Vaccine musings

We had an interview with our likely pediatrician today.  Supposedly it was an "interview" but she talked most of the time.  I didn't mind, it was just interesting.  The first thing she did was ask if we'd both had the flu vaccine.  Of course I have.  Christian, on the other hand, never takes my warning seriously on that front.  This is a particularly bad flu season in NYC, especially for children.  She scared him into getting the vaccine before Chio comes.

On the vaccine issue:  There are so many things to consider.  The connection between vaccinations and autism has been sufficiently disproved (dispelled?) in my eyes, but I can't get over the feeling that the 25 vaccines recommended in the first 15 months of life is over-kill.  Our Pediatrician-to-be is completely unwilling to take us as patients if we are not 100% in line with the schedule.  Whoa.  Wake-up call.  As a health care provider myself I am, of course, aware of the risks of NOT vaccinating for things like pertussis, polio, measles, etc.  However, I survived until nursing school without getting the Hep B vaccine.  There is still a lot that I don't know about things like Rotavirus, and none of us had the Varicella vaccine growing up!

Here is a handy Chart of all that Chio has to look forward to.

Here is my vaccine record (crazy but true):

You will see that 6 of my vaccines were after I was 18 yo and they were required for college.  From this card, it looks like only 10 vaccines were required for me to start school in 1980s Oregon.

When I asked Christian about his Immunizations his response was "I have no idea.  I'd have to call my grandma."

New York State Requirements (not that she'll be going to school here).

All of this stuff was easy to find.  However, less easy to find are statistics proving that our children are healthier or safer since these new requirements came into play, that there are not risks to these increased amounts of vaccines.  What I'll never have: some sort of guarantee that I will feel better about my child having them, that I'm making the right decision by sticking to the recommended schedule.