I found a link to that article that is against modifying tha vaccine schedule. It follows below. I am goint to suggest a course of action that some of you may consider radical. Here it is: This friend of yours would be well advised to do some serious research and thinking on her own rather than let this small bit of information inform her decision about such an important matter.
http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/schedule_whysomany.html The following article is taken from the January 2009 issue of AAP News. Adhering to vaccine schedule is best way to protect children from disease Margaret C. Fisher, M.D., FAAP and Joseph A. Bocchini, Jr., M.D., FAAP Vaccination rates are at a record high level, and rates of almost every vaccine-preventable disease continue to drop. Now that we are seeing fewer infections, however, we are beginning to encounter more hesitancy in vaccine acceptance. Parents are asking: Why is the vaccine schedule one size fits all, why so many vaccines, why start so early, why not spread out the schedule? Following is information regarding the development of the vaccine schedule and the rationale behind it. The vaccine schedule is published yearly in January; on occasion, the schedule has been updated during the year. These schedules are developed by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with input from the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases and the American Academy of Family Physicians (see sidebar). The vaccine schedule undergoes vigorous scientific and evidence-based review each year. The schedule is designed to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases as soon as possible and is appropriate for the majority of children. Why is the schedule one size fits all? Decisions regarding an individual child’s immunizations are not one size fits all. Exceptions to the schedule are made when there is a reason to delay or omit a vaccine. Contraindications and precautions are taken into account for each vaccine in the series and at the time of each dose. Additional vaccine strategies are utilized in patients with special clinical circumstances, such as immunocompromised children and those with chronic diseases. Furthermore, the schedule is adjusted for situations such as planned international travel and for catch-up. Why so many vaccines? To us, this is part of the good news. Now, we can prevent 16 serious illnesses and their consequences in girls and 15 in boys through routinely recommended immunizations. Making it possible for their children to receive vaccines is one of the important ways parents can keep their children healthy. In fact, we look forward to when we will have vaccines to prevent or modify infections due to respiratory syncytial virus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and other agents. Why do some vaccines require multiple doses? Immunity following a single dose of some vaccines is either incomplete or short-lived. Using a series of doses improves the percentage of patients who develop immunity and the duration of such immunity. These vaccines also require booster doses to maintain long-term protection. Some people are concerned that giving a number of vaccines at the same time may not be safe. However, prior to vaccine licensure, the Food and Drug Administration requires studies to evaluate the safety and response to the new vaccine when the other vaccines recommended for that age are given at the same visit. The studies also must evaluate whether the new vaccine alters the response to the other vaccines. This information is reviewed carefully before decisions are made about adding a vaccine to the schedule. Why start so early? The decision as to when to give a vaccine is based on the epidemiology of the vaccine preventable disease. Often, these diseases are more severe in younger children. Therefore, we start early to ensure that the youngest and often most fragile are protected as soon as possible. For example, most deaths due to pertussis occur in infants younger than 6 months of age. The peak incidence of meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b before the introduction of conjugate vaccine was approximately 9 months of age. Prior to birth, a baby receives antibodies from the mother. These maternal antibodies provide protection against many of the previously "usual childhood infections" such as measles, mumps and chickenpox, and bacteria such as H. influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The levels of these antibodies decrease with each month of age so that by 6 months, protection is minimal. The vaccine schedule ensures that while the levels of maternal antibody are falling, infants are developing their own antibodies due to immunizations. The goal is to protect the infant as soon as possible; the current schedule has essentially eliminated Haemophilus and greatly decreased the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease. For measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, we wait until all maternal antibody is gone so that these live vaccines are not inactivated by residual maternal antibody. Because of the success of vaccines, the incidence of these viral infections is quite low so there is little risk of infection in the first year of life. However, if vaccination rates fall and measles outbreaks increase as they have this past year in the United States, we will begin to see more cases of measles not only in children whose parents refuse vaccination but also in children too young to receive the vaccine. Why not spread out the schedule? Spreading out the schedule would leave a child unprotected. Furthermore, there is no reason to expect that spreading out the schedule would decrease adverse events. Spreading out the schedule also would increase the number of visits to a physician and would increase the number of visits that require an immunization. Such a schedule would increase the number of unprotected children in the population, which would decrease the benefits of herd immunity. Since there is no advantage but several disadvantages, there is no logic to spreading out the schedule. Parents who are considering delaying their child’s immunizations need to be made aware that they are putting their child at risk. Although the incidence of most vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States is very low, they are low because the majority of U.S. children are immunized. As a result, the circulation of many of these organisms has been interrupted. However, these pathogens can be reintroduced easily into a population as a result of today’s mobile society. If enough children are not immunized, we will see outbreaks of these vaccine-preventable diseases. In areas of Great Britain where measles immunization rates have decreased, outbreaks are occurring, prompting mass immunization campaigns. Similarly, pertussis outbreaks occurred within a few years in countries where pertussis immunization was discontinued. Immunizations have been a major public health success story. The vaccine schedule has evolved over the past 50 years based on scientific evidence. Following this schedule is the best way to protect your patients from these diseases. Please continue to encourage your families to have their children immunized on time; children are our future, and it is our job to protect them. Agencies collaborate on vaccine schedules Many experts are involved in the development of the vaccine schedules. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is made up of 15 members who include experts in infectious diseases and public health and a consumer representative. In addition, ex-officio representatives from national and international medical, infectious disease, public health, nursing and pharmacist organizations as well as governmental agencies participate in deliberations and provide input to ACIP. The Academy is represented by two members of the Committee on Infectious Diseases (COID). COID consists of 12 pediatric infectious disease experts appointed to serve two-year terms, a representative of the AAP Section on Infectious Diseases, several consultants who are pediatric infectious disease experts, and liaisons from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Family Physicians, Canadian Pediatric Society, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration and the American Thoracic Society. Dr. Fisher is chair of the AAP Section on Infectious Diseases executive committee. Dr. Bocchini is chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases. On Jan 13, 9:09 am, Isparklaria <[email protected]> wrote: > Here are two article, one pro and one con, about spreading out the > vaccines. > > http://www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook/labels/Alternative%20Vaccine... > > Actually you can't get to the second one without being a subscriber, > but here is a link to the web page anyway. It has some useful > information. > > http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/citation/30/1/4 > > Last of all is a link to a google search on "spreading" "out" > "vaccine" "schedule" > > CNN.com and Dr. Bob help parents answer the question, “Should I > vaccinate my baby?” > Wednesday, June 25, 2008 > > CNN correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explores how parents attempt to > answer this question, and how various doctors across the nation are > responding to parents’ concerns, in her weekly column onwww.CNN.com > > I believe vaccines are very important and have played a tremendous > role in limiting many serious diseases in our country, as do all of > the doctors interviewed by Elizabeth for her column. However, more and > more parents are concerned and want to take an approach that varies > from the regular CDC schedule. I believe that if more and more doctors > offer parents such options, we will have better vaccination rates than > we are seeing now. > > Here are just a few of the options that Elizabeth presented in her > column: > > Don’t give the Hepatitis B vaccine to newborns in the hospital. > Because this shot can cause fever, lethargy, and poor feeding > (problems you don’t want to see in a newborn), it’s better to delay > this shot for the first two months of life, especially since the > disease doesn’t even occur in newborns (it’s a sexually-transmitted > disease). > Checking “titers” (blood immunity levels) for various shots before > doing boosters. Some kids don’t need some of the booster shots at age > 5 years because their original infant series may still be working just > fine. While this is a costly and time-consuming approach, some parents > prefer it instead of automatically getting all the boosters. > Getting fewer shots at each infant checkup and spreading the shots out > over more time. This is the hallmark of Dr. Bob’s Alternative Vaccine > Schedule. > Limiting large combination shots. Some parents prefer to split some of > the combo shots into separate components to decrease the chance of a > reaction. While we don’t know if this precaution even helps, it is an > option that some doctors like to provide for concerned parents. > The bottom line is that more and more parents want options. If we > don’t provide them with options they are comfortable with, more > parents will opt out of vaccines altogether. We will then see more and > more disease fatalities and complications. > > Dr. Bob > > Labels: Alternative Vaccine Schedule > > posted by Sears Family @ 9:44 AM Post your comment - 25 Comments > > Larry King Show Continues to Raise Questions About Vaccines and > Autism > Thursday, April 3, 2008 > > Last night’s show was a great mix of pro-vaccine doctors, doctors who > have some concerns about vaccines, and parents who are demanding a > different vaccine schedule. While everyone on both sides had good > things to say, as expected there really was no conclusion reached and > most parents are still probably just as confused as ever. > > I’ve looked at all the research, and I’m still confused as well. There > is no clear answer on whether or not vaccines contribute to autism. > But there is one thing that is very clear – more research needs to be > done. Well, make that two things – more and more parents are going to > decline vaccines unless they are offered an alternative vaccine > schedule. > > So, while the scientists, doctors, government officials, and parents > battle it out over the next couple of decades, here’s what YOU, the > concerned and confused parent with a little baby waiting for vaccines, > can do NOW. Educate yourself about all the pros and cons of vaccines, > understand the risk of diseases versus the rare risk of a vaccine side > effect, look at all the research that does exist so far, and when you > do decide you are comfortable beginning shots, vaccinate according to > my Alternative Vaccine Schedule or my Selective Vaccine Schedule. > > I do believe change is in the wind, but it may be a very gentle breeze > that takes many years to fill the sails (nice metaphor, huh? Or is > that a simile? Never could get that straight. Maybe it’s an analogy). > For now, I encourage parents to follow one of my suggested vaccine > schedules. > Labels: Alternative Vaccine Schedule > > posted by Dr. Bob Sears @ 2:40 PM Post your comment - 26 Comments > > Alternative Vaccine Schedule vs. Regular Vaccine Schedule: How do I > switch? > Thursday, November 29, 2007 > > How do I switch to the Alternative Vaccine Schedule if I’ve already > started my baby on the regular vaccine schedule? > > All of you have expressed so much interest in switching to the > alternative vaccine schedule, but you aren’t quite sure how to do it > since you’ve started getting some shots already. I suppose I should > have foreseen this situation when I wrote the book. > > The most common situation I hear about is a parent who has already > given their baby the 2 and/or 4 month shots, and now wants to switch > to an alternative schedule. Here’s how to do that. Make a copy of my > alternative schedule and cross off everything that your baby has > already had, no matter when it is due on my schedule. Then at your > baby’s next checkup continue with whatever is due according to my > schedule. This most likely will be DTaP and Rota, then Pc and HIB a > month later. > > What about the shots that your baby already had at 2 and/or 4 months > that are NOT on my schedule until later during infancy or childhood? > The two shots this mainly applies to are Hep B and polio. If your baby > already had polio at 2 and 4 months, you would not get any more until > 2 years. If your baby only had one polio shot, you’d pick up the next > one at 12 months. > > As for Hep B, you will notice I don’t usually give this until age 2 or > 3 years. If your baby has already had 2, then you would just wait to > get the third between age 3 and 4. If your baby has only had 1 Hep B, > get the second at 2 ½ and the third at 3 years. > > Here are a few other things to know. It’s fine to switch brands of > vaccines anytime you want. You can also switch from any combination > vaccine to using individual ones. The hard part will be convincing > your doctor to order a different brand just for you. If you have a few > other friends with similar age kids going to the same doctor, that > might make it easier if you all gang up on your doctor together. > (Kidding, of course). Alternatively, the doctor can give you a > prescription for a single dose through a pharmacy. Hopefully as more > patients make these requests doctors will become more compliant. > > Second, don’t worry if you mess up the actual spacing of each series > of shots. The spacing is flexible. For example, even though the first > three DTaP shots are supposed to be 2 months apart each, don’t worry > if this gets spaced out further. And if you get only one or two polios > or Hep Bs early on, but then delay the rest for some years, you don’t > have to start the whole series over. You just pick up where you left > off. > > Third, if you are starting the schedule late, such as at 4 or 6 > months, don’t hurry to catch up. Just start the schedule as if your > baby was 2 months old, and you’ll go through the whole thing but > always be 2 to 4 months behind. > > Here’s an example of someone who already had the 2 and 4 month shots > but who now wants to switch. At six months you would just get DTaP and > Rota, then at 7 months HIB and Pc. By nine months, you would skip > polio because you’ve already gotten it at 2 and 4 months. You may get > the flu shot though. At 12 months get mumps, but NOT polio again since > you already got the 2nd dose at 4 months. At 15 months it’s Pc and > HIB, and at 18 months it’s DTaP and Chickenpox. You continue on from > there according to the schedule. > > I hope this makes sense. Your doctor will be able to help you figure > out the details. > Labels: Alternative Vaccine Schedule > > posted by Dr. Bob Sears @ 11:39 AM Post your comment - 76 Comments > > How to talk to your doctor about following an Alternative Vaccine > Schedule > Monday, October 29, 2007 > > Many parents today are looking for a different approach to vaccines. > But most doctors feel that the standard vaccine schedule is so > important that they are unwilling to work with such parents. Well, I > have good news. Times are changing. The American Academy of Pediatrics > now recommends that doctors work with parents who have questions and > concerns and want to do things a little differently. The new AAP > guidelines are listed in the 2006 Red Book of Infectious Diseases – a > manual that almost every pediatrician owns. In the Book, the AAP > suggests: > > A non-judgmental approach is best. Listen carefully and respectfully > to the parent’s concerns. > Inform the parents of the risks and benefits of each vaccine as well > as the risks of each disease. > For parents who are concerned about multiple vaccines at one visit, > develop a schedule that spreads the vaccines out. > Continued refusal to vaccinate after adequate discussion should be > respected (unless the child is at significant risk of serious harm > during an epidemic). > In general, pediatricians should avoid dismissing patients from their > practice solely because of refusal to vaccinate. > > But parents who have concerns and extra questions about vaccines need > to understand the best way to talk to their doctor. You can’t wait > until your baby’s two-month appointment, wait until your doctor is > done examining the baby, then suddenly hit the doctor with a dozen > questions. It takes a good 15 to 30 minutes to discuss vaccine > concerns and options in detail. Us doctors don’t have the time to do > this within the normal amount of > > read more »... --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
