Baby and infant vaccinations - not vaccinating or selective vaccinations?

Hello, i know its long time since you posted your question about vaccinations, but i cannot find any fresh info...i would like to ask how did it go to enroll your child to school? What was the rules on vaccinations? Did you skip them?

Hello, i was wondering how did it go by enroling your child to school? What was the rules on vaccinations? I know its been long time since you first post your question...but i cannot find any fresh info unfortunately...

Nomad, going back to your comment, how many of theses diseases are airborne and how many are caught through germs via touching door handles, toys etc? I think that the problem is that many of these illnesses are easily transmitted and often via airborne means I caught mumps and developed viral meningitis caused by the mumps virus in my mid 30s in Scandinavia where it was officially eradicated. I have no idea where it came from as nobody I knew got it - must have been from casual contact in a shop or something - but scary when my head swelled up

I do have to get to sleep because I'm exhausted, but I think it's important to remember also that there are plenty of illnesses you can get (and nasty ones too) that are not vaccine-preventable. Being 100% vaccinated doesn't make you invincible. Maybe I'm a stick in the mud, but I refuse to take my kids to any of those soft play places - usually only for birthday parties they've been invited to - because none of them ever look that clean and the thought of the germs that lurk there really freak me out. I also avoid crowds or crowded areas/times like the plague. I'm not a germophobe, but too conscious of how disgusting people are. The one year my older son went to a lot of those play places, etc. (and he's vaccinated, mind you), he got some weird weird viruses, strange rashes, all kinds of things. Kids will pick up colds and stuff at school, but that other stuff was freaky. This also makes me think of the recent hullabaloo about whooping cough. I know in US and UK they are making a big push to give booster shots to older kids and insisting that adults get it because the pertussis rates are going up. Meanwhile, in Australia, they recently determined that the cocoon vaccinating (where everyone around the infants, etc. gets the vaccine to protect those that can't get it or are too young) was making no difference at all in the rates, so they discontinued the recommendation. So who has it right in the end? I think it boils down to a lot of unknowns, which is also why this is such a complex issue for some people to process. And in all of these other countries, there was no overwhelming finger pointing at the unvaccinated people - in fact in many cases, it was either a situation where vaccinated people were passing on the disease because they had contracted a mild version of it and thus were silent carriers, or they think in some cases maybe vaccine is not as strong as it should be (like DPT vs. DaPT), or that the b. pertussis bacteria is mutating to a stronger more vaccine-resistant form. So it's not always necessarily the unvaccinated who "put others in danger". There are so many factors that contribute to this. Nature is wily. Sorry for rambling, I just find this subject terribly fascinating and also how difficult it is to be in the middle, that's to say neither unquestionably pro-vaccine, nor anti-vaccine either. There doesn't seem to be a lot of room for people who sit on this fence because each side wants to throw you in the other's camp depending on what questions you ask! Good luck to you and your investigation samie10. :) edited by sobevan on 01/11/2012 Oh my goodness sobevan you sound like me.If someone sneezes next to me I jump 10 feet to get out the way.I always take extra paper towel from the dispenser to open washrooms that have doors.....!

Nomad, going back to your comment, how many of theses diseases are airborne and how many are caught through germs via touching door handles, toys etc? I am not sure which comment you are referring to,but assume it was the one re the malls etc. My DIL discussed this very issue with the whole family before having our Grand kids immunized.Recently the subject came up again as they will be travelling to a temperate climate for a beach holiday and hepatitus came up. You seem to have also done a fair bit of research and I am sure you have read that measels,mumps, rubella TB,diptheria and chicken pox have airborne transmission. However some of these can linger for up to 2 hours on door handels toys etc. Polio has a fecal oral transmission.Tetanus is generally found in sand. Believe me we have looked at this from both sides as I have a niece who has an autistic child who believes that she became autistic after her immunization. Everything Andrew Wakefield wrote became her bible so to speak.She refused to look any further than what he published.It devistated her when his research was thrown out by The Lancet. As I said before it is a very personal decision that only you can make,I merely brought up the issues I would look at personally having lived abroad in many mixed cultures. All the best in your search.

I do have to get to sleep because I'm exhausted, but I think it's important to remember also that there are plenty of illnesses you can get (and nasty ones too) that are not vaccine-preventable. Being 100% vaccinated doesn't make you invincible. Maybe I'm a stick in the mud, but I refuse to take my kids to any of those soft play places - usually only for birthday parties they've been invited to - because none of them ever look that clean and the thought of the germs that lurk there really freak me out. I also avoid crowds or crowded areas/times like the plague. I'm not a germophobe, but too conscious of how disgusting people are. The one year my older son went to a lot of those play places, etc. (and he's vaccinated, mind you), he got some weird weird viruses, strange rashes, all kinds of things. Kids will pick up colds and stuff at school, but that other stuff was freaky. This also makes me think of the recent hullabaloo about whooping cough. I know in US and UK they are making a big push to give booster shots to older kids and insisting that adults get it because the pertussis rates are going up. Meanwhile, in Australia, they recently determined that the cocoon vaccinating (where everyone around the infants, etc. gets the vaccine to protect those that can't get it or are too young) was making no difference at all in the rates, so they discontinued the recommendation. So who has it right in the end? I think it boils down to a lot of unknowns, which is also why this is such a complex issue for some people to process. And in all of these other countries, there was no overwhelming finger pointing at the unvaccinated people - in fact in many cases, it was either a situation where vaccinated people were passing on the disease because they had contracted a mild version of it and thus were silent carriers, or they think in some cases maybe vaccine is not as strong as it should be (like DPT vs. DaPT), or that the b. pertussis bacteria is mutating to a stronger more vaccine-resistant form. So it's not always necessarily the unvaccinated who "put others in danger". There are so many factors that contribute to this. Nature is wily. Sorry for rambling, I just find this subject terribly fascinating and also how difficult it is to be in the middle, that's to say neither unquestionably pro-vaccine, nor anti-vaccine either. There doesn't seem to be a lot of room for people who sit on this fence because each side wants to throw you in the other's camp depending on what questions you ask! Good luck to you and your investigation samie10. :) <em>edited by sobevan on 01/11/2012</em>

Wow, I know this is a sensitive topic, but a lot of people are biting OP's head off for asking legitimate questions. I have been down the road you are traveling (questioning, investigating, etc.) and it is extremely difficult to find any kind of information on what diseases are prevalent/contracted here. There is some link on the World Health Organization site that lists every disease imaginable in every country, and how many cases per year they have, but it's difficult to slog through and the data is not complete. If I can find the link, I'll post it. As for the link that another person posted, you are correct in what you surmised. The UAE list does not state that these vaccines are mandatory. They are recommended. There are no compulsory vaccines for children in the UAE yet. I believe there was talk of eventually making you show proof of MMR and polio in order to get a visa, but I'm not sure if that has come to fruition. Maybe someone who has recently gone through visa processing can help with that one. That being said, individual schools may require you to follow either the UAE's schedule or another country's schedule (USA, UK, etc.), but from my understanding, it is up to the discretion of each school and you can find this out by asking. All schools must hold a copy of each child's immunization record as per MOH requirements, but that is vastly different from requiring you to comply with any sort of schedule. Oh and I think certain types of visa holders need to show proof of Hep B vaccination, but not all.

I hear you. In a perfect world maybe,but in this bubble type enviroment who is going to clean the facilities every day ? How can you control who you walk past in the street or in a shopping mall that is air conditioned for 90% of the year.

On other forums around the world the subject is discussed at some length, I was surprised at the seemingly lack of discussion I had been able to find in the UAE, specifically discussing the environmental factors which would perhaps affect decisions made, hence, asking. But that is just it. A very large no of the working population in the UAE have not the faintest idea of immunization etc. thus the government take the precaution of requiring immunization, to protect the general population.

I so agree loubeelou.I have seen the results in Africa where children do not have access to vaccines and immunization. Dr Andrew Wakefield has a lot to answer for(the Dr.who supposedly linked Autism to the MMR vaccine ) he fudged his research and the result is a re introduction of many serious disseases that vaccines had under control. Personally when my kids were born it was a foregone conclusion that they be vaccinated, in fact the local visiting nurse would have turned you in to the local authorities if you failed to vaccinate.This was a reaction of the polio scare of the 1930's.I got chicken pox as a small child gave it to my mom and she was deathly ill, she had not been vaccinated. Yes it is entirly your decision BUT be informed not just from the net, ASK your Peads,doctors etc. for their advice and most importantly what effect your decision will have on the others you come in contact with.As Puffinlund mentioned , her h/dresser losing her baby due Rubella from a client. DXB has a very transient population with many coming from countries where immunnization is not done,personally I wouldn't take the risk. To Op I would suggest that you look at it in the context of if you want to continue with your childs vaccines based on the fact that you either want to vaccinate or not. Deal seperatley with the school issue. <em>edited by Nomad on 31/10/2012</em>

I delayed the vaccination of my second child for as long as possible. I've read a lot about side effects of autism and although I had no issues with the vaccination of my first child you never knew when a "mistake" could hit. Then he got what seemed like measles on his body. I was terrified out of my mind and I blamed myself for it so much because if I had vaccinated him he wouldn't have it. I took him to the doctor that night and she said that it had been a three year record of no measles in the UAE so it couldn't possibly be that. It turned out what he had was just a fever post effect rash that LOOKED like the measles. I learned my lesson. I took him to get vaccinated. It's been months and he seems healthy as ever, thank Allah. Saying all that, to be honest, if the schools here did not require proof of the vaccination of your children perhaps I wouldn't have taken the risk.

I cannot even begin to stress to you just how lucky we are to have the ability to vaccinate our children.....and save their lives from diseases that do exist here in Dubai but not necessarily in our home countries. However on saying that (complete hypocrite I know) I decided not to vaccinate against chicken pox, But, everyone else seems to be! My doc recommended that if they haven't had it by 12 then I should get them vaccinated.... Chicken pox party anyone?

Hello, i have a son who will start at GEMS DSO and we are still in the Uk. They asked for a copy of his immunisation record and I wrote back saying he was still in the process of having them and could I send just before we travel and she said yes. Here in the UK, there is a shortage of the chickenpox vaccine so I asked if he would be banned from coming to school before he had it and she said no, that because it was a new directive others are still having it done so when we arrive i will register with a paed and have it done. He is also part way through the HEP B and again we will just pick up in Dubai and finish the course. Those 2 seem to be the only differences between the UK immunisation plan from birth onwards. Hope this helps in some way?

I was not being sarcastic at all. I just assumed, since every school website says that it is mandatory in the UAE, that your google was down.

Did you get that? I am sorry that Google is not working for you today.

[i'>6. Immunizations: Every effort should be made to have your child’s vaccinations up to date prior to them starting at Wellington International. The Department of Health requires that you submit a copy of your child’s vaccination record to the school nurse. This will be checked against the U.A.E. immunization schedule and you will be advised of outstanding vaccines. Students are not vaccinated at Wellington International, this should be done privately.[/i'> [url=http://www.wellingtoninternationalschool.com/contents.php?pageid=302&parentid=24'>link[/url'>

[url=http://www.dha.gov.ae/EN/SectorsDirectorates/Sectors/HealthPolicy/PublicHealth/Immunization/Documents/IMMUNIZATION%20GUIDELINE.pdf'>link[/url'>

[url=http://www.dha.gov.ae/En/media/news/pages/dubaihealthauthorityannouncesthefirststandardizedimmunizationpolicyfortheemirateofdubai.aspx'>link[/url'>

[url=http://www.moh.gov.ae/en/Eservices/Pages/ImmunizationDetails.aspx'>link[/url'>

DS was hospitalized and seriously ill when he had Chicken Pox, it surprised all of us. DD caught it at the same time and had one spot and no symptoms, as she had been immunized. Sure you can take your chances, in your home country, but I prefer the fact that the MOH insist on immunization. Perhaps you can homeschool?