For those who don't believe in vaccinations. How would you like to be this parent?

[pnwmom]

20. Me, too. And bad reactions don't usually happen instantly, so you wouldn't have known.

Also, they are rare, fortunately. But very serious reactions to the old "whole cell" DPT did happen, which is why they finally approved a much safer version.

I was lucky. They came to my kindergarten class and announced that everyone was going to line up and get a shot.

I said no. I insisted on ONLY having a shot by my own doctor, no one else.

One boy and I were holdouts, but he finally agreed to go if the teacher would carry him. Not me. I had to bring a letter home to my parents, telling them what had happened.

Which turned out to be a very good thing.

Because I had had such bad reactions in the past, and my sister had died, my doctor had switched to giving me only half doses of the vaccine. They still caused reactions (my arm would swell so much I couldn't put a coat on), and I'd have a fever for a couple days, but I got through it. My doctor said getting a full dose might have put me in the hospital. Luckily I didn't get one.