Rheumatoid Arthritis - anyone here hear of immunizations/vaccines being a possible cause in children? A friend of mine believes that her daughter got rheumatoid arthritis from her vaccinations.....has anyone heard any information on this? I can't seem to find anything. She seems fairly certain about it and keeps saying she has done research and knows that that is for sure the cause. I am really confused. I don't believe that is the cause...........but I am also trying to do research. I feel like she hears a bad thing and then automatically believes it and becomes fearful of that thing without looking at the other side. I am also trying to make the decision on vaccinations for my child, so I wanted to ask about this. Can anyone share any info on this? I would really appreciate it. THANKS! Zarah
This is one of my hot trigger buttons.
Doesnt anyone remember what polio was like?
I had friends DIE from polio. friends MOMMIES died.. kid's mommies shouldn't die.
I nearly died from measles and the complications thereof. My great aunt and an uncle died of diptheria. My older siblings spent WEEKS in the hospital with whooping cough.
These are all nearly eradicated due to universal vaccination.
I am inclined to believe that the benefits of universal immunization far outweighs any perceived negative outcomes.
Kathy I have a tendency to agree with you about the benefits outweighing the risks. Also, if this was the case than people would either end up with RA or Autism. I don't know...it may be a link, but with 3% of the population affected, I don't think there is a strong case!
Zarah -
There is growing scientific proof that many of these diseases may be caused by intracellular infections. I don't know how old your friends' daughter is or which immunization she thinks caused her JRA but there is *some* possibility. It would depend mostly on whether or not it was a 'live' vaccine and whether or not she was immune-compromised at the time. Did the baby have a cold? Strep? Ear infection?
If you are asking about what to do with your child, and understand, I am FIRMLY in the intracellular infection camp, I must agree with Kathy here. Many of the vaccines today are not live, do not contain mercury, and are very safe for the child. They may not be safe for US - we're immunocompromised already.
There is a growing cadre of parents refusing to vaccinate their children and hoping against hope that the 'herd mentality' (in this case that most of the other children YOUR child will be exposed to ARE vacinated) will help protect their children. That was too big of a risk as far as I was concerned. I had my daughter get her vacinations. She is fine. But like you, I did a lot of research.
Also, many schools will not consider waivers - no vaccinations means no school. Period.
Please have your friend visit www.roadback.org. There are other parents there with sick children.
I hope I answered your question but if you have more, please post.
Pip
Oh Kathy, I agree with you most definately!!
I remember my oldest daughter having a smallpox vaccination, as did I, her father and everyone else we knew. Then five years later, when I had my second child I asked about the smallpox vaccine, as they hadn't given it to her yet. They told me then, that since smallpox had been eradicated, they no longer gave them. They said that more kids died from the vaccination than from smallpox. I worried about her not having one for years
Also. the fact that there is a rubella vaccine today is wonderful. When pregnent with my oldest, I contracted german measles at 3 months. That was the time of a HUGE german measles epidemic. I was given gamma globulin, but had already broken out in spots. I was very fortunate that my daughter had no serious birth defects. And today, all that panic and genetic defects can be avoided by a simple vaccination.
I really cannot understand how people can take that kind of risk with their children's health! Of course, there are always going to be controversies about these things, but the serious complications of these diseases far outweigh a POSSIBILITY of a problem with the vaccines themselves.
I know some are going to disagree with those of us who feel children should be vaccinated, and that is their right. But had you been around in the times when these diseases were still occurring and wreaking havoc with children and adults, too, I don't see how you could not vaccinate your child.
O.K....I'm limping down from my soapbox, now
Have a good night, all
Hugs, Nini