Q’s for non vaxxers

I started looking at vaccines by going to the library and seeing what books on vaccines they had. As a sample I read Just a Little Prick (and From One Prick To Another) by Peter and Hilary Butler, the Immunisation handbook from the MoH, The truth about vaccines : how we are used as guinea pigs without knowing it by Richard Halvorsen, Investigate Before you Vaccinate by Susan K Claridge, the Complete Idiot's Guide to Vaccination, and Vaccines: what you should know by Paul Offitt. There aren't any 'middle of the road' books so you have to read 'pro' books and 'against' books.

The Butlers also have a couple of websites:

Beyond Conformity and Beyond Vaccination

Inside Vaccines is an interesting read, though apparently they have more an 'anti' vax stance...but oddly are often quoted by 'pro' vaxers.

Then there's medical journals, books on the history of disease in general, and immunology. Depends on how in depth you want to go with it.

Yeah i figured it would go either way! Just interested in reading up on it as i've sort of just done what i was told for the first round would like to have a proper think before i continue.

Thanks for the reading list mumtooboys, i will look them up :)

You can also choose which vaccines you want to do - rather than doing them all - some parents don't know that - I certainly didn't!

High9 wrote: You can also choose which vaccines you want to do - rather than doing them all - some parents don't know that - I certainly didn't!

Well sort of. LOL If it is a single vaccine like Prevenar or in DS2's case MeNZB, you can decline to have it.

If it is a combination vaccine though, it's a bit trickier. For example we've said that we wouldn't necessarily mind if DS2 had mumps vaccine if he hasn't had them by a certain age, but you can't get mumps vaccine on its own, so it's MMR or nothing.

I have heard that some GPs have access to single vaccines that there are combos for, but that's not widely known, and I haven't been able to get any specific names.

I probably wouldnt be looking into it if the nurse who did the 6 week ones wasnt so freaking rude about it - when i tried to ask questions she basically told me to be quiet because they (medical professionals) know best and when i asked what exactly was in the jabs told me it was listed in my plunket book, i could look later. I felt a bit...forced into it so will be more prepared for the next round! He may very well continue to get the full recommended schedule but at least i'll know i made a researched thought out decision instead of being steamrollered by a nurse with a pointy stick!

Kellie thats brilliant thank you so much - my library had a useless selection.

Mumtooboys has given you loads but will just add.

Inside vaccines have a website and a facebook page. The other site that is quite good is http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/ which is run by doctors (is anti vaccine though). They are both from the US though so you have to remember that their schedule is a lot more intense than ours so not all the stats etc match up.
www.immune.org.nz is our government site and you can enter the health provider part of the site as well as the parent part, theres a lot of useful info on their, including a rebuttal to the just a little prick book, which I found a very interesting read.
It is unfortunately about reading both sides and then coming to a conclusion on it, shame their aren't any unbiased resources.

You have the right as a parent to ask the medical professionals as many questions as you like about any treatment before your child recieves it. I expect that nurse actually has no idea what is in the vaccines and just doles them out and that's why she was so rude. If something like that happens next time either ask to speak to the doctor or to see the package insert of the vaccine or other medicine.

Oh and actually that is another really good resource, you can look up what vaccines are on our schedule (the specific manufacturers name as different companies make versions of MMR etc, MOH has this info on their site) and then google for the pdfs of the package inserts they are easy to find the companies just let you download them.

Good luck and you are making a fantastic choice by deciding to get informed, an informed decision is the best decision whatever you choose to do.

Wow - I'm definitely a pro-vaccine person (educated and informed), but you totally have the right to ask as many questions as you need/want to when you or your children are receiving any medical treatment. That is appalling treatment you received from that nurse, and if you are up for it, I think it would definitely be worth laying a formal complaint.

It's 'funny' because we have a right to be fully informed and make informed choices etc yet this just doesn't happen imo with vaccinating! It sucks.

DD is due to get her 15mo ones in about a months time and I'm really on the fence about what to do. In my family and DPs family it is the normal/'right' thing to do so I get a lot of pressure there. Although I could just 'pretend' to have it done. I am sure he doesn't even know she's due for them!

With the 6 week ones I was on the fence but family urged me it was the right thing and same with docs, nurses etc. So we did them. And same with the 3 and 5 month ones.

I was incredibly pro-vaccine when I had my first 2 children. However after various health probs with both of them - multiple chemical sensitivities, multiple food allergy, eczema and reflux, I decided that if I wanted to heal them and help prevent any future children maybe having the same issues I needed to look at everything that could be contributing. I am a health professional, this meant that I could read a lot of medical papers and understand them critically. What I cam to realise that in every clinical trial (and which there were alarmingly few quality ones) MY children were in the excluded bunch due to their specific problems. This has caused a bit of an about-face by me. But all I can stress is that you should be fully informed, I do not press my views on anybody else although I am asked a lot about it by various people. What I know and believe is right for my children applies to MINE only, other people can be informed and make their own decisions to suit there situation

The really great news for us is that both kids are much improved and our latest addition appears so far to be completely unaffected by the same probs as her big brother and sister

Hi Pippee

I am also in Medicine and was wondering what papers you were refering to that excluded your children?

I have access to all major resources so if you could just give me the title or author it would a help a bunch :)