Please green the vaccines. I’m asking as an undecided, expecting mother who already has a child with autism.
Statistics show that I’m 10 times more likely to have another child on the spectrum. Only it’s not that simple. It’s thought environmental factors could trigger autism in an already genetically predisposed baby. My baby.
This leads me to vaccines. My great-grandmother was the first person I knew who refused to vaccinate her children. She believed they killed a little boy on her block. At the time, I understood her apprehension. Her children were born in the 30s. Who knew what harmful substance was in vaccines then?
When my 15-year-old son was born, I automatically took him to get his shots. My grandmother’s fears didn’t play a part in my decision. It was modern times and was unquestionably the right thing to do.
Now I’m expecting again. In April I have a decision to make and it’s an incredibly difficult one. Typically, I’d talk to the pediatrician for advice. He is the wise man regarding my children’s health. I’ve trusted his medical advice implicitly before.
What I want to know now is — does he truly understand vaccines? Has he studied their effects on his own or does he rely completely on the AMA (American Medical Association) for information? Will he take my questions seriously or mentally roll his eyes at a parent questioning what’s supposed to be safe prevention to horrible diseases?
Obviously, I will ask him. I just don’t know how much to trust the information in regards to my genetically predisposed child.
On the other hand, information against vaccinating is confusing and overwhelming. I’m not a scientist or a doctor – so processing and understanding it is difficult. Even then, the information isn’t coming from one of my trusted medical sources. I don’t know whether to believe or disbelieve. All I know is it raises the credible question, are vaccines safe? Could they trigger autism in my susceptible child?
I wish finding information geared towards parents was easier and unbiased. Instead I have to wade through two warring groups to garner it. Looking to other parents for advice doesn’t help. The loudest voices tell me: If I vaccinate I’m hurting my child. If I don’t vaccinate I’m hurting my child. It’s either autism or a deadly disease.
This is a complicated, guilt-laden decision. It’s one thing for my child to be born with autism. It’s another for my parenting choice to trigger the onset of it.
Maybe I’m naïve, but wouldn’t the best option be green vaccines? Does it have to be proven beyond a doubt that mercury and thimerosal aren’t harmful? Is it ridiculous to err on the side of caution? And really, isn’t the danger to the population at large greater when a higher percentage of parents decide not to vaccinate?
Please help a mother out; green the vaccines.
Please green the vaccines. I’m asking as an undecided, expecting mother who already has a child with autism.
Statistics show that I’m 10 times more likely to have another child on the spectrum. Only it’s not that simple. It’s thought environmental factors could trigger autism in an already genetically predisposed baby. My baby.
This leads me to vaccines. My great-grandmother was the first person I knew who refused to vaccinate her children. She believed they killed a little boy on her block. At the time, I understood her apprehension. Her children were born in the 30s. Who knew what harmful substance was in vaccines then?
When my 15-year-old son was born, I automatically took him to get his shots. My grandmother’s fears didn’t play a part in my decision. It was modern times and was unquestionably the right thing to do.
Now I’m expecting again. In April I have a decision to make and it’s an incredibly difficult one. Typically, I’d talk to the pediatrician for advice. He is the wise man regarding my children’s health. I’ve trusted his medical advice implicitly before.
What I want to know now is — does he truly understand vaccines? Has he studied their effects on his own or does he rely completely on the AMA (American Medical Association) for information? Will he take my questions seriously or mentally roll his eyes at a parent questioning what’s supposed to be safe prevention to horrible diseases?
Obviously, I will ask him. I just don’t know how much to trust the information in regards to my genetically predisposed child.
On the other hand, information against vaccinating is confusing and overwhelming. I’m not a scientist or a doctor – so processing and understanding it is difficult. Even then, the information isn’t coming from one of my trusted medical sources. I don’t know whether to believe or disbelieve. All I know is it raises the credible question, are vaccines safe? Could they trigger autism in my susceptible child?
I wish finding information geared towards parents was easier and unbiased. Instead I have to wade through two warring groups to garner it. Looking to other parents for advice doesn’t help. The loudest voices tell me: If I vaccinate I’m hurting my child. If I don’t vaccinate I’m hurting my child. It’s either autism or a deadly disease.
This is a complicated, guilt-laden decision. It’s one thing for my child to be born with autism. It’s another for my parenting choice to trigger the onset of it.
Maybe I’m naïve, but wouldn’t the best option be green vaccines? Does it have to be proven beyond a doubt that mercury and thimerosal aren’t harmful? Is it ridiculous to err on the side of caution? And really, isn’t the danger to the population at large greater when a higher percentage of parents decide not to vaccinate?
Please help a mother out; green the vaccines.