These are my views and opinions on the vaccination debate. They may not be the same as yours and that’s ok. All I ask is that if you comment, you do it respectfully.
The Great Vaccination Debate of 2015
I try to stay clear of drama. I don’t like it. I don’t seek it out and, for the most part, I avoid it like the plague (use of pun was not intended but I guess the it fits the subject).
I finally decided to break my silence and share my point of view regarding the recent Measles outbreak and the Vaccination Debate. I was reading a friend’s Facebook status and started to write a reply. I had written so much that I decided it was best to just write up a post. A post on my blog where it’s just my opinion. Right or wrong, different or the same as your opinion, this is my space to write whatever I want.
I haven’t gotten caught up in the hype of the vaccination debate. Most of what has been in my newsfeed has been people saying how tired they are of the vaccination drama. So again, I haven’t really read a lot about the drama.
Does it freak me out a bit to know that the outbreak might be spreading? Yep. Sure does. Because I have a daughter that is low immune/auto immune. So 1. she could NOT get the MMR vaccine because it’s a live vaccine. Her doctors advised to not get it along with any of the other vaccines that are live. And 2. since she isn’t vaccinated, and she’s low immune, she is high risk of catching anything and everything. If she does get something, she gets it worse. For example, if she gets the flu, it’s pretty much a guaranteed hospital stay. Not in a local hospital, mind you, but the Children’s Hospital that is 1 1/2 hours away. (And now that we’re switching medical providers, the new hospital she’ll be going to is 2 hours away).
I don’t think there’s a black and white answer to vaccinations. I think people on both sides need to be a bit more compassionate to each others views.. and I think everyone needs to realize that there are exceptions to vaccinations, reasons that you might not consider. Our reason to vaccinate or not to is what is best for our kids.
However, I also think that people are way to lax about spreading germs, illnesses, etc. Unless you have a child that is low immune, you have no idea. You can’t possibly understand what we go through when our daughter catches something. Something that could have been avoided had you just kept your sick child (or yourself) home.
Don’t give me this crap that it’s ok to be infected because it builds your immune system. Thanks but no thanks. Not everyone wants your germs to help build their immune system. So the next time you catch a cold or anything worse, think twice about going out in public and infecting the rest of us.
Now back to the topic. Do I think getting vaccines should be mandated? No. For obvious reasons as stated above.
What would happen to my daughter if she was forced to get these live vaccines?? Now let me say that we take every precaution to not infect her with whatever is going around. We keep her out of the public when we can (no she’s not sheltered, but protected). She is homeschooled as are our other 3 kids. And when my kids are sick, I keep them home. They do not go out and infect others.
I hate that I am now on the defensive. That I’m defending our reason to vaccinate or not vaccinate.
For me it comes down to common courtesy. Vaccinate or not vaccinate but if you or your children are sick (with anything) stay HOME! Do not go out and infect the rest of us. Please!
We choose to vaccinate. But I respect those who choose not too. I just make sure that their children when sick don’t play with mine. I agree that people are WAY too lax when it comes being sick. My husband came home the other day and told me that one of his co-workers sons had the swine flu! This guy was at work like nothing was going on at home….His work made him wear a mask, so yay for that. But I have smalls at home and Im so scared they will catch one of these scary illnesses.
We always vaccinated… until Faith was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. Then things changed. I also think that ‘bigger’ families have different views on the whole spreading germs thing. Even if we don’t take into account our low immune child, when one of us catches something, it takes weeks to go through our whole family. Not fun!
Oh gosh! it’s never ending! By the time you get rid of one thing, something else comes in the house. It always seems to be my 1st grader bringing stuff home and my 2 yo spreading it to everyone. By the time my husband and I get it it is so nasty that it lays us out. So yeah I get the big family thing!
I LOVE YOU!!! Thank you for posting this 😀 I quit vaccinating my children when our oldest was diagnosed with several different diseases that may or may not be exacerbated by vaccinations. We decided to wait on vaccines for our youngest two because no one could give us a clear answer on whether or not they would be at risk also. We have always homeschooled, so that helped keep them away from any buggies that may be out there. Anywho, we are now in the process of vaccinating all 3 of our children because they are older now and we believe, through much research, their bodies are all better equipped to handle the vaccines 😀 I am not anti or pro-vaccination. I am for parents being trusted to do what is best for their child(ren). Thank you so much for this post <3
Absolutely!! Thank you for commenting!