I'm worried the shots at the hospital have Thimerosal. I don't want my kids to get autism, can i refuse to give shots to them?

I'm not excited about the H1N1 vaccine coming ether. I don't want it given to my kids.

Tale a look:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/thimerosal_qa.htm

I don't know any of the rules, so this is my own opinion, but I thought as long as you aren't putting your kids in school or day care where they demand they be immunized, no one can make you give them shots. You may have trouble when traveling to other countries, and while overseas I would think you may be exposed to more of the things the shots protect you from. Of course, unless you are going to home school, eventually they will have to get all the shots in a short period of time to catch up before they start kindergarten. But if I had it to do again, that would be my choice.

As far as ANY flu shot, until they can give statistics on long term effects, if any, nothing goes into me or my kids that has been hastily cooked up and given to the masses. We take our health seriously, but for this, we'll take our chances.

As I said, my opinion only

First of all the flu shots, for whatever flu is completely up to you. Regular shots are there to help your children, so that they do not come into contact with a disease, that is now preventable. Autism is not a good enough reason not to have shots given. Would you rather not get the shots and your child come in contact with a disease? Think of what your child would have to go through to be taken care of and treated. All the shots, and tests, what horror to think of, for these kids that didn't have the choice. As a parent you want what is best for your children, but sacrificing their health, because you are afraid that you may not have that "perfect" child? Come on is it really worth it? The choice is yours, would you rather have a healthy happy child, that might have autism, but would be able to show you how to look at life in a different way? Or have a child that you decided not to have vaccinated and come down with an illness, even life threating, and think, if only I had got the shot for this? My kids are the most important people to me in the world, and I couldn't accept the fact that I was responsible for killing them, just because I wanted the "perfect" family. My little boy is almost 2, and they are in the process of testing him for autism. He's extremely bright, but a handful, and I still love him the same, he's still my baby. What a miracle, my family has been blessed with! I don't believe that it's shots that give children autism. I can think of a few families that I grew up around that didn't vaccinate their children, and at least one of their children had autism.

I understand what you are saying as I have a child that was born less than a week ago. We talked to the doc about the same thing and he told us that if it is used it is very minuscule amounts. I found the following link to help explain a little bit better. Hope that helps.

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228

I will not give my children shots that contain mercury. I don't think it is a simple as wanting to have a perfect family. Possibly exposing your child to something and having them become Autistic is not as simple as accepting them for who they are.

Here is what the CDC says on their web site "Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930's. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure." It sounds like they are just trying to cover themselves for allowing it for so long. Alternately, the National Autism Association has quite a bit of information and research that does show a definite link. http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/thimerosal.php

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/thimerosal/index.html

.....That you think that having your child dead from getting a disease that could have been prevented is better than having a child with Autism. I think that I would rather have either of my two daughter be fully immunized with a chance to get Autism then not immunized and a chance to be dead.

Seems like a pretty simple decision to me, but that is just my two cents.

You must not have an autistic child. Diptheria and polio can be devastating, but if caught, they are rarely fatal anymore, and have been almost wiped out in the U.S. Chicken pox vaccines in my opinion have been conjured up and used as scare tactics for pharaceutical companies to make billions from (NONE of which they seem to be using to cure cancer, MS, AIDS, PD, etc) Since at the time we lived in the states, if there's any chance that the shots my daughter got caused her asperger's, you bet that I would've skipped them! A slow recovery from a disease she had less than a 1% chance of getting anyway is preferable to me than wathcing her struggle with people ignoring her or calling her names now at a young age, and worrying and wondering how her adult life will be in the near future and after I'm gone.

well said Lori

I have two little boys with autism. I saw a change after my kids got shots.

I wish they didn't receive four shots at one time. I think if the shots were spaced out or the preservatives contained no mercury, my boys would be fine.

Just FYI, hubby had to get his H1N1 shot today and you have to sign a sheet verifying that you are not allergic to various things. Thimerosal was one of them. Does this mean that it could be in the shots they want to give to children as young as 6 months?

Of course I would rather have them be alive. However, I also think there are other alternatives, like getting vaccines that do not contain mercury and not getting three or four at a time.

Lori, at our pediatrician's office they do not yet (and I don't know if they will)have H1N1 vaccines that do not contain Thimerosal. As far as I know, the only other option available is the live virus mist.

I was told when i went in to get mine they will not get any for kids under 5 so i dont know if that was true or not that was they told me when i got mine

I have two children, 5 and 2, neither have ever been vaccinated or will ever be. I worked as a home health care worker for handicap children, some of which were mentally retarded because of a reaction to a vaccination. Because of the risk we have chosen not to vaccinate our children, as well as many of my own personal friends with 5+ children who are grown up healthy and strong. We travel internationally all the time, which means they are exposed to disease, yet they are healthy and strong and have built antibodies to some diseases without even getting a vacation. Choosing to vaccinate is an option, as long as you're homeschooling. Jerry you are not the only one who is worried about injecting toxic substances into your children, they say the risk may be small, but if it's your child that has the reaction, it's not so small after all. You can contact healthy and strong children and families all over the world who have never received one vaccination in their lives. Good hygiene and healthy diet is the key, wash your hands and your child's hands, eat the right foods to keep a strong immune system and white blood cells healthy and you'll see your bodies immune system is a powerful thing! Choose what you think is best for your child, and if it's not giving them shots, then follow through with it. Go to youtube and you can get many free videos by Doctors and microbiologist that are against vaccinations and teach in their opinions why. Not all doctors vaccinate, you just need to at least hear both sides of the argument before you make a decision. blessings.

Just as a FYI - there was recently a story done by CNN on how the British doctor that linked Vaccines to Autism (where the hysteria spread from UK to America al a Jenny McCarthy) was discredited.

In fact, all his research on this subject has since been wiped out of medical texts and literature.  Unfortunately, the damage has been done.  There are also recent reports in California where Whooping Cough has been making a comeback with multiple child deaths...mostly innocent babies unable to receive vaccines due to age.

Here are the links to the 2 stories on CNN if anyone is interested.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/06/28/parikh.childhood.vaccines/index.html?iref=allsearch&fbid=MnP4kaZHCXO

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/28/california.whooping.cough/index.html?iref=allsearch&fbid=MnP4kaZHCXO

I personally have never had a worry about giving my children shots who are now 12 and 15.  I would worry more about what they could catch/get if not vaccinated.  Both my babies were also preemies 25 weeks and 30 weeks so their immune systems were low to begin with.  Even though most "nasty" disease have been radiated there still is that small chance of a child catching something "especially" being military, living overseas and having the benefits of traveling to other countries.

My daughter did test positive for the H1N1 last year and was very ill.  I still got het the shot after as I did not want to risk her contracting it again, I also had my son get the shot.  Lastly, unless you plan on home schooling your child/children then they have to be up to date on all shots.  You must also consider when they grow up and any jobs they may consider, there are many companies who require the adult to be up to date on shots especially if travel is part of their job description.

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My thoughts (this is just my opinion) on children with autism related to having childhood vaccinations are unfounded.  You could go back and forth all day on this subject, should I should I not? My thoughts are children are born with autism due to a neurological hic up in the genetic DNA make-up we all have.  Autism if found early (usually around 3 years old) with early intervention although cannot be cured but it is treatable. Contracting something as simple as chickenpox can lead to several long term issues and the worst case scenario is death. I know many parents who have children with autism, and I have worked with several of these children, two are shot free the rest have had all shots.  So my question is "why did the 2 children with autism who did not have any shots develop this condition when the others had all their shots but still have autism?"  My 15 year old is smart as can be, my 12 year old has a major learning disability, they both had all their shots so is there a correlation? Their IQs may be different but they are both VERY healthy and that's the way I like it.

i don't believe that immunization "cause" autism. Autism is a neurological genetic disorder. Linking autism to immunization shots is in my opinion wreckless. For those of you who have fallen for this new age anti immunization hoopla here's so information on them that's NOT well known. Did you know people were giving inoculations to themselves for smallpox dating as far back as 200 B.C. People (parents) were giving inoculations to their children. This wasn't some high tech shot or pill done by nurse in a doctors office. The first diagnosed case of autism in the us was in 1940. I'm not saying that there weren't earlier cases of children and adults who presented with autism but as far as a documented case it was 1940.  Flash forward to today there are astounding numbers of children who place on the autism spectrum and they are doing so with increasingly higher rates annually. To blame immunizations for the disorder is as i stated before wreckless. Autism is a disorder and is subsequently a byproduct of OUR lackadaisical lifestyles. If you know someone with a child(ren) or and adult who suffers from autism one of the first things the Dr's will push is a gluten- free diet.  Fast foods have caused our society to become overweight, lazy, and very "blame it on this and that" instead of taking responsibility for OURSELVES. Parents do be an advocate for you children, do search our the answers for your questions if you aren't given the one you are looking for. I spent 2 yrs in and out of the hospital with my daughter. I know what it's like to feel helpless when you can't find the truth or answers. But i truly disbelieve in jumping on a band wagon just because. My daughter has received every vaccination and some elected vaccinations on my part and they have made her stronger and we have been hospital free for almost 2 full years, o admissions.

This is a very complex issue and goes back to the old 'nature versus nurture" fight.

Yes, autism is a nuerological disease but saying that it is "only" a genetic component is "wreckless". As with many other diseases, enviromental aspects can have an influence in the disease.

There has yet been any conclusive scientific evidence that immunizations are or can be the sole cause for autism. These conclusions are theory only and in no way have been supported by peer reviewed medical research.

There is, however, research, stating that there is no relationship between thimerosal and autism.

It could be that those who are genetically predisposed but not showing any signs (carriers) could be influenced by the mercury in vaccines, but this is not been shown true or false as of yet.  If it is true, it would be a small percentage of the population and then they would have to identify the genetic component before those individuals could be identified at risk. Most causes of autism are idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause.

I would, as of yet, be "blaming" vaccines. It is a complex issue, and with no conclusive evidence to pin point vaccines as the sole or primary cause.

I do agree that the typical western lifestyle does not help in any of the health issues. The matter is much more than "fast food" though.

It is the modern convienences, the lack of excercise, the high fat highly processed diet, and the lack of careing about overall health that is the main concern for any disease. People think that in the abscence of disease, there is health, and this is not true.

We need to be mindful about health, but not to the point of making ourselves and our children more susceptible to disease. Afterall, too much hand washing and anti-bactirial products can actual kill the good bacteria we need to survive.

Please do your research. To vaccinate or not vaccinate should come from doing your research and making an informed decision.  You should never allow fear to sway your decisions.  I will never vaccinate my younger two children after watching my oldest son become severely autistic after his vaccinations.  So much of what has been said here is completely wrong and so inaccurate. But it is not really the forum for arguing this type of thing.  My children attend school and they have never had one thing said to them or me about not being able to attend. Waivers are common, every day things. You do NOT have to home school.