AboutMary Pat, R.N. Expertise I am happy to answer general non-diagnostic questions on infant & child care, infant & toddler feedings, discipline, illnesses, and how to access resources for the child with special needs.
Experience I am a pediatric nurse, an R.N. with 40 years experience first as manager of a community hospital pediatric department & 11 years working in a private pediatric practice. I have managed more than 100,000 phone calls from parents in private practice.
Question QUESTION: Hi, my question is about vaccinations and how safe they really are. I have been trying to do my own research on vaccinations so i can make a decision on them for my 6 week old son, who is due for them at his 8 week check up. I can not find anything positive on them on the internet. Everything is so negative, and it really scares me, I tear up thinking about doing this to my baby thinking something may happen to him. If pregnant women can't have mercury, why do vaccines contain mercury? and why is there all this controversy over DPT and MMR linking them both to SIDS and autism? I am so scared!! i dont want anything to happen to my little guy. Do you have any advice for me?
ANSWER: Dear Rebecca:
You have been doing research on the wrong sites. The most honest information about immunizations can be found at www.immunizationinfo.org
I will tell you this. There are always risks associated with any immunization but they are extremely rare. The childhood infectious diseases they are protecting your child from can all be deadly and they can still infect your baby. Whooping cough (pertussis) is occuring in several states in the USA at this very time. Tetanus can occur without protection. Diptheria has broken out in Europe in countries where they eased up on immunizing against it. Polio still occurs in the mid east and Africa and can cause death. Measles, mumps and Rubella (German measles) still occurs in our country among non immunized children and can cause terrible complications. Varicella (chicken pox) circulates all over the country year round now and can affect the brain. It is not a benign disease. Hepatitis can be contracted without protection and 30 years down the road will cause liver cancer.
I assure you that no pediatric vaccine contains mercury any longer and there is no scientific proof that MMR or any other vaccine has caused SIDS or autism. You can find web sites that say it does but this is not true.
I have two beautiful grandaughters and would never have suggested to my daughter to avoid immunizations. Aside from the momentary needle stick discomfort they got thru their immunizations just fine. I have seen some of the diseases that children can get thruout my nursing career and recognize the risk of not immunizing a child is far greater than their getting the immunizations.
The baby may be fussy for 24 to 36 hours after the immunizations are given and they may get some fever but if you use infant Tylenol drops for the first 24 hours after the shots are given the baby will feel more comfortable.
Vaccines are safe. Getting one of the diseases is not. Have your doctor give you vaccine information sheets on each vaccine that is going to be given. This is required by federal law. Then you can educate yourself with good, accurate information. You can ask the pediatrician's office to have those information sheets at their front desk for you to pick up ahead of time so you may be fully informed. The vaccines your baby will get now are: Hepatitis B, DTaP, HiB, Prevnar, Polio and Rota virus. Three of those vaccines will be combined in one injection so the baby would be given 3 injections and one oral vaccine.
Mary Pat
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QUESTION: you did make me feel more comfortable about vaccinations. Thank you. Can you tell me what HiB, prevnar and Rota virus is? I never heard of them. Also, why would i vaccinate my son for Hep B when its contracted thru unprotected sex of an infected person, dirty needles, or thru me when i was giving birth to him..
Could i space out these injections, instead of having him getting all of these at once? I know that DTaP is the 3 in one shot. i appreciate your help! Thank you!
Answer Rebecca:
HiB vaccine protects against a bacterial infection called Haemophilus influenzae which can cause meningitis during infancy. It requires 3 to 4 doses depending on type of vaccine used and is usually completed by the time a child is 15 months old. It has nothing to do with the flu virus. Prevnar protects against another bacterial infection of the blood stream caused by the pneumococcal bacteria a common cause of ear infections in young children and infants. It does not prevent ear infections but it does control the invasive properties of this bacteria by preventing it from getting into the bloodstream which can cause death. This vaccine is administered 4 times in the first year of life. Rota virus is a gastrointestinal virus that causes many infants and toddlers to be hospitalized for dehydration. It is only given up to 8 months of age and is given two to 3 times depending on brand of vaccine used. It is given orally.
You are correct Hepatitis B is contracted by all of the ways you mention but it is given early in life so it is not forgotten. It is important for a child to get it before they become sexually active and in some urban areas that may be as young as 9 to 10 years of age. Usually the first dose is given after birth in the hospital.
DTaP is a combined vaccine and has been for quite a long time. There is a newer vaccine which combines DTaP, Polio and Hepatitis B. In essence the child is given all 5 at once.
I don't recommend spacing out the immuniations because he will get this same round of vaccines every 8 weeks, three times. You would just be prolonging your child's and your misery about this whole thing. It will take you quite a while to finish up if you separate them out. Honestly, it is up to your child's doctor whether he will agree to doing that.
