Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

So, I made the appt. to get Tyler the MMR vaccine and I am freaking out. He is 2yrs. 7 months and yes, still has not gotten the vaccine (no flames please...it is a very personal choice). I know now that I have the baby, it is best for him to get the vaccine. But too be honest, I am terrified, sounds stupid, but I am.

I know two people personally who swear the MMR vaccine caused autism in their children. One gave her son the MMR vaccine years ago around 12 mo. (which was the recommended age at that time). She said one day her son was pointing to the sky and saying plane and a few days later he was mute. I have met her son and he has a more severe form of autism. The second person gave her son the MMR vaccine later on around 18 mo. (maybe even closer to 2 years) and swears a few days after the shot her son woke up a different kid. He is a high functioning but has some quirks.

I was orginally set on splitting the vaccine but dont think it is worth the wait anymore. After reading alot, speaking to my ped. and most importantly my neighbor who is a pharmaceutical chemist, the danger of the monovalent vaccines are the same as the combo. The mumps and rubella portion of the vaccines are almost non-existant with no side effects. The composition of the measles vaccine is the same in both the combo and monovalent. Actually, you are getting 3 x's the other yucky chemicals in the vaccines by splitting it rather than just one time with the combo.

Anyway, Tyler gets EI for speech and his attention span (which is no longer an issue). I am terrified he is going to wake up one day and be mute or have developed delays or regressed in some way. Has anyone heard of this reaction in an older child at 2 1/2? I know there are some mommy's on here whose children have autism or other delays and still gave their child the vaccine...did you notice any regression after?

I am banging my head against the wall. I feel I'm damned if I do, damned if I dont. Take the risk and wait until he is 3 to give the vaccine and risk him and my infant getting sick (which the chances are very slim) or give him the vaccines and risk something going wrong (which again, the chances are very slim)?!?!


ETA: If you do not feel comfortable giving your opinion/advice on this post, please FM me.

Message edited 11/3/2009 8:01:40 PM.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

It is a very hard decision. I have no advice, but . I am dreading the MMR and the CP vaccine. Dreading it. So I hear ya.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I know it is really difficult, but that the same time, for every child that could have had a reaction, there is one that was just fine, and I am sure Tyler will be too

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Posted by KateDevine



I know it is really difficult, but that the same time, for every child that could have had a reaction, there is one that was just fine, and I am sure Tyler will be too

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I know what your going through in part. I was terrified, I mean really scared to give it to Noah. I had so many nightmares about it and having him have a speech delay affected my decision even more.

I just couldnt deal with the what if's , knew he needed to have it and finally just said Lets do it ( when he was just over 2) b/c I couldnt stand worrying about it anymore.

Afterwards I didnt feel as much terror as I thought I would...less actually...b/c I think a big part of my worry was when to get it and once it was done, part of me said, Ok , no turning back and felt a bit relieved.

My only advice to you is do what your comfortable with. If you really feel strongly about waiting till he is 3, then wait....But I think your fears will still be there...yet I think you know that.

Good luck

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Posted by jellybean1420

Posted by KateDevine



I know it is really difficult, but that the same time, for every child that could have had a reaction, there is one that was just fine, and I am sure Tyler will be too

Kate, Chris is only a few weeks younger than TJ. Did you give him the vaccine yet? I know your husband is an EMT so you like to keep up on the shots. Mine is a cop and I should be the say way too being the people he deals with on a regular basis

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Posted by dm24angel

My only advice to you is do what your comfortable with. If you really feel strongly about waiting till he is 3, then wait....But I think your fears will still be there...yet I think you know that.

Good luck

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Sending you lots of b/c I am right there with you - my DS is 26 months and hasn't gotten the shot either. Obviously he is going to need it for preschool next year and, my ped made it pretty clear at his 2 yr visit that my time for delaying it has run out. He said to me "you can see your son obviously does not have autism and is developing fine and is ahead of even where he should be so what are you afraid of?" From this, I take it he does not b/v children can regress from this shot.

That said, it's not so much the shot itself I am worried about or the autism fears but, rather, the reaction my DS will have to the shot and what that will do to him. My DS tends to have a very strong immune response to all vaccines even the ones kids typically do not react to. He also gets VERY high fevers. I am afraid what could happen to him in reaction to the shots. My DH actually had 2 febrile seizures as a result of the MMR...

Anyway, I guess I'm not much help - just wanted to say I'm right there with you...

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Crissy, I would talk to your ped and TJ's therapists and see what they think. They work with him on a regular basis and they can give some good insight, you know?

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I am right there with you; a very close friend of mine's cousins child has autism and the mother swears that her child was fine pre shot. My Ped wanted my son to get it at 12 months but I am delaying it ~ I am not sure when I will give it. I will definately give the shot (my ped said there were a couple of cases; I believe measles on Long Island ~ dont quote me but it was one of them) So here are some and understand how you feel!

Message edited 11/3/2009 8:45:23 PM.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Ugh


its so hard to do this. I watched AJ like a hawk for weeks after her shot.

I hated that I had to give it to her at all

I totally 100% believe that the total number of vaccinations we give our kids in clusters is criminal and its this total bombardment of drugs that is contributing to autism.

Its going to be tough.. hang in there!

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I was worried as well but went ahead with it because I felt that the benefit outweighed the risk. I feel like it's like the swine flu vaccine - someone who gets it is going to have a horrible side effect but most people will probably not.

I had my son get the MMR at the normal recommended time - 12 or 18 months, don't remember, and he is fine. Every kid I know that got it is fine. I don't really believe the shot causes autism, I just think that from birth through 2 years old, kids get some kind of vaccine every few months, and that is the same period when certain conditions such as autism come to light, so of course it is easy to blame it on the vaccine.

Every parent has to make the individual decision for their child because ultimately you are the one that has to live with that decision, either way.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Here's the thing...my thing...

I don't personally think there is a link to the vaccine and autism...yet when Lucas got his shot at 12 months I did wait and watch and cry a little...I was nervous. So for all my talk I still worried.

He was fine and we moved on.


I have heard stories where a parent allowed the MMR at 12 months and the child was later diagnosed as autistic. That same parent refused it for the second child...the child was still diagnosed as autistic before ever coming near the shot.

It's a personal choice....you have to really think about what you can handle in terms of stress and worry. If you believe he is not at risk and can wait longer then I see no reason to push it. At the same time...if it's meant to be it will be and delaying will not change anything. Lucas had his at 12 months so you know that when we gtg Tyler won't get anything from him.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Vaccinations can be scary but not having them is much more troubling.

Having done extensive research on this topic for my Masters Degre my professional opinion (Special Ed Teacher of Autistic Children) is that the MMR vaccination does not cause Autisim. There are many more people now diagnosed with Autisim because the criteria for diagnosis has changed.

Hang in there sweetie!

Here is a link written about the Dr. who made the claim that shook the world.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5683671.ece

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I'm terrified of the MMR shot. DS had his well visit and I pushed it off. the DR felt very strongly for me to get the shot. I promised him I would go the following week, I did not. right now DS is saying new words and doing new things every day. I don't know what I would do if these things just stopped after I gave him this shot. gives me chest pains when I think about it. If you can, you should wait till he is 3. my other doc said 2 is the limit so I will have to get it when he is 2.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Posted by KateDevine

Crissy, I would talk to your ped and TJ's therapists and see what they think. They work with him on a regular basis and they can give some good insight, you know?

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

We split the MMR. Sure, there is literature saying that this is not necessary but I had to look inside myself to decide what I was comfortable with. It really is a very personal decision. I do not think that there is a vaccine/autism connection but I felt that if my son had a fever type reaction to the shots, it might be easier on him if we split the shots. He had a slight reaction each time but nothing to speak of.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

we got it just after he turned 2...i would have waited longer, but with the meds he's on, he needed the shot.

i cried. i cried on the way there, i cried on the way home.

it was a relief to get it done...

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Posted by jellybean1420

Posted by KateDevine

Crissy, I would talk to your ped and TJ's therapists and see what they think. They work with him on a regular basis and they can give some good insight, you know?

Neither are worried about autism. My ped. was actually surprised when they qualified him for EI. We see my ped alot b/c I spread out all of Tylers vaccines so at least monthly up to 2 years + sick visits. So, I know he knows my kid better than most, kwim?

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

I wish I knew what to say. Christopher is 3 and still has NOT had the MMR, and terrified to death to give it to him, and frankly not sure what to do. I believe that the Dtap vaccines triggered the autism in him, which is why I am scared to give him the mulitiple vaccines of the MMR.
Like I said in another post, we have made so much progress with him, I am scared of him losing those skills.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Sorry for crashing

My nephew has autism and since I am TTC I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Yes, my nephew got the shot and combined. Do we think that it caused or contributed to his autism? No way.

There was a period after his diagnosis and nights filled with internet research that we felt this way. But then, we started watching old videos. WAY before the MMR shot - he was DEFINITELY showing signs of autism that we were not aware of. In some of the videos we even COMMENTED on them ("Look how cute he looks when he walks like that. . . ") So the signs were obviously there.

Also, we know of children who have autism who were never vaccinated - and they still developed it.

It is a personal choice. As much as I can sit here and say "vaccines do not cause autism" I sobbed like a baby each time my nieces and nephews get their shots - yes, there really is no hope for me when it is one of my own LOL

I hope you able to make a decision and be confident that you are doing what is best for your family, regardless of what it is!

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Since DS was ALREADY diagnosed before the MMR, I gave him the shot. I waited for him to be 2+ (he was 27 months!). He had no reaction to it. NONE!

But he was already diagnosed with autism and he has not lost any skills since.

I actually think the DtP and related issues induced autism in DS. He lost skills after each shots he got. Once at 6 months. Once at 12 months. The 2nd dose was the one that tipped everything. He lost most skills he had.

There is a huge controversy with austism and vaccines. Actually the DtP IS flying under the radar but has been reported (even by some Dr) as triggering issues.

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

Re: Need advice & support regarding the MMR vaccine (long)

My situation is very unique (!?!?)

I am not totally convinced that the shot nec causes autism, but I figured if it was offered separate, why not? what is another two pokes in my poor babies legs -
after all she is getting so many already!

So we got one of them when it was first supposed to be done (not sure if it was the M, M or R)

And while we waited for the others to be ready, they became on back order, so we waited and waited (not that I was rushing it)

well the good ol' pham companies decided not to make them split up anymore (accord to my Ped) so he said the only option is to get the orig MMR shot together...UGH ...he says my DD is one of 20 of his patients that are in the same boat - where she got one of the three and now cant get the other two!!

Now I am nervous bec so I really want my DD to get a double dose of one of them!?!? so we are holding off for a little while, not exactly sure why, but I am a SAHM so I am hoping that her coming in contact with this stuff is minimal anyway!

I guess we will give it to her, but will delay a little longer!

Good luck with your decision - the unknown is so scary!