"On the bright side, the report shows that rates of juvenile smoking and drinking continue to decline, along with teen pregnancies, suicides and arrests."

For all the people who tend to dog out teens on this site, I hope you read this article. Teens making progress and parents being less responsible and not getting their children immunized.

This article is deceptive. They lump-in everyone who delays immunization in with people who never get their kids immunized at all. More and more parents are questioning the number of required and suggested immunizations as well as the administering of them all at once, and the autism link, which is obviously there, despite the denials from industy PR people. There is a point where it is obvious we are being pused into using vaccines that are not safe and are not necessary, mixed in with the ones taht are, in order to make a few greedy @&*%&#s rich, with little concern to the public heath.

I don't understand why any parent would delay having the necessary immunizations for their children. From the time our children are born, regular well-baby check-ups provide a period of time when our children should receive the immunizations necessary to protect them from serious and deadly diseases. One way or another, a parent should find a way to protect their child from these deadly diseases, many of which had been eradicated but are now making a come-back. There is no definite proof of this autism link. I tend to believe that autism and its cause would like more in the environmental factors we cannot see with our senses, and that it's possibly caused by something that goes wrong during the evolution of the sperm and egg and the growth of the fetus. But is it worth taking a chance on your child getting polio or TB or other disease that were long wiped out? Not to my way of thinking. When my son was a baby they didn't have immunications for chicken pox, for an example - I wish they had. And of course, these immunizations - plus for mumps, were not available when I was growing up - as a result I got chicken pox and mumps in my teens and I was seriously ill from it. Having those diseases later in life can be a death sentence.

What I don't understand, is how they are admitted to school without having all their immunizations. We use to have to prove our children were up-to-date on their shots prior to the school permitting them to enroll. What happened with that?

What vaccines does AionCA know about that we are "being pushed into using" that are not safe? I think without definite proof and facts to back up such a statement is just what causes too many people to withhold necessary vaccines from their children - some people tend to be gullible and will believe something they read in an internet rumor over facts. It is our responsibility as parents to investigate anything we have concerns over that impact on the health of our children. It's much better to use these time-proven immunizations and keep our children safe. Nothing is 100% foolproof - we differ as individuals and there will always be, sadly, some children who will have a negative reaction to something which is meant to protect and preserve their lives, but that shouldn't stop a parent from using time proven protections to ensure the health of their child and to protect other children as well.

It's not economics that lowering the vaccination rates; it's fear that vaccines can cause harm. Just because the media rarely reports the negative things about vaccines does not mean they are safe. Looks at the numbers of sick children in the country-not only developmental disorders, autism, diabetes, asthma and the list goes on. If not vaccines-then what is causing this. Vaccines have never been proved safe. Combos of vaccines at one time have never been proved safe. Thimerosal is a neurotoxin and so is aluminum. Girls are dying rom the HPV vaccine. Check out the Poling case in Vaccine Court and Bailey Banks case. Read about Boyd Haley, mark Geier, just a couple of examples.

If your child had all the vaccinations for example, why should you care whether or not i vaccinate mine? I thought vaccines protected against diseases? Then your child would be protected. and you shouldn;t have to worry. Vaccines must not be mandated, and parents must be given a choice . Anyone whose child has been vaccine i njured would not feel as eveningrain does. Herd immunity needs to be eliminated. Not even one child's life should be put in danger.

eveningrain - The schools cannot disallow a child from attending if they do not have the proper vaccines. However, if another child develops the measles or mumps, the un-vaccinated child must be removed from the school. Some schools require compliance at kindergarten. Non-compliant children are not accepted.

Colleges require Tetanus (Td), Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) compliance. Others require those plus TB testing and Meningitis vaccination prior to entry.

MaurineM - Thimerosal is not used in vaccines anymore. Because I travel, I have been vaccinated for everything (Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Malaria pills, etc.). No lasting side-effects. Vaccines have been proven safe for the vast majority. And autism (the most investigated disease) has not been connected to a vaccine (MMR).

As a former employee of the Bangor Immunization Program, most families are asked for a nominal fee to cover vaccines. No child is refused mandatory school entry shots based on their financial status.

With all the chemicals in bottles, blankets, mattresses, lotions and even the food you feed your child, it is a wonder more children haven't gotten sick. One child dying from an allergic reaction to an immunization is one too many. For hundreds to die because they did not get the shot is criminal.

I think everybody needs to pull their heads out of the sand and stop listening to the MEDIA and the FDA about good, wonderful and safe vaccines are. Some interesting ingredients of the vaccines (other than mercury thimerosol) are:

* aluminum hydroxide

* aluminum phosphate

* ammonium sulfate

* amphotericin B

* animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain,

* dog kidney, monkey kidney,

* chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg

* calf (bovine) serum

* betapropiolactone

* fetal bovine serum

* formaldehyde

* formalin

* gelatin

* glycerol

* human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue)

* hydrolized gelatin

* mercury thimerosol (thimerosal, Merthiolate(r))

* monosodium glutamate (MSG)

* neomycin

* neomycin sulfate

* phenol red indicator

* phenoxyethanol (antifreeze)

* potassium diphosphate

* potassium monophosphate

* polymyxin B

* polysorbate 20

* polysorbate 80

* porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein

* residual MRC5 proteins

* sorbitol

* tri(n)butylphosphate,

* VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells, and

* washed sheep red blood

(Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/03/A-Vaccine-Form-You-Can-Give-to-Your-Pediatrician.aspx )

That list was pulled from Dr. Joseph Mercola's website, his credentials can be read here: http://www.mercola.com/forms/background.htm and here's some more information that you should read too: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/05/Vaccine-Studies-Under-the-Influence-of-Pharma.aspx

People need to stop acting like sheep and doing and believing what the FDA and the Big Pharma companies want want us to believe. For those of you who still choose to remain apathetic about it, do me one favor (and your kids) click on this link ( http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/03/A-Vaccine-Form-You-Can-Give-to-Your-Pediatrician.aspx ) and take this to your doctor before you next set of shots and see if he/she will sign it.

The fact of the matter is, do your research on both sides of the story and make sure the information you are getting is credible. Your children will thank you later.

Hey as04605 which immunizations(in your opinion) should I give my baby? Which immunizations and when are right to give a child?Or should I simply not immunize them for anything?This is a serious question because I have a baby and know nothing regarding shots!!Please educate me further.

Vaccinations do not cause autism,..get an education.

Fromthehorsesmouth, I don't think that anybody can answer that question better than you. But you can answer that question better after reading those links that I posted above. Also, here is an exemption page that oulines a parents right to say no to doctor's and how to educate and defend yoruself against doctors who are trying to place the blame on parents who decide not to vaccinate thier children: http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/maine.htm

Diana22, if you are going to tell somebody to get an education, be prepared to cite irrefutable proof of your statements. It might be wise to demonstrate your education by using proper punctuation as well.

On 3/10/09 at 8:08 AM, MaurineM wrote: ---- "Vaccines must not be mandated, and parents must be given a choice ."

I agree but there really is only one responsible and logical choice to be made.

With a lot of these diseases less common, it may make more sense to wait until your child is older, or old enough to rule out neurological disorders prior to their administration. I do think that at some point before kindergarten MMR and Chickenpox vaccines would be advisable.

My kids were immunized as infants. My daughter had severe reaction to her second DPT. They advised me to only allow DT the next time. I reminded the person who made the recommendation, but through some error she was given DPT. It was another long night. My son was also an aborted SIDS exactly one week before his first birthday, less than a week after he had been immunized. He was left with no deficits so no one was inclined to search for the cause. He did have a sleep study and an EEG all of which were normal, but he stopped making any effort to speak or otherwise communicate with us.

And vaccines do lead to problems, autism included. Look up shaken baby syndrome and vaccines. My mother fostered an infant who was allegedly the victim of SBS and when her son was exactly the same age, he began seizing and appeared to have SBS except the pediatrician witnessed the violent seizures that caused his injuries

as04605: So everything you read on the internet is true? WOW you must be the smartest uneducated person I know. You need to leave your trailer in, the thriving metropolis, of Ellsworth and stop beleiving everything yo read on an internet site. Big deal you gave me a list of what is in vaccines. How is that any better than the ingredients in that corndog you're shoving down your throat while you wait for your welfare check? I bet you didn't read the content of the State's Health website? So which one is lying? The one doctor or the panel of doctors? So I bet you went to school for 8 years and have a doctoral degree in medicine, oh that's right you look at websites, WOW you are a genius.

Fromthehorsesmouth: Please vaccinate you child. I had to make that decision 15 months ago and I'm glad I got him vaccinated. People like as04605 that have kids could be anywhere. Do you want to take the chance your little one could come down with one of these diseases. My wife has been working with Autism spectrum children for 7 years now and has a Masters degree in Psychology. VACCINES HAVE NOT BEEN PROVEN TO CAUSE AUTISM!! Besides vaccines have been around since the 50's and just now some people THINK that there children MIGHT get Autism for them. Then why haven't we heard about this before? The biggest reason more kids are being diagnosed with Autism lately is that we have found ways to better see the signs. Please get your little one vaccinated and congratulations.

This article IS deceptive, as is most media the covers this topic. There are very valid reasons why parents choose not to vaccinate their children, and the decisions are often very well educated decisions. The media is famous for not covering every side of the story. In case you haven't noticed, in this country, it is quickly becoming unacceptable to speak the truth about almost anything. Some of us don't vaccinate our kids because of severe allergic reactions from previous vaccinations, risk factors, or the fact that they contain numerous amounts of poison. Out of all of the poisonous, hazardous ingredients that vaccinations include in their concoctions, I cannot think of ONE that I would willingly slip into my baby's bottle and make her drink! That's just insane! Why then, does everyone think it's okay to just inject these foreign substances into our kids bodies? Do you know that very little is being done to keep track of long term effects of vaccines? Oh, there are SO many reasons why to rethink vaccines. I am not suggesting that no one should vaccinate their kids. I am suggesting that parents need to make educated decisions. Just because a TV commercial, doctor, nurse, best friend recommends it, doesn't mean it's the best thing. Do your research- and don't pass judgment on parents who actually care enough about the well being of their children to put some extra effort into educating themselves before making a decision.