Think about that. One shot has 3 vaccines in it, and at his 4-month appointment he received 3 shots and an oral vaccine, totaling 7 vaccines. WHY would we do that to our children and, more importantly, WHY was I so ignorant about it?
Keep in mind that I am well aware the following charts are not entirely scientific (i.e., I didn't take his temperature every hour to make sure it was in fact down). You wouldn't (or would if you're a parent) realize the struggle it can be to get a reading with a squirmy child who doesn't feel well to begin with.
Below is a comparison chart. It's difficult to differentiate between the line colors because it spans so many (8) days. Trust me, it seemed like every bit of those 8 days at the time. There are also pictures of the charts separated out. As you can see, they follow a pretty similar pattern, except that the 8-month shots only lasted a few days compared to the 4-month shots when he had all of them at once.
Comparison Chart of 4-month and 8-month fevers
Below: 4-month fever
Below: 8-month fever (Pediarix Only)
I once read that a worried mother does better research than all FBI agents combined. I can't say I disagree.
We are supposed to have another installment of the DTaP vaccine between 15-18 months. If I request it, which I very well might at this point, I can ask my doctor to write and have the three vaccines separated out and given separately.I have also read, thanks to Dr. Bob Sears,* that the Pediarix brand has the highest amount of aluminum in it. From my understanding, aluminum is supposed to make the vaccine more effective at preventing future problems should the patient come in contact with a live version of the illness the vaccine is supposed to treat. However, he also states that we don't really and truly know how much aluminum is safe.
My gut feeling (not backed by any research whatsoever) is that these unknowns are what originally made people believe that autism could be related to vaccines. Since no one has been able to rule that out completely, I agree with Dr. Sears: let's just play it safe. I don't go to the doctor and get 8-10 vaccines all at once, so what's the point of doing that to my infant, who can't tell me what he/she is feeling.
I am absolutely certain other moms out there feel the exact opposite and think that these viruses and illnesses are out there waiting to latch on to the first susceptible infant they can find, so it's like a game of dice. How long are you willing to push out the vaccine and risk your child coming in contact with the "bug"? For me, I'm willing to push it out awhile. His body is telling me he can't handle it yet, so why should I say any different? Bailey was the opposite and handled it just fine, which is why we did hers on schedule.
Speaking of the schedule, at his 12-month, he's "supposed" to get the following vaccines according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
- HepB (an STD that they begin vaccinating for at birth - another rant entirely)
- Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b)
- PCV (Pneumococcal)
- IPV (Inactivated Polio Virus)
- Flu (Seasonal, so they likely won't recommend this one for Michael in April)
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- Varicella
- HepA
No thank you.
I will be doing additional research before his 1st birthday, since he has an appointment the following day and deciding what I do and don't want him to have and when I want him to have them.
Thank goodness this doctor works with me.
*yes, I am aware that Dr. Sears has received quite a bit of grief as of late for being a sell-out and recommending certain brands of foods and such, but he is a pediatrician and a father who argues that the truth is we don't know how safe the vaccines are, so why not err on the side of caution? I don't see any problem with being cautious. As alluded to previously, I have done extensive research and don't even come close to considering myself an expert on the matter, but I have been unable to locate any specific report negating Dr. Sears' allegations that we don't know if it's safe. I have read several reports that mention there are medical studies showing these things are safe, but I have not personally seen a single one. Either conveniently or just by chance, these reports don't appear to be readily available online. What it boils down to is that doctors are trained in medicine. They believe in it or they wouldn't do it. Parents are inevitably trained by experience, and while sometimes must rely on a doctor's expertise, must also live in their child's reality and make decisions based on both factors. I am wondering now if being a doctor would have been easier ...
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