Vaccinations for 2 Year Old?

Separate shots, or an altered schedule shouldn't be a problem.
Some additional information:
http://shotbyshot.org/story-gallery
http://whyichoose.org
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/parents.htm#myths

Nothing is mandatory! If you don't know what is being injected into your baby, find out! Don't blindly vaccinate your child! Do you really think the CDC and Merck are looking out for your child's best interests? No, they're not, that's your job. I'm not completely opposed to the idea of vaccinating but i'm not going to pump my kids full of drugs so someone else can make tons of money. Do your research and then make a decision. Stay strong and they will try to make you feel bad and guilt you but be tough and assertive.

Hi Mamy---Your state's department of health should have that info, as well as the CDC site. I actually think that vaccinations are NOT mandatory, if you feel you do not want your children to have them. Do your research on both sides of the issue, before you make your decision.

Some additional websites to explore are:
www.nvic.org
www.askDrSears.com---Dr. Jim has written a book about how to alter the vaccination schedule so that they don't overload a baby's developing immune system. Much of the problem these days is that they are giving so many different vaccines in one sitting. Any one of them by themselves might not be a problem, but all of them together just totally overload the immune system.

As another poster stated, there are likely some that are necessary while most are not. I would NOT ever give my children the chicken pox vaccine. After being on the market several years now, the manufacturer is now suggesting a booster is neccessary as a young adult because the vaccine does not work like they 'thought' it would. CP is not much more than a mild nuisance when kids are young, but it is life-threatening if acquired as an adult.

There is also an outbreak of measles within a community where all of the kids who've gotten the measles all had vaccinations. The HPV vaccine is an unnecessary vaccine. This works for 3 of over 100 viruses that could cause cervical cancer. Most cases resolve themselves. The side effects are devastating, and they are many.

Please understand that I am not suggesting you forego all vaccinations, but, again, be sure you do your research. I chose to not get the mennigitis vaccine for my son at college. They promote the vaccine because kids live in such close proximity to others in dorms. But research shows that kids in dorms DO NOT get sick any more than kids living outside of the dorm. You can do alot at home by eating an optimal diet and making sure the immune system is strong and able to fight infections if and when we are exposed to 'bugs'.

IF you would like any additional info, especially on how to achieve an optimal diet, please feel free to contact me. I am taking a series of classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I've learned alot of very interesting health info, things that are not commonly shared by most health care professionals...mostly because our medical care is sick care.

So, I apologize if I am a bit off topic, but if we start with diet, most other health problem questions become moot points. I am happy to help in any way that I can. Be well, D.

New Jersey specific info: (many links within this link) - http://www.nvic.org/Vaccine-Laws/state-vaccine-requiremen... .

Here is a link to the CDC's Vaccine Information Sheets: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm .

You may also want to google your county's health department to see if they have a vaccination page.

I checked out a book from the library that I really liked - it was written by Stephanie Cave, MD - (something like "What your Doctor may not tell you about Vaccines").

If I had it to do over with my children (who are teens) I would have looked much more carefully at what is required of children today vs. what I received when I was a child. I would have also pressed my ped much harder for actual numbers - i.e., what is the likelihood of my child acquiring the illness vs. the risk from the vaccine? What is the severity of the prospective illness?

A number of vaccines have been added to the "schedule" even since my kids were little. How many are too many? What is the tipping point?

With my children - I am charged with looking out for their best interests. IMHO the pharma industry has gotten so aggressive (and greedy) with vaccines that they - themselves - have endangered herd immunity by making parents say "wait a sec - why DOES my newborn need a hepB vaccine?". In the 3 years between my children's births that "requirement" went from 4 months (for the first dose) to the first few hours of life (even when Mom is HepB negative)? Why? Was the change for their safety or was it part of some big push to increase uptake (as part of a broader social agenda?)?

I am not a health care provider of any sort - this is just my own mom opinion.

Good luck with this - I feel very sorry for parents of young kids today.

PS: That article from the Indy Star that another person posted - just be aware that Indianapolis is the home of Eli Lilly. Not that the newspaper is necessarily biased - just wanted to point that out.

You are very wise to educate yourself and I give you props for doing so. Do the research yourself and don't make a decision based on what anyone else tells you. Most of all... Listen to your motherly instincts. Vaccines can and do cause harm. The fact that someone said they don't is a bold face lie. Even the government knows that. They have a vaccine injury compensation program and have paid a total of $2,006,374,459.59 in compensations to families of vaccines injuries, as of July 14, 2010.
< a href="http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report...; Vaccine injury statistics</a> Know your rights and know that all of the vaccines are optional. There are exemptions in every state. Be fully informed.

I am not going to go into all the cons of vaccinations. There are plenty of sites on the internet that can do that for you. Be sure to study them carefully. The nvic site is a good one, as is vaclib.org. You don't have to have any vaccinations if you don't want. Each state has an exemption policy. And, when you get vaccines, you have to sign an "INFORMED consent" form. But, as you demonstrate, most people really are not informed. So, get informed first, then decide when/if you will vaccinate. And, who cares if they don't like making mulitple appointments for a patient. Remember, you are hiring your doctor. They work for you, not the other way around. You are the one in the position of authority over your child, not your doctor. They must submit to your wishes, not the other way around. We, as a society, have forgotten this very important principle. Don't be fearful of their opinion in what you choose for your child. Be informed, study, come to your conclusions (which may or may not include their opinions on the matter), and stick to your guns. Best wishes.

In addition to the responses I have read here, know that:

The states themselves dictate what vaccinations are needed and when.

You have a choice. Each state is different but they have a short process for waivers you can sign on their form to exclude vaccinations for various reasons. (Note: Religious can be the Religion of Mamy if they insist on asking.)

If you want to do the imiportant ones, you can find out which ones are out there and which ones are not. The manufacturers put on their meds (and on the internet) when you should not get it due to high risk. Read those.

Ask for mercury free vaccinations only. I think they have taken mercury out of most but not flu shots. You can get those mercury free. (look for the word: thimerosal)

Spread them out. Don't give more than one shot at a time and see if you can put 6 months between them. Look for signs of reaction within 30 days.

Give them separately if possible. (The MMR shot I'm told isn't sold separately at this time by merck.)

If they've had a disease they vaccinate for, you can get their blood tested to see if their immunity has already built up and you don't need that one at this time.

I'm told that pediatricians strongly encourage parents to get them on their schedule. They fear that parents won't get them done if they are on their own schedule and have to take sole responsibility for getting them scheduled on time.

I have used lydocaine (sp?) for numbing. You must use it 1-2 hours before the shot in the spot where they are going to give the shot. A tube will last a long time. You put it on thickly, cover it with a little plastic wrap, and secure it with something like medical tape from the drugstore. Works great. Put it on at home in time before you go.

I think the only ones that are "optional" are: the flu shot, the pneumonia shot, and the HPV shot when your child is 12 or over. I don't agree AT ALL with not vaccinating your child. There is no evidence that vaccinations cause any harm (the huge thing over autism - which has been consistently disproven in scientific studies) but overwhelming evidence that vaccinations save lives.

Here is a recent article to read:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1291...

Here is a great opinion piece written by a medical professional:
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100817/OPINION12/817030...

And lastly, here is the CDC website about vaccinations:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

If you're worried about it, you can ask your pediatrician about a vaccination schedule that is slower than normal, where your child gets all the shots but over a longer schedule.

In terms of pain relief - of course - give your child Tylenol a half an hour before their appointment. Put an analgesic cream on your child a few minutes before the shots (just check with the doctor first) if that will help. I would try it out with your child before the appointment, though, because the sensation is very weird and your child may hate it and react much worse to a few shots with the cream. You can pick up analgesic cream at any pharmacy.

Hi,

I agree with Penny - that you should give your child shots. and spacing them out would be a good idea if yu are worried about it.

The web sites that Diane listed are good resources - just becareful because some people try to pass emotional reaction off as medical science.

Finally - her in NY there have been outberaks of measels in communties where the children did NOT get thier shots. Someone either from (or who went to - I can't remember) another country brought the measles to community and there was ahuge out break. With the influx of non-vaccinated foreign born folks in our area it seems to be an uneccesary rish not to vaccinate. I know of no communities where children were vaccinated an then caught the measels (I just googled to double check and found oodles where the lack of vaccination caused outbreaks).

Good luck!

Hi mom, there's a website: homefirst.com with Dr. Mayer Eisenstein. I think it will answer a lot of questions you are having concerning your precious daughter. I hope this helps.

I agree with everything Penny said, and just wanted to add that you shouldn't overlook the "pain relieving" effects of a little sugar : ) Both of my kids stop crying right away when they get cookies after their shots. In fact, in our house, Thin Mints are "doctor cookies!"

at two I don't think they get any unless you did a delayed schedule or you fell behind.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/chil...

I know at my youngest's 3 yr appt he had hib (because they had a shortage when he should have had his last dose and he got a pneumococcal because they now recommend an extra one to all healthy kids under 5 or 6. In my house we get the flu vaccine because my oldest has asthma and has difficulties w/ just a cold.

I read an article a few months ago that said giving tylenol/pain reliever can actually lessen the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Your best source of information is either the website for the American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org) and enter "vaccinations" into the search field. They also have a parenting website called HealthyChildren.org that is more user friendly.

You can also search on sites like WebMD, The Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov), NIH.gov for the best sources of information. I'd recommend staying away from sites like DrSears.com - it's an opinion site based upon one pediatrician's views and not the collective views of 60,000 like AAP.

Our pediatrician actually suggests having tylenol/ibuprofen before shots to make sure any side effects are minimized. Remember, an immunization is actually giving a small amount of the disease to the body to create antibodies to protect us against infections. Sounds counter-intuitive, but they work, so sometimes there are reactions.

I'm not sure you'd need to use a lidocaine cream to numb the area. Both of my kids have never had anything but tylenol/ibuprofen immediately before hand. We've only had crying once. I think it's more the anxiety of the parents that creates the issues than it is the actual process of receiving the vaccination. If you prep your child that it "will be OK" and it "will only hurt for a minute", you introduce fear. If you distract them, it makes it much easier.

Believe me, I sold injectible medications for 8 years, and the fear of the injection is by far worse than the actual process of receiving it. And, I've had a bone marrow extract which literally uses what appears to be a bike wrench. Even that hurt temporarily.

Good luck!