Friday, November 26, 2010

At War with the Chicken Pox Vaccine


I am on a mission to avoid the chicken pox vaccine.

I know, I know. Darren is only seven months old, but I want to be well informed. Without stuttering and stammering, I want to tell his future teachers and doctors why he shouldn’t have the vaccine.

Call me crazy, but I have my reasons.
 
This post was created in response to a blog post  from  The Mommy Chronicles: Vaccinate or Face Jail...Say What!?

I OBJECT! 

Why?

Because of all the vaccines our children are ‘required’ to receive, the chicken pox vaccine is most useless one.

Why?

Common knowledge is, when chicken pox is contracted as a child it is ‘in general’ harmless. Yes, our children will suffer form itchy raise bumps, maybe a slight fever, and miss some school, but really, they are none the worse for wear.

Common knowledge (again in general) is that the chicken pox virus has been proven to be deadlier (twenty times deadlier) when contracted as an adult. This is my biggest problem with the chicken pox vaccine issue.

The chicken pox vaccine has been being administered since around 1995. Since then, over ten million doses of the vaccine have been issued. Another fact: the chicken pox vaccine does not always prevent chicken pox. In the event that the virus is contracted by someone who had the vaccine, the symptoms are present in a milder form.

So explain to me again, why should I give my child a vaccination for a virus he could get anyway?

Here’s another tidbit of information. All children in Minnesota are required to receive the vaccine (if they have not yet contracted the virus) before they are allow to enroll in kindergarten.

Let me recap. I am required to give my son the chicken vaccine as a child. Which, one, does not necessarily prevent the virus and which two, is a virus known to be deadlier as an adult than as a child. And now the suggestion is that I should go to jail if I don’t comply.

I OBJECT!

Oh, by the way. Fifteen years later, after the first vaccine was given (which was over ten million vaccines ago) they still are still trying to do research to find if adults should be re-vaccinated.

This is killing me. The fact that I will be forced to go through the hub-bub of getting this live ‘weakened’ virus for Darren, is a bit ridiculous. The rational is that it can prevent “serious” medical conditions and reduce costs related to the virus. This argument is weak at best.

Why?

Here are the stats.

An estimated 9,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized each year because of chicken pox.  Of that 9,000 and estimated 90 (1%) die.

Why do I feel like some keeps throwing rocks at my head and calling me stupid?

1% is not a death rate of epic proportions. 

What happened to a vaccinating because virus was of life-threatening epidemic proportions? 

The chicken pox virus is a virus that can be contracted and treated as easily as the common cold, or more accurately the common flu; which, I would like to point out, is an optional vaccine.
 
My second biggest issue with this vaccine. I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!

As a parent I feel like pulling my hair out and screaming. PLEASE STOP WASTING MY TIME!

For the same reason I’ll let my kids eat dirt and pick their noses on the sly; I will also let them play with a friend who has the deadly chicken pox. It builds character and more importantly, their immune system. I would rather deal with it now that worrying that my child might die from it later.

In short, the chicken pox vaccine is a vaccine of convenience. This vaccine makes life easier for teachers, easier for parents, and easier for a dysfunctional health care system (you can debate that last point).

From what I have seen, nothing about life is easy. Throwing a child with chicken pox into the mix can’t put that much of a wrench in your life.

What to know where I got my information? Check out:

2 comments:

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    Thank you@
    Missy

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  2. Vaccines? You are preaching to the choir! Don't get me started! LOL! Love that I found you! I'm now following you through The Fun Weekend Blog Hop. I hope you'll do the same! You can find me @ http://sofiasideas.com/

    Sofia's Ideas

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