This blog might surprise you. Probably from the title you think you know what i’m going to say, but hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised and maybe even a little bit enlightened. That’s a lot to hope for I know, but I really think it’s time to change direction on this issue in the name of progress. I am at no point going to give my personal opinion on vaccines, as I believe it is not only counter productive to do so, but would negate most of what i’m about to say and that would be silly indeed. My sole aim is to make this world better and safer for our children, our children’s children and so on.
It seems on the issue of vaccines that every one has an opinion, and so they should. Whether you choose to vaccinate or not to vaccinate is your choice (for now). However, some people have strong opinions. REALLY strong opinions. So strong in fact that in the case of some pro-vaccine advocates, they have gotten to the point of showing absolute disdain and disgust for parents who choose not to vaccinate. There has been high profile media personalities injecting (pardon the pun), their own personal (or network) agendas into the issue, which then creates disharmony, judgement and fear among the public and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Disdain and disgust do not belong in this arena. There are people out there doing terrible things to innocent people and animals, and while we might be disgusted or appalled for a moment while the news story is on, we move on to whatever is next, but mention on a tv morning show that you don’t believe in vaccination and be prepared to be lynched!
When I began my crusade to help my autistic son, 10 years ago, I mentioned to a couple of doctors that I was trying diet and biomedical interventions, and one of the kinder things I was told was that I was ‘trying to reinvent the wheel’. What they meant (in more than just those words) was that it was a waste of time and that I should not question and stick to the set protocols. ( In Australia that meant early intervention and possibly medications. That was it!) I often left feeling deflated and discouraged, when you would think that a mother trying to help her child should be encouraged. I’ve been thinking about this ‘reinventing the wheel’ comment lately as I work on my son’s issues and i’ve come to this conclusion…what is so wrong with trying to reinvent the wheel? Can you imagine how a Holden Monaro would perform if its wheels were sandstone and not Bridgestone? So, with that said, I think it’s time for the vaccine issue to be reinvented.
Like a holy war, what he have is an impasse, where one side is right and the other side is wrong, but which is right or wrong depends entirely on the side you happen to be on. Holy wars can and have gone on for hundreds if not thousand of years, with little to no progress along the way, but always casualties. In the case of the vaccine war, it is children who are at risk of being casualties. There are obvious reasons for this. As most children seem to tolerate vaccines well, there are a percentage that don’t. If your child has not had a bad reaction, then this issue will not have much relevance for you, but it is very relevant to families of vaccine injured children. It is fact not fiction, that there are children and families that have endured horrific suffering due to reactions to vaccines (and other medications). There are ‘side effects’ from every single medication on the planet. There are medications that are without a doubt, lifesaving. Without some of those very medications, my husband would not be with us today, but of course for the most part, you still need to weigh up the good and the bad.
What I am suggesting is that it really doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong. Vaccine advocates and governments (I will leave the drug companies out of this) are trying to prevent current and future epidemics and outbreaks, they are trying to see the bigger picture, and that is their job whether you agree or not. Anti-vaccine lobbyists are also trying to see the bigger picture, and are trying to dispel fear and protect children and families from harm now and in the future. Everyone really wants the same thing, it’s just different sides of the same coin and neither side is going to back down, So what do we do now?
What if we at least met half way? What if, doctors and medical staff took a full family medical history including allergies, before a new born is injected irreversibly with a vaccine? Would that be so bad? What if drug companies took out dangerous ingredients like Thimerosal and add a preservative that is at least a bit safer? We know after all, without a doubt, that mercury IS neurotoxic. Would that be so bad? What if parents waited a little, and took some time and spaced the vaccinations out? Would that be so bad? What if at least, a basic medical examination was done on each child before each vaccination (glands and temperature at least checked) to try to ensure the child was not compromised in any obvious way? Would that be so bad? What if governments insisted that drug companies use safer ingredients? Would that be so bad? And, what if governments afforded parents the right not to vaccinate, without penalties? What if, we did everything we could to make this situation safer? What if we all met half way for the sake of our kids? While these things are being done, the next step is for people to respect each others decisions. This planet is rife with judgement. It stinks and it’s time to stop. People should be entitled to make their own decisions without fear or judgement. In lieu of judgement, the dissemination of information should be open and on going and can hopefully be given and received with respect on both sides. We are all happy and lucky to be living in a democracy, and it should continue that way.
Before I finish my little rant, I do have one observation i’d like to make. I am continually amazed when a pro-vaccinist gets concerned over the thought of an epidemic from children who aren’t vaccinated. It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for vaccines! If you’re child is vaccinated, you don’t have anything to worry about, do you? There are people out there who vaccinate their children, because they just go with the flow. It’s just what you do. Then there are those who are fearful either way and put time, consideration and hopefully some research into their decision and we all have to be aware that either way, it can be a very difficult decision. Sometimes it may not be one big decision, but many smaller decisions along the way as their child grows.
I hope I don’t sound too scalding, but while I stand by not giving my personal views on vaccines, i’m happy to share my views on judgement of others as you’ve just discovered. One of my favourite lines from my very favourite tv show, Modern Family, is when Mitchell locks the baby in the car. When he calls for help he says to the operator, ‘we’ve locked our baby in the car…and people are judging us’! We are all judging and being judged whether we even realise it or not. Lets endeavour to look after and support each other instead, and make the world a better and safer place at the same time.
Kitty xx
Link to my app 🙂
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/emotion-fonts/id779305002?mt=8
AUTnotISM 