What Do You Think About Vaccines?

Marblehead Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families right here in Marblehead.

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

Grab and cup of coffee and settle in to read this week's question. Below is how the mom's council answered but we want to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comment box below and share your thoughts.

Question: Whether it's deciding whether or not to vaccinate your baby or debating the merits of the HPV vaccine required of young girls, what do you think about vaccines? What choices have you made for your family? What do you think about people who choose differently?

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Karen Byron: Before it was time for those first vaccination shots, my husband and I did a lot of research and then took that discussion to our pediatrician. We were concerned about reports of a link between vaccinations and autism, among other issues. At the end of the day, we did decide to vaccinate our boys and feel good about that decision. As the doctor put it, the illnesses they prevent are far worse than the risk and we agreed. Some of these illnesses can be life-threatening and have negative lifelong consequences, which for us was just not within the realm of acceptable risk.

Nonetheless, I respect another parent’s right to refuse vaccinations.  There is enough evidence to warrant questioning vaccinations and it is a difficult decision, so I wouldn’t presume to criticize another parent for making a different decision from mine. Having said that, I do believe that parents who make this decision also have the responsibility of being more vigilant about monitoring their children for illness and making every effort to minimize potential exposure, and equally important, to avoid interactions with other children if theirs do become sick.

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Pam Wanstall: Well, first I must say that this is a great question. My husband and I have had all four of our children get every vaccine that is required for school entry and recommended by my pediatrician. I have not refused any. They also all get the flu shot every year. I can't say that I've made an attempt to get educated on the HPV vaccine yet, as my oldest daughter is only 7, though.

When I went to work in a particular social work setting after undergraduate school, I got the Hepatitis B vaccine. Before my husband and I left for China to adopt our first daughter, we received every vaccine recommended by the physician at the travel clinic we chose.

I do think that if a parent or parents decide to not vaccinate their child or children, that is their decision, however, with so many vaccinations required for entry into public school I imagine that may be difficult.

I do have an interesting story somewhat  related to this. When my younger son was only 15 months old, he kept getting ill. Frequent ear infections, viruses, and then periorbital cellulitis. This is an infection in the tissue just below the eye. He even needed to go back and forth to the ER for anti-biotic injections one long weekend. Thanks to the quick thinking of my very intelligent pediatrician, his immune system was tested to make sure all the vaccines he had received had taken to his system. She did this on a hunch due to the fact that they used to see this infection frequently before the Hib vaccine was created. Unfortunately, the Hib injections my son had received up until that age had never taken, for whatever reason. I was shocked, I had never heard of this. After some research, I found that this does happen with all vaccines to all different people at all different ages and that most people would never know it unless they became ill or had their blood tested, as they do for medical students training to be doctors.

I am glad that there are vaccines available for diseases that at one time killed hundreds of people. But I am also glad that we have choice with our medical care. Being a parent we are faced with lots of difficult decisions and I certainly hope each day that I am making the "right" choices for my children. I am also glad that we have the freedom to do so, as long as it does not put any child or children in danger.

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MOMS COUNCIL 

Pam Wanstall - Pam is a stay at home mom of four, two biological sons, 14 and 11 and two adopted daughters, 7 (China) and 2 (South Korea). She holds both a BSW and an MSW (social work degrees). Pam is 41 and have lived in Marblehead for 10 years, She grew up in Lynn and has been married for 16 years.

Sharman Pollender - Sharman lives in Marblehead, with her husband, one son, 4 1/2 and a 2-year-old lab. I have been volunteering with Marblehead Festival of Arts for 5 years and have been a board member for two and currently serving on Newcomers and Natives board. 

Blakeslee Detels - Blakeslee lives in Marblehead with her husband and three girls -- ages 14, 12 and 10. Blakeslee juggles a rewarding part time job with volunteer work and getting her three girls to all to their sporting events.

Cindy Schieffer - Cindy is Devoted Mom to two crazy little boys and Lucky Wife to a man who makes her laugh harder than anyone can. Marblehead, marriage and motherhood play starring roles in her blog Confessions of a Serial Swooper. In her words, "I really can't complain. But I do a little anyway." 

Shannon Yates - Shannon lives in Marblehead with her husband Simon, their two kids ages 9 and 8, and a new chocolate labradoodle puppy. She and her family have been in the process of adopting a child from China for the past 4 years and she hopes 2011 is the year they will be matched with a little girl. Shannon has been a Coffin Gerry PTO volunteer for the past 4 years.

Annemarie Rockwell - Annemarie lives in Marblehead with her husband and three mischievious boys. Her sons are 14-, 12- and 10 -years -old. Both Annemarie and her husband work Marblehead and are in the veterinary field.  Thus, a menagerie of strays and orphans reside with them too:  dogs, cats, rabbit, ferrets, fish and a parrot.

Brenda Kelley Kim - Brenda is a Marblehead mom. She is the author of our weekly column, "Not for Nothing."

Darcy Mayers - Is the author of our weekly column, "Playdates for Grown-ups." She is also on the PTO.

Leslie Martini Eddy - Is a former Marblehead business owner and mom. She is the author of our bi-weekly column, "How They Met."

Meredith Tedford -  Meredith has lived in Marblehead for over ten years with her husband and three kids ages 11, 9 and 6. She's an avid volunteer, reluctant mini van driver and fortunate stay-at-home mom. In the "real" world  she publishes "Fans of Being a Mom," one of the largest Facebook fan pages for moms.

Karen Byron - Karen and her husband have lived in Marblehead since 2001 and are the proud parents of two boys, ages 8 months and 3 years. She happily juggles mommyhood with her business as a grant consultant to nonprofit organizations.  They can often be found exploring new hiking trails, parks and beaches in New England with their dog Jack.

Xhazzie Kindle - Xhazzie is a self-employed mom of four-year-old twins.