Immunization and children - Why do some people not do this?

Answer 1

Are you asking why do people not have their kids immunized?
I had my oldest son done and he started having twitches in his hands, humming constantly and has now been diagnosed with Apserger's Syndrome. Believed by many to have been triggered by childhood immunizations such as the MMR or possible mercury in a few batches left in the system.
So as a precaution I did not allow my other two children born after him to have the shots. Eventually they did receive tetanus shots and boosters. Polio oral vaccinations and next year we will introduce, Measles shots (NOT the MMR combo) and Whooping Cough immunizations.
I'm not happy with the fact my doctor has insisted they need chicken pox or flu shots. I can understand a child that has a poor immune system needing extra protection....but the chicken pox shot in my research wasn't studied long enough to be considered 'safe'. So my kids go with the bare minimum of shots, basically the diseases that are common in my area.

So I have to sign a ton of paperwork for them to go to school. (No it is not illegal to go to school without your immunizations, check the actual laws, not the rumors) Wade through being harassed by the state for 'abusing' my children, and relish the "she has to be a horrible mother for letting her children get sick" looks I get from the school. Mind you they have never been sick....but without the Rubella shot apparently my kids are walking germ farms in their eyes.

For those that are claiming that this is 'uneducated' or 'ignorant' no I have done my research throughly. I wasn't going to jeapordize my children by giving them something potentially harmful, nor was I going to run the risk of them catching a terrible disease. Asperger's is not curable, it is treatable but he will have to learn how to cope with it. I couldn't imagine inflicting that on any other child.
I did what was best for them and everything has turned out just fine.

Answer 2

There's no doubt that immunizations were a wonderful scientific advance. However, that doesn't mean they are safe. By immunizing to protect against a possibility of getting a disease, you are also introducing the possibility of severe consequences form the immunization itself, not just autism. Some people have (some fatal) allergic reactions, some end up with nervous system disorders, etc. Although we find something good, it does not mean it is without risk or need for improvement. We are finally realizing the effects of over-killing bacteria for instance, with our overuse of antibiotics and anti-bacterial everything. Resistant bacterial strains have developed. The point is that there are consequences for everything. As much as society in general wants to vilify parents who don't immunize, I congratulate those willing to think for themselves. Sure some of the risks have been hyped up, but overall, we do not know everything about the effects of immunization or any of our other currently accepted health practices. Look over the ages and see how what was once standard practice is now considered barbaric (like bloodletting for example) and you should see that no one should be so confident they are right about what to do.

Answer 3

Well, this may be the case when they are infants and toddlers because people have the choice. Some people think that you can develope autism by these immunizations. Although in some rare cases this may be true, most children come through it fine. When children enter grade 1, they need to prove that these shots were given or their children won't be allowed in school. I think this is the way it should be everywhere. Not only does it protect the child but it also protects my child. Why should children be exposed to diseases that practically don't exist in these developed countries because some people don't believe in them? Afew children from my daughters school had some of the diseases that children are immunized against last year. But they were in Kindergatren so it wasn't mandatory because you have between 4-6 years of age to do it. My doctor wanted us to wait til my daughter was going to grade 1 to receive it, so I was terrified last year that children coming to Canada from other countries were bringing these diseases with them. I really think that they should be given these shots upon entering the country or not be allowed in. Like I said diseases that were practically wiped out are finding their way back. We need to be careful.

Answer 4

They don't do their research. They only hear about the very small percentage that developed, let's say, autism. They don't realize the alternatives to immunization are much worse. They also don't realize the immunizations have come a long way since my kids were small. Now they have DTaP. This causes less fevers and less pain and fewer side affects.

Answer 5

There has been a lot of bad press about some immunizations causing autism in children. I know in my CNA class that was very hotly debated, I'd google "immunizations" and do some research if any one had questions about it. My kids all had theirs with no ill effects.

Answer 6

i have no clue- i have a friend who thinks her daughter is going to die if she gets immunized. she won't listen to reason, she thinks because all these diseases are so unlikely to happen her daughter will be fine and there's no reason to put her baby through it and chance brain damage. i've told her the chances of her baby getting brain damage from it are less than the chance of her baby getting polio or something but she won't listen. i hate seeing my babies go through immunization but i want to be sure they are safe from diseases. if we all stopped immunizing our babies polio would come back along with all the other nasty things we immunize against.... these women are putting their babies in danger because they think nothing will happen, it's insane.

miss guided is the only one i have seen with a good answer to why her kids are not vaccinated. one child who has developed a problem to a vaccine shows the other children might develope it too since they come from the same mother (same father i assume?) and therefor have a risk of autism also.

Answer 7

Stupidity, fear, and religious believes; I respect other people's religions, but their believes are keeping deadly diseases alive. Example, polio only exists in isolated communities in the United States where immunizations are not given, whereas small pox is almost completely non-existent in the world today.

Answer 8

It is required to immunize to go to school so i dont know how people can get away with not doing it.

Answer 9

For some, it is against their religion. Some people think the do more harm than good and others don't see the point because most of these childhood diseases have been pretty much eradicated. And some people (like my SIL) are complete mental cases.

Answer 10

In developing countries, it's usually because they simply can not afford it.
In developed countries, sometimes it's because of people's religion. They think that it's wrong to change what's natural and pure.