I hate the intertubes. When I started going to therapy for anxiety, my therapist told me to never, ever do internet research on subjects upon which I had fixated. Don't keep carting the coals to Newcastle, as it were. However, when I went online yesterday to look up dosages of tylenol for Viv post-immunization as the bottle only listed doses for babies over 12 months, I wasn't intending to read anything about the immunization controversy, and, in fact, deliberately avoided any website with even the barest mention of autism. We had already discussed the concerns surrounding vaccinating Viv and had decided to go with the shots as the risks of contracting the illnesses to be immunized against were greater than the risks associated with triggering autism. In addition, I wasn't able to find any peer-reviewed research published in a reputable journal (using PubMed) that found a plausible link between the two.
And then, AND THEN, I found website after website claiming an elevated risk of SIDS after one particular immunization. How could this be possible? How did I miss this new subject specially engineered to keep me up at night, necessitating me to check Viv's breathing every time I jerked awake from an unwelcome doze, during which I had panic dreams of horrible outcomes? So, I went to PubMed again, and there were a few case studies of infant deaths that could possibly be associated with this vaccine. So now I'll be utterly paranoid for the next two months, convinced that any fussiness in our usually placid baby is a sign of impending doom. OK, the next five years. Let's be realistic.
Of course, every individual website claiming this link uses the exact same copy and even calls asthma "a condition not unlike SIDS." That's a head-scratcher. Still, I'm now very worried.
5 comments:
Sister dear...you are insane. And I mean that in the most positive, loving way possible. :-)
Susan - I have found you! I am so, so very thrilled to hear about your daughter. Wow, wow, wow. I'd love to meet her and offer my services as a babysitter / SAHM available during the day. She's GORGEOUS!
Greta is currently eating a Mum cracker and saying GOBBM GOBBM GOBBM very loud. I think she's a soprano. Cheers, Laura
Dearest worrier sis, the good lord gave you your sweet butter bean and He's not about to let her die of SIDS just when you've gotten her. Count on faith!! I've been relying on it a LOT these days, as we anxiety prone people I think need to be. Every twingle I feel makes me wonder if I'm going to deliver the baby in the jungles of Coiba 4 months early. :) God gave us these miracles for a reason, and He's watching out for them. I know He is. Mark's boys too!!
No worries....
simple terms....
they suck!
my friend did a research paper in university on the vaccines controversy, and what she concluded is that there is no way for us to know. scientists can't ethically do a large, controlled experiment on human young.
actually, they have, but in third world countries where the realities of life and risks are different enough that it may as well be a different planet from north america, you know?
so anyways, vaccinating has some undeniable risks. not vaccinating has some undeniable risks. flipping a coin could be as good a way as any to decide.
(i'm personally anti-vax, but i don't expect anyone else to be)
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