Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

So, probably like most of you-- I am scared sh!tless of all these scares about vaccines and what they can do to your baby.

Has anyone found a really good guide, something educational where we can learn about what to avoid, when it is safe to give shots, etc.

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

ok, there have been several in depth discussions on this board... let me find some

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If you're talking about the theoretical link between autism and immunizations, the general idea of delaying most shots until after age 2 is so the brain is allowed to develop its 'wiring insulation', since the THEORY is that in some succeptible kids, over-stimulation of the immune system (by several vaccines OR a bad infection) could start an auto-immune response that attacks the cells that deposit the insulation in the first 2 years of life. (the only thing that is conclusive is that autistic children over age 2 have much less insulation (myelination) than other kids the same age... so they suspect something may be preventing that process and it is the lack of myelin that may cause the autistic symptoms... tons of speculation here!)

I'm delaying and spreading out Scone's shots. Scone's Ped agrees (since I have a history of autoimmune problems myself, and had a very bad vaccine response as a toddler) and will only give him 2 crutial immunizations prior to age 2.

There's a lot of misinformation online... and as a scientist, I can tell you a lot of really poorly done scientific studies 'undeniably concluding' no link between autism and X, Y, or Z. the medical community really still knows next to nothing... (the one set of studies I DO believe is that thimerisol is not linked to autism in any direct way... those studies were rather comprehensive and thorough IMO).

I would read-up online, but take it all with great skepticism, and find a great pediatrician and talk it over with them....

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

wannabemom- that was a great explanation. Personally, I plan to delay as much as possible. Dr. Sears has a vaccine book, but that too is controversial. I plan to talk to several peds about this and see what their philosophy is before choosing one. I want to make sure that they respect my opinion as a parent and that they are willing to talk to me about options. Im very hesitant to trust docs, so i'll probably end up doing research on my own every step of the way, one vaccine at a time.

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

thanks-- I need to read up on this. Yet another thing to overwhelm me.

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

I don't remember the exact title or the author but it was something along the lines of

What your Doctor may no tell you About Childhood Vaccinations. It was written by a physician. It isn't anti vaccination but gives a revised schedule which we used to formulate our schedule.

A lot of people like The Vaccine Book by Robert Sears.

My DD is 3 and is all caught up in her vaccines, just in time for preschool. We delayed 6 months. Gave new shots only 1 at a time. I would only combine 2 shots if she had had them before. I delayed Hep B until almost 3 as well as the MMR.

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

Dr. Sears has a good book out for a basic idea or foundation behind vaccinations and the lack of education amoungst most pediatricians.

Wannabeamom makes some very good points.

We are delaying for a lot of reasons.

Start researching, but make sure when youa re researching you are getting information forom reputable medical journals and resources...then try and find a pediatrician that thinks along the same lines as you do regarding vaccinations

Message edited 9/25/2008 4:56:49 PM.

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

I do not believe in the link between autism and vaccinations. Never have, never will. I have been in the field for a long time and subscribe more to the school of thought that supports a genetic link to autism NOT brought upon by vaccinations.

I have seen enough families in my career where more than one child has been affected as well as one or possibly BOTH of the parents. Some of my students with autism have parents with bizarre affect and lack of social aptitude. Perhaps the parents may have undiagnosed Aspberger's Syndrome (on the "spectrum". Testing was not a big thing when people my age were growing up and I am about the same age as the parents of the students I serve, if not older. In the 70s, you'd have a kid who was seemingly a little "off" but you couldn't quite put your finger on it. Nowadays, their kids tested and voila! More diagnoses. To me, it explains the "epidemic." It is my opinion that we all want something to blame. I'd rather see people focused on treatment and education and protecting their children against fatal diseases which COULD reappear. Measles DID just recently pop up at the mall within the year.

READ THIS article it is pretty recent:

Debunking the theory

Re: Spinoff to shots and vaccines.

Well, I partially agree with Leslie... I definitely feel that there is a massive increase in the diagnosis and testing for people which could explain a good deal of the 'increase' in autism frequency. I also suspect there's a genetic link....

My opinion departs from hers with the possible vaccination link, though. After reading a pile of neuropath manuscripts and attending a few professional lectures on the topic, my gut guess (and that's all anyone can have at this point!) is that some people have a genetic pre-disposition for autism.... much like having mutations in BRCA1 or 2. But having a BRCA1 or 2 mutation does not DOOM a person to breast cancer... it merely increases the likelyhood. the person still needs a 'trigger mechanism'... some experience that causes the natural back-up mechanism (that normally protects the person from that mutation and keeps the person healthy) to fail.

I suspect there is a gene mutation that increases the succeptibility of getting autism, but the final straw is the 'trigger'. since autistic brains are not properly myelinated, and the disease usually appears during the developmental period during which myelination normally occurs (6 mo to 2 years), it seems likely that both the unknown gene mutation and the trigger affect myelination.

what is the gene and trigger, it's anyone's guess... but I'm a firm believer of listening to parents observations. there are so many stories linking either a child getting a bad infection (flu / cold) or receiving several simultaneous immunizations and then getting a spike fever and having a change in personality 3-7 days later (the EXACT time frame for antibody development in the immune system). the stories are uncanny and erie IMO. What's the link between a huge immune response and the start of autism? who knows... but it sounds terribly fishy....
until some researcher actually finds the gene(s) responsible (there's a massive study with over 1000 participants going on right now ) it will remain sheer speculation.......
If my neurosci and path training serve me well, my gut instinct says it will be one of the hundreds of genes that mediate immune response in the brain, or alternatively, a gene in the cells responsible for depositing myelin.....

but like I said, everyone has an opinion, and I'm the first to say that it's all unfortunately sheer speculation at this point.