The Vaccine Book

Most anti-vaccine books claim that all shots are bad, the diseases aren't really anything to fear, and as long as you live a natural and healthy lifestyle, you don't have to worry.  I think this is a very irresponsible approach to the vaccine issue.  Vaccines are beneficial in ridding our population of both serious and nonserious diseases.  But families do have the right in our country to take their chances without vaccines.                 

                                        The Vaccine Book, Dr. Sears

This book was just what I was looking for.  I am not anti-vaccine, but I felt like I didn't have all the information I needed.  I love our pediatrician, so it has nothing to do with me not trusting her, but with all things medical, whether it's a doctors visit or a stay at the hospital, I believe you need to be your own biggest advocate.  My boys can't be their own advocate, so they're counting on me to make the big decisions. 

The Vaccine Book breaks down each vaccination by explaining the disease, how common it is, if it's treatable, how the vaccine is made, the ingredients of different brands, side effects, and options to consider when getting the vaccine.  I think Dr. Sears does a wonderful job of not trying to convince you of anything, but providing all the information you need in one spot. 

I wish i would have read this book before Holden was born!  Now, I would like to space out the DTaP and the Pc vaccines between months, but since they were already given at the same time, I'm not sure we can do that.  Here is the alternative schedule, for parents who want the vaccines, but at a rate that gives only one live virus and aluminum vaccine at a time.  Notice that there is no Hep B vaccine given at birth.  This isn't the exact schedule we will follow, but it is the one from the book.

alternative vaccination schedule

2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months: PC, HIB
4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months: Pc, HIB
6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months: Pc, HIB
9 months: Polia, Flu
12 months: Polio
15 months: Pc, HIB
18 months: DTaP, Chickenpox
21 months: Flu
2 years: Rubella, Polio
2 years, 6 months: Hep B, Hep A
4 years: DTaP, Polio, Flu
5 years: MMR, Flu
6 years: Chickenpox
12 years: Tdap, HPV
12 years, 2 months: HPV
13 years: HPV, Meningococcal

*MMR is not available separately any more.  If you'd like to politely email Merk to ask them produce the separate vaccines, feel free!  On his website, Dr. Sears goes into more details on the options parents have with the MMR vaccine.  I think, for Holden, I will be waiting until he is about 4  years old to get this vaccine.

If you are the parent who thinks you want to skip vaccines all-together, he gives a separate schedule, which includes only the most serious, life-threatening diseases: the selective vaccination schedule.