There is a war going about on social media about vaccinating our children, especially after the recent measle outbreak at Disneyland. I don't want to offend anyone for their decision and I'm definitely not calling anyone out either. I simply want to share my views and what I believe.
I am a firm believer in vaccinating. I am vaccinated. FATMAN! is vaccinated. The Squid is vaccinated. As far as I am aware, my entire family is vaccinated. My future children will be vaccinated. And the reasoning behind my choosing to vaccinate is quite simple:
I love and want my children.
And because of that one and simple reason I will be doing everything I can to make sure I see my children grow up. Which means I will do what I can to prevent my children from getting sick. Which means I will be vaccinating my children.
Vaccines were created to prevent diseases that were killing very young children. Thousands of children died each year from diseases because there were no cure or prevention. And all the parents were left to do was to bury their child and hope that the next one would survive. A lot of these diseases that used to kill so easily didn't attack quick and swiftly. Most of them killed their victims slowly and painfully. It's one thing to lose a child, but it is completely a different thing to have to watch them suffer too. I'm a mother now and I can't even imagine what it would be like to not only lose my Squid but to also watch him suffer. I cringe and feel horrible having to watch him struggle with constipation.
Vaccines are a miracle. A child can live past his/her fifth birthday and go on to grow up without his/her parents worrying about dying from a horrible disease or becoming crippled or any other outcome. We as parents don't have to worry about polio, chicken pox, measles, rubella, or any other disease. We can by pass it all with a vaccine and save our children and ourselves.
Yes, vaccines have been known to come with side effects, but they don't last. I would rather care for my child while enduring any side effect that may happen than to care for my child while he is dying from a disease I could have prevented. The more people are vaccinated, the less likely of spreading of any disease. The more people vaccinated, the more people survive.
A Canadian mother is furious because of people not vaccinating their children. She received a call from her pediatrician office saying that her 15 day old son may have been exposed to measles. She then was instructed to look for signs and to bring him in as soon as any symptoms arose. She then went to Facebook and posted about her frustrations:
https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.hibbenwhite/posts/10155168515065632:0
I have to agree with her. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I had gotten a call like that, but I know that I would be just as mad if not more so than her. Why would anyone risk killing their child?
I am LDS and recently I read an article about what our leaders have said about vaccinating our children. Here is the link to the article:
http://ldsliving.com/story/78000-church-leaders-on-child-immunization
These statements that have been made by our prophets just solidifies that I have made the right choice to be vaccinated and to vaccinate my children. It also adds to my testimony that they are the true leaders of our church and that what they teach comes from God, who loves me and is watching out for me and those I love. What more proof do I need?
I know that the choice to vaccinate is just that: a choice. It is not to be forced. It is not a reason to be punished. It is not mine to make for you. But from one mother who loves her Squid more than anything else, I want my child to live and to grow up healthy and strong. I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. That is why I have chosen to vaccinate. Whatever your reasons for or against, that is YOUR choice and I would much appreciate it if you would not shove your beliefs/thoughts down my throat or make me feel like a bad person for choosing differently than you and for you to respect my choice. I will show the same respect, but only if it is earned. I love my child. Don't you?
To see the links, you will have to copy and paste the web addresses into your search bar.
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