1. Posted by Paula on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 2:37 pm PDT

Why risk it? Not enough is known about how our immune systems function. Why not wait til they are older and stronger?Isn't it possible that some of the autoimmune disorders could be caused by vaccines? I

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2. Posted by Kristina B on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 2:53 pm PDT

I know that there are alot of children being diagnosed with Autism I hope that one of these days they come up with something to control this illness.

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3. Posted by sev35iii on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 2:54 pm PDT

As a mother of two austistic boys, I have to say thank you. So many people are still saying that vaccines are the cause of autism, but there has been study after study after study that shows there is no correlation between the two. On top of that, there has been absolute proof that vaccines save lives. Many thousands. To not vaccinate your child puts the society in which we live at risk to have diseases we thought gone run rampant. Polio, anyone? I think that as a society, we have to take the individual responsibility to protect each other.

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4. Posted by sev35iii on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 2:57 pm PDT

Autism is not an illness or a disease. It is a developmental disorder that affects the way a child deals with and is able to see the world around them. As of right now there is no answer as to why it happens, but they are leaning towards environmental or genetic.

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5. Posted by badboy on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 3:00 pm PDT

Thank you! I am in complete agreement with all you say. Of course, parents have the right to try to protect their children in the best way possible. Failure to vaccinate children exposes not only their children but also the population at large to the risks of contagious diseases. I have been a pediatrician for 37 years. I have seen the horror of H flu meningitis and pneumococcal meningitis, and have watched those plagues almost diappear with immunization. I have seen tetanus and diphtheria in patients from Mexico when I lived in southern California--virtually eliminated by vaccination. I was a victim of polio in the '50s--no longer a serious problem in our country. My best friend in the first grade died from complications of measles which we all developed--now an outbreak is newsworthy . Until this year, the most common cause for our admissions to the hospital during the winter months was rotovirus diarrhea--this year the admissions are close to zero for this condition due to rotovirus vaccination. I am excited about the HPV vaccine and the possibility of elimination of cervical cancer in women and potentially penile cancer in men in my lifetime. I have omitted several other immunizations which are deserving of comment such as rubella, mumps, chicken pox. I do not like to be the first to use vaccines when they emerge, but with most of the vaccines available today, we have years of experience and multiple millions of doses of use. There is probably nothing we do in medicine which has such a positive impact on disease with such little in the way of complications. I have several families who object to immunizations on religious and other grounds. I do not refuse to treat these families as some do, but I try to insure that they are as informed as I can make them about vaccine issues. Thank again for your timely and cogent discussion of the topic.

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6. Posted by wendy213 on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 3:15 pm PDT

I personally know a child who was fine before getting her vaccines then became very sick from the MMR vaccine and was severely brain damaged afterwords the Dr. said it was from the vaccine. don't we always find out our mistakes years later .. so why is 1 in 150 children now becoming autistic after being pumped with toxic levels of mercury filled vaccines ? our vaccines are not safe for all children we need to step back and look at the way we administer them i am not saying to not give them all together that's not safe for our children either but maybe spread them out more so the toxins can be processed out their little body's before we overload them or maybe even see if their is a way to lower the mercury levels in many of our vaccines. it is time to think of the children and not who is right and who is wrong the facts are that 1 in 150 children are autistic that is way too high an average don't you think with out knowing the reasons why.

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7. Posted by wendy213 on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 3:17 pm PDT

I personally know a child who was fine before getting her vaccines then became very sick from the MMR vaccine and was severely brain damaged afterwords the Dr. said it was from the vaccine. don't we always find out our mistakes years later .. so why is 1 in 150 children now becoming autistic after being pumped with toxic levels of mercury filled vaccines ? our vaccines are not safe for all children we need to step back and look at the way we administer them i am not saying to not give them all together that's not safe for our children either but maybe spread them out more so the toxins can be processed out their little body's before we overload them or maybe even see if their is a way to lower the mercury levels in many of our vaccines. it is time to think of the children and not who is right and who is wrong the facts are that 1 in 150 children are autistic that is way too high an average don't you think with out knowing the reasons why.

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8. Posted by wendy213 on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 3:25 pm PDT

I personally know a child who was fine before getting her vaccines then became very sick from the MMR vaccine and was severely brain damaged afterwords the Dr. said it was from the vaccine. don't we always find out our mistakes years later .. so why is 1 in 150 children now becoming autistic after being pumped with toxic levels of mercury filled vaccines ? our vaccines are not safe for all children we need to step back and look at the way we administer them i am not saying to not give them all together that's not safe for our children either but maybe spread them out more so the toxins can be processed out their little body's before we overload them or maybe even see if their is a way to lower the mercury levels in many of our vaccines. it is time to think of the children and not who is right and who is wrong the facts are that 1 in 150 children are autistic that is way too high an average don't you think with out knowing the reasons why.

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9. Posted by Zee'sMom on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 4:02 pm PDT

Disheartening, really, that you dare to say children are developing high levels of mercury from their mothers, and not environmental toxins which surround us and have invaded our food supply. You say all a mother has to do is watch what she eats, breathe clean air and drink lots of water and her child will be fine--directly implying that the mother is causing this EPIDEMIC. Wise up, Doctor, and stop poisoning our children with unnecessary vaccinations.

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10. Posted by Elizabeth on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 4:15 pm PDT

Many vaccines don't contain mercury. If you're so worried about it, ask the doctor for the slip that comes in the vaccine package. If you only want to avoid vaccinations just because you're too ignorant to consider the possibility that it's not the vaccine's problem, then that's not the doctor's problem. If you have a concern, take it up with the doctor, not out on your child.

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11. Posted by Elizabeth on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 4:16 pm PDT

Many vaccines don't contain mercury. If you're so worried about it, ask the doctor for the slip that comes in the vaccine package. If you only want to avoid vaccinations just because you're too ignorant to consider the possibility that it's not the vaccine's problem, then that's not the doctor's problem. If you have a concern, take it up with the doctor, not out on your child.

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12. Posted by blanjr on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 4:40 pm PDT

I don't think that Hepatitis B is an appropriate vaccine for a baby considering the risks for Hep B are blood and sex. More appropriate for a pre-teen

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13. Posted by Marty on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 5:18 pm PDT

As I did graduate work in psychology, I found out that one part of the reason the diagnosis of autism is on the rise is the criteria for the diagnosis has changed. As the rate for mental retardation decreases, the rate of diagnosis for autism increases! With all the attention in the media about chemicals leaking into drinks from plastic, I wonder how that correlates to autism. I know (even though you are not supposed to) that I have put plastic baby bottles in the microwave. I also believe strongly that the diet most Americans consume relates to health problems. One of my children has experienced autism-like symptoms that have been significantly alleviated by a change in diet!!!

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14. Posted by Marty on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 5:19 pm PDT

As I did graduate work in psychology, I found out that one part of the reason the diagnosis of autism is on the rise is the criteria for the diagnosis has changed. As the rate for mental retardation decreases, the rate of diagnosis for autism increases! With all the attention in the media about chemicals leaking into drinks from plastic, I wonder how that correlates to autism. I know (even though you are not supposed to) that I have put plastic baby bottles in the microwave. I also believe strongly that the diet most Americans consume relates to health problems. One of my children has experienced autism-like symptoms that have been significantly alleviated by a change in diet!!!

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15. Posted by Marty on Wed, Apr 02, 2008, 5:20 pm PDT

As I did graduate work in psychology, I found out that one part of the reason the diagnosis of autism is on the rise is the criteria for the diagnosis has changed. As the rate for mental retardation decreases, the rate of diagnosis for autism increases! With all the attention in the media about chemicals leaking into drinks from plastic, I wonder how that correlates to autism. I know (even though you are not supposed to) that I have put plastic baby bottles in the microwave. I also believe strongly that the diet most Americans consume relates to health problems. One of my children has experienced autism-like symptoms that have been significantly alleviated by a change in diet!!!

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