1776 To vaccinate or not to vaccinate…

Saucy Scale: 10

I heard a wonderful episode of This American Life over the holidays.

I know that many people are VERY opinionated about the subject of vaccinating or not vaccinating their children.

One thing about this story, that I personally found very interesting, is that while both NPR (National Public Radio) and This American Life typically lean towards a more liberal bent, the story was not overtly so.

Here’s the story & I hope it helps you think about the subject of vaccinations.

podcast=http://www.thisamericanlife.org/xmlfeeds/370.xml&proxyloc=http://audio.thisamericanlife.org/player/customproxy.php

370: Ruining It for the Rest of Us

Act One. Shots in the Dark.

Measles cases are higher in the U.S. than they’ve been in a decade, mostly because more and more nervous parents are refusing to vaccinate their kids. Contributing Editor Susan Burton tells the story of what happened recently in San Diego, when an unvaccinated 7-year-old boy returned home from a trip to Switzerland, bringing with him the measles. By the end of the ordeal, 11 other children caught the disease, and more than 60 kids had to be quarantined. (21 minutes)

Bitter Pill

January 6, 2009

I heard that story, too. It’s a tough one, isn’t it? I sort of fall into the vaccinate camp because the “don’t vaccinate camp” in my opinion has less science on their side. But- you know- that’s easy for the childless guy to say.

Gregory & Heidi

Hugs! I don’t have kids so I stay out of it!

The Big U

You know my thoughts on this. 🙂

In Transit

I loved that story. Ira’s non-threatening plea also got me to contribute $20, but that’s neither here nor there. I am in the “vaccinate” camp, but think that kids get way too many all at once. 5 shots? Really? I can’t give my kid a walnut until he’s past 2 but you’re going to stick 5 kinds of (dead) bacteria or whatever in him at the same time? I prefer to space ’em out where possible.

I vowed to find a pediatrician who I felt really in tune with before Sam was born (we interviewed with a few and fell in love with one)… I promised myself that after I found him, I would listen to him, and not my great grandmother, my mom, my mil or my friends. Everyone has an opinion, but I wanted a consistent and educated advisor. That’s what I got. I think it’s so important to research things, and I’m not saying what’s right or wrong, but I will say this- I vacc. because I felt that was what was right for My Family. *gets off soap box* PS. how are you feeling lovey?

Abbey Lane

I vaccinated Emma, and if we have any more kids, they will be vaccinated too. I trust my pediatrician, and I’m more afraid of these illnesses than any possible side effects. I also had a student a few years ago who had mumps, and my husband had a student who had pertussis, so I know that these diseases are still around. I don’t know, being vaccinated myself, if I could “carry” something home, so Idon’t chance it.

That measles outbreak happened here. You bet your sweet bippy she got her MMR. I was hesitant to take her to tourist areas until she got it because heaven knows what the foreign tourists are bringing with them from home.

Andi

January 7, 2009

This was such a hard decision for me. We eventually went with a staggered schedule. Next Monday is the girls 2 year appt, and so the end of this terrifying road. It’s so hard to know what to do…