2/28/09
How Safe Are Our Children?
There is new trend arising among well-educated, wealthy families; these families are opting out of routinely scheduled vaccinations. Why? Those who believe in the dangers of vaccines argue that the additives and preservatives in these products, including formaldehyde, lead, and aluminum, are contributing factors in such childhood illnesses as juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), asthma, ADHD and a certain form of Autism Spectrum Disorders, “regressive autism”. The preservative thimerosal mentioned in the clip by Robert Kennedy, Jr. is a form of mercury. This additive had been banned by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 but has continued to be used in influenza vaccines today.
Those who do decide to opt out of vaccinations are not met receptively by those in the medical profession and the Center for Disease Control. In extreme cases it has been shown that when a parent chooses to limit or opt out of the vaccination schedule, official threats of medical neglect charges are brought forth. Parents are thrown out of their doctors’ offices and children have been refused entry into school. It is a common misconception that vaccines are required for school entry. In actuality vaccines may be “mandated” by the CDC, but are not “legally required” if proper exemption protocol is made.
1. Why do you think parents are scrutinized for opting out of routine vaccination even after they have done the research and decided immunization is too risky?
2. Why do you believe the preservatives in vaccines have not been as tightly regulated as the food we feed our children, despite of the fact that vaccines are injected directly into the blood stream?
3. For what reason would you CHOOSE TO vaccinate your child(ren) or future child(ren)?
Anonymous
Watching this video was hard. I have heard stories about children developing autism and parents linking it to vaccines, but to here the facts and statistics was staggering.
ReplyDelete1. I think parents are scrutinized for opting out of vaccines because it is still uncommon. While science seems to link vaccines to autism, it is still unknown territory. I can see a parent fearing autism, but also afraid that to chose to forgo vaccinating their child could also harm them. Medical neglect charges seem extreme, but many parents would agree that not vaccinating your child is wrong and you are failing to protect them.
2. I cannot say why the effects of vaccines haven't been studied closer. It seems unbelievable that we are just not calculating how vaccines effect children in the long term. The only reason I can see is that these stories of autism being linked to vaccines are just now being publicized. Celebrities are even supporting the cause and raising support.
3. After watching the video and reading your post, I would not vaccinate my child. To knowingly succept them to something like autism seems wrong. I understand that to forgo vaccinations could leave them susceptible to other illnesses, but it is choosing the lesser of 2 evils.