One of the vaccines that has been controversial is the HPV vaccine advertised for everyone from age 9 – 26. Just Google “HPV Researcher Speaks Out” to find a list of articles regarding the efficacy of this vaccine. One of the primary researchers attended a conference and proceeded to inform the audience, mostly doctors, that the vaccine does not offer much benefit when compared with the risks. This makes me wonder how much of the vaccine market is profit driven? I urge parents to always question authority and make informed decisions.
Parents are concerned about childhood vaccines. When I was a child I only had two vaccines and I was older, not a baby. My son, who is in his thirties, had ten doses. Now there are many more doses to be given to children. I find this concerning. Parents from other western countries ask me why?! It seems no other country offers as many as we do in the US. Autism is epidemic with stats from one child in eighty-eight to one in fifty being reported. Are vaccines at fault? They certainly are a contributing factor. There are many factors that contribute to chemical exposure for children. Stress is also a factor. Risk vs possible benefit must always be considered.
I tried to count the number of vaccines recommended on the CDC web site for infants through six years. I couldn’t really figure it out. There are currently many more resources for parents who want to make informed decisions. I urge parents to consider each vaccine individually and if breastfeeding (no supplementation with formula) they can consider postponing vaccines. Some parents choose to give only one vaccine at a time as doctors often suggest multiple vaccines at the same time. There are many variables to consider. Giving vaccines to pregnant mothers is also of great concern to me.
One resource that many parents use is The Vaccine Book by Robert Sears MD. This is a great place to start your investigation. There are other books as well. It is possible to get a religious exemption for day care or school entrance. You can find more information by searching on line. I used “religious exemption Illinois” and came up with a lot of useful information. Parents have rights and need to know their options.