If you love your kid, please vaccinate

If I surveyed one thousand moms and asked them would you die for your child, the entire group would say, "absolutely!" I might ask, "would you throw yourself in front of a speeding bus or step between them and a loaded gun?" Again, the answer would be a resounding "hell yes!" But if I asked that same group if their child is vaccinated, I would get some who would say, no way. And therein lies the trouble.

I'm forty-four years old, and I received my vaccinations. When my girls were born in the late 80's and early 90's, I had them vaccinated - as did every other mother of their generation. It wasn't even a question. You did it, and get this, the kids were fine. Occasionally a child would run a slight fever and have redness at the injection site, but other than that, no one thought twice about it being risky. You know why they didn't? Because it wasn't risky, and due to our diligence, a lot of diseases were all but eradicated.

Fast forward to today and my 11 month-old son lives in a world where diseases once thought gone are now on the rise. He is not vaccinated against measles, because he's not old enough to receive the vaccine. Every time I take him out in public, I now worry if some well-meaning but misguided mom's little darling who is trying to kiss my baby has had his shots. When my girls were little, I never once gave it a thought. Now, I run interference and don't let little kids get near mine. I feel bad, because children are natural love givers, but thanks to their moms believing in bullshit conspiracy theories and pseudo-science, I have to keep them apart.

I met a mom in Walgreens yesterday, and we began discussing vaccines. She didn't vaccinate, she said, because she's allergic to something in vaccines, and her kid might be also. So I ask what it is she's allergic to, exactly? She had no clue. She is this new generation of hippy dippy moms who call themselves researchers, because they read stuff online. They sincerely believe that corporations are out to get them and they just want you to buy their product. Let me be really clear, even if that was the case (which it's not), childhood diseases kill. Corporations didn't make that up - it's a fact. Diseases like the measles aren't just uncomfortable rites of passage for your little one - they maim and kill. Vaccines are one of the best and proven methods we have to protect our children from death, yet some people still don't have their children vaccinated.

My husband is a scientific researcher, so my circle of friends is comprised of a lot of doctors - both Phd's and MD's. Not one of them does not vaccinate. Let that sink in. These people aren't bought by corporations. They are brilliant doctors who are actively researching cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes. They have spent their entire lives gaining knowledge and working in research. They are legitimate, trained scientists and believe firmly in the scientific method...and they vaccinate. 

Fear is what is propelling this anti-vax moment, and I get it. I'm an older mom, so I've done a lot of reading on autism. I've read the heartbreaking stories from mothers who have children with developmental issues. I know they want and need answers. I understand why they believe their children's problems are from vaccines. Autism often presents itself right about the time kids get their MMR shot. The problem is, correlatuon is not always equal to causation.  That is a hard one for folks to understand, so let me give you an example of how empirical data can be misinterpreted.

When I eat cheese grits, I can barely breathe afterwards. My stomach cramps so violently that I have to lie down for about an hour or more. Based on this empirical evidence (I can see it with my eyes), cheese grits are clearly harmful to the body. You should avoid them. Don't eat them. In fact, I could start writing about it on a blog, and by month's end, I could have an anti-cheese grit movement and maybe even link cheese grits to stomach cancer! I bet I could even find some health-food nuts who call themselves doctors to write some supporting documentation.

Doesn't make sense, does it? But that's how anti-vaxxers get their info. There is no legitimate primary source science to support it, but they still believe it.

Motherhood is hard, and there are many ways to do it.  I don't care if you nurse or don't nurse your baby. He or she will be fine. No baby is harmed if you choose disposable diapers over cloth. Working mom? Stay at home mom? Doesn't matter. We can debate the merits of different parenting styles all day long, but friends, vaccines shouldn't be a "parenting issue" open to debate. The scientific evidence is clear.

Protect your baby and mine - please vaccinate.

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Amanda Z
Domesticology