vaccinations

In case you haven't heard, flu season is in full effect, and this year is one of the worst in recent history. As parents, it has us thinking constantly about keeping our kids healthy, so a new study reporting that nearly half of all children in the US are late in receiving their vaccinations caught our attention.

The study was conducted by researchers at Kaiser Permanente Colorado and examined the immunization records for some 323,000 children. Over the course of the research, the number of kids who were late on at least one vaccine (including measles, mumps and rubella, diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis shots) jumped from 42 percent to 54 percent. Just over one in eight children were undervaccinated due to their parents' decisions, and for the rest, it was unclear as to why they were missing shots.

Many parents ask their pediatricians to delay or skip immunizations, citing safety concerns such as a link between the vaccines and autism — a theory that scientists now agree is a nonissue. So what does this mean for the health of our country as a whole? "It's possible that some of these diseases that we worked so hard to eliminate [could] come back," said Jason Glanz of Kaiser Permanente, who led the study.

Do you think it's acceptable for parents to develop "alternative" vaccination schedules for their kids?

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Are You For or Against Alternative Vaccination Schedules?

Yes — Your kids, your choice.

No — Our pediatricians recommend shots for a reason.

The controversy over vaccinations is one that will likely continue for years to come, and as a parent, I've been operating under the assumption that it's my job to decide what shots and schedules I am and am not comfortable with. So when I recently read about a new trend of pediatricians refusing to treat families who don't follow their recommended vax schedules, I was slightly shocked.

The National Vaccine Information Center says an alarming number of pediatricians are electing not to treat families who refuse, delay, or alter vaccination schedules. According to a study conducted in the Midwest, 21 percent of the 900 pediatricians surveyed in nine Midwestern states said they have discharged families from their practices for continuing to refuse all vaccines. This is in despite of the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which states, "Families with doubts about immunization should still have access to good medical care, and maintaining the relationship in the face of disagreement conveys respect and at the same time allows the child access to medical care."

So what do you think? Should doctors have the right to dump parents who don't follow their vaccination schedules? Or should they be required to treat all patients, regardless of vaccinations? Weigh in below!

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Shot Shocker! Pediatricians Dumping Parents Over Vaccinations

Yes — doctors should have a say in who they treat.

No — pediatricians should stick with patients, regardless of vaccination decisions.

The times, they are a-changin' when it comes to vaccinating your tot. Following recent news that an overwhelming majority of parents are not comfortable with the vaccinations their children receive, a new study finds that more moms and dads are using alternative vaccine schedules for their kids than ever before. According to the latest issue of Pediatrics, 13 percent of families are not following the calendar created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choosing to use alternative schedules that delay or skip various vaccines. Among the most missed vaccines are those for the flu and chicken pox, while the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) is the most frequently delayed, despite findings denying the link between the vaccine and autism.

popsugar poll

Do you follow the CDC's recommended vaccination schedule?

Yes — We follow the calendar set out by the CDC.

No — We use an alternative schedule that spaces out the shots more.

No — We don't vaccinate at all.

Parents are taking their kids in for "a little pinch," but they aren't happy about it. According to a study just released today, 95 percent of US children receive the recommended vaccines (on schedule), but 77 percent of parents are still uncomfortable with the shots. More than a year after the link between autism and vaccines was debunked, many parents are still voicing concern over the safety of the ingredients used in the vaccines. Other issues parents raised include the complexity of the immunization schedule, pain from the injection, and the number of shots tots get in one sitting.

Even if you follow the CDC's vaccination schedule, are you nervous about it?

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Survey Finds Most Parents Still Uneasy About Vaccinations

Yes – I listen to my child's doctor, but I'm nervous about them.

No – I have confidence that the schedule and vaccines are fine.

Other – I'll tell you in the comments.

Do you remember getting a tetanus shot as a kid? They were so painful. When explaining why a tetanus shot is important, people always mention stepping on a rusty nail. Apparently rusty nails aren't the only things to worry about. Tetanus is a disease caused by bacteria that live in dust, animal waste, or soil. If you get a cut, burn, splinter, puncture, insect bite, or any other break in your skin, your wound can become infected with these bacteria. When the bacterial spores multiply in your body, they create a poison that affects your muscles and causes uncontrollable spasms. It can even affect your breathing and result in death. Yikes!

As a child, you most likely were vaccinated by the time you were 6 years old. Every 10 years after that you should get a booster shot. Since I'm sure many of you are walking around barefoot this Summer, I was wondering . . .

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When Did You Get Your Last Tetanus Shot?

I have no idea, but I should find out.

I've had mine in the past 10 years, so I'm protected.

It's definitely been more than 10 years, so I'm due for one.

I don't believe in vaccinations.

Twelve years after the medical and parenting communities were rocked by the release of a study linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, the world's most renowned medical journal is retracting the paper that made the initial claims. This morning, the editors of The Lancet announced that the researcher behind the paper was not honest in his presentation of the data and "it has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield . . . are incorrect."

The original publication of the paper set off a firestorm of controversy, pitting many physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics against parents of children diagnosed with the disorder, including Jenny McCarthy, who has been an outspoken critic of the current vaccination schedule.

Are you surprised by The Lancet's announcement this morning?

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Are You Surprised by the Delinking of Vaccines and Autism?

Yes – I still believe there is a link between vaccines and autism.

No – I am not surprised at all, this has been a long time coming.