Need Advise on Repeating Immunizations

Wow that is horrible. I think you should demand the doctors office pay for your daughter to have blood work done to test her titers to the diseases she was immunized for. They can check with a blood test if the immunizations worked to build up immunity in your daughter. If they have there is no reason to repeat the immunization process. Also there are a few immunizations you should not repeat as they are no longer neccessary after age one-I know HIB is one.

You should educate yourself and read some books on immunizations. I have a good one I will get you the name of, I have lent the book to a friend. I found it very helpful as it was not extreme either pro or anti immunization. You should also contact the national non-profit educational organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood vaccine injuries and deaths through public health education.
www.nvic.org They will probably have information for you that will be very helpful. There is a phone number on the web site and a help line.

I personally would be very hesitant to repeat the process and impact my daughters immune system and health. We chose to pick and chose the immunizations we gave our daughter and when we gave them to her. She actualy had a strong adverse reaction and developed an intense allergy to soy(as some of the immunizations are grown in soy) and we struggled for a year with debilitating eczema. There are pros and cons to immunizations and if you have another doctor in the area I think it would be worth getting a 2nd opinion or at least calling NVIC and doing a bit of research and definitely demanding the doctors office pay for the blood work testing.

Good Luck

I encourage you to research about immunizations as many are not necessary. By Colorado State law you have the right to decline immunizations for personal or religious reasons. I had a home birth and just took our 3 month old for her first pediatrician visit and we refused them. If your doctor is insistant, then I would find another one. Our doctor just said that we need to understand that our baby is at risk and that there are some that are more necessary than others so if we decide we want some later she can let us know which ones are more beneficial. After research, we decided that our baby is more at risk from what is in the immunizations (like mercury and formaldehyde) than the risk of getting polio (when was the last time you heard of a case, by the way?) or even chicken pox that we all lived through. And, if you don't have hep B, then how is your infant going to get it? Is she shooting up behind your back? It is completely your choice as a parent and I do encourage you to do some research both pro and con and weigh it out. I think that not enough parents know that we have the choice whether to get them or not and so most just do what the doctor says. I don't know of a baby that doesn't get sick the day after shots and once you read what is in them, it isn't shocking why. We have decided to wait at least until our children are older and weigh more... maybe grade school, but maybe not. My nephew is 2 1/2 and he only had his very first round and then my sister did research and has refused them every since and he is completely healthy while his cousins who have had every round have asthma and get sick all the time. Coincidence? Maybe.

Hi B.
My husband and I decided to not get our son immunized until he was seven years old. He was in private day care occasionally but I was home with him most of the time. He was healthier than most of my friend's children and he is to this day. He is twelve now. Vaccinations are not required. You are allowed to sign a waiver for personal reasons for any or all vaccines. Parents need to inform themselves about the risks involved with getting immunizations. I suggest you take a bit of time to educate yourself on each injection they plan to give your child and then decide how important you think it is for her to have it. Then decide when she needs it given. Just because they are telling you how to do it and when, doesn't mean you are required to do it that way. There are many great resourses out there to help you make an informed decision. I hope this was helpful.
K.

B., that is so awful for you! I know it's difficult enough to make the decision a first time, let alone a second. I have two thoughts for you--first, to pick up the vaccine book by Dr. Sears. It tells all the concerns with shots, what's in them, the good, the bad, the side effects, etc. You may even want to send them an email or check the Dr. Sears website (askdrsears.com) for more information about having to do all vaccinations again. They really shouldn't have to do all vaccinations, only those effected that one time. Second thought: not sure where you are, but a local Dr. in Boulder does a lot of speeches & research on vaccinations and he may be a good one to consult. He is an MD, but leans towards a holistic approach. He recommends certain vaccinations, against others and for others at a later date. I was really impressed with what he had to say--to get all those shots again would put quite a bit of aluminum in her little body--again--so I would definitely get a second opinion from an office other than your doctor's office. The MD's website is http://www.mindfulpediatrics.com. If you're not local, maybe he'll do a phone consult. Don't let the doctors pressure you--go with your gut on this one. That is a lot to do to a 17 month old. Hang in there!

I will try not to get on my soap box but if the shots contained themorsol you baby would have 250 times the recommended amount of mercury in their system. Yes the extra shots are harmful. and the only thing that is really going got hurt your child is polio and with out sanitation it is just not around. The other childhood diseases will only strenghten your childs immune system.
Dr. L.

Please read www.thinktwice.com and www.generationrescue.org before you make your decision for your precious little one! I would not do what they are asking you to do with all those repeat shots! I have a whole library on this subject if you are interested in some of the titles to read, I will email them to you. I have way too many friends with children that have been damaged or died from severe reations to these shots, including my own child.
I know this is a very contraversial subject, so I'm sure many will reply with nasty comments to me, but I felt a need to tell you some of these sites/books so you can make an informed decision.
Blessings!

Dear B.,

I would not repeat the immunizations. My kids are all grown and out of the house, but with all the reading and research I have read, if I was to do it all over again I wouldn't immunize at all.

Do your research. Go on line and read about the mercury that is in those shots, increased autism and many other problems. It is your decision but just be wise and follow your motherly intuition.

I was married to a doctor for 20 years and saw a lot of overprescribing and how the almighty pharmacutical companies aren't about health but it's all about wealth. I'm grateful that we have modern day doctors but they only know what they have been taught. There are many learned natural practioners that have years of experience that can improve our health and save us money too. My kids actually call me now for health advice and not their Dad the doctor because they've seen my health improve and want more natural ways to heal their bodies.

Just do your homework and be wise.

J. Currey

I just wanted to say that I am glad to see all the responses against repeating the immunizations. I have chosen not to give my children the immunizations and would NEVER allow them to pump those things into my babies TWICE! I've seen the horrible effects that those drugs can have on an infant. I babysat a little girl who was born healthy but became severely mentally and physically handicap emmediatly after having the immunizations as an infant. If your little girl is healthy, I say don't fix what aint broke.

Good morning B. K. I'm an MA (Medical Assistant) for a family practise office and do lots of shots for my little ones that come in our office. If the door of the frig was left ajar for one evening, I can definately agree with redoing the MOST RECENT shot series that your little girl recieved and NOT all of her shots since birth. The only imminuzations that would have been affected were her last given imminuzations. And always remember this too, that, if you have any questions about her shot series, please call your local Health Department and they will have all the answers that you need. Have a great day.

My suggestion to you is to research the issue thoroughly before agreeing to "re-immunize" your child. You can start with a google search, and find some good books that provide BOTH sides of the immunization story. When I started doing my research, I ceased immunizing my children altogether because of the troubling information I found about the potential effects the immunizations have on young children as well as the research I found which showed that immunizations are not always effective. We've chosen to concentrate on building our children's immune systems so they are better able to handle illness rather than take a chance with immunizations that could compromise their immune systems. It's a personal choice, but I was amazed at the information I found on the subject when I began to look. Good luck, I know the decision isn't an easy one, but there is so much information available on the subject these days that you can be truly well informed before jumping into anything you may regret later.

T.

Hi B.
From the reading I have done and the way I now understand vaccinations I would not repeat the shots. I personally do not vaccinate my 2 daughters. I read a very enlightening book titled The Sanctity of Human Blood : Vaccination is Not Immunization by Tim O'Shea www.thedoctorwithin.com. You can order the book from his website and do your own research. If indeed the vaccinations were not effective the first time and you still want her vaccinated after you do your own research, she will be receiving booster shots in a few years. It is difficult to see your baby in pain and to know that the first round was supposedly "worthless" would be very upsetting.
Good luck in your quest.
L.

I agree with Melissa B. I think your daughter will be fine until kindergarten, especially if you feed her a healthy diet and keep her immune system strong through diet and vitamins. The odds of her getting any of those diseases is pretty slim anyway.

Hi...I am a provider and would like to share a few thoughts. If your daughter has not had reactions to previous vaccines, then it is "safe" to do them over again. Unfortunately, manufacturers have to preserve and increase the potency of the the attentuated virus or bacteria with aluminum and or thimerosal (now banned by the FDA). The FDA states that a 24 pound toddler can safely receive 60mcg a day of aluminum without serious effects. As listed on the insert packaging: HIB has 225mcg, Pediatrix (DTaP, Hep B, Polio) has 850mcg, Pentacel (DtaP, HIB, Polio) has 330mcg and Pneumo has 125mcg. Luckily our bodies are fairly resilient, but be careful about multiple shots all at once. They overload the immune system and liver detoxification system. Your daughter's immune system isn't truly mature enough to make long lasting antibodies till she is six anyway, so most of the shots we give do not confer a protective effect in the very young. I state all this because I want my patients to always be fully informed about everything. A good website for reference is National Vaccine Information Center. Dr Sears agrees with me and has written an excellent publication, "The vaccine book," which I recommend. Parents are faced with many difficult decisions today, but they should always be given all the available research. Hope this helps and does not confuse you further. HN

Dear B.,
I have NEVER immunized my children! I have a almost 17 year old and a 14 year old. I don't beleive in putting a dead disease in the body protects us! As long as our immuse system is healthy by the things we put in our bodies, then we are safe! When we were little they never gave us shots so early in life! I am agaist putting these forein substances in are little guys bodies before they even get a chance in life! There is a book called "Shot in the Dark" It's very hard to find any more because it was band. I suppose someone didn't want the truth to be put out! My theory is that Autisum has something to do with shots! Love Lori

Dear Brook, I would take this as a sign...Perhaps you should research the possibile link b/t autism and vaccinations. I refuse vaccinations because in america, 1 in 100 boys develops autism after the 2nd birthday...perhaps it is a link with the heavy metals used to preserve the innoculation, or something else, but I am not risking it until my son is older. If you want a good basic look at this phenom...Oprah's page, http://www.oprah.com has an old archive of the Jenny McCarthy story. Search her, or autism/vaccines. If you are concerned about needing shots for Day Care, you can sign a "religious objection form" to side-step this. I wish you and your family well.

I think you should read up on immunizations. After reading info at www.mercola.com we opted out of the last set for our youngest child. It's a personal decision, but worth getting info on. I do know if it were me, I'd not do it.

Hello B.,

I am sorry to hear about your situation! I am a new mom and have done lots of research on vacinatations. have you ever heard of Dr. Marcola? Check out his website for info for vacinnations. He is a wealth of knowledge.
Kate

I stopped immunizing my kids, even when they were in daycare. Here are 3 reasons:
One: illness after shots (as you've described, and is considered normal)
Two: If I file "personal objection" to shots, I am on the list of first people called if there is an outbreak. Me and my kids will stay home. I find this comforting, even for the things she is already immunized for.
Three: Immunizations can be administered at an older age and protect as sufficiently. It is less traumatic and something my kids can be a part of instead of subjected to.

This is my own personal opinion. I was not swayed by all the literature I read on Autism and other super-negative side effects. The above are my only reasons, and my husband and I feel they are legitimate enough to employ.

You are in a tight spot. Not doing it could expose her to deadly illness, however I would really want her tested to absolutely make sure she wasn't covered by the vaccinations she has already had. Is there a way to test her? You said she doesn't feel well after her vaccines, well then that means something went through her body. Doesn't seem to me to be a very thorough dr office! Also research if some of the vaccine has been okay then what does it do if she gets a double dose?? What are the health risks there and even call your local health dept. Do some homework, call around other Pediatric offices and get more advice on what they think. Good luck.

Brook,

I am a mother of a three year old girl and a 7 month old boy. I am personally very weary of vaccines. I would be especially weary of getting them over again. I have read several articles and it seems that it is a complex issue, I think, because we just don't know all the effects of vaccines and because it's hard to get reliable information. For now my position is that vaccines are not a good idea and that a better alternative is to build immunity through natural ways (taking care of our bodies, minds and spirit through nutrition, sunlight, exercise, healthy lifestyle) and alternative medicines such as herbs and homeopathics, used wisely. At the least, wait until your daughter is older, atleast 2, maybe 3 or 4 years old before giving any more vaccines, so as to give time for her immune system to develop and then give only mercury free vaccines. Do your own study of vaccines through books, internet, and asking questions to anyone that you feel could help you learn all you can about the issue. Try www.mothering.com. I know there are many books and other publications and internet sites. The information I personally have is in the form of articles that I wouldn't know how to pass on very easily, but I think mothering.com could lead you to others sources. I have a list of sources that I recently received from a naturopathic doctor. I haven't had the chance to look at them too closely but here they are.

Books/publications:
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children't Vaccination, by Stephanie Cave, M.D.
Vaccinations. A Thoughtful Parent's guide, by Jill Romm
DPT: A shot in the Dark, by Harris Coulter and Barbara Loe Fisher
Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? A Parents Guide to Childhood Shots, by Niel Z. Miller, 6th edition
Vaccinations and Immunizations: Dangers, Delusions, and Alternatives, by Leon Chaitow
The Immunization Decision: A Guide for Parents, by Randall Neustaedter
Mother Magazine: Special Edition on Immunizations
Vaccinations: The Rest of the Story, by Mothering Magazine
The Case Against Immunizations, by Richard Moskowitz, M.D.
Your Personal Guide to Immunizations Exemptions, by Grace Girdwain
The Consumers Gide to Childhood Vaccines, by Barbar Loe Fisher
The Immunization Resource Guide, by Diane Rozario, 4th edition

Internet sites:
www.healthy.net/vaccine
www.thinktwice.com

I hope this helps. I did not include all of the publication info just because it's a lot to write, but if you want more info on any of the sources, let me know.

Personally, I wouldn't do it, I would just keep vaxing on schedule. But at a minimum, I would call your doctors office and ask them to test your daughters titer levels. This should tell you the level of antibodies in her blood, then you can decide from there. The test should be preformed for free because of their error.

Hey there B.. I understand your struggle with the immunizations. When I had my boys we decided to not immunize at all. My father in law ia a chiropractor and he had learned a lot of interesting facts about the shots. What I suggest to you is to get some reading material on the different immunizaztions. One of the books I read was A Shot In The Dark. It will give you something to think about. I am not saying that this is what you should or should not do but I wish everyone were at least educated on it so they could make their own decision. This is a subject I feel really strong about and if you would like to talk more aobut it please get in contact with me. H.

I am a little shocked that your doctor would recommend to repeat ALL vaccinations, without recommending as other mothers have already noted, to test for the titers to see if any of the previous shots had worked, or simply to booster only for the last dose that was "bad." This is disturbing to me. I mean, how long was the fridge door left open really? In deciding what to do, a good book I would recommend is "The Vaccine Book, making the right decision for your child" by Robert W. Sears. It contains a balanced, reasonable up-to-date discussion of the pros and cons of vaccination. But I would absolutely get a second opinion from another pediatrician. Getting that many additional vaccinations is a BIG deal. (Not to mention all the time and effort required on your part). And it makes me question what on earth your pediatrician is thinking...Best wishes.

I think you can have your child tested to see if the vaccines are providing adequate immunity (although it's a blood test that will require a blood draw). We had to have a few immunizations repeated because the temp on the fridge wasn't set properly. It wasn't fun, but I think it's worth it if it will help protect them for life (besides, they forget about the shots pretty quickly).

As for the risk of autism, do your research on that. They've found no correlation between the two. Most children begin exibiting signs of autism between 12-18 months which just happens to coincide with some immunizations - it's pure coincidence.

I think that is all good advice. My children are both adopted from Korea and because of not being sure of exactly what they were given, we were advised to repeat immunizations. We did... the kids are 5 & 9 years old and absolutely fine.

As a mother of 4 children and one that has complied with vaccinating my children I would really think hard about doing repeat immunizations. Personally I would NOT repeat
them but remain consistent with the remainder that are coming up. Don't let your child be in the newest "test" population
for what happens to a baby when immunizations are given twice (regardless of whether or not the vaxes were at the correct temp.) Always be cautious when it comes to extra vaccinations.
They have already signed you off and cannot make you comply if you do not feel comfortable about having them redone.

I personally wouldn't put a 17 mo old through that again. Especially with all the speculation with autism at that age. She is going to have to get boosters for kindergarten anyway, and the chances of her coming down with a disease in the next 3 years is probably slim. I had horrible reactions to vaccines when I was a baby and my mom only let them give me 1/2 a dose. I'm sure she got some of the vaccine even if the temp wasn't perfect.

I'm so sorry you are faced with this. I would be furious! I remember feeling so relieved when my son finally got his last shots and if they told me to do it again I would have a fit.
Good Luck!
M.

This is exactly what happened to us. Our daughter was 18 months and we were notified of the "improper temperatures" of the vaccine storage from our old dr office (by then we had moved out of state). After much debate, we decided to do blood draws to test for the titers to see if any of the previous shots had worked. Obviously we didn't want to just give her extra shots if she didn't need them. Long story short, we discovered that she needed all the shots over again! But since she was already 18 months, the dr told us that she actually didn't need all of them. We did a few of them, but not all. The dr told us that we could wait and have some as boosters when she is older. The old dr office covered the re-vaccinations price, but not the blood titers tests. Bottom line: I would test the titers to see if she actually needs them again and/or talk w your dr about not giving her so many shots at once. It is the worst feeling in the wold that you have to inflict more pain on her! Good luck!

Dear B., Before you decide this, I strongly suggest that you, and all parents or anyone considering immunizations for themselves, research this thoroughly. It would be well worth it to watch the feature-length video at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2...
en-t-safe.aspx. If the link does not work, go to www.mercola.com and search on "Why vaccines aren't safe." There is a lot of information on the internet about this. You could Google the same phrase and you'd learn so much. Best of luck in your decision. L. C.

I understand how frustrating this is for you and your daughter. I would suggest that you should repeat the immunizations for your daughter's future health. They are important! The incidence of diseases that were previously eradicated in the US has risen dramatically because parents who don't vaccinate their children expose the rest. These diseases travel to the US from overseas and then unvaccinated children are at risk.

Maybe you can schedule the shots with a nurse on Friday afternoons so that she can have a quiet day on Saturday. Kids tend to feed off of our emotions so try to make it a positive mandatory experience for your daughter and don't let her think it is a bad thing. I've seen a lot of children (including one of my own) get themselves worked up over shots and blood tests. Tell her it will pinch but will be fine in a few seconds. Give her some Tylenol on your way there to decrease her pain afterward.

Good luck! I am sorry this happened. It is very unfortunate but the consequences of the diseases she could get would be much worse!

1st get a 2nd opinion!!! Then talk to your boss and if your boss has kids they will understand!

How ANNOYING!!!

I would recommend that you ask the office to draw titers to check her immunity levels. It is a simple blood draw (better that then all those shots again!) and they can determine what, if any, immunizations she needs to repeat. It measures the level of antibodies. I worked in healthcare and had this done to avoid the Hep B series when they lost my paperwork.

Unbelievable. I would be pretty irrate.

I would ask them to draw titers on all of the immunizations at their cost to see if your daughter even needs the shots. FOr them to repeat the shots would be a very minimal cost but the titers cost alot more money and that is prob why they did not offer you that. A titer is a blood test to see if your daughter has had the immunization. Good luck

Check with your doctor to see if they will do a blood test to see if your daughter has seroconverted to the vaccinations that she already received. Maybe she won't have to repeat any vaccinations, which would be wonderful! I wouldn't want to repeat the vaccinations, either... for MANY reasons.

B. I went through the same thing with my daughter when she was an infant. The doctors office froze their vaccinations, I was so mad! When I questioned them about it I talked to a nurse who is also a mom. She said that having a double dose of vaccine will not hurt them but not having any of the vaccine can hurt them. I chose to redo the immunizations and they had a clinic where I didn't have to see the doctor. I was able to take her in on my time and never had to pay for any of it. The second time around was harder on my daughter with the reactions but that was over 3 years ago and she is fine now. If there is a test available that can be done to determine the level of antibodies then I would ask for that but I would not say no to getting her vaccinated.

B., I would call a different pediatrician 1st to see what they think there are so many side effects that you should do everything you can to be sure that precautionary measures are taken.

Try Premier Pediatrics - in Brighton.

I would be sure to do a lot more online research about this before allowing them to readminister these immunizations. See if you can find other cases like yours.

Repeating all the previous immunizations sounds like a ridiculous request to me. You should know that I am not one to always follow the required schedule, and I refuse some immunizations altogether (Like the one for hepatitis). Surely they cannot all have been compromised, and if you simply proceed with boosters and future shots as scheduled, it should be fine. Probably if you pulled a nurse aside, she would tell you the same thing, but they are probably required by law to suggest a complete redo. There is some controversy about the adverse effects of too many shots too close together. I would err on the side of less is more. I did not begin my children's immunizations until they were twelve months old, with the goal of being complete (with some exemptions) by the age of four. I have four healthy children ages 7,13,16, and 18.

I feel for you, what a hassle! I'd like to believe that Doctors know best, and they are well educated and trained in their areas. There are probably several other children out there that are having to repeat the shots also. If the Doctor's office is compensating the shots, then it does not seem likely that they are trying to mislead or misinform you. My opinion would be to trust your doctor-even if it is an unfair hassle.

B. - it looks like you've had excellent advice. We don't vaccinate because our children are allergic to dairy and some of the other ingredients. However, if you are feeling ambivelent, I also recommend you simply get your child tested for immunity first. Then you'll know which ones you definitely don't have to repeat, and that will put your mind at ease.

I would get the blood test that everyone's talking about ;) Then I'd get her only the shots she needs. I would repeat the shots she needs.

Try getting the shots on Friday. She won't need to see the doctor - just the nurse - so times will be more flexible.

To each his/her own, but my advice is REPEAT the immunizations! Isn't peace of mind that your daughter is safe from certain diseases and healthy more important than a little inconvenience getting her to/from the doctors office? Once she starts school, she will also need verification that these immunizations were given. Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

If it were me I would have them all re-done....I would be mad at the doctor but being a daycare provider I believe in every child being fully immunized

A.

You might want to read Dr. Robert Sears' book about immunizations and also educate yourself about aluminum in vaccines.

Of course the manufacturers and CDH are going to say they are safe to do again -- that's twice as much money in their pocket. Not necessarily from you but from the insurance companies. And yes, the drug manufacturer's money is what funds a lot of of the studies that the so called "authorities" publish. We have got to realize that immunization's (and much of Western medicine) are a business and as consumers we have got to do our research before "buying" what someone tells us to. I would definitely not have your child immunized again.

Hello B., I have two daughters, ages 7 and almost 3 and can relate to your concern about repeating vaccinations! I highly recommend getting support/education/advice at mothering.com They have an online forum, too.