Vaccinations

I know this can be a very controversial topic and not looking to start a debate. I really am just looking for a what do you do?

For those who vacinate their children if you know someone does not vacinate their child do you let them play with that child? If so why and if not why?

If you do not know if they vac or not do you ask?

Re: Vaccinations

My kids are up to date but no we don't ask nor do we have a policy about unvaccinated children. I will say I did think about it once. I was at a party with my preemie triplets - our first big outing- and I got a call that an unvaccinated older child who was all over them later came down with chicken pix and was totally in the incubation period at the party. Thank god my children didn't get it. No it's not life threatening but They were fragile and that was NOT a problem I needed x's 3. And honestly it could have just as easily been whopping cough or something that IS life threatening. So I understand why some would implement such a policy but I feel it's awkward to ask and at the end of the day life is all such a crapshoot, plus I am lazy :)

Eta - also since we were exposed and didn't want to expose others since chicken pox has a 3 week incubation period, I canceled all of plans until the incubation period had passed. It cost me money and was difficult and frustrating.

Message edited 8/6/2014 8:11:24 PM.

Re: Vaccinations

We vaccinate according to our Ped's schedule. Modern medicine has created a way for our kids not to die in infancy or suffer in an iron lung with Polio so we're all for proactively fighting any disease possible. I know there is an argument against the chemicals included in vaccines but they are so minimal compared to things they get in overly processed food, eating crayons, and licking the floor. The benefits of fighting debilitating disease far outweigh the slight chance of a negative reaction. Our kids are more likely to die from a car accident or choking on a grape and vaccines are much more beneficial than riding in a car or the vitamins in a grape

ETA - I don't know if it's where I live (I live OOS in Maryland, between Baltimore and DC) but I don't know anyone that doesn't vaccinate.... if I did come across someone that didn't vaccinate I think I would only be concerned if I had a newborn...

Message edited 8/6/2014 9:53:09 PM.

Vaccinations

My cousin does not vaccinate. We dont see them often........but when holidays/parties etc it not an issue. Besides how would you know??? Cant go around interviewing people before a playdate

Vaccinations

We vaccinate, but on a delayed schedule. They will both be completely caught up by the time they each enter Kindergarten. I don't know if everyone we come in contact with vaccinates because I don't ask. I am not overly concerned, and if I did find out that a friend/family member chose not to vaccinate their kids, I wouldn't cut off spending time with them.

Vaccinations

Vaccinated children can still carriers so for us vaccination status is irrelevant. If I had a child with a weak immune system I would be more concerned with a child who was recently vaccinated and possibly shedding a virus.

Re: Vaccinations

I do vaccinate my kids but, on a delayed and selective schedule. I live in the tri-state area in an affluent area and I know many people that do the same and some that do not vaccinate their kids at all. These people share with me because they know I am uncertain about vaccines but, do not share with the general public so most that they are friends with and go to school with have no idea. The kids all go to public and private schools with NO issue. These people are not freaks that live in the middle of no where going by the word of a "playboy model" as people on here love to cite - they are intelligent, educated, professional people that are not making their decisions on some hypothetical risk to their child. I just wanted to put that out there because I don't think many people truly realize how common unvaccinated children are.

With that said, no, I don't care if my children play with unvaccinated kids one bit. And, I should probably care more than the average person because my children are vaccinated on a delayed and selective schedule and therefore had not had all their vaccinations. Do the math - it is MUCH MUCH more likely that your infant child will become ill with something highly contagious that there is NO vaccination for (RSV, coxsackie, flu strains, pnemonia etc.) than they will get the Measles, polio etc. Yes, I understand the concept of herd immunity but that is not what we are talking about here. Also, the chicken pox story above is irrelevant IMO because most of the chicken pox cases I know of and the ones that spread through nursery school are amongst VACCINATED kids so there is no real distinction there. To me, the question of who I would expose my newborn to comes down more to the overall health and lifestyle of the child. I would much rather have my newborn around an unvaccinated 2 yr old that rarely gets sick as he/she is at home with a SAHM than a vaccinated daycare child that is sick most of October-April. See my point? Anyway, I just don't ever get the point of people being more afraid of unvaccinated children honestly.

Also, for the above poster talking about there being more chemicals in processed food, crayons and licking the floor - first of all, that is not even true at all, second of all, my kids don't eat much highly processed foods, crayons or lick the floor and, finally, I assure you, the reactions my kids have had to shots do NOT happen with any of the above.

Overall, we are all parents, we all love our children immensely and want to do whats best for them. We all would hate to see our children gravely sick or risk grave injury. We all share the common goal of the well-being of our children - for some, that means delaying or foregoing vaccinations. Until you walk in someones shoes and live through a vaccine reaction I don't understand how you can judge a parent for their choices.

Vaccinations

As a child, I spent almost every day of my summers playing with two kids who were not vaccinated. My parents didn't have a problem with it and I was fine. Interestingly, they are now in their mid 20s and healthy as horses !

Re: Vaccinations

Vaccinations

I don't bother to ask, because I'm sure there are unvaccinated kids and adults everywhere. I'm not going to let my kids live in a bubble. The purpose of me vaccinating my kids is so they are protected. What people do with own kids is none of my business or concern.

Re: Vaccinations

DD is vaccinated with all shots at the time the Dr. Recommends. DH would prefer DD not play with children who are not vaccinated. He said he wouldn't ask them before a play date, but if he ever found out a friend of DDs wasn't vaccinated, he wouldn't allow play dates with that person anymore.

My feeling is if DD makes a friend with someone who is not vaccinated, I would feel terrible telling her she couldn't play with him/her. And since DD is vaccinated, she should be safe.

Re: Vaccinations

Vaccinations

If your child is vaccinated how would it affect them to be with someone who isn't ? Your child is protected against the illnessn the other kid might be carrying,

Re: Vaccinations

I wouldn't worry about it because my DD is vaccinated. So she is protected.

Vaccinations

I don't ask for vaccination papers for every child my daughter plays with. Frankly it never comes up.

I vaccinate my child but don't place her into a bubble. Now if a kid is hacking up a lung and vomiting up blood that doesn't mean I'll let AJ play hand slap games and have them sleep over either. Just saying most things are contagious without presenting symptoms. I do my best but I'm not screening every other child. Not gonna happen.

Re: Vaccinations

Re: Vaccinations

I think the bigger threat is to society as a whole (ie reintroduction of polio, measles, whooping cough, etc., in a possible different strain) than person-to-person. I think people who don't vaccinate are incredibly naive to the impact that diseases had on human lives - why would you risk reintroduction to our society? Personally, it angers me. I think that because our generation grew up with no fear of diseases (because of vaccinations we all had), we never had to live through the reality of the toll it took. Asking grandparents was a very enlightening experience that I think everyone who does not vaccinate should take the time to do. I think, unfortunately, people make decisions in very selfish vacuums of information.

I work in a school, and while I'm not so worried child-to-child now with my daughter interacting with a non-vaccinated child, I was extremely worried if I worked with a non vaccinated child while my daughter was an infant. What if I brought something home to her?

Vaccinations

So many people aren't up to date on their vaccines and don't even know, so even if you did go around asking there's a good chance you're not getting an accurate answer.
I had chicken pox as a child and had an MMR before entering grad school (5 years ago)
When I got pregnant and my OB drew my blood it turns out I'm not immune to chicken pox or rubella. I would have assumed I was.

Re: Vaccinations

We vaccinate according to the doctor's schedule. While I try to protect DS, like other mother's say, I won't put him or us in a bubble. If i know someone is sick and he has not been vaccinated for it or there is no vaccine, we can avoid the situation (not talking a cold, like chicken pox, stomach virus, coxsackie, etc). But he is day care toddler, so that does not work so well (esp considering he has coxsackie now!)

Vaccinations

The only time I would really worry about an unvaccinated child is if I had a young baby.

My DS is vaccinated according to the ped schedule so I'm not worried about him too much it would be if we had a newborn without shots yet around older kids.

Vaccinations

If your child is vaccinated and you believe vaccines work then there is no reason to worry- right?

In the case of a newborn, I can understand the concern and would mitigate the risk by breastfeeding and limiting exposure to older children who are more likely to have colds/flus ect that could harm a young infant.

Re: Vaccinations

Re: Vaccinations

Vaccinations

Thanks for all if the replies. Just was curious what other moms were thinking on this topic. I get a lot of &)@$ for letting my child who is vacinated play with unvaccinated kids. I don't know 1/2 the time if a child is and have absolutely no plans on asking....getting &$@$ for that too. I become close with another mom/child that doesn't and I don't plan on walking away bc of this. People think I'm crazy. Thanks again. (And ps this is not a newborn I'm speaking of)

Re: Vaccinations

My son is vaccinated however we never did boosters and never will. We also don't do flu shots. We get his titers checked and he is still immune to all except chicken pox. He is 6 years old.

My daughter is 14 months old and she is not vaccinated. Due to the issues my son had/has our specialist recommended to not vaccinate for now. We may in the future we may not. Just taking it day by day and trying to keep her as healthy as possible with good food and vitamins.