sissi said:
however, he had NO titers for rubella (german measles) or mumps. The nurse said it is not unusual, she herself had received the mmr four times because her body does not produce an immune response after the shots. She has yet to carry a titer against any one of these illnesses, and explained that it is not unusual for 5% of the vaccinated population to not respond.
Hi,
This interests me because I also have no titer levels for Rubella (German Measles). When in the first weeks of pregnancy with my first baby in 1998, a routine blood test result caused my OB to tell me that I was in danger of contracting Rubella, as I "had never been vaccinated against it." That was an erroneous assumption, and I was quick to produce the proof for her because she was insisting I get the vaccine "NOW- before the pregnancy progressed."
I showed her proof of my FIVE previous vaccinations and boosters- 3 of them since I was a child, and two of them within the previous 7 years (There had been some outbreaks at my college, and before being allowed to re-register for certain semesters, proof of vaccination and boosters was required.) I KNEW I had had the Rubella and Measles boosters. Thankfully, my mother, my old pediatrician and the college doc still had these records.
Obviously, the vaccines and boosters did not work for me.
That was the beginning of my own research into vaccines, and by the time my baby was born in March, 1999- I had definite reasons for not allowing my new baby to be injected with the vaccines for HepB, Rotavirus, MMR, DTaP, HIB,
live Polio (ah, and probably others- I'd have to check the old records)...
right off the bat. I outright refused to even consider the HepB, Rotavirus and
live Polio vaccines. (I knew a killed-virus Polio vaccine was coming out soon). Oh, and I was exclusively breastfeeding. That does matter.
My baby's pediatrician was downright angry and hostile with me over my refusal of the HepB and Rotavirus vaccines, even when presented with peer-reviewed medical studies pointing to their dangers for newborns. He even gave me a line (paraphrased) " I sent these to my own neices and nephews down in Florida, where they cannot get them yet." (Lie? Most likely. He was trying to impress upon me how far "ahead" the state of Massachusetts was in preventing these diseases in babies, and how I should feel grateful for having access to them.)
When the Rotavirus vaccine was belatedly "pulled" from the market shortly afterward, and the HepB vaccine was also under fire, and the
live Polio vaccine was replaced because of its dangers... he actually had the nerve to backpedal and tell me that I was obviously an educated and concerned mother, and that he respected my decisions! He seemed to have selectively forgotten his hurtful browbeating of me in his office not 3 months prior!
I then found a wonderful family practitioner who respects my decisions and philosophy, based upon sound theory and medical evidence, to
selectively vaccinate my children. She also performs titers- and they ARE covered by my HMO, though the previous pediatrician told me that titers will never be covered! (Hint- he got $$$ and checkmarks in Massachusetts' "toe-the-line" pediatrician column for every vaccine he administered.)
Vaccines are too much of a racket. Too much trust is placed in them.
The fact that this infant's Polio infection is traced to a strain contained in the live Polio vaccine does not surprise me one bit. Though this infant *may* have been exposed to the disease via someone vaccinated in another country and a carrier- it is also possible he/she was exposed via an infant or child vaccinated in THIS country. Not all clinics tossed the old, live Polio vaccines when instructed to do so. Same for the old, Thimerosol-laden vaccines, when the *new* ones supposedly replaced them. It's a dirty, little secret based on $$$. Parents need to KNOW the lot #'s of all recalled vaccines and to check them-
on the vial, do NOT just go by what is written on the patient chart!- before allowing any clinic or doctor to inject their child!
The
only cases of Polio documented in this hemisphere since the 70's
originated from the vaccine. (This does not include immigrants from other countries who were
diagnosed in this country.)
Similar outbreaks from the Measles (combo-MMR) vaccine and the Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccine are well documented. In fact, outbreaks in highly-vaccinated populations seem to be the rule, rather than the exception.
Which bring up the oft-repeated, oft-dodged question:
If your kids are vaccinated, and you have SO MUCH FAITH in vaccines- why are you so concerned when other parents choose NOT to vaccinate?
Parents of children with immune disorders who cannot vaccinate are few in this debate. They KNOW the dangers to their children and are well-versed in protecting their children.
It is a wonder to me that some of the most vociferous parents in this debate
do not have childen who are immuno-compromised, yet they fall back upon the danger to
"other" children when well-educated parents exercise their legal
right to not vaccinate, or to selectively vaccinate.
I care just as much for "other" children, and I choose to selectively vaccinate MY children. Based upon recent outbreak evidence, vaccinated children are a serious threat to non-vaccinated children! instead of the other way around.
I believe this recent case of Polio in this little baby will out that.
