FAQ - every member should read

Don’t my children have to get vaccines to attend school?

No they do not.

http://www.909shot.com/state-site/state-exemptions.htm
Check out this website. Scroll down and click on your state to view the laws concerning vaccination exemptions. In every state but West Virginia and Mississippi all you need is a letter written by you stating that you religiously or philisophically object to vaccines. Some states require you to fill out a form that says the same and/or a note form a Dr. stating that your child has no communicable diseases.

Unfortunately you have to claim religious or medical reasons in most states in order to have a valid exemption. It is almost impossible to get a medical exemption b/c even the cases that are vax damage cases docs diagnose it with something else and they believe SO much in vaccines that they don't even consider that it could be the culprit (and if someone should suggest this possibility they get defensive and deny a possible link). But that's a whole other topic. You could attempt to get a medical one, but you most likely wouldn't find one. Some parents ensure their right to religious exemption by attending churches specifically known to be anti-vaccination. Right now the law doesn't require this but you never know what the future holds. At this time you don't need to even mention what religion it is because legally no one is allowed to question your religious affiliation. Most of the members of our group just say they are Christain and object to vaccines and this has worked fine for them. Some parents home-school thier chidlren to avoid vaccinating, but I thik they may have been misinformed about how easy it is to choose not to vaccinate and still attend school. Right now in most states All you need is a letter, written by you, stating that you RELIGIOUSLY object. In some states the wording is very important so it's imperative that you find out your state's regualtions. When I lived in LA I googled "Louisiana Vaccine Exemption Forms" and found a few different forms to copy and paste. I printed them out and gave them to the daycare when they asked for my son's shot record. No one asked me a thing - they just put it in his file and that was that. A great thing to do as well is to have the form notarized, this is free and can be done at your bank or at a currency exchange. It's helps make the letter more professional looking and legit.
"Dr. Janet Levitan, a pediatrician in Brookline, Mass., said she counsels patients who worry that vaccines could harm their children to pursue a religious exemption if that is their only option. 'I tell them if you don’t want to vaccinate for philosophical reasons and the state doesn’t allow that, then say it’s for religious reasons,” she said. “It says you have to state that vaccination conflicts with your religious belief. It doesn’t say you have to actually have that religious belief. So just state it.' "

http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?boardid=762&ThreadID=426676&BoardsParam=HIPDelay%3d1

There are plenty of already-written exemption forms that you can copy and paste and then edit with your child's and your own information. All you need to do is google your state's exemption forms and you'll come up with something. There are a few links to different sites containing exemption forms posted in the "Links" announcement at the top of our home page and two refusal/exemption forms have been posted in previous posts. I have included them here as well:
http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=759812
http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=727819
http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/learning/vaccination-exemption.html
http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/louisiana.htm

There are many confrontations that I have heard of between mothers of this group and school officials trying to push vaxes. It helps to remember that the school office NEEDS to have proper records to continue to operate and get proper funding from the government. They have to have a shot record or letter of exemption for every student or else they will be cited or loose essential federal funding. They are just doing their job and they may have never heard of exemptions before b/c there are so few people out there who know how easy it is not to vax your children. So before you loose your cool with people who seem ot be disrespectful, take a second to remind yourself that this could be an opportunity for you to help educate someone ont he dangers of vaxing (by simply mentioning that you choose not to) and if you get all irate with them they will be less likely to listen to what you have to say or give you your way. It's best to just walk away without arguing and return with exemption letters and all other information in tow.

Here's an article from the Mercola website outlining how to legally avoid any and all vaccinations (very detailed, step-by-step process - MUST READ!!).
http://www.mercola.com/article/vaccines/legally_avoid_shots.htm
It was also posted in this group by PhilsBabyMama, here's that link as well:
http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=1423644

I live in a state where only medical and religious exemptions are allowed. If my child has already recieved some or most vaccines can I still claim religious exemption?

YES, you can! I got shots for my son early on (before I knew any better) and still claim religious exemption. No one delves that far into it. When you tell them you don't vax for religious reasons, they believe you. They don't go searching for past medical history. You don't have to say anything about your religion except that you have a letter of exemption and show it to them, nor are you required to tell them anything specific at all. The doc doesn't need one on file and you can just simply tell the doc that your children won't be recieving vaxes and why. Just be prepared for any reaction - like trying to push vaxes on you and argue every point you make.
A good point made by member p2of9; "I'd also like to point out that if you go this route, you don't have to give any explanation at all--freedom of religion and all.  If they ask too many questions it could be construed as "discriminatory".  Ha ha!" She is right, you owe NO explanation to anyone at all. All you simply have to say is "I choose not to vax for religious reasons." End of story, simply refuse to answer anymore questions or participate in any kind of debate and you will be in the clear. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO QUESTION YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

Mercury was removed from all vaccines, right?
No, it was not. We have been lied to, and this isn't just an extremist point of view or just a conspiracy theory. (From Laren Feder's book The Parent's Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations) Vax manufactureres were asked to voluntarily limit their use of thimerosal (mercury) in vaxes. Health Advocacy in the Public Interest (HAPI) tested vaccines for heavy metals AFTER that and found that the vaxes package inserts said that there were "trace amounts" of mercury and that it had been greatly reduced and that the products were completely mercury-free but each vial still contained mercury. And all of them contained aluminum, which can be an extremely bad combination with mercury, causing all types of reactions you wouldn't want happening in your body.
There a many other very harmful chemicals found in vaccines that everyone should be concerned about such as formaldehyde (a known carcinogen found in fungicides, insecticides and explosives) , lye, phenol (used in pesticides, plastice preservatives, germicides), ethelyne glycol (main ingredient in antifreeze), the list goes on. This list can be found in Stephanie Cave's book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations

Is it OK to stop vaxing once I have already started? Can I undo a vax once it is given?

It is OK to stop vaxing at ANY time and there are NO side effects to discontinuing. It is in your child’s best interest not to agree to another vaccine until you have personally done enough research on the topic to feel completely comfortable doing so. The best way to start is by choosing one book to read from our list - then you’ll be armed with enough info to know which areas interest you most about vax dangers.

There is no way to undo a vaccine once it has been given. I have heard of therapies for mercury poisoning that take time and effort. I have heard of detoxes that work but I haven’t really researched it myself. A great place to post questions on the topic is in our sister group called “Autism Mercury Poisoning and Everything in Between.”

http://www.cafemom.com/group/8978

What is NOT ok is to delay vaxing untill your child reaches school age and begin playing "catch -up." This is too many vaccines at once and could be very dangerous and harmful to the body at any age. Not that I personally agree with vaxing at all, but If you do want your child to recieve vaccines decide which ones and spread them out as far as possible, and not one a month either, one every few monhs or more and try to avoid combo vaccines that contain more than one vaccine.

Can my unvaccinated child catch a disease from a vaccinated child?

I am not sure anyone really knows the answer to this but I have read in a few places that it may be possible for an unvaxed child to catch a disease that a vaxed child has recently been vaxed for - IF it was a live-virus vaccine. I have read that it is a good idea to keep unvaccinated children away from vaxed children for 48 hours after having received the live-virus vaccine. That is if you know that the other child has received the vaccinations. Now, there is no way to tell if every child your son or daughter comes into contact with has been vaccinated and it’s unrealistic to keep them away from all other children, children around the ages that vaxes are scheduled or anything like that so there will be many instances where your child will be around other children who have received vaxes within the last 48 hours. All we can do is to insure that our children’s immune systems are healthy by making sure they are receiving adequate nutrition at home. Please refer to this link for info on the Non-vax lifestyle:

http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=748025

How do I find a cooperative pediatrician that will accept my views on not vaccinating?

We have a post where our Moms can list their non-vax friendly pediatricians in their area; http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=1024479

The process begins with calling pedis in your area and flat out asking them if they are willing to accept patients who choose not to vax and what their views are on parents’ rights to choose not to vaccinate. There are many pedis who will refuse to see patients who do not vaccinate b/c they feel so strongly about the issue (and I have been told they may receive kick-backs for having a 100% vaccination rate a their office). There are many patients who have been kicked out of their docs office for refusing vaccinations. It is just a matter of doing the research and finding one who will respect your rights as a parent without trying to push vaccines on you every time they see you.

My suggestion is to bring your children to a Naturopathic Doctor. These doctors use natural ways of healing the causes of problems instead of using medication to treat the symptoms (for example when my son got sick and my SO took him to an MD they gave him antihistamines and sent us on our way, when I took him to see and ND a few days later she told us ways to change his diet so that this wouldn't happen again and since we've changed it he's more energetic and babbling a whole lot more! We would have never gotten that out of an MD, only medications to treat symptoms.) There are even ND’s who are board certified pediatricians as well.

Just remember; don’t settle for a doctor who’s going to badger you every time you enter their office - you and your family deserve someone who will accept your rights to make decisions for your won family.
We also have a post where health care professionals have listed their own information:
http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=1164211
From another group:
http://www.cafemom.com/group/48504/boards/read/3995534/Anti_Vax_Friendly_Doctors_List_Directory_by_state_area 

Here's a link to some posts about well baby visits, some mothers feel they are necessary but many others do not:
http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/search_posts.php?keyword=well+baby+visits

Here is a link to a great post in another group titled "How to Talk So Health Professionals Will Listen":
http://www.cafemom.com/group/48504/boards/read/4312934/How_to_Talk_So_Health_Professionals_Will_Listen

Now that I am a non-vaxing Mom, what do I need to know to keep my child healthy?

The number one piece of advice I have is to BREASTFEED for as long as possible!! Breast milk provides true immunity and will boost your child’s immune system better than anything else on this planet. With that said please visit my post titled “Choosing not to vax is a LIFESTYLE” here for other ways to keep your child's immune system functioning at it's best:

http://www.cafemom.com/group/4388/boards/read.php?post_id=748025

Research each disease they vaccinate for and asses the risks of your child actually contracting these diseases and the risks associated with each one. For example Rubella is over in a few days to a week or so and not all that serious. The chance of complications arising from this disease are much less likely and a lot less harmful than the complications that could possibly arise from getting the MMR vaccine.

Keep up with any research they are conducting on vaccines and don’t be fooled by any of it. Check to see if the studies are done SOLEY on the safety, effectiveness, long term effects or side effects. Check to see who did the study - the only ones that are out now were funded by the vaccine manufacturers themselves. Learn how to read studies and interpret them correctly - like what variables are needed to make it an effective study - you will find that all the studies available to us now are missing major components or have omitted certain facts or groups.

Lastly be aware of any outbreaks in your area, asses the risks associated with the disease and the risks associated with getting your child vaccinated for that particular disease.

Do vaccines cause autism?

No one knows for sure.
There are children who have been diagnosed with spectrum disorders that have not ever been vaccinated before. So that means that Autism really does exist and that all cases are not caused by vaccines. There are not many cases of children with autism who have not been vaccinated therefore there's not enough information available on non-vaxed autistic children just yet. NO ONE knows for sure if autism is caused by vaccines b/c there have been NO studies done solely on the side effects of vaccines and the studies done regarding autism and vaccines have just not been done well enough to reveal conclusive results. But Cave's explanations of the link make a lot of sense and are VERY worth considering if you are trying to decide on whether to vax or not. 

From the book What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Children's Vaccinations (by Stephanie Cave, M.D).:
As the number of vaccines increased so did Autism
As the MMR vax was added to the scedule Autism rose
As the MMR vax was given between the age of 12 - 15 months the average age of onset for autism changed from 'at or around birth' to 12-15 months
As mandatory vaccination laws were more srictly enforced autism rates rose between 500% and 300% in each state
In the 40's and 50's (when only rich people could afford vaccines) cases of autism were confined to upper and upper-middle class families - As vaccines became free to all who could not afford them autism crossed class lines and is now widespread in all socioeconomic groups
Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning and Autism are exactly the same
By the time a child recieves the MMR vaccine (which is a live-virus vaccine)  they have recieved so much toxins in their bodies from the other (killed virus vaccines) that they are unable to fight off even these weakened live viruses injected into their bodies. The measles then are able to infect the bodies of these children and cause brain damage in the areas that present symptoms of autism (so maybe the MMR vax doesn't CAUSE autism - it just triggers an autoimmune response where the body atacks it's own tissues and leads to central nerve system damage.)
She goes into very great detail that is written in a very understandable format on pages 57 - 77 in her book which is very worth reading.

If I choose to selectively vaccinate or delay vaccinating - which shots should my child receive? How long should I delay?

My advice to you is to put off giving ANY shots to your child until you have researched the topic enough to be completely sure which ones you choose and are totally comfortable with giving them. You can always catch up on vaccines but you can NEVER undo one that has already been given. (I regret giving my baby his first round of vaccines while I took time deciding what I should do; if I would have known that I could wait until I knew more I would have put them off for a few more months until I was confident in my decision and my son may not have gotten eczema).

Start with reading one of the books from the list on our “Links” announcement post. Most of them provide unbiased information on each shot, the ingredients, estimated safety (I use the term VERY loosely) and importance/relevance of getting these shots. I believe Dr. Sears has a recommended schedule for a delayed/selective vaxing which you can Google. After thorough research on vaxing, it is my personally held belief that NO vaccine has been studied enough for us to know for sure that the benefits outweigh the risks - but you would need to research each shot and each individual disease they are intended to protect against and decide for yourself. If you Google the different vaccines you'll find ingredient lists, how they are made, and the documented (again I use the term loosely) side effects of each one. There are a few posts on selective vaxing in our group that are a bit further back as well if you would like to check those out.

I personally believe that all vaxes are harmful and that the diseases they vax for couldn't cause half the damage as the vax. I believe in natural immunity and believe all vaxes do irreparable damage to our immune systems that Drs are afraid to admit. They learn what vaccines do in Medical School and just blindly trust what they are taught without doing their own research. I believe that by injecting diseases and toxins in our bodies we are bypassing all of the body's natural immune building systems - the skin, mucus, lungs, nose hairs, and in doing that our bodies have no idea the "attack" is coming and in no way is prepared to fight to defend itself (which is supposed to naturally be able to do). ( Immunization Theory vs. Reality by Niel z. Miller) I believe that once you trick your immune system like that it's never the same and can never fully function properly after that.
Vaccines are a serious topic very worth LOTS of research before proceeding. Most Moms in this group who decided to delay vaxing to further their research have come to decide against them completely after researching the topic.

If you do decide to get certain vaccines it is a good idea wait untill the age of two years old at the very least. Space them out as far as possible with months (and months) between each shot. It is not a good idea to put them off until your child is school age and then play "catch-up" right before they start school giving them multiple shots within a small amount of time. Also try to avoid combo vaccines that contain more than one vaccine in one shot these are the hardest on the immune system. 
Right now vaccines are made as a "one size fits all" and we all know that human body‘s have very different reactions to various elements, every person is different and we have no idea what that difference is until it is too late. We all have different immune systems, different hormone levels, different reactions to everything that enters our bodies. No one tests your child for any of that before giving them a vaccine and I wouldn't vaccinate my child until someone does - because until then NO ONE has any idea of how my specific child will react to any specific ingredient in a vaccine.

Of course these are my own conclusions after only one year of research I have done on the topic (and that is barely scratching the surface). You are the only one who can do the work of researching and decide for your own family.

This is the link to the NVIC website. As you scroll down the right hand side of the screen you will se a list of every disease they vaccinate for and info regarding every vaccine for that disease. I highly recommend you read it for each vaccine you are questioning giving to your child.
http://www.nvic.org/Default.htm

What vaccines are me and my family required to have if we are travelling outside of the country?

"The only travel vaccine required by International Health Regulations is yellow fever. This vaccine is required for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America." http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/Immunize/travel_vaccines.htm

Here's a link for "Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country:"
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh5-MalariaYellowFeverTable.aspx

You will have to research each country and which diseases are currently prevelent there to determine which vaccines you might need - if any, and if the benefits outweigh the risk. Ask yourself if it would be any safer for your child recieve the vaccine than to contract the disease. In the case of diseases like rubella, mumps or measles I would say the risks of vaxing do outweigh the benefits b/c these are diseases that are usually very mild and serious complications are about as rare as the "reported" serious complications from vaccines (which even the CDC admits are Way under-reported). It's really up to you - unless you are visiting sub-saharan Africa.

Can my un-vaccinated child participate in public activites like normal?

From my post on non-vax lifestyle choices:
"By all means Mommies - take your kids out and have fun. Let them swim in public pools, go to daycare and school, libraries, beaches, malls, parks and playgrounds, birthday parties, moms clubs, sports, school functions ... There is no reason that they can't do EVERYTHING that any other child can do. If my son couldn't go to daycare or swim or playdates or anything I would have to vaccinate him just because I would feel bad that he wouldn't have a life! Kids need to have fun and you should not be afraid to let them do anything normal. Have faith in your children's bodies to protect them. Disease is caused by unhealthy INSIDES - not germs from the OUTSIDE. A perfectly healthy person can carry a disease germ and never get sick, but a person with a not-so-healthy diet and lifestyle will carry the same germ and get sick from it. Many, many people carry germs that they do not get sick from because their bodies are healthy (found in the book Immunization Theory vs Reality by Niel z. Miller.)  
Your children deserve to enjoy the same fun things that the other kids do!!"

How do I tell my family and friends that I choose not to vaccinate?

You have a few different choices in the matter. You can simply choose not to tell them. Eventually the topic will come up, though it's highly likely no one will flat out ask you if you vaccinate b/c everyone just assumes that everyone else does it. This could be a problem, though, if your child is playing with the children of your friends/family members b/c you want to know when they have their vaccines and keep your child away from them for atleast 48 hours. (See above post about vaccine shedding.)
You can delay telling anyone untill you feel you have done enough research to defend yuor decision and are comfortable with having to argue with people about it (I didn't bring it up to people I knew for a whole year). I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I haven't met a Mom on this site who hasn't had a confrontation about vaxes with a friend or family member. So just be prepared to either defend your position with the knowledge you have obtained or to just simply refuse to talk about it with anyone. Some women even type up a paper or print up some facts and carry extra copies with them. Some women tell people they don't vax and just say that it's a personal decision not up for discussion. This is also fine but I personally feel that you SHOULD tell people why you choose not to vax b/c (wheather they argue with you about it or not) if you have informed just one other person in this world about the dangers of vaccines you are helping to start this revolution against mandatory vaccination. Who knows if someone you have had an argument with won't go home that night and start researching the dangers, only to find that you were actually right. On the other hand I have met many Moms who are in a constant battle with one particular family member or who have lost a playdate or friend b/c of the issue. I am not trying to tell you not ot say anything - just preparing you for the reality of the situation. Vaccines are a very controversial issue and there is always resistance to major reform (just think back to all the history lessons from school, no major change comes without a big fight). But if someone is going to terminate your friendship or oyur children's friendship over the issue then they weren't a true friend in the first place and it's probably not someone you want to be around anyway - who needs such closed-minded people in their life?