Why Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns?

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I never could understand the rationale behind the need for this vaccine for newborns. Don't read this if you want a peer review.

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/belkin.pdf

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
Hep B vax doesn't give lifelong immunity? Can you point me to some research articles on that? Thanks!

No one knows for how long any vax gives immunity for really. *Most* vaccines do not give lifeling immunity, that is why your supposed to get boosters but who ever does? There have been quite a few studies done on the HepB vaccine and how long it lasts and most studies have show it to be from 8-15 years for most....I've seen other groups claiming it is lifelong but I'm not buying that for most people. If you search on medline or something similiar I was able to bring up quite a few studies real quick.

I think it just varies from person to person, some people get 3 rounds of the HepB series and still have no antibodies from it....how do you know your child isn't one of them and you think they are protected when they are not? For all I know my oldest dd was one of the people who didn't develop antibodies that is one of the reason I will get her titers checked as a teen. And "they" say that is rare to not develop antibodies (of course they do, they do want our money...lol) but I've known too many people who didn't respond to the vaccine to think it is that rare ya know?

So IMO vaccine newborns for it is silly unless high risk, I think it would be better served and more effective vaccinating kids around the age of 12 or 13 or something like that (or maybe even 10 or 11 when some kids are having sex nowday....). I've also read that you actually respond better to certain vaccines when your older and your immune system is more mature.

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Thanks Marilynmom. I was wondering why I was not immune and I thought maybe it was cause I spaced out my second and third by about 5 years. My doctor told me that if you are not immune after the series, you won't be immune even if repeated. That was several years ago. Now I found out not too long ago and the NP @ employee health had me get the booster today and then recheck in 6 weeks. My son had hep vaccine 5 years ago, when he was 13--that was the year they started requireing it for 7th graders. My daughter was born a few years before that and got it as a baby. Maybe I should get them both checked. I'll call their MD"s.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
When I worked for the Immunization Program for Texas a lot of the children we saw did not go to their pediatrician's on a regular basis. When we had them in our clinic we never knew when we were going to see them again so if they were eligible- we vaccinated them. I think giving newborn's the Hep. B vaccine is the same concept. Many parents are late in getting their kids immunized according to the recommended schedule.

As you can tell, I am very pro-vaccinate. Below is a link to the CDC regarding "What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinating?"

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/fs/gen/WhatIfStop.htm

As you probably already knew, the only polio seen in this country is caused by the polio vaccine as this agency readily admits.

http://www.nccn.net/%7Ewwithin/polio.htm#randall

It's a real dilemna. People want to do the right thing for their kids. I guess it all boils down to who you trust to protect the health of your family. And, the majority of healthcare professionals genuinely believe they are helping

by vaccinating. I can understand why you vaccinated those children when you had the chance to.

For those parents who are uncomfortable with vaccinating, life is difficult.

Your best bet is to seek out physicians who specialize in complementary health care, and discuss your options with them. Delaying certain vaccines may work for you if you are more comfortable with the allopathic model of medicine as most people are.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
Indigo girl - I see from 2 posts today that you have strong feelings on vaccinating children. Both of my children received their first Hep B in the hospital. I believe that vaccines are safe and effective. What happens when people stop vaccinating their kids because of concerns about Thimerosol? This does. This has just started. I suspect it will get a lot worse before it gets better.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/04/03/mumps.outbreak.ap/

I respect your concerns about protecting your children, but I have some problems with the safety of these vaccines. Some children will be at a greater risk from the vaccines than from the actual diseases you want to protect them from. The following (somewhat lengthy) article helps to explain why this may be so. The question remains how would you know if your child is at risk for vaccine injury?

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/pdf/IOM-Bradstreet.pdf

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I respect your concerns about protecting your children, but I have some problems with the safety of these vaccines. Some children will be at a greater risk from the vaccines than from the actual diseases you want to protect them from. The following (somewhat lengthy) article helps to explain why this may be so. The question remains how would you know if your child is at risk for vaccine injury?

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/pdf/IOM-Bradstreet.pdf

As with any medication, medical treatment, or lack of treatment, vaccines carry risks and benefits. I assume from your multiple threads and posts that you are unwilling to accept the risks of many vaccines, and prefer to take your chances on disease exposure. That is a choice you have every right to make. Please understand, though that there are many parents who believe the risks of disease to outweigh those of vaccinating.

We are not uninformed, or unenlightened. We have researched the risks and benefits just as much as you have, and have come to a different conclusion. You question whether we know if our children are at risk for a vaccine injury. Of course we do. Every patient receiving a vaccine is at risk for a reaction. Just as every unvaccinated child is at increased risk for morbidity and mortality related to complications of preventable disease.

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As you probably already knew, the only polio seen in this country is caused by the polio vaccine as this agency readily admits.

http://www.nccn.net/%7Ewwithin/polio.htm#randall

Interesting. According to that article, the polio numbers were manipulated. Now, as a child in the 50s born pre-polio-vaccination, I remember lots of people walking around with braces from the illness, and my parents remember entire families being wiped out from the disease.

The only U.S. outbreak of the disease in decades was within a small, non-immunizing Amish community.

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I respect your concerns about protecting your children, but I have some problems with the safety of these vaccines. Some children will be at a greater risk from the vaccines than from the actual diseases you want to protect them from. The following (somewhat lengthy) article helps to explain why this may be so. The question remains how would you know if your child is at risk for vaccine injury?

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/pdf/IOM-Bradstreet.pdf

The bottom line, for me, is that I believe that IF there is a connection between vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders (and that's a big IF), I feel that the risk of not vaccinating is significantly greater. We travel, we live in a community with a large immigrant population, I support the concepts of herd immunity, and I am 100% positive that I am only alive because I was vaccinated as a child.

Thank you for respecting my opinions on vaccinating my children! While I agree that a miniscule portion of the population may have problems the vaccine, I am very, very concerned about nurses feeding into parents natural fears about vaccination. The link I included in my previous post is exactly why - children are now suffering mumps because the Thimersol fears started with the MMR vaccine.

I support complementary therapies, my family eats incredibly healthily, and I do everything I can to maintain health for my children. A big part of maintaining their health is ensuring that they do not suffer from diseases that are completely avoidable.

Amanda

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
As you probably already knew, the only polio seen in this country is caused by the polio vaccine as this agency readily admits.

http://www.nccn.net/%7Ewwithin/polio.htm#randall

Polio has been largely eradicated from this country BECAUSE OF vaccinations, but since it still exists in other parts of world, and could be re-introduced here by immigration, air travel, etc. vaccination is still necessary.

My oldest daughter was born in 1995, when oral polio was still the standard for childhood vaccination. I requested the inactivated vaccine, in the form of an injection, because I wasn't willing to accept the (minute) risk of her contracting polio from the vaccine. No problem, my request was honored. That led to a very interesting conversation with the NP at the health department who informed me that the inactive vaccine would soon become the standard based on public health principles of risk vs. benefit. She was right. This is an example of public health policy changing in response to changes in the patterns of disease within our country. The passive immunity provided by the oral vaccine was no longer necessary to protect the public health, and therefore the risk associated with it was no longer acceptable.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
The bottom line, for me, is that I believe that IF there is a connection between vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders (and that's a big IF), I feel that the risk of not vaccinating is significantly greater. We travel, we live in a community with a large immigrant population, I support the concepts of herd immunity, and I am 100% positive that I am only alive because I was vaccinated as a child.

Thank you for respecting my opinions on vaccinating my children! While I agree that a miniscule portion of the population may have problems the vaccine, I am very, very concerned about nurses feeding into parents natural fears about vaccination. The link I included in my previous post is exactly why - children are now suffering mumps because the Thimersol fears started with the MMR vaccine.

I support complementary therapies, my family eats incredibly healthily, and I do everything I can to maintain health for my children. A big part of maintaining their health is ensuring that they do not suffer from diseases that are completely avoidable.

Amanda

My discussions about these issues are on these forums only. "Feeding into parents natural fears about vaccination" would not happen from over here.

I respect my patients' belief systems just as I do yours though I may not share them.

In my work, if a vaccination is ordered, my job is to give the necessary precaution information (and no more than that) as required, get the informed consent, safely administer, document and monitor my patients. That is what I do. These discussions have no place in the workplace. I do not intrude on the faith a patient or family may have in what their physician has ordered for them.

For the record, I am not against all vaccinations. But, I would have to carefully consider each one just as anyone else would do. My biggest concern has most to do with the absolute trust given to the some of the regulatory agencies in this country. I am not advocating revolt here, just caution. Conflicts of interest do exist with some of these agencies. And, I have a real problem with state ordered mandates requring children to be vaccinated against the wishes of their parents. For me this is a civil liberties issue.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
Interesting. According to that article, the polio numbers were manipulated. Now, as a child in the 50s born pre-polio-vaccination, I remember lots of people walking around with braces from the illness, and my parents remember entire families being wiped out from the disease.

The only U.S. outbreak of the disease in decades was within a small, non-immunizing Amish community.

Not true, it was not a wild polio virus.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Tenpenny/sherri3.htm

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Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.

Vaccinations have never been about the health of the individual. They're all about public health.

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