New research on infant vaccine schedule

[Anonymous]

Oh gawd, I'm generally a very scientific person (I have a PhD) and have eschewed the whole autism vaccine connection, but I saw this today and freaked, as I'm now carrying a new baby who will be vaxed when s/he is born. Anyone have any thoughts? I already had planned to not give more than 2 at a time, but man, this freaks the hell out of me.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107994.php

[Anonymous]

There is no reason to begin vaccines as early as the current schedule mandates. In fact, it is completely counter-intuitive to inject pathogens of any sort into the bloodstream of 2 m/o infant whose own immune system is not even fully developed. We have to get away from the all or none false debate and focus on a more sane and developmentally appropriate schedule for our children.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if anyone has undertaken a study of children in countries where vaccines aren't typically administered -- such as remote parts of Africa or third-world countries -- do any children there have autism or other spectrum-related disorders? Granted, such a study may be tough to accomplish given the high infant and child mortality rates -- which would seem to support the need for vaccinations. Does anyone know of any such studies?

FWIW, my pediatrician explained to me that the autism rate has increased b/c kids who would not have been diagnosed a generation ago -- coupled with kids who are mentally retarded or have other non-autistic disorders -- are now being counted in the autistic spectrum. This is both a curse and a blessing. On the one hand, the larger numbers prompt greater funding for research. On the other hand, society now believes that rates of autism or dramatically increasing.

[Anonymous]

9:46 poster, I would strongly suggest that you read Robert Sears' The Vaccine Book if you have time. It gives great background and perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if anyone has undertaken a study of children in countries where vaccines aren't typically administered -- such as remote parts of Africa or third-world countries -- do any children there have autism or other spectrum-related disorders? Granted, such a study may be tough to accomplish given the high infant and child mortality rates -- which would seem to support the need for vaccinations. Does anyone know of any such studies?

FWIW, my pediatrician explained to me that the autism rate has increased b/c kids who would not have been diagnosed a generation ago -- coupled with kids who are mentally retarded or have other non-autistic disorders -- are now being counted in the autistic spectrum. This is both a curse and a blessing. On the one hand, the larger numbers prompt greater funding for research. On the other hand, society now believes that rates of autism or dramatically increasing.

Uh no - children in remote parts of Africa and third world countries are too busy suffering from diptheria, polio, rubella, hepatitis, pertussis, etc. to worry too much about where they might be on the spectrum. That's kind of the point.

[Anonymous]

This subject has been exhaustively researched, with many studies looking at huge cohorts:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/347/19/1477

But some people will never be persuaded by evidence - even when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA), the CDC, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) are all in agreement.

[Anonymous]

To the PP, the study you cited is solely focused on the MMR and autism. Many people today are not just concerned about the MMR/autism link, but about the vaccination schedule more generally. Our children are being vaccinated with an ever increasing number of vaccinations in a very short period of time. I think it is reasonable to question whether the administration of such a large number of vaccinations in such a short period of time is wise and whether it has any unintended consequences.

[Anonymous]

I could be very very wrong here, but, I recall learning that the basis for the American vax schedule is to have a given child fully immunized by kindergarten. And since you can't give, say, 3 DtaPs in a one-year period to the same person .... they space them in X manner.

Point being, that's why very young babies get so many vax early on, instead of being 4 or 5 yrs old for booster #2.

[Anonymous]

I was told by my pedi that another reason they give so many so fast is b/c of the problem with followup. People tend to bring their kids to the pedi in for the first couple of years, then drop off. There was a recent study that showed that for a particular vaccine that has to be given in three shots spaced over time, more than 50% of the kids didn't get all three doses (or something like that). It was quite surprising.

I just gave me DD the recommended vaccines at her 2 month appt but would like to space out the rest. Could somone post or send a link to a good alternative schedule. i don't want to buy another book.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

If there is such a strong link between the vaccine and autism, why isn't autism the norm, because following the recommended vaccine schedule is the norm? DS had all the vaccines and shows no signs of autism...

[Anonymous]

Here is a great article. Make sure you watch the video. Basically, there is a lack of sufficient research into this issue because the medical community is scared of what they will find, scared of what it would do to the rate of vaccinations in this country. But is being scared a good reason not to pursue a link? Is being scared a good reason to vaccinate, or not to vaccinate, for that matter? It's time some substantial research is done so parents can have answers, and not be in the dark.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/12/couricandco/entry4090144.shtml

[Anonymous]

PP - Thank you for posting that article. I think it made a number of very important, rational, and non-hysterical points - primarily that the research is still inconclusive.

[Anonymous]

They have actually just started saying not to vaccinate animals so frequenlty. That all the shots given to puppies, in such a short period, were causing more health problems later on.

[Anonymous]

i'm SO angry and confused about this whole thing. i would like to use the alternate vaccine schedule advocated in dr. sears' book (an excellent, unbiased approach IMHO), but the only doc I can find around here (not exactly a remote location but the nation's capital) is a fringe one who doesn't take insurance, and it' lucky that he even exists.

why will no mainstream pediatricians be flexible on this? IMO, they are just worried about covering the whole thing up.

[Anonymous]

Vaccinate agaist HIB and DTP; HIB is around and so are whooping cough and tetanus. They can hurt your baby. Don't worry so much about the vaccines against things your baby is not likely to be exposed to. Our kids don't have a snowball's chance in hell of being one of the 1,200 people per year ON THE ENTIRE GLOBE who get polio -- all on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE, by the way. And vaccinating your baby against polio won't help kids in Indonesia avoid getting it, either, no matter what the WHO says. It's like saying, "eat your peas because kids are starving in Africa." So unless you're planning on going to Indonesia, put off the polio vaccine until your child is older. If you and your family don't have hepatitis, that can also wait (it's spread through bodily fluids; if they're in daycare, that's another matter). Almost all of us lived through chicken pox, and all the kids we grew up with did too, and no one I know had anything more than bad itching from it. So put that one off, too. MMR is tricky because measles and mumps are out there. See if you can get the vaccines seperately instead of in the triple dose. (You may have to have your doctor write a prescription for you to pick up the vaccines separetly at a pharmacy -- Cathedral pharmacy and Knowles apothecary carry them I think -- since most peds. only use the MMR triple vaccine.)