Why I decided to put this together
I decided to put this together because I’m constantly being asked about vaccines. Parents are understandably worried, confused and overwhelmed by all the information floating around. Will vaccines cause my child to be Autistic? The truth is that kids are diagnosed with Autism, regardless of whether or not they’ve been vaccinated. So it’s not that simple.
Personally, I’m a believer in vaccines and I don’t think there is any denying that they save countless lives. However, not everyone feels the same way.
My goal with this article is to help parents to rely less on what celebrities like Jenny McCarthy have to say and more on their own personal research. I think that if we can take the power away from the people spreading the misinformation and propaganda, parents are in a better position to make a decision based on conversations between themselves and their child’s doctor.
There has been a recent surge of interest in this topic once again in light of the whole Jenny McCarthy joining ABC’s The View. When it comes to something like this, people are always throwing advice out and it’s hard to know who to trust and what is opinion and what is fact.
I’m not sure what ever happened to trusting our doctors but it seems that we don’t anymore. We are more willing to believe a celebrity with absolutely no medical background or scientific evidence to back up their claims and simply dismiss the medical community.
When my wife and I made the decision to vaccinate our kids, we didn’t make that decision lightly.
While I will never tell you what’s best for your child, I can provide some advice that may help you to make a responsible and informed decision when it comes to Autism, your child and vaccines.
I truly hope this helps…….
10 steps to making a responsible decision about vaccines
1)Do your own research and rely on reputable sources for your information. There is a great deal of paranoia and misinformation floating around, especially online. You have to be really careful what information you trust. Try to stick to the facts and avoid opinions.
2) If you have any concerns about vaccinating your child, make a special appointment to talk to your child‘s doctor. When you make the appointment, explain what it’s for so your doctor will be able to set aside the appropriate time. Don’t be afraid to ask tons of questions and take lots of notes.
3) If for some reason your child’s doctor is unwilling to discuss your concerns or answer your questions, guess what? It might be time to find a new doctor. Any doctor worth a dime, should be willing to have this discussion with you and answer whatever questions they can. Just give them a heads up. After all, you both want what’s best for your child.
4) Remember that everyone’s experience has the potential to be different because everyone’s genetic makeup and body chemistry is different. In other words, just because one child has a bad reaction to a vaccine does not mean that your child will. The same holds true that just because one child does okay with a vaccine doesn’t necessarily mean yours will.
5) Ignore Hollywood. There are a great many people that will try and push their opinion on you. It’s important to remember that most of these people have absolutely no medical background and shouldn’t be advising you of what to do for your child. It’s okay to hear what they have to say, just remember that there is a world of difference between opinion and fact.
6) Remember that there is always a middle ground. You can always space or spread out the vaccines over time, if you’re that concerned. Just ask your doctor about adjusting your child’s vaccine schedule. Most doctors will be more than happy to work with you. Again, if you’re met with resistance or feel pressured, you can always find a new doctor.
7) Deciding whether or not to vaccinate your child is probably one of the biggest decisions you’ve had to make up to this point in your life. This decision shouldn’t be taken lightly as there is potential risk in whatever you decide to do. Carefully weigh all the information you have collected and ask more questions if you need to.
8) Don’t wait until the last minute. Plan ahead and take your time. This is a big decision and one that you shouldn’t rush into.
9) When you finally make your decision, stand by it. There are people out there that will criticize you no matter what you do. Remember that you are your child’s parent and the only one that can make decisions for your child.
10) No matter what the outcome, remember that you did what you felt was best for your child. You have no ability to predict the future and neither does anyone else. All you can do is rely on your instincts and deal with whatever life has in store for you and your family.
This site is managed almost exclusively via WordPress for Android. Please forgive any typos as autocorrect HATES me. 😉
Follow @Lost_and_Tired
Visit the My Autism Help Forums
This site is managed almost exclusively via WordPress for Android. Please forgive any typos as autocorrect HATES me. 😉
Follow @Lost_and_Tired
Visit the My Autism Help Forums
To reach me via email, please Contact Me
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