possible that we haven’t found the answers to those questions yet—or even asked them in a thorough, responsible study. If anyone knows the answers to these, please inform me!
Have we tested the cumulative effect of the current vaccine schedule against a control group? How do we know we don’t need to do that? Would it be possible to have such a large sample unaffected by other environmental/lifestyle factors? Do we have data comparing autism rates among vaccinated and unvaccinated populations that isn’t affected by other environmental influences? Are such studies even possible?
Do we really have no reason to be concerned about aluminum toxicity (as stated in the How to Win An Argument section)? This article suggests that the AAP has issued a policy statement on aluminum toxicity in infants and kids based on studies about injectable aluminum and the FDA limits aluminum content in IV feeding solutions (based on studies indicating neurotoxicity for preterm infants receiving IV feeding solutions w/aluminum)? Has anyone studied the cumulative effect of injectable aluminum in the specific case of vaccines?
Re: H1N1—why is the vaccine recommended for pregnant and nursing moms, when the package inserts state clearly that it, and the regular flu vaccine lack sufficient testing on this subset of the population to determine the effects on fetuses or nursing babies? How was the safety designation determined (and can it be claimed with certainty) in the absence of such data?
Which other countries have the same vaccine schedule we have?
Have other developed countries adopted the same vaccines? Why or why not? What are their autism rates? Is it even possible to compare based on the variety of other environmental factors/food additives/lifestyle choices that may be legal or common here but aren’t there?
These seemed like valid questions, and I haven’t seen the answers to them, so I’m honestly asking b/c I’m hoping someone will tell me the answer :) I’m betting that pretty much everyone agrees that the most important approach to this topic is to keep asking questions, ruling things out scientifically, and dialoguing with charity.
Oops! This is the article I was referring to re: aluminum toxicity. http://tinyurl.com/ylqlxsn
Kate- thanks for bringing all this up. We're struggling with the decision to vaccinate for the H1N1. My issue with the vaccine is fundamental- I have issues with something that was developed so quickly and has very little in the way of long-term research to test ongoing effects. Also, I wonder how you feel about the development of this vaccine, since at least one of the developers used human, aborted stem cells, and the other won't disclose its proprietary line.
For us, this is central. And so few people ask questions! Thanks for being brave enough to dialogue. Blessings to you and yours.
Great dialogue! Keep talking, and please fill in the gaps where I'm unable to do so. And there might be a lot of them because I just lost a long comment that addressed some of the excellent questions posed here. Ugh. I want to cry. Yes, I just wrote a response chock full of links, etc. and it's vanished. I went to publish it and it said it went through but – poof! – it's gone. Needless to say, I won't be able to be as thorough, but a few points (forgive the bumbling nature; I don't have time to organize my thoughts this go-round.):
Evenshine, it's my understanding that the current H1N1 vaccine does not use cells from aborted babies. See the following Life News link: http://www.lifenews.com/nat5490.html
Medical ethics almost always involves a slippery slope, and it's easy to lose your footing. We have to keep asking questions, so thank you for bringing this up. It is my understanding that the Catholic Church, specifically, recognizes the importance of keeping the public healthy and while it demands we fight for ethical versions of vaccines, when they are not available, we are not at fault if we choose to protect our children. (More on this from the Vatican here: http://www.cogforlife.org/vaticanresponse.htm)
Catholic Mommy Brain, you ask some excellent questions as well. I wish I could address them all, but I do not have the time to do so, especially since I already typed up one long-winded response. (I'm not hung on the fact that I lost my previous comment or anything.) :)
I did ask a pediatrician friend to review some of your questions and to possibly send some links to research, etc. that might help address some of them.
I do have a few points. First, we have to again weigh the risks v. the benefits. We cannot possibly "test" every potential risk vaccines might pose for certain groups, especially since this would involve using children/pregnant women as test subjects. The H1N1 vaccine packaging contains legalese as you mentioned for the same reason virtually every packaged food you can buy now says something like "May contain peanuts." Drug manufacturers are very careful to include protective language, especially in such an anti-vaccine climate.
Also, the WIRED article did mention that Dr. Offit set out to determine (hypothetically) the amount of vaccines one human could handle based on biological factors. He came up with a very high number (around 100,000, I think).
Pseudo science fills the gaps when science cannot immediately do so. (As a sidenote, we need to be careful to not equate court rulings with science.) Thimersol used to be blamed for autism, but when the mercury-rich preservative was removed from all routine childhood vaccines (besides from some flu vaccines) in 2001, autism rates continued to rise or remained steady. So maybe it didn't cause autism, but something did, right? That's when people started talking about how it must be that too many vaccines are given too soon, so the cumulative affect of all those "toxins" caused autism. (I agree that sometimes it does seem like an awful lot for such a little person to handle, but again, science strongly suggests the vaccines are completely safe.) I imagine the argument will continue to shift as new research becomes available.
I think one reason autism rates are increasing is simply because there is more awareness about the disorder and more specialists are being trained to diagnose it. Thus, children who otherwise would not have been diagnosed with autism now are.
It should be noted that the MMR vaccine is routinely given in the UK; however, autism rates are not increasing. I don't know much about vaccine/autism rates in other developed nations. I do know that poor countries lose countless lives to infections like the rotavirus because vaccines are not readily available.
This part I…. Part II will have to be another comment.
Part II:
I'm sounding like a broken record, but we have to remember the difference between correlation and causation. I've heard the horror stories about children going brain dead after receiving their vaccinations. Yet, I've also seen that it cannot be unequivocally proven that the vaccine caused the neurological shut down. Similarly, autism often manifests at an age when vaccines are scheduled. So perhaps there's a correlation, but there's no evidence of a causal link.
Aluminum levels may pose a risk, but again, is that small, unproven risk enough to keep us from vaccinating our children? (Aluminum is found in many everyday things – even water!)
Chemotherapy poisons the body and has many risks; yet, most people would opt for the treatment when faced with a cancer diagnosis. Vaccines bear much, much smaller risks; yet , they are lifesaving.
I agree 100 percent that we must remain vigilant and keep asking tough questions. However, I do wonder if it might be more helpful – at least in the case of autism – to divert more of our attention and funds to searching for another trigger to the disease rather than continuing to indict vaccines.
The CDC has tons of info on vaccine safety: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/
Here's a link that specifically addresses adjuvants: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/updates/adjuvants.htm
Also info on vaccines and thimerosal (including links to research showing no link between the preservative and autism): http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/updates/thimerosal.htm
Thanks for taking this issue on, Kate. Whenever I hear anti-vax parents criticize the rest of us, I sometimes think to myself, "The only reason it's safe not to vaccinate your children is because the rest of us are vaccinating our own" (from a public health standpoint).
That said, I still feel sick and worried when we go for checkups, worrying if the alternative media could be right.
Kate, I love this piece! It reflects almost exactly my own point of view on vaccinations. And timely, too, since we've been going back and forth on the H1N1 vaccine topic in our household. (We just decided to go ahead with the vaccine for our kids a couple days ago. I'm not really scared that swine flu will kill them, but Blaise was hospitalized last January with a respiratory infection, and those ten nights were enough to last me for quite a while!)
I have to say I think it's easy for people of our generation (and I include myself in this) to get caught up with worrying about the risks of vaccines because the diseases which they prevent aren't very real to us. I've never seen anyone sick with measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, diptheria, tetanus, or polio. It's easy for me to get caught up thinking they don't actually exist! But then I read historical novels or remember what the infant mortality rates were a century ago, and I thank God that the vaccines exist to protect our children.
Thanks for posting this, Kate! It was the best thing I read all day.
Grrr… bring back her post, Blogger! :) Let me know if your ped friend has answers, Kate! I would so appreciate it. These really are issues that I'm seeking answers to. After I wrote that list I thought, hmmm I should email this to my own pediatrician lol. I'll let you know his responses.
I can't say I feel free and clear about the risk posed by aluminum, but I'm cautious to make judgments either way b/c I haven't read the studies themselves in that article I posted. Also I'm not a doctor as I mentioned :) But it does seem contradictory that, because studies have indicated problems with neurotoxicity, the FDA limits amounts of injectable aluminum and includes warning labels on things like IV solutions– but doesn't apply the same practice to vaccines. I'd love to see an explanation of why the same rules don't apply (there may be a very good one–I just don't know).
I def. understand what you're saying about not being able to test every possible risk. I guess what I'm wondering, though, is why they don't make an effort to conduct some studies that could analyze the cumulative effect of the schedule– especially in the face of so much challenge. Answering those questions would officially end the debate and allow us to redirect funds to explore other genetic or environmental causes. Plus, I just don't understand how they can guarantee safety w/o testing it. Isn't that an educated premise or assertion or hypothesis and not a conclusion? I'd love to know more about how they make those decisions (again, not questioning the authority and pedigree of these docs and scientists– just like to understand the process myself).
Just some more thoughts! Great dialogue so far :)
I totally agree with your post, Kate. Autism is definitely on the rise, and I wish there was a sound explanation for it so that there is something to fight against. But I do not believe vaccines are the main cause.
I have seen in my family the result of not having vaccines available that are now common. My Grandma had 5 sons, and ALL of them are now sterile after having mumps as children.
My daughter (12 months) got 5 shots just two days ago. Thankfully, she is fine.
However, there is one vaccine where I draw the line. I'm living in Germany right now, and we just had a scandal rise up involving the swine flu vaccine. The German government officials are getting a "better" version of the vaccine than the rest of the citizens. More expensive of course, but easier on the body. I'm waiting for THIS vaccine before my family gets shots!
This is an interesting post and I'm enjoying the comments as well. I'm on the fence about vaccines. On the one hand, I totally agree with you, Kate, about their importance and necessity. On the other hand, I am a parent of 4 children, one has autism and one was just diagnosed with aspergers (a milder form of autism). One of my children without autism had a reaction after getting the MMR. He spiked a fever of 102F for two days. I also have a sister with four children – three of them have autism, one has severe autism.
So, we've delayed all vaccines. I'm still very much on the fence about the chicken pox vaccine and don't really believe it to be necessary. It's very unnerving. I want to do the right thing for my children, but I'm also not very convinced that all the ingredients in vaccines are safe for my children who probably have a genetic susceptibility to autism. I really wish that researchers would find out what are the physical problems that cause autism. Right now, autism is simply a term used to describe a set of behavioural symptoms. There is no medical definition on what the pathology of autism is. I'm not convinced that vaccines cause autism. But I'm still quite worried that vaccines may have something in them that triggers autism in those who are genetically susceptible. And, it would seem that my children certainly are more at risk than most.
Thank you for this intelligent, courageous, considerate post!
When I have more time, I intend to read through all the comments. For now, I'll say I strongly agree with you. When my daughter was being considered for a heart transplant, we learned about the dangers children with compromised immune systems face from "innocent" childhood diseases. It is important to remember when we protect our (healthy) children we are protecting other children as well. The common good must be considered.
I do get angry when people tell me I am immoral and not a good Catholic when I choose vaccines. I think those who do not immunize should carefully consider all sides.
I'm glad you opened up communication about this subject.
I am expecting Baby #5 and am very concerned about getting the H1N1 vaccine for myself. It is not even available yet, though. So even if I WERE convinced that I should…I can't yet. And neither can my children.
The people who say those who do not vaccinate "endanger the rest of us" are being pretty snarky, it seems to me. If you choose to vaccinate your children, and you believe them to be effective–why are you worried about whether I choose not to for my little one who is at risk? Aren't I the one taking the "chance"?
As a family, we do vaccinate our children against the most dangerous/serious childhood diseases–a bit delayed according to the schedule, but we are all current.
I did not consider Chicken pox to be a shot I wanted to get for my children after I read/researched the possible side effects and how the body seems to do better by actually having the disease and building up immunity against it.
Of course, my pediatrician was furious at me for not following his "schedule" and I did not go back.
I guess my concern, that has already been voiced in other comment boxes this week, is that *some* doctors and pediatricians become enraged when you want to ask questions and get more information. They automatically feel that you are "anti-science" or ignoring the past, "and don't you know how horrible polio was????"
Personally, I find these scare tactics and bringing up diseases from two generations ago in an effort to make a point about a relatively new vaccine a pretty weak argument.
I am going to keep reading and researching, and praying to God that I make the right choice.
Donna
Donna, please read about herd immunity and read the WIRED article. Parents not vaccinating their children are putting healthy children at risk.
Again, I hate to keep quoting this article, but I don't have the time to thoroughly defend this point since I have little ones underfoot, but please consider this: "Consider: In certain parts of the US, vaccination rates have dropped so low that occurrences of some children’s diseases are approaching pre-vaccine levels for the first time ever. And the number of people who choose not to vaccinate their children (so-called philosophical exemptions are available in about 20 states, including Pennsylvania, Texas, and much of the West) continues to rise. In states where such opting out is allowed, 2.6 percent of parents did so last year, up from 1 percent in 1991, according to the CDC. In some communities, like California’s affluent Marin County, just north of San Francisco, non-vaccination rates are approaching 6 percent (counterintuitively, higher rates of non-vaccination often correspond with higher levels of education and wealth).
That may not sound like much, but a recent study by the Los Angeles Times indicates that the impact can be devastating. The Times found that even though only about 2 percent of California’s kindergartners are unvaccinated (10,000 kids, or about twice the number as in 1997), they tend to be clustered, disproportionately increasing the risk of an outbreak of such largely eradicated diseases as measles, mumps, and pertussis (whooping cough). The clustering means almost 10 percent of elementary schools statewide may already be at risk.
In May, The New England Journal of Medicine laid the blame for clusters of disease outbreaks throughout the US squarely at the feet of declining vaccination rates, while nonprofit health care provider Kaiser Permanente reported that unvaccinated children were 23 times more likely to get pertussis, a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes violent coughing and is potentially lethal to infants. In the June issue of the journal Pediatrics, Jason Glanz, an epidemiologist at Kaiser’s Institute for Health Research, revealed that the number of reported pertussis cases jumped from 1,000 in 1976 to 26,000 in 2004. A disease that vaccines made rare, in other words, is making a comeback. “This study helps dispel one of the commonly held beliefs among vaccine-refusing parents: that their children are not at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases,” Glanz says."
And:
From a 2002 study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases: "Looking at 3,292 cases of measles in the Netherlands, the study found that the risk of contracting the disease was lower if you were completely unvaccinated and living in a highly vaccinated community than if you were completely vaccinated and living in a relatively unvaccinated community. Why? Because vaccines don’t always take. What does that mean? You can’t minimize your individual risk unless your herd, your friends and neighbors, also buy in.
Perceived risk — our changing relationship to it and our increasing intolerance of it — is at the crux of vaccine safety concerns, not to mention related fears of pesticides, genetically modified food, and cloning. Sharon Kaufman, a medical anthropologist at UC San Francisco, observes that our concept of risk has evolved from an external threat that’s out of our control (think: statistical probability of a plane crash) to something that can be managed and controlled if we just make the right decisions (eat less fat and you’ll live longer). Improved diagnostic tests, a change in consumer awareness, an aging society determined to stay youthful — all have contributed to the growing perception that risk (of death, illness, accident) is our responsibility to reduce or eliminate."
Wikipedia defined herd immunity in layman terms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_immunity
p.s. Donna, I should have added that your pediatrician had no right to get angry at you for asking questions. I am not suggesting we blindly trust science and medical professionals. We do need to be our children's advocates but in the case of vaccines, I feel that we protect our children best by not trying to manage the small if even real risk of an adverse reaction and protecting our children against very real diseases. My heart especially goes out to immunosuppressed children who medically cannot safely receive a vaccine. We are putting them at an extreme risk by not immunizing our healthy children.
While it may not seem like a relevant argument because these "old" diseases have been eradicated, as research cited in the WIRED article addresses, some of these infections are making a comeback. This, again, goes to the heart of the issue: Diseases like polio and measles don't seem real to us anymore, and people assume we'll all be protected so long as some people still get vaccinated. But this just isn't medically the case, and you can't argue with science on this point. Dr. Offit has seen a rise in fatal cases of meningitis in unvaccinated regions. He feels like he's failed parents into believing we're safe when we're not. How many children need to die before we see the value of vaccines?
Oh, and prayers go out to you, Susan, and your family. I agree with you that more research needs to be done in autism, but as I mentioned in another (rambling!) comment, perhaps government grants would be better spent exploring the pathology of autism rather than continuing to research whether vaccines cause autism (since several studies have shown there is not a causal link). My daughter spiked a fever after receiving a vaccine once, too, but I tend to think she probably just caught some bug from all the germs at a pediatrician's office. You'll always hear people wary of the flu shot who say they got the flu after they received the shot; however, they probably already had contracted the virus and it was dormant and then the symptoms just happened to surface after they received the shot.
Please do not misunderstand: I am in no way undermining your experience (or that is certainly not my attention), and I can never ever fully (or even partly!) empathize with you and what you've faced having children diagnosed with disorders along the autism spectrum. In fact, I remember a few years ago saying to my husband, "There must be some connection because it seems like so many children develop symptoms of autism right after being vaccinated." Yet, he has helped me understand that the correlation has far more to do with the age of the child and other factors than the vaccination. I also had another crunchy parent who does support vaccines and has her Ph.D in child psychology show me research that revealed how drops in vaccination rates have not meant drops in autism – even in families that seem to have a genetic predisposition. I'll see if I can find some of these studies and cite them.
Ah, but I feel like I'm beating a dead horse! I am so thankful that such a lively (and respectful) dialogue is taking place.
Now I must prepare for a friend's visit. I most likely will not be online much over the next few days, but I hope others will keep talking as well as posting links to research, articles, etc. Perhaps this discussion will help parents discern their own vaccine decisions.
God bless you all!
Just one small footnote to this great discussion: Please consider breastfeeding your baby *while* the nurse or doctor gives the shot. There is evidence that breastfeeding diminishes–although it doesn't eliminate–the pain. In my experience, baby/child always pauses a moment in response to the pain, then goes nursing. Breastfeeding also gives mama something to do other than cringe!
Kate, this reminded me of a study I read about at Chapel Hill on the study of toddler brains in reference to autism. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/04/autism.brain.amygdala/index.html
Amen, Anon in NY. I always try to nurse my babies/toddlers at the pediatrician's – especially during that traumatic shot time! :) Michelle, very interesting article. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kate, for the article. Important to note, though, that not ALL H1N1 developers used ethical lines. Novartis especially is suspect. And who asks? I know I certainly have not with my kids' vaccinations. As you point out, parents informing themselves is sometimes problematic. I'm not sure we really want to know all there is to know…
Blessings to you and yours.
Kate asked me to read these comments and provide some insight since I am a pediatrician. I've had these discussions with parents on an almost daily basis for years, especially after Jenny McCarthy went on Oprah. 2 good sites for information are
1. The CDC — http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
and
2. the American Acadamy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/parents.html
There's a lot to say, but I'm nearing the end of my shift and don't have a lot of time. I agree with what Kate said and I believe vaccines are good for the health of our children, and as someone who works all over the world and sees the real consequences of not vaccinating children, I strongly advocate for vaccinating our children. We have the resources in this country to prevent these diseases. I think mothers who have lost children to vaccine-preventable diseases would be bewildered to know that parents in the US are intentionally not vaccinating their children.
Also, to add to the autism discussion, this article might be interesting
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE59L4MW20091022
basically they found that there are genetic links to autism that they didn't know about before…
Have a nice weekend!
to put a real face on this i can state that here in charleston my pediatrician has told me there has already been one pediatric death from pertussis (whooping cough) in the past yr and several kids hospitalized with it.
adults should consider getting their tdap (tetanus diptheria pertussis) vaccine if they are due for their tetanus or if they live w young children and haven't had one recently.
food for thought.
Awesome Article Katie!!!! :)
To Catholic Mommy Brain –
You asked one question I think I can answer. At my "womanly appt" I asked my OB GYN why pregnant women would be asked to take this H1N1 if there is a disclaimer about its lack of testing…and this is the answer I got, and it makes sense:
1) H1N1 is apparently VERY hard on the pregnant woman. More so than any percentage of a reaction to the vaccine (and the normal flu). It most women, it is very dangerous….most often causing miscarriage or stillbirth. Then, on top of this…the mother can be hit with a major respiratory ailment that can kill or comatose the mother. My OB has lost 2 babies and their mothers since Aug, and has 2 more moms in the hospital recovering – thank God with their babies still alive inside (and I'm a part of a SMALL practice – bless these women and babies). So, H1N1 seems to hit the preggos hard – but like all drugs – has to have that disclaimer because it was only made this year with a yearly strain.
My OB said if you are a yearly flu shot receiver, and you take flu shots well, you should have NOT problem with H1N1 because aside the from the strain, the vaccines are made the same way, and the body can tell this. So my OB, while totally understanding of the concern (and is very anti MIST by the way for anyone…not just for pregnant women) – she worries less if her patient has a yearly shot vs a never before taken patient.
She does go over the risks of a non yearly flu receiver and watches them as closely after, but truly believes that just as babies are not affected by yearly flu shots (in general research) she educationally stands on the researched idea that babies who are in utero for the H1N1 will also be fine – because mommy's body and baby's metabolizes it the same.
Having lost patients, and babies to miscarriage and still birth – and seeing how smoothly H1N1 is going with mothers taking it now (no miscarriages or stillbirths after) in the last couple of weeks, she has faith in the protection. She really wants her mothers to have the vaccine, since she is seeing more and more of the pain of this virus on the moms and babies, and it is so terrible and life ending.
Her comments made sense to me. I hope they help you get some sort of answer why they are pushing it on pregnant women.
I'm loving all these comments…so helpful!!!
Thanks!
Great discussion moms!
I have done much research on the H1N1 vaccine since I am pregnant. I have decided not to vaccinate myself or my children. We will get the seasonal flu shot, sans thimerisol, when I can find some!
I am not a "no vaccine" person. I do believe that we need to be cautious and do research ourselves before we just blindly accept what our doctor or others tell us. Being informed and asking questions is a part of science and always a good thing.
The H1N1 vaccine is just too new and although it is made in the same way as seasonal flu, I am concerned about the addition of adjuvants either in the process or at the doctor's office. I read the minutes of a meeting that was held in July between the CDC, vaccine manufacturers, the FDA, and doctors. It was very interesting and enlightening and can be found at http://www.fda.gov.
I vaccinate my children, although I do not get the rotavirus vaccine for my children. When my oldest (now 12) was younger, they came out with a rotavirus vaccine that had to be pulled from the market because too many children were dying from it. Since then, I have been hesitant to give my children that particular vaccine. I am waiting for at least 10 years of research on that one. I find it odd that if you don't get the vaccine within 6 months of birth (or something like that) than "it is too late" it won't help you.
I, too, think that the vaccine schedule is way too agressive and try my best to delay vaccines. I refuse to give my children more than 3 shots at one visit, which tends to frustrate my physician!!
I am a homeschool mom and while my kids are exposed to other kids and public places, we are WAY less exposed than those whose kids are in day care or school. I feel that the home situation should definitely be taken into consideration by the physician. Too often, I feel as though my doctor doesn't look at each family's history, background, lifestyle, etc. and they push vaccines and other treatments on everyone as though they were equal.
I also do not give my babies the vaccine (Hib?) that they try to give them in the hospital within 24 hours of birth. The reason explained to me in the hospital was that I could infect my baby. What? I give them this vaccine at 7 days old. My baby will be with be with me for those 7 days and I and my other children will not leave our house for that period of time. Again, because of my situation, I can keep my risk of infection fairly low.
I really would be interested in the actual numbers (not percentages) of pediatric deaths to meningitis over the last ten years. They did not vaccinate for it 12 years ago. The vaccine only covers the child up to age 2 (or is it age 4?) I have never known anyone who's child has been ill with this disease. Maybe the pediatrician, Lili, could help me out?
Anyway, great discussion and keep it coming. I find it interesting to read the various opinions and knowledge of so many of you!
Thank you!
Many good questions. Thanks for bringing the subject to your blog. My husband and I do vaccinate. We did struggle with making this decision while still without children. My family is strongly against all vaccines, while his family is strongly pro-vaccine.
I feel lucky to have had direct experience with people from both sides of this argument. Kate, I appreciate that you have said parents on both sides choose based on a "great love" for their kids. It could not be truer.
I am pregnant, and I have gotten the H1N1 vaccine and precisely for the reasons that Violin Mama shared with us.
With regard for giving a face to disease, I hear you. Young unvaccinated children very close to me contracted pertussis. After seeing the effects on these children (5-10 age range), I now know why this disease can be fatal in infants. It was frightening to watch the coughing and wondering if they would be able to stop to breathe, even if just for a short while. The whites of one boy's eyes turned not just bloodshot, but opaque red as a result of the violent, incessant cough. Luckily, both children came out of it alright. But I wonder how any infant could tolerate the same disease.
Even though I was vaccinated for Pertussis as a child, I also contracted pertussis when I was in my early twenties and living in the same household . I, however, had a much milder case of the disease. I am unsure of whether to attribute this to my age or to my assumed immunity. It is true that vaccines work best with a strong herd immunity. Perhaps this is evidence of that.
Hi Kate,
Thanks for responding to my comment. I *do* vaccinate my kiddos for other serious diseases, and until this year, we have always gotten the flu shot.
For some reason, and after consulting with a few doctors, I did not feel at all comfortable doing shots this year.
I had already read the "Wired" article before I commented, but felt it was more sensationalistic than realistic….meaning, I didn't really take it very seriously. I understand the *concept* behind herd immunity and the science behind it, but there is this little voice that says, "Just because everyone else is doing something, doesn't mean you should, too."
I still wish I had a great pediatrician whom I trusted, with whom I could talk to about all of this, but last time I talked to one it left a horrible taste in my mouth, and a strong feeling of distrust in my medical community.
I hope everyone continues to comment and research and, ultimately, make the decision that brings you peace.
Sincerely,
Donna
Thanks, Donna, for your further comments and for disagreeing in the spirit of Christ!
I do not have time to be as clear and thorough as I prefer. Bear with me.
I partially vaccinate.
I have two main problems with SOME vaccines and the vaccination process in this country.
#1: Vaccines are pushed early and with little regard for a child's circumstances. The rotovirus vaccine, for example, is encouraged even if the child is cared for primarily at home. We have a vaccination "mentality" that more is best. I disagree. I also disagree on making certain vaccines required by law (for example, the…oh, brain dead…the one for pre-teen girls and cervical cancer…)
#2 The bishops may have waived our culpability in the use of aborted fetuses to create vaccines, but by participating in their use, we have given these companies our lbessing. I do not say this to make people feel guilty and I try hard to avoid this topic with new mothers or those who are blissfully unaware of the origins of many shots. But the Bishops say that the MMR is OK, and what is our reward? A varivax vaccine with the same moral problem. There are no moral alternatives, because companies are not motivated to provide them.
So, I am not personally overly worried about autism or any other side effects. My primary concern is the moral aspect. I can not protect my own child's health if it comes at the cost of another child's life. This is where I am, in this debate, and I respect that others may not be there.
If ethical vaccines were available, my kids would be up to date. Except for the ones they don't need, like Hep A.
Just in case folks don't read some of the comments over at Faith & Family LIVE! I want to respond here as well to someone who said the only year their family ever really suffered serious illness during flu season was when they received the shot and so they don't plan to ever vaccinate against it again.
My husband (who is a doctor) has heard this argument time and time again, but the fact is the vaccine is extremely effective (I've seen stats like it has 70-80 percent efficacy) when the influenza vaccine is well-matched to the strains in circulation. People often say they got the flu after the shot, and there are explanations for people thinking this. The person did not get the flu that the vaccine was designed to protect; however, it's possible to get illnesses caused by other germs. There are many different types of respiratory illnesses that mimic flu symptoms. In addition, the flu vaccine takes about two weeks to be effective. Thus, people can unfortunately get the flu during this small time window. That's why doctors encourage people to get the flu shot early in the flu season (which typically starts in October and peaks in late January/early Feb., according to the CDC). The good news is even if you still contract the flu during this time window, the vaccine can help reduce the severity of symptoms. Finally, some people may experience very mild flu-like symptoms for a day or two after receiving the vaccinations. The body's immune system triggers these symptoms as it builds up to protect against infection with the real influenza, but it's nothing like the real thing or the feeling of being crushed by a Mack truck that the flu causes.
I'm honestly not trying to stir up controversy. I just hope to help parents to separate fact from fiction because there are a lot of myths and pseudo-science theories about vaccines that tend to overshadow the fact that these are medical marvels that save countless lives. I do realize that every parent is just trying to do what's best for her children out of love and care for them.
I also want to add that one person commented and said she is against vaccines, but she understands if a mom has a child who has immune system problem who does get vaccines, but again, we must understand herd immunity. Each mom might think, "Well, so long as most moms vaccinate, then we'll be protected if I choose not to," but this is a fallacy proven by science.
According to the CDC, Even if a few members of the community are unable to be immunized, the entire community will be indirectly protected because the disease has little opportunity for an outbreak. However, with a low percentage of population immunity, the disease would have great opportunity for an outbreak.
Examples of the key role of community immunity include being vaccinated with Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis, Haemophilus Influenzae type b, Inactivated Polio, Pneumococcal Conjugate, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and Hepatitis A because these are diseases that can spread through person-to-person transmission.
Finally, I could not agree more with Danielle in post over at F&F LIVE! that ultimately, we cannot inoculate ourselves or our children against every form of struggle, angst, and illness and that is why we must seek God first and trust in Him.
Keep the dialogue open!
God bless!
MMR and chicken pox are the only ones we don't get, because they are made from aborted fetal cell lines. How can Catholics in good concience get the rubella and chicken pox vaccine?
Amy
I do want to be clear about something: I do support a parent's choice to make the vaccine decision. In fact, one of the many reasons I'm afraid of more government involvement in our health care is because many of our freedoms are at risk of being taken away.
Also, Michelle has a great post from a few years back on the HPV vaccine: http://mreitemeyer.blogspot.com/2007/02/hpv-controversy.html It's well worth the read.
Also, the blog Rosemary Sauce has a good discussion of vaccine ethics from the perspective of the Catholic Church in a few of its most recent posts: http://rosemary-sauce.blogspot.com/
I wish I had time to read through all of these comments. I can offer my own thoughts, though.
We start vaccinations when a child is six months old. We do one little shot, then two weeks later another. We wait a month, then repeat process until the child is caught up on his immunizations.
We do not vaccinate ourselves or our children against HepB, the flu, or the chicken pox (nor against H1N1). I would make a different choice if my husband or I worked in a hospital or if my children had weak immune systems. I agree completely with the statement that choosing not to vaccinate is taking a different risk. I'm comfortable with what we've decided.
I am soooooo tired of listening to the media's hyped up panicked reports about H1N1. It is indeed running through our city–and through our parish and school–like wildfire and every person that I know, including pregnant women, has lived through it. Who knows? We may have had it already and don't even realize that's what we were fighting. Every person in the state of NE who has lost their life to it has had an underlying medical condition. It's sad but not unexpected. I just wish that the media would allow the panic to die down and that everyone else would wash their hands often and stay home if they are sick! :P
As for immunizations, I have to go along with the scientific reasoning that there is not a link between them and autism. A friend of mine has a daughter with autism and she says that immunizations are a scary thing for her with her other 3 children but she has them administered nonetheless. I admire her courage.
I hope that someday we do discover the root of autism and are able to cure or aid the disease.
In the meantime, I'll still vaccinate my kids and pray for their health and well being.
I'm curious if anyone else has read about the link between pregnant women having the flu and their children having autism. There is a brief summary here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,289421,00.html
This is by far the best and most thorough discussion of this issue I have ever seen. Thank you all!
Our children have had all recommended vaccinations "on schedule," with the exception of a delay in chicken pox vaccine for my son as we discussed its origin from aborted fetuses. I did also write to Merck, but we got the shot.
We have also done seasonal flu shots although it's currently not available for my kids.
I've been going back and forth on the swine flu vaccinations, but I think it will soon be a moot point. My kids are under 10 and will need 2 shots. We don't have the vaccine available here. If we get it by mid-November, they get two shots three weeks apart and two more weeks to build immunity, I think its risks will outweigh its benefits since H1N1 has already ripped through the school and seems to be on the decline now.
I think the root of the problem here for all of us is trust. WHO CAN WE TRUST? I don't trust the pretty pamphlets telling me to vaccinate when I turn them over and see they came from the pharmaceutical company. I don't trust a lot of mainstream media. I don't trust medical associations because I see them ignore real research in areas related to abortion and hormonal contraceptives. They have allies and agendas that bring their trustworthiness into question in my mind. So, short of each of us becoming research scientist and immunologists, how do we know what is true? That, to me, is the crux of this issue.
I think Danielle hit it on the head – we have to trust God alone. I think all we can do is try out best to find reliable research, ask questions, and pray before making decisions. This side of heaven, unfortunately, I don't think it's going to get much better.
Hi Kate,
Thanks for this reasoned post (I arrived here via Faith and Family Live).
I also read the same WIRED magazine article and found it fascinating … and disturbing. Yes, I believe in asking lots of questions, but I also believe that doctors really do know what they are talking about.
Our own pediatrician did not recommend the rotavirus vaccine when our older son was a baby, mostly because he felt it hadn't been around long enough and he wanted more data before giving it. With our second son, though, he did recommend it, given that time has passed and he's seen it in action. I appreciate his thoughtful approach.
It bothers me when people completely dismiss medical experts' opinions on vaccines. Yes, some doctors are probably just out for profit or are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies — but frankly, I've never met one who is! And as a general rule, I'd rather get my information from the person who went to medical school than the person who didn't.
Thanks for taking on this hot-button topic.
My biggest issues with vaccines are these –
#1 – Money. Those on the board at the CDC, making the decisions about which vaccines to add to the schedule are shareholders in the pharma. companies. People, like Paul Offit, who stand to make lots of money from vaccines should not be deciding which vaccines to recommend. And those guys make A LOT of money from vaccines.
#2 – The REQUIRED shots that are not life-threatening to babies, like the Hep B shot given when a baby is hours old. Hep B is a problem among health care workers, drug users and sexually active people. But those guys won't get the vaccine, so they give it to babies. At hours old, it doesn't even protect against Hep B (you need all three shots to protect). Money again, is the best reason for this shot to be given.
#3 – The HPV vaccine. That vaccine was railroaded to our little girls with dire consequences being seen. Money.
I am a health care professional and I believe that these are valid reasons for being concerned about the schedule as it is. There are too many unnecessary vaccines being touted as life-saving, when the risk of dying from the disease is as remote as dying from the a reaction to the vaccine.
Prayer. Prayer. Prayer.
I too have lost sleep over the choices that my husband and I make for our kids.
On the positive side…thanks to everyone on here for being so respectful of all sides.
For those who are concerned about the MMR, please be aware that the Mumps and Measles immunisations are available separately (though may not be easy to find) It is only the Rubella portion that is made from the aborted fetal cell lines.
My husband is infertile because he contracted mumps in his teens. Three of my grandfathers brothers died from Spanish flu. And pregnant women and their babies are dying from H1N1.
Hurrah and Amen!
Thank you for writing this piece Kate. I am on a slightly "crunchy" side too and this causes some around me to think that I am into the conspiracy theories and try and get me to be passionate about their latest boogie man. I am too a firm believer in vaccinations. I DO however have a VERY big problem with the WAY that one of these is made on the aborted baby cells, so my concern is one of morality not the science of why. Having said that I have had ALL my 7 children vaccinated. Getting hold of the vaccine alternative to the one made on the abortions are difficult to find and I feel that more should go into providing these vaccines based on chicken or other animals.( I'm no scientist but I would think that as there IS an alternative , they could develop that one more) I had delayed the vaccinating of my 7th child quite sometime trying to find where you could get the alternative. In the end I chose to use what is available as I couldn't bare for my child to come in contact ( while remote at this stage) with someone that DOES have one of these horrible diseases that are now so uncommon ( but are going to become more common with this spreading of anti vaccinating propaganda). I have my boy's circumcised to protect them in later life, why not vaccinate to protect them too?
It is true that one has to weigh up the risks of both sides of the fence and decide for themselves ( AND not berate those that chose differently to your self) but always remember, as one other commenter said…It is a choice of WHICH set of risks you are willing to take, NOT the irradiating of risk.
Perhaps a little off-topic, but I have a friend in Australia who is in the health-care field and he recommends the H1N1 shot. HOWEVER, over there, no one under 12 can receive it.
Isn't that strange? Would it be basically the same vaccine as ours? I'd think so.
Gretchen,
I did some research on the FDA website and read all of the package inserts for both the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines. There are four companies who make each of these vaccines (at least for the U.S.).
Only one company makes the H1N1 Vaccine for young children. Ironically, it is not the same company who makes the seasonal flu vaccine for young children.
I am curious, why would the same company who makes the seasonal flu vaccine for young children, NOT make the H1N1 vacccine for kids under 12?
Just an interesting question!
Also,
At foxnews.com, there is an Associated Press article entitled "Study: Side Effects Not Necessarily from H1N1 Vaccine". This article basically states that there have been no proven side effects from the vaccine so far and that "hundreds of people die every day, and that doesn't necessarily mean that the swine flu vaccine is to blame".
However, in this article the following statement was made:
"In the U.S., experts expect that for every 1 million pregnant women who get the swine flu shot, 397 will have a spontaneous abortion within a day. Only if the rates of these events exceed these baseline numbers should experts suspect the vaccine might be responsible."
Sort of a chilling statement.
My pregnant sister's five children are sick with the swine flu right now and I, too, am of the mindset that we need to pray and keep our focus, no matter how we proceed.
Hi Kate,
Good job broaching controversy once again! My main concerns with vaccines are not really medical or related to autism. What parent does not worry a little about whether or not the possibility of a reaction is worse than the possibility of the disease, but my goal is to not worry at all. We will do a delayed schedule of ethical versions only. I believe this link with the ethical list may have already been posted: http://www.cogforlife.org/fetalvaccines.htm
Here you can tell which lines are fetal, right down to the numbered part of that baby.
Just to touch on the idea of trying "not to worry at all" about it, I want to past in a quote from another forum (not from me) that I found worth thinking over. Hugs to you and the girls!! They are so cute!
kelly
Quote from anon: To me, what this swine flu pandemonium reveals is that humanity's greatest fear is still suffering and death. When will it cease to shock us? You will die. Each of us will die! Many of us will suffer! Is this cause for fear? Is this cause for panic when we are reminded that "we are dust and unto dust we shall return?" The Church reminds us of this every Ash Wednesday.
Of course, to a world without hope, the fact of suffering and death is too much to bear. And it certainly causes panic, fear, and a vain search for saviors. But who has the power to save?
Our Catholic faith puts at the center of the answer to that question the person of Jesus Christ – who saves not just through his teaching and preaching, but through his suffering and death. Christ's suffering and Christ's death are what brings salvation to the world. He teaches us not to be afraid and certainly not to panic in the face of any foe – biological or otherwise! We all will die – that should not shock us any more. What is shocking, though, is that we will resurrect. A body destroyed by the swine flu, had he hoped in Christ, will resurrect. There is no place for fear and panic. If the flu comes, it comes (do not forget the common sense measures to protect against disease – we are not searching for death – we merely do not fear it). Hope in Christ means that we live our lives in perfect contentment that nothing, not even death, will be able to separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:39).
The true disease is not swine flu but man-flu – it is fear that leads to panic and despair – and even to insanity and demonic possession. Jesus dealt with a man like that once…and ironically he remedied it by sending the man-flu into the swine. Read http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark5.htm Luke 5: 1-20.
Dear Kate,
I'm a little late in reading this article, but I thank you so very much because it has helped me tremendously in my decisions and peace about vaccinations. I am pregnant with baby #4 and, Praise God!, and really grappled with whether or not to get the swine flu vaccine for myself having a great concern for the baby, and I kept telling the Lord that He was not giving me a clear answer (b/c I too have that parental fear of what if there is a bad reaction-could I hurt the baby?), and I realized that both my 100% pro-life OB/GYN who attends daily mass and adoration and two other doctors I trust highly suggested I get the vaccine. And well, when I really considered what He had given me to work with I realize that God was working through these people-what other confirmation was I looking for?, at least for my own personal decision here in this regard.
So I got it, and have had peace about it ever since, but I really can't tell you enough how much what you have written has helped me with my own children as I consider the vaccines that will be coming up for this sweet boy in my womb after birth. I have vaccinated all my children but am always worrying about it. It was nice to read reassuring words.
P.S.-I would love to read an article about labor and delivery intervention I have my own hunches and I'd be really interested in what you have to say after having experienced different labors withe my first 3.
God bless!
Josie and everyone, thank you all for your thoughtful comments!
Blessings!
Hey there – I stumbled on your blog by doing an assignment for school. I was tasked to do a position paper of my choice, based on an article from 3 different online magazines. The one I picked was from Wired, by Amy Wallace, the one that you refer to in your post. I too am trying to convince my classmates the benefits/importance of vaccines. My professor has us upload our paper to an online plagarism site and my reference to the article showed your site. Funny! It interested me the sites that the paper thought I may have taken info from, especially considering the few sites it listed I had never been to or heard of. I believe too that the benefits far outway the risks of not vaccinating. I understand peoples hesitation, yet I also understand the what ifs that would happen if I didn't vaccinate and one of these diseases/illnesses crept into the life of one of my children. Blessings to you!!
Good luck with your paper, Joann. Also, I've been meaning to include a link here for everyone. It's a site I recently was made aware of that includes research, parental anecdotes, etc. on the efficacy of vaccines. Here's the link: http://www.shotofprevention.com