child immunizations...now they are the law

[LostEarthAngel]

Well,
I guess this is for mostly for parents.

Immunizations are now mandatory for admissions to school. So technically I guess they are the law. There is also a new vaccine for chicken pox that is also mandatory.

I think this is good. This is the way it should be. Why should my child be exposed to a deadly disease if he dosen't have to be? Why would parents take that risk? The more people choosing NOT to vaccinate thier children for moral or religious reasons is giving some of the long standing "old time" diseases a very real new foothold back into the year two thousand.

I was suprised when my best friend told me she was against someone "making her" have her daughter vaccinated against chicken pox. Even though it rarely kills, it's quite awful to see a child that miserable. The scratching and the itching, a week or more off from school. And then there is the issue of child care. Since the child cannot go to school while contagious, that means time off from work for one of the parents.

I have a new three month old baby. At his two month checkup they gave him four seperate vaccinations. Two in each leg. It was horrible to see him cry and to see this. But in the long run I feel I am doing the right thing.

Any other parents in the bowl?
Your feelings?

[pooklg]

I agree, I think it is a good thing. Even with the laws, I see children every year try to enroll for school and their records show they haven't had immunizations since they were babies, like in the hospital! These diseases aren't dead. We are immunized and it protects us against them. I remind my parents of that each time someone complains that there are "laws" that get in the way of their parenting. I agree with you, "why should children be exposed if they don't have to???" Dumb.

I have to admit, I get really sick of hearing people talking about the chicken pox vaccine. Chicken pox does kill, far more often than we are hearing about. Likewise, it kills far more than the vaccine. My son got it and although I worried, and researched, I have the peace of mind to know that he is protected somewhat. I would fear much more if he didn't have it and got it as an adult.

I am gearing up for the new school year, and with it- the advent of new complaints. In the middle of the year, we have tons of parents reminded that their children need shots or they will not be allowed to come back to school. These are follow-up shots, and every year, the children are not taken until we stand firm and have to call the parent or guardian to come and pick up their children from school as they are up on the time limit to get the shots and cannot come back until they have a note stating they have received them. We still have some that will put the child on the bus the next day, only to be sent home again, but this time, in the vehicle of the Principal. I work in a poor area, and the word is just not out there about the importance of this.

Good post, and how are both of your lil angels doing now???

[PrettyKittie]

I think it's about time that they made it the law. Yes Chicken Pox isnt as dangerous when caught in childhood but the older the person the more dangerous it is. The truth is that it can kill.
I myself don't have children as of yet but many of my close friends do. My godson turns five this year and still is not vacinated and that scares me. The reason his parents have......because they were told that the vaciene (sp?) is a vatiant of the actual disease. No matter how many times it has been explained that its such a small amount that it shouldnt cause any harm and will actually make the body make it's own antibodies to combat the disease all they hear is that its a variant of the disease.
There really needs to be more education to parents on this matter (especially with the rate of children actually having children)
PrettyKittie

[ballerinagirl]

I'm not positive, but I think here (Ontario:canada) it has always (or for a long time anyway) been mandatory. I know upon approaching fifteen if you hadn't had your booster shot they sent you a letter home reminding you to have it or you wouldn't be permitted to go back to school til you did (I think). Also we got/get some vaccinations AT school. In seventh grade (my year was when they started doing it) we all got three Hepatitis B shots, and the following year (due to an outbreak I think) everyone from junior kindergarten on up was vaccinated against measles.

[Stephy]

Can I just remind everyone that a vaccine will, in most cases, PREVENT a disease from being contracted, it does not cure it. Organisms, genes, bacteria, etc often have the ability to change and adapt to the environment sort of. So many diseases have so many various strains that vaccinating and vaccinating and vaccinating at a very fast rate (which seems to be happening with all of the talk about vaccinations being mandatory etc) may only be causing the diseases to form new strains faster. As well, for many people, the complications of certain vaccinations may pose a greater health risk than the actual disease would.
As for the statement regarding moral and religious reasons for not vaccinating, in the end, it comes down to the fact that many people do things in the name of religion, that they believe deeply in, that others just do not understand. And that is their right, as a human being to have their own faith and to follow it as they see fit. I don't know how it's going to work if the school systems try to force all children to be vaccinated, even if it's against the religious beliefs of the parents. I know that I wouldn't want to be around when human rights activists and others involved with ethics find that people may be being forced to go against their beliefs, just so their child can attend school.

[Millificent]

:confused I thought that vaccines had been mandatory for a long time. I guess it varies by state? I know that I needed to have them to register for school as a kid.

:dragon Millie

[QofC]

Millie, they have been the law for quite some time, but there were many loopholes in the :usa. Parents could sign forms to claim certain reasons (religious, etc.) to not immunize their children. :mad

Ten years ago when I was in school, a girl came down with measles (a Christian Scientist whose parents did not believe in vacinations). She nearly died. The entired school was shut down and many lives disrupted.

Please immunize your kids!
I understand the religious reasons but the kids are not old enough to make this committment, and they are the ones who have to pay the price by getting these awful avoidable illnesses.