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Moms: question about vaccinations
Emmerson has the chicken pox. DH and I made the choice to hold off on this particular vaccination for personal reasons. We aren't too concerned about her having it other than of course her comfort, which so far she is handling it very well. Hadley got the shot and booster just before she started K this year but neither of the other 2 girls have had the vaccination. We may not be needing it as Pilar will more than likely get it too.
I knew we were exposed and knew that it was very likely we'd get it but the incubation period is so long I kind of forgot about it. So I ask the mom of the child who had it if she ever actually confirmed the case and she said no. She is a fairly new friend and I have been slowly discovering that they are a very natural family. I don't think they go to the doc much and apparently have never been vaccinated for anything. While I was slightly shocked to learn this, overall it does not concern me. I know in this case the mom does much on a natural level to keep her kids healthy and safe. Plus, as I said, we made our choice about this vaccination.. The risk was there and we knew it.
How do you feel about your kids spending time with kids who are not vaccinated (for anything)? Do you think it puts your kid in danger? Is this something you try to determine ahead of time or would you make different decisions after discovering such news regarding your child(ren)'s friends?
Re: Moms: question about vaccinations
Seeing as how we will have a newborn in a few months, I am in this camp.
At Emily's age, I don't worry that much, since she has had at least one round of all the vaccinations.
A baby younger than about a year, though, would worry me.
This is me since M is almost 4 and J is 7.
But I admit if they haven't given their kid even one vax, I would judge them and probably in a not very nice way (although not to their face, of course)
Swinsto just asked something similar today.
Poor Emme. I barely remember the chicken pox, so I hope she has the same experience - I guess I only had 18 total and just felt crummy.
I have the mindset that I am ok with my choices and realize that it has implications for my family. I doubt I would limit how much time my child spent with another child based on vaccinations. However, DH and I are fully vaccinated and my kids are mostly (also skipped the chicken pox vac and Micah is on a delayed schedule so he has only had first rounds of some of the vacs), so our risk factor is pretty low.
If my child had poor health or was really young, I might inquire, but I'm haven't been in that situation and I'm not that detail oriented. I have never asked someone before a playdate about vacs or avoided community play areas due to that. I also have a neice who has never been vaccinated and I haven't ever limited being around her based on that.
If we were still in CO, I'd probably be prepping to take on chicken pox spread from your family to ours.
Are you united with the CCOKCs?
One of my best friends is one of those natural mamas you speak of. Her choices (and those of some of her friends) definitely made me look at all of the options on this topic as well as many others (breastfeeding, circumcision, natural birth, etc) when we had DS. We ultimately decided to do an alternative schedule, and DS just got the last of his vax at 2.5. We seem to have spaced our kids out 1.5 years each, so she has two, and I have DS and one on the way. With DS, I never gave it a second thought in hanging out with them, though her son is now in preschool (and DS will be soon, though he's been in daycare from 3mo), and therefore exposed to more junk, so with a new baby, I might be a bit more cautious, but if we can actually make our schedules coordinate to get together, I won't likely say no, unless someone is sick (cold, stomach bug or otherwise) which is something that good parents and friends do for eachother anyway, vaccinated or not.
Also, I think in this day in age, there are parents who have made all level of choices from full vax to no vax, and ultimately, you won't be able to know the difference between the kids in the daycare, preschool or on the playground at the neighborhood park, and as a parent, that is "risk" of the decision/choice you made when you chose to vax or not vax your kid with any or all of them.
I understand your decision on the chicken pox vax, it was definitely one of those I doubted was necessary since my (and most of our) experiences wasn't that tramatic and just another part of childhood.
my read shelf:
I definitely have worried about Pilar being a preemie. Up until her 1 year she has been right on schedule for vacs, unlike the other 2 who are on a delayed schedule. Of course, she had just gotten over RSV when I took her in for her 1 year a few weeks ago so I delayed all vacs that day. Of course, I think we had already been exposed at that point so it may not have made a difference anyway.
I would never ask someone right up front about their choices. Honestly, even with the chicken pox vaccination, there is still a 30% chance of getting it. Lets hope we move through it quickly! Fortunately her fever is gone and she seems content overall. Hoping for a mild version as I have been boosting them with herbs as of late and plan to manage her itching and comfort the same.
I probably wouldn't be happy about it if they weren't vaccinated yet. I know everyone thinks chicken pox is minor, but it was a *major* event in my life and caused a number of permanent scars. I still remember how painful and horrible it was for me. I'll do anything to prevent my kid from getting it.....among other things.
With this new baby, I'll definitely be avoiding kids who haven't had their whooping cough vaccines.
Wrangling babies since 2010
Given the measels that spread around the Super
Bowl, I would hope that more parents realize the danger of not vaccinating their kids and choose to vaccinate.
That said, we are low risk to exposure and I wouldn't inquire about other families and their vaccinations, and like Mrs. G said, I don't really have many friends who would fall into that categoy.
I so, so clearly remember having chicken pox at 3. I had them in my ears, under my eyelids, under my fingernails, literally everywhere. It was a horrible, horrible experience and I have a number of scars from it. DD will get the vax for it - if I can prevent her going through anything like that, I'm all for it.
DD is right on schedule for all of her vaccinations. I know we are at low risk for exposure, but we do spend time with very small babies and pregnant women, so I try to be mindful of what we might bring with us. That being said, I've only just now come up against a situation where it even occurred to me to question whether kids have been vaxxed, so I guess I'm not terribly worried about it!
No more baby siggie pics. Boo.
It's interesting the differences between states. Here in NY it's very difficult to get vaccine exemptions, your child can't attend school without them, including the chicken pox vaccine. So I haven't really thought about it much, we do spread out the vaxes so DS only gets 2-3 at a time. I think I might be the only person among my friends who does that, most vaccinate based on the AAP schedule.
Now that DS is older I don't worry as much about it. But I don't think I would take a very small baby around a completely unvaxed kid, my main worry would be pertussis.