Don't want to immunize? Doubts
about the whole idea of immunizations?
The desirability
of doing immunizations has been debated since the practice gained wide
acceptance and became public health policy in the middle of the last century.
Now, in the United States, some children get as many as twenty-five shots to
immunize against twelve common diseases. Most of the diseases we immunize
against are still with us. Only
small pox has been completely eliminated, and we no longer immunize against
small pox.
There
is a LOT of information on immunizations in print and on the Web. Most immunization information is
written with an agenda, and much of it is not based on science. If you are looking at information about
the wisdom of immunizations, see if it is based on science. Check out Evaluating
Medical Information.
A
very good, consumer friendly, review of the science behind immunizations and
discussion of concerns about immunizations can be found at The Vaccine
Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Also visit Vaccine Information for the Public and
Health Professionals by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). The IAC also has immunization information in Spanish.
The
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has several pages of immunization
information for parents available at their immunizations/vaccines
page.
Doctor Robert Sears recently wrote The Vaccine Book: Making the
Right Decision for Your Child, which suggests an incomplete and delayed
vaccination plan. There is a
readable, well documented article,
The
Problem With Dr. Bob's Alternative Vaccine Schedule, in a 2009 AAP online journal
which is worth reading if you are considering this book by Dr. Sears.
Autism and immunizations has been much in the news and on the
minds of new parents. A well
documented article discussing autism and immunizations is available at Clear Answers and Smart Advice
About your Baby's Shots.
This
information is presented in an effort to help YOU make an informed decision about
immunizations for your child. Immunizations are a large part of well child
visits, and we spend a lot of time considering vaccines. Let us know if you have questions. We
can talk about your concerns.
Ted
Humphry, M.D.
(707)
839-2677
this
information last updated 1/09