Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Do you Immunise your Kids?

Today I am taking Missy Megan for her 4 year old immunisations. Yes, I know she is 4 & 1/2 but I am old school, in that you immunise your kids before they start school, not as soon as they turn 4. So, consider me getting in early on this one, as she doesn't start big school until next year.

I have been dreading this day as I don't want to inflict pain on her. I remember poor Liam crying for half an hour after having this immunisation.

We have explained that the doctor will poke a needle into her arm, press it to put the medicine in there & then take the needle out again (can't have her thinking she's going to be walking around with a needle in her arm), so she doesn't get some sicknesses when she starts big school. Her only question was "What if I move?". God love her!



The needles at age 4 are intended to immunise against Diptheria, Tetanus, Acellular Pertussis (whooping cough), Measles, Mumps, Rubella  and Inactivated Poliomyelitis (polio).


To view the current recommended immunisation schedule in Australia, follow this link, which will take you to www.health.gov.au

In Australia, we are given a financial incentive to immunise our children and help stamp out certain illnesses. Details can be found here.

We are lucky, we live in a country where we can choose whether to immunise our kids or not. You may still receive the incentive payment (it's called Maternity Immunisation Allowance), but you need to fill in a Medical Contraindication Form or a Conscientious Objection Form, which both need to be filled in by the immunisation provider (as proof you have made an educated choice), or if your child has a natural immunity to a disease or the vaccine is unavailable you can request a letter from them stating this. Or if you are a member of the Church of Christ Scientist, you can provide a letter from your church (see here).

To check your child's immunisation status, refer to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register.

Immunisation status can also affect Child Care Benefit payments. One of the reasons you need to show your child's blue book when you enrol them in daycare. Details can be found here.

All three of our children are immunised. Ray & I were both immunised as children.

Are you an immuniser or a non-immuniser?

Love to hear your thoughts!

Karen xx

Picture credit: here.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Karen, great topic to debate.
I too believe in freedom to choose,
I DO immunise my children and have questions for those who choose NOT to immunise their children... why not?

The reasons we immunise (and by no means am I an expert on the subject) is so our children don't get really, really bad strains of an illness such as whooping cough or chicken pops! (as my kids call them). And to ensure the diseases such as small pox, for example, stay out of Australia, I do understand there have been recent small pox outbreaks in Australia, however, they've been bought into the country by visitors or immigrants from overseas (I also welcome immigration to our great multicultural country). Yet we've managed to maintain the disease and keep it localised and at bay.

A very good friend of mine does NOT immunise her children, her choice, I am not judging her at all. When the issue of immunisation came up I was loaned a book demonstrating how immunisation can render brain damage and other horrific effects.

BUT, like anything you can get a book on either side of the fence depending upon what you want to read/hear/know. After opening the book, I decided to NOT read it as it scared the be-geebees out of me. Again, why vote Liberal? Read a brochure by the Liberals, why vote Labour? Read a brochure by the Labour Party etc.

Read the information bought out by the WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION - they're a non-bias organisation, who provide statistics (yes, stats can also be interpreted by who ever wants you to believe what... however, they're job is to provide fact in a non-specific way for one to make educated decisions).

So, if you are willing to get pets immunised against diseases, etc, why not your children? I'm not judging, like I said it's your choice and they're your children, I just need better reasons than, it 'might' make them sicker or bring about brain diseases/damage...if you look at the statistics of the children this does happen to you'll find it's such a narrow margin and also find that they're not 100% sure it's the immunisation that did it! Anyways....

I'm still yet to be convinced that not immunising your child is an irresponsible thing to do... Like I said, I'm all for making your own choice, but I don't 'understand' (being the operative word) why people choose not to immunise against whooping cough and other illnesses we immunise against. I've seen babies with whooping cough and it's awful!

Anyway, that's my 2cents worth and I've probably p'd a lot of people off - that is NOT my intention, my intention is understanding why you wouldn't immunise.

Take care everyone. Leanne

rambling mum said...

Thanks so much for your thoughts Leanne.....I also don't understand why people choose not to immunise their kids, but like you, I agree it is their choice and we are lucky to live in a country where we do have such freedom of choice. xx