To Vaccinate or Not?

Early this year, a friend of mine becomes very viral about vaccination - the negative side effects. At first, I was sceptical, thinking people worry too much about anything.

Pollutions, processed food, GMO stuffs - everything!

So I think it's just another parenting stuffs.

But I keep reading on whatever she posted on FB. Believing is one thing, educating yourself is another thing. So I told myself, don't be sceptical, get the knowledge, study the situation and open your mind about things people are sharing.

Slowly, after reading quite a lot on issues of vaccination, autism, eczema, asthma and so on, I've realized this is not a fiction, it's for real. 

Then I joined this group in FB called Our Healthy Unvaccinated Babies and found out a lot more. 

It appears to be a serious issues for many years by now in the West but in Malaysia, people are not much exposed to the negative side effects of vaccination.

Honestly, up to now I have a mixed feelings about vaccination.

For many years, I thought we are so lucky our country has this good policy of having babies/kids to be vaccinated against epidemic/dangerous diseases. Twins had their vaccinations complete according to KKM's requirement and I took MMR as an extra vaccine as that time MMR was not given for free under KKM. 

When I went to Germany, and wanted to get the twins to kindergarten, among the documents the school asked was vaccination list given to them. 

So that's why I thought vaccination is very important and at that time  I've had never heard any parents would refuse vaccination for their babies especially when it's free.

Then came Insyirah, I followed the vaccination schedule religiously. But when I took her to paed in private clinic, and she suggested that we take  the additional vaccinations (not given under KKM) - the pneumoccocal and rotavirus - I refused.

Not only they are so costly (rotavirus priced about RM600 for 3 doses and pneumoccocal about RM200/RM300 per jab - 3 jabs required to complete), I was sceptical about having so many types of vaccination. Already under KKM there are so many jabs needed and adding some more was making me uncomfortable.

But I did ask around on the necessity. Some friends said if you send your baby/kid to public daycare then it might be necessary as diseases/germs are easily transmitted. So having vaccine means extra protection to the kids. Some said, it is not necessary because the reasons why all these vaccines created and cost you so much is because the medical people are making money out of this.

I remember during my visit to the paed's clinic when Insyirah was not well, I talked to a  mother who shared her story about how she took all the vaccines including the extras one for her first born, but her kid  still having the diseases. So she decided for her second born, she took only those provided under KKM.

Before Insyirah was one year old, I have started giving her solid food including chicken, fish and other stuffs. She was ok with all the food I introduced to her. But I noticed after she had her MMR jab at 1 year old, her skin is allergic to chicken and some kind of fish. That's why after reading about side effects of vaccines, I think MMR is related to her allergy.

But then, do you read blog called Cerita Erina? About a mother who lost her baby due to pneumonia and now she is campaigning for pneumoccocal jab to be mandatory under KKM.

And why  I am having these mixed feelings......

Because as much as the doctors/nurses ensure you that vaccinate your kids is the best thing to do, if you ever read about DES - a medical drug given to prevent miscarriages back in 40s up to 70s in the US, is later on proven linked to cause more cancer to the babies in the womb - you'll know human's creation is not perfect and totally safe.

So that is what I am concerned about - the negative side effects of the vaccination. It would cause you a lifetime regret if your kid has a medical issue related to vaccine, wouldn't it?

But to go against it - I'm still not sure. We have a lot of foreigners around us from those countries with diseases like TB, Hepatitis B and so on, so without vaccinations - are we protected?

Tomorrow Insyirah is scheduled for her next jab at 18 months and there would be 3 types to be given - DTaP/DT, IPV and Hib.

I don't know whether I should skip it or not....

To those who still not aware about vaccines, get yourself educated. I am trying to understand more on the vaccine and I'm amazed with those parents who have made a firm decision not to vaccinate their babies.