Child Vaccination Part 1: What's the Controversy

Initially Posted on Mighty Munchkin Maintenance

During the first few months with a new baby, not only are hormones flying around like a swarm of rabid bats, but sleep deprivation makes every little incident seem like catastrophic event (it’s like being a teenager all over again). Like most parents, I had my share of crazy moments those first months, but overall I thought I was handling things rather well. Then came Kaylee’s six month wellness visit, when I was suddenly plunged deep into the abyss of the child immunization debate. You see, in all that time none of the books I read or classes I took made mention of any vaccine controversy, and why would I randomly search for it? Kaylee’s doctor suggested a flu vaccine. Diligently I asked about possible side effects and was assured there were none (that were significant). I must have been having a bad day because I agreed with no more questions. She received the vaccine; they gave me the information sheet and back home we went. Once settled back at the home front, I read the yellow information sheet where I saw words like thimerosal and autism. I started to feel queasy. What had I been thinking impulsively agreeing with the doctor? I’m more of a “let me go home, do the research, and I’ll get back to you” kind of girl. I immediately called the doctor’s office and they assured me that all vaccines for children under a year are thimerosal free. I felt only slightly better. I began to look into child vaccination and it was shrouded with controversy. Thimerosal was only one aspect of that debate.

In case you’re wondering, thimerosal, also known as Thiomersal internationally, is an antifungal used as a preservative in many vaccines, or at least it was once used in many vaccines, and contains a fair amount of mercury. Part of the vaccine controversy has centered on the belief by some parents that vaccines containing thimerosal caused autism in their children. The CDC and AAP contend that thimerosal is completely safe to use in vaccines, but in 1999 agreed that it should no longer be used in child vaccinations (and hasn’t since 2001). Interesting…

The other aspect of the vaccine controversy deals with the fact that in 1983 there were only 10 recommended vaccines to be administered to children by the age of five versus the 36 recommended vaccines for children by the age of two today. That in combination with the fact that the rate of autism has significantly increased in the United States over the last 20 years makes many parents believe that there is a connection between autism and vaccines. It’s a wonder that the CDC and the AAP refuse to even entertain the possibility that vaccines could be a trigger for autism or other disorders that have been on the rise, such as ADD and ADHD. It should also be noted that while vaccines are rigorously tested, combination testing is not done. Yet, we often administer five or six vaccines to our infants in a single visit! Honestly, in what universe would this make sense? While I was pregnant, I was told to steer clear of caffeine, alcohol, tuna, cold cuts, soft cheeses, and the list goes on. The reasoning was that although some of the listed items might cause no harm it’s better to be safe than sorry. Once the baby is born, often we continue to avoid many prescription drugs, alcohol, and caffeine at the suggestion of our doctors. Yet, these same doctors refuse to further scrutinize the possibility that vaccines might be problematic for some children. I’m not of the persuasion that all vaccines are evil, but there is so much we don’t understand about early child development, that I don’t understand why the CDC doesn’t at least reconsider the schedule.

The vaccine controversy opens a whole slew of questions that don’t have any obvious “right” answers. Should we just trust the CDC and AAP? Should we rearrange the suggested vaccination schedule? Are all the recommended vaccines really necessary, and if not which ones are the most important?

Over the next few days I plan to explore some of these questions and hopefully provide some useful information. In the end though, the decision to vaccinate is really dependent on the family. It’s one of those vexing aspects to being a parent, trying to figure out what’s best for your child and family.

We’d love to hear your comments or questions regarding child vaccinations, and I’ll do my best to address any concerns over the next few days.