From 2006 to 2009, parents in Portland, Oregon, tripled in size for those who delayed receiving their children’s vaccinations on time according to a new study in the journal “Pediatrics” (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/06/13/peds.2011-3154).
Based on the study, a total of 4502 out of 97711 children born between 2003 and 2009 fell into the “shot-limiters” category for not receiving their shots on time. Only a handful of shot-limiters followed alternative shot schedules:
“RESULTS: A total of 4502 of 97 711 (4.6%) children met the definition of consistent shot-limiters. The proportion of consistent shot-limiters in the population increased from 2.5% to 9.5% between 2006 and 2009. Compared with those with no or episodic limiting, consistent shot-limiters by 9 months of age had fewer injections (6.4 vs 10.4) but more visits when immunizations were administered (4.2 vs 3.3). However, only a small minority of shot-limiters closely adhered to published alternative schedules.
CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of children consistently receiving 2 or fewer vaccine injections per visit between birth and age 9 months increased threefold within a 2-year period, suggesting an increase in acceptance of non–Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices vaccine schedules in this geographic area.”
Alternative medicine may be to thank or blame when it comes to decisions and opinions parents have about having their child vaccinated. According to medical experts this type of thinking puts a child at greater risk in one of two ways: Exposure to illness/disease and record keeping of shots given. Once a child fell behind in their shots, it was likely they would stay behind in their schedule. Both could spell the potential for future problems.
Delayed shot giving didn’t appear to have any better results for those surveyed: 4,500 out of 98,000 of the children on the delayed shot schedule visited the doctor’s office almost twice as many times as their counter parts.
The staggering number of immunization shots a child is given, from birth to age 6, seems almost surreal: As many as 5-6 shots during one office visit and up to 24 shots by age 6 covering 14 diseases. When you consider the amount of preventative shots you receive over a lifetime, the amount received by a brand new life is certainly questionable both ways and begs to ask the question of whether too many shots is just too much at one time.
For those surveyed, skepticism and illness related conditions seem to be at the root of the decision. Leading questions like “Is this shot necessary?”, “Will it cause my child pain?”, “Should I have all these shots given at once?”, appear to be “top of mind” concerns for most parents. The study did not provide a category specific response from parents but generalized the reasons for the delay’s.
The toughest decision a parent has to make when it comes to their child is always whether or not they’re protecting from or exposing them to a potential problem in the future. The answer to both may be a flat “yes”.
Quick Tips for Wellness: You can’t un-ring the bell when it comes to making a health care decision. Before you choose, examine the advice closely.
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