Mamas/daddies who select/non-vax due to allergies

[blackberry75]

No offense to anyone, but I'm really just looking for opinions from mamas/daddies in the same situation. Before LO was born we both (hubby and I) did our research on vaxing vs. nonvax. Hubby, whose never adamant about anything, insisted on vaxing. I was fine with that as I wanted a selected and delayed schedule. We compromised with a delayed schedule that left Gman fully vaxed by kindergarten.

After 2yrs of struggling with having to break up combo shots, having to track down the right vax on our own, only getting one shot per visit and other hindrances, even hubby is wondering if we should continue vax at all. I'm all for quiting. LO is allergic to so many things, he'll have a reaction to one vax, but not another, or only have a mild reaction (normal) to others.
How did you weigh the risk of certain diseases vs the risk of the vax itself?

I know a lot of families here chose to nonvax/select vax based on research alone, but I would really love to hear from families that are in a similar situation to ours. Again, this isn't meant as an offense, it's just to make my research a little easier. We're basically on a delayed and selective vax schedule out of sheer necessity. As much as I want Gman protected and protecting others, I'm not sure the risk out weighs the benefit. I mean what if he gets chicken pox and gives it to an adult who never had it or never built up a full immunity? What if he exposes an expectant mother to Rubella? What if starts a measles cluster? I'm as concerned about how anything he might catch will affect others as much as himself. How did/are you dealing?

[britsuz90]

It sounds like there may be some underlying medical issue going on. MMR & flu are the most likely of any to cause an allergic reaction. For a lot of chronic illnesses, the stress of a vaccine can trigger medical issues unrelated to vaccine itself. Does he have a latex allergy?

DD is severely allergic to egg, but because she is very medically fragile she gets the flu vax, but it is either at the hospital or allergist office and she is premedicated with benedryl and tylenol. She also gets the "infant dose" of the flu that is draw in a syringe because of latex precaution, so it has no preservatives. It is an all day appt. She does not get any other vaccines because she gets IV antibodies every month, so that protects her from the rest. If she didn't have the immune issue, she would get all of available vaccines (I am on the fence on HPV because of the strong reaction, it is only being recommended for girls, and she will likely not live long enough to ever be exposed). When she did get vax we chose dead over live.

The rest of my children get all available vax to protect dd and I just got boosters (my childhood vax records are lost). YDS got a localized chicken pox from the reaction, so we kept the pox covered and didn't allow dd to touch him until they were gone. Chix pox vaccine is only transmitted to those who are very immunocompromised (PID). Any close person you come in contact with would likely tell you they have PID, but you can protect others by washing hands well in the 1-2 weeks after the vaccine, keeping any pox covered, and staying close to home if the child catches it.

Because of dd's medical issues I am a lot more concerned about public health and herd immunity. We do not hang out with local home school groups when we are on a home school schedule because of the higher likelihood that the kids are not vax. We opted not to see friends in CA on a trip out there because they do not vax and CA is below herd vax levels, so to me it was too risky for dd. Our close friends know of dd's fragility, so if there kids get live flu vax, the opt out of Brownies, etc to keep dd safe.