Immunisations...Hep B....Meningitis

Lisa.C · I Like It Here Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 75

Hi Celine,

I hope you are right, but bear in mind my little girl was a 5 week old baby and therefore not at school, we have no idea where she picked it up from? some say it lives in dust? it was a mystery.
Lisa

karltsmith · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:59 am Post subject:

Hi Celine,

Home schooling can reduce the risk a fraction but only a very small fraction....you can't keep your kids in isolation and who knows how, where or when they can pick up these diseases! You can minimise risk but the risk is still there!

fingers crossed

susanlin · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:30 am Post subject: hep b and men b

Hi Amanda

hep B isn't compulsory - like any childhood imms it is your choice. however, nurses will strongly recommend you have your children immunised along with all other immunisations. Eventually, your children will be offered the men B also. It will become part of the childhood vaccine programme. It will just take a bit of time to get going as it is a huge programme, to cover all of NZ.
I would recommend your husband having Hep B - any risk of contamination with blood or any other body fluids is a reason to have the vaccine. If he is dealing with patients in a health care setting, it is recommended although as an optometrist he is relatively low risk.
hope this helps

Sue

Celine L · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 1:01 pm Post subject:

Hi Karl and Lisa,

My husband and I lean towards alternative remedies, homeopathy, and herbalism. So far we have only selectively vaccinated our son, and that's been working very well for us. I have done quite a bit of reading on meningitis in he past, when we were offered the C vaccine here in the UK. From what I have read, only a small percentage of people who carry the bacteria contract the disease. Obviously, as loving and responsible parents - it's not a decision we take lighltly, at all.

I do feel that the topic of vaccine safety is an emotionally fraught one, and doesn't bear discussion on the internet, I hope you understand!

Right now our son is homeschooled. In a few years time, he may attend school, and we may then consider the vaccine again.

Lastly, let me add that I feel with all of the parents who have had traumatic and frightening experiences with their children. When our son was two months old, he was hospitalised for pnuemonia (RSV). They had to put the antibiotic drip in his head, because he was wriggling and crying too much for them to put it in his arm. That was the most horrible experience of my life, and to be honest, I don't think I've really been the same since.

karltsmith · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 3:33 pm Post subject:

Hi Celine,

We too had a hard time with vaccinations especially the combined MMR which after 12 months of reviewing scientific papers etc we finally went ahead with. We've also experienced SCBU with our oldest twin daughter who had trouble breathing when she was born. You are right this subject is an emotive one and there are no right and wrong answers only that each of us as parents is trying to do the best for out sons and daughters! We try to make such decisions from an informed point of view. I do however also feel that discussions like this allow wider views and discussions to take place in a non confrontational setting...and that can only be a good thing can't it? We all learn something in the process even if we don't agree with what is being said. It may even re-afirm the beliefs that we hold. I hope if nothing else that starting this thread has at least reminded people out there to add this subject to the "things to do list" or at least their " things to think about list".

Take care all Nice One

eric_amanda · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 7:25 pm Post subject:

You're right Karl and thank you for highlighting this subject for us, this is exactly what this forum is all about.

We can all make our own personal decisions in a more informed way.

Thank you Sue

Eric will look into Hep B when we arrive.

Amanda

Celine L · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 9:27 pm Post subject:

Dear Karl,

I don't think I put myself across very well in my last post.

As a parent who selectively vaccinates, I am sometimes forced to defend my parenting decisions, and I have been subject to many personal attacks in these sorts of discussions in the past!

On another website, another parent expressed an opinion that all vaccines should be compulsory, and parents who refuse them should be charged with child neglect! Can you imagine such a terrible thing? Needless to say, such opinions anger myself and my husband greatly! And having grown weary of defending myself, I now prefer not to enter such discussions at all.

However, please note that when I wrote about not wishing to discuss vaccine safety, I merely meant I didn't want to have to defend my decision on a public forum, with people I don't know.

I am very glad that you started this thread, Karl. It's a very important subject for ANY parent who is considering a move to NZ. I hope you didn't take my post the wrong way, it was certainly not an attack on your very informative post, for which I am grateful.

Lisa.C · I Like It Here Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 75

Hi Celine,

It is more than obvious that you want the best for your child, what right minded parent wouldn't, what others decide to do shouldn't make you feel bad, you are merely trying, as we are, to do what's best for your child, it is no way intended as a critisism.

We all have a right to decide what's best for our children and should never feel forced into something with which we don't agree, you are more than entitled to your opinion and i'm grateful to hear it. Clapping

Sorry to hear about your experiences with your child, it sounds like we've all had a hard time with our babies in one way or another, we all have that in common. Yes

Lisa

susanlin · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2004 11:24 pm Post subject: hep b and men b

Hi everyone

phew, what an emotive thread this is turning out to be! Thought I would put my 2 pen'orth in! I speak as a nurse and a mother - I am strongly pro vaccination but I am also very strongly pro choice. What I find very frustrating is the fact that many people make choices based on sensational tabloid reporting. I vaccinate children and adults as part of my daily work and I fully support parents in the decisions they make regarding whether to vaccinate or not. Some parents choose not to have particular vaccination but are happy to have others (MMR springs to mind). As long as parents make INFORMED choice then there is no issue. What worries me is the fact that many parents and adults are misinformed and make their decisions on wrong information and do not have the research evidence to draw upon when making their decisions. Health professionals do have that resource.
Vaccination saves lives. It is a fact. The evidence is there to prove it - with time and effort, anybody can access it via the internet. There is no reason for any parent to be misinformed - before any choices are made regarding the health of their children, parents must take responsibility for seeking out unbiased and factual information - do not rely on newspapers!

Re homeopathic vaccines - there is no evidence to support the claims that they work - it is a fact and many studies have been done but have all come to the same conclusion.

Sue

Celine L · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:01 am Post subject:

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your support, and kind words.

Celine L · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:08 am Post subject:

Hi Susanlin,

Yes, vaccines save lives. But they can also damage children. My husband and I have come to a decision on every single vaccine that our son has been offered - via careful, painstaking research, and discussions with more than one doctor.

Sorry, but I can't imagine what sort of parent would base such a crucially important decision on simply reading a couple of newspaper reports!

Regarding alternative therapies: my husband and I have been using them for years, with the best of results.

karltsmith · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 8:53 am Post subject:

Hi Celine,

I don't think you will find that anyone on the emigrateNZ forum would make personal attacks...I think the moderators would have something to say about that!!!!

I am sorry to hear of your experiences on other forums! I hope you find that this forum is populated with more helpful and considerate people who have a common goal.

I understand the reasons that lead to your choice for your son. I suppose our background in Chemistry and Biochemistry pre-determines our thinking somewhat on this issue but we still don't take claims about vaccines at face value....indeed we seek to find the evidence to support the claims of safety. Neither do we rule out treatments such as homeopathy....for some conditions I know this works very well. A friend of mine has a kidney complaint that has only been reasonably controlled by diet and homeopathy when all traditional therapies failed.

Take care and keep the contributions coming they make for a great discussion.

Nice One

susanlin · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:38 pm Post subject: vaccines

Hi Celine

Vaccines do not damage children - they save lives. That kind of comment is what causes parents to decline vaccines for their children. It is scaremongering. There is no evidence that vaccines have damaged children. I have researched extensively on the issue of vaccines as a health professional as I wanted to be absolutely sure the advice I give to parents is based on scientific evidence. The MMR controversy is one example of completely flawed research from start to finish. This research has caused so much damage and left 1000's of children unprotected against these terrible diseases.
Many years ago I nursed a child suffering from measles - it was devastating for the parents. The child had many complications including encephalitis. This was in 1986 before the MMR was introduced to the childhood vaccination programme.
I have had both my children vaccinated for every vaccine preventable disease. I had a responsibility to protect them and I relied on the scientific evidence to inform my choice. I would not choose homeopathic remedies as I am not satisfied that there is evidence to support their use. In fact, I would go as far as saying that some are positively dangerous.

Regarding newspaper reports - well I can honestly say I have dealt with many, many parents who have brought copies of the Independant, Daily Mail, Express and Guardian stating that they are very worried about vaccines as the particular articles are reporting them as dangerous. Many parents base their decisions on these reports. True! Parents just do not believe health professionals and prefer to take the advice from newspapers, dubious websites and other parents. And that is the sad part of all this - people have lost faith in health professionals. They just do not believe us! I have no agenda - I honestly believe in vaccination and my motives for recommending it are purely to protect vulnerable children from killer diseases.

A thought to leave you with.....the reason that these diseases are rapidly disappearing is because parents are having their children immunised. If the uptake falls, then the diseases will rise again. The responsible parents who vaccinate are protecting those who do not.

Sue

susanlin · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:46 pm Post subject: immunisation

PS

I am not personally attacking anybody - just expressing my strong opinion! Other points very welcome - I enjoy a good debate!

sue

karltsmith · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 2:31 pm Post subject:

Hi Sue

Thank you for your insights on this interesting thread! my wife and I also are pro vaccine for many of the reasons you have mentioned.
Nice One

As a health professional working in this area could you please keep the forum updated particularly on the progress of the meningitis immunisation programme. We are anxious to have our 2 year old daughters vaccinated asap. Nice One

Many thanks Clapping

Karl