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I predict this thread isn't going to end well. Each side of the vaccine argument isn't going to listen to the other side anyway! Let's not debate here or name call here perhaps?

I think the evidence is clear in this case. The unfortunate patients in this case are the ones who were too young to be vaccinated, but would have chosen to do so. It's sad that the decisions of some cause repercussions on others who would have chosen differently.

Great fact based article that was linked by the way.

I'll say it: It infuriates me that people choose to not vaccinate their children! It puts other people at risk, including people who cannot get vaccinated due to allergies or other health issues or children who are too young to get vaccinated. The evidence for vaccination is clear. Vaccinate your damn children.

@wheres_c: This is a bit off topic, but valid to your point...I remember listening to NPR perhaps a year ago about a "conversation" initiative. Essentially a movement to get people talking. When people engage in conversation about random topics (or even better, find common ground), they are more likely to engage in fruitful discussion about topics for which they have opposing viewpoints. (Because they are more likely to listen to each side.) I wish I could find it, because I thought it was a quite powerful idea.

I have always been pro-vaccine but after having my child experience one of medical exceptions to vaccinations (organ transplant) and seeing what other kids who are medical exceptions to vaccinations (other transplant kids, cancer kids) go through, I find no reason not vaccinating your healthy child is anything but selfish. I can't imagine any parent of a healthy child could see what these children go through just to live and then feel that it is THEIR CHOICE to potentially kill these kids or put them in the hospital for yet another long stay. It is so selfish to say, my kid will be able to fight the disease so it's ok if they get sick, when their child can infect children who are no where near as lucky.

I also firmly believe that if one of these parents, who choose not to vaccinate, go through what I did, they'd be fighting tooth and nail for every possible medical intervention that could help their child (including expensive and difficult to obtain RSV vaccinations) and keep them healthy and are kicking themselves that their child is not already immune to these awful diseases through vaccination.

This story makes me so sad.

I fear this thread could get ugly too but for once I think that's okay and here's why: this doesn't just concern your child!!! This concerns the health and safety of the herd. So it's MY business too!

There is a lot of misinformation out there. People with a voice but no scientific or medical clout are still using a small and quickly discredited study linking vaccines to autism. It's so outrageous and false! Makes me want to scream. I belong to an ASD board here in Portland and and guess what there are as many moms on there with kids on the spectrum who didn't vax as there are who did! The phrase correlation doesn't equal causation comes to mind! That and also "oh would you rather your child end up dead or possibly on the spectrum?" Even though vaccines are not even linked to autism by any credible study!

Then there are the preservatives in vaccines that people fear. Guess what most vaccines do not even use those preservatives anymore but even if they do you probably got more mercury from the sushi dinner you had three nights ago or a swim than you would from that life saving vaccine that you chose to pass up!

I honestly feel for the people who are buying into the fear mongering behind vaccines because I know they are people who love their children and feel that they are protecting them but actually they are a danger to civilization as we know it!

Please for the love of god vaccinate your child!!!!!

@jedeve: That's why I just want to keep talking about it. I remember when Lucas was first hospitalized and I thought a week in the hospital was so long. Then, after his first transplant, and we had been in the hospital for a month, I ran into a dad that said he had been there with his daughter for 6 months, and I thought that was insane, and then Lucas was there for about 7 months before he died. There were kids in the hospital longer than Lucas, and many kids that left only to come back weeks later.... I had no idea that kids were hospitalized that long continuously. It's eye-opening and very, very sad to see how sick some kids are.

So so frustrating/sad/scary. I live in Columbus Ohio where we had an outbreak of Measles earlier this year (400+ in our city). It happened when I had a newborn. And I was sort of afraid to leave the house honestly. The idea that my baby who was too young to protect could be infected by someone who CHOSE to put themselves and every person they come into contact with at risk just makes me rage beyond belief.

@lawbee11: your quote got cut off.

Boy, I am the queen of 'don't hide your baby at home!' But if there was a measles outbreak and I had a baby too young for vaccination? I would literally never leave until it was over. I really have no words for anti vaxxers that aren't foul and nasty.

What I don't appreciate is the religious exemption that people can use to not vax their children and still send them to public school. Then, as a parent, you have no access to that information to make informed decisions about your own child's health.

If you don't want to vax, that's fine, but then the consequence is that you can't participate in all the other benefits of a society.

@looch: I completely agree!

@looch: yeah I don't get the religious exemption either. Whether you think your religion prohibits it or you just didn't feel like it, the end result is the same - your kid is susceptible to transmitting and contracting vaccine preventable diseases.

Honestly, we are many states away from CA and this still terrifies me.

@anonysquire: Have you seen folks with measles? Best case scenario, it's really uncomfortable...not to mention socially and economically disruptive (no school, no work). Worst-case scenario, you can develop serious secondary bacterial infections and potentially long-term neurological complications.

@mrbee: oh, that goes without saying! I should have clarified no voluntary exceptions due to ideologies. Those who are immune-compromised, allergic, or otherwise medically unable to be vaccinated are the ones I especially want to protect from people who just misguidedly choose not to.

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