immunisation – Mummy To Twins Plus One

And now for some controversy. Some believe that it is not wise to vaccinate their kids and that is their belief, however I think it is dangerous not to be vaccinated, and this is my belief. Each to their own right? In an article by Sue Dunlevy she writes that the Health Minister Tanya Pilbersek is wanting to make sure that kids that are not vaccinated are not allowed to enroll in school.

Well, with the fact that our world is getting smaller and smaller. Travel is easier and more and more people visit so many different countries with so much ease (plane travel is cheaper and flights go just about anywhere now days), is it any wonder that disease and sickness spreads more easily. I am not saying that there is a disease lurking but the known ones that we have vaccinations for are growing legs due to the huge groups that are not vaccinating their kids.

I know there has been talk, and research on the vaccinations causing autism and other issues. I for one think that if you vaccinated your child and was soon after diagnosed with autism that would be such a shock, a blow and I can clearly understand how you as a parent can think that it is the needle that might have done it. However there has been a lot of research stating that autism diagnoses happens at roughly the age that you get the last lot of vaccinations as a 4 year old, the doctors are saying that there is no link due to the vaccinations but it is just the timing of when the diagnose happens for the child. Having the needles at 4 years and possible diagnose at the same age would make you think twice.

In a document from Australian Health Department it lists why you should get vaccinated and also shows that the dangers are not there. According to the Australian Health Department document:

“Reductions in vaccination rates can lead to diseases coming back. This has happened in the past with polio in many developed countries, with diphtheria in the former Soviet Union and, more recently, with measles in the United Kingdom.”

Also in another document from Australian Health it states:

“There has also been a proposed theory linking the MMR vaccine and autism specifically. However, this was due to one published study that has since been retracted due to the data being fraudulent. All epidemiological studies since have disproven this theory. The concern about the relationship between MMR vaccine and autism is further discussed in the section ‘Safety concerns: Specific vaccines’.”

However as a mother of two kids that are soon to go off to school and are fully immunised I would like to make sure that they are not exposed to illness, disease or other things that can easily be prevented. I do understand that you cannot prevent everything from happening but one thing that is in my power is making sure that my little joys, my loves of my life stay healthy and that is making sure that they are fully immunised, I can minimise the risk of getting very ill or dying from a disease that we have not had for many years and can prevent with medicine.

“The World Health Organisation says immunisation rates higher than 93 per cent are required to stop the spread of killer diseases like whooping cough and measles.” Sue Dunlevy, The Telegraph.

I do understand that others feel passionately about the fact that they have not immunised but why would you want to have the following come back and threaten your kids or others:

Measles – An infectious viral disease causing fever and a red rash on the skin, typically occurring in childhood
Mumps – A contagious and infectious viral disease causing swelling of the parotid salivary glands in the face, and a risk of sterility in adult males
Rubella – A contagious viral disease, with symptoms like mild measles. it can cause fetal malformation if contracted in early pregnancy
Varicella – A herpesvirus that causes chicken pox and shingles; herpes zoster
Pertussis – A highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium bordete, commonly called whooping cough

I wanted to get a percentage of people that are immunised compared to ones that are not. I could not get a figure on this, however in a Mamamia article I did find that more than 77,000 children across Australia are not fully immunised. Now that is shocking!

I do understand the worry with the media and reports about autism being linked and other issues after getting vaccinated. It is due to the fact that Australia and other countries similar have been vaccinated that we have a good health record, however that said with people who are not getting immunised this will not be the case and those people are at risk and will put others at risk also.

I for one would never forgive myself if I did not vaccinate myself, or my children and someone died or got so sick that they never fully recovered. I would never ever be able to stop blaming myself if this happened, that’s why I make sure to be vaccinated to ensure our health and others.

When I enrolled the twins at the school they wanted to check that their immunisations were up to date. I wonder what they would have had me do if I said, we have not immunisaed them. I am not up for home schooling so glad that this would not be an issue.

We support vaccinations and were making sure that the twins got theirs done on time and were up to date. The government was making sure to pay parents an incentive to make sure their children got immunised but the government stopped the last payment for the twins, it was not just us, when the girls got their 4 year old shots, it fell out of the cut off date when they stopped the payments for all. We would have been eligible to get a bit of money back that I think we are entitled to, however due to it being after the cut off date we are not. The money would help but it is not the argument here, why have an incentive plan and then fail to see it to the end. We would have immunised anyway.

Have you made the decision not to vaccinate? Have you had to change your mind due to enrolling kids at school? What happens if you decide not to vaccinate? Let me know.

As said this post is a bit controversial but I have very strong feelings for the immunisation of everyone! Why not prevent things that we have the power to.

If you feel the same way, why not sign the NO JAB, NO PLAY petition. I did.

The girls had their four year old health check today and that also meant getting their immunisations. Yes needles. Both hubby and I were a bit worried how it might go, so decided to not tell them about it until it was going to happen.

Health check all went well. We are still off the chart for weight although the weight gain is good for them, so good news. We are on the chart for height but they are not big girls, I would say petite and due to that we are on it but they are not tall. Who knows they will probably shoot up soon. All other development milestones are good and other concerns we raised were noted.

Now we get to the point of getting their needles, the bit I and daddy was not looking forward to at all. After the shock of finding out that they were getting needles the twins were not impressed either. Julia started screaming even before the needle went anywhere near her. Lillian screamed and cried due to Julia getting her needles. One in each arm. Oh the joys, two needles not one! Julia did scream “Get it away from me!” Poor little bunny. 🙁

Then it was Lillian’s turn and Julia put her arm up and said “Don’t hurt my sister!” “Get the needle away!” Poor girls it was like they lived it all twice due to having it done to their sister. An after thought, maybe we should have had another nurse do them at the same time or in separate rooms. I do think the separate rooms would have caused more angst. I for one had some tears in my eyes as it was very sad to see my little babies cry and in pain.

We had fish and chips to cheer them up and then went off to a birthday party for a friend of the twins . They filled up on sweets and were themselves until they reminded themselves about the needles or bumped their arm or daddy and mummy did so as well (accidentally mind you!).

Julia is finding it tough as one arm hurts more so than others. Maybe she moved a bit and it is more bruised? Who knows. I have given her some painkillers to sleep a little better as she kept waking for comfort. Lillian seems fine although her arms are sore if bumped but she is doing well. Julia is asking if she has to have any more of the painful needles/ouchy needles. This is the last one until high school so no, however I did not want to say, “NO you will never have another needle from now and high school (cannot imagine my girls in high school, how weird would that be).” What happens if they get sick, need tests, or have to blood taken for whatever reason. Then I am the bad mummy that lied that there was no more needles.

I am sure she will be fine and there will be no more needles but you never know. In the next couple of days it should all be better, but she is a sensitive bunny and does not deal with needles at all well. Have you found that your little one was good and did not cry or have an issue with their immunisation? Or was it a terrible thing, crying, screaming and making you feel just horrible. I do feel horrible, although it is for their own good. It will protect them from deadly disease and sickness. Send in your comments.