Vaccination Lessons: The Pc Vaccine. And Breastfeeding. Because I Like To Combine.
The Pc vaccine protects a child against pneumococcal (Pc) disease, which ranges from mild cold symptoms and ear infections to severe pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and meningitis. The Pc vaccine is recommended by the AAP at 2, 4, 6, and 15 months. The vaccine came out in 2001.
Pc is common - in the cold symptom and ear infection form. Pneumonia is only an occasional occurrence, and bloodstream infections and meningitis are considered very rare. Studies differ, but one states that after the vaccine came out, 400 cases of severe Pc struck children 5 and under. In all ages, 2,000 to 3,000 severe cases of antibiotic-resistant Pc have been reported each year. It is also estimated that as many as 10,000 severe cases of Pc in children and 20,000-30,000 severe cases in adults strike each year. Before the vaccine, there were 60,000 cases or severe Pc each year, 17,000 of which were in children 5 and younger.
Oi, the numbers, they hurt my head. It seems no one can agree on how many cases there are each year. But they can agree that the serious cases attack mostly the infants (two and under) and the elderly.
Also, although the rates have dropped significantly, we are again seeing a rise in Pc - in strains not covered by the vaccine.
Pc is treatable. Serious cases may require hospitalization with IV antibiotics for several days, but most cases simply require oral antibiotics.
The vaccine given for Pc is called Prevnar. And I have found that my doctor does not respond coherently when I question the “Pc vaccine.” He stutters and then replies, “You must mean “Prevnar?” So you might want to address all questions concerning this vaccine by the name “Prevnar.”
There is a second brand named Pneumovax 23. It doesn’t work well in infants and toddlers. But it does contain 23 different strains of the Pc disease, rather than the 7 in Prevnar, thereby making it more effective… in older people.
There is no way to become infected with Pc from the vaccine, as it is not a whole-cell or live-virus vaccine. It contains some sugars from the outer covering of the germs that are filtered out and purified. Those sugars are then combined with a diphtheria toxin that has been purified into a toxoid. And to make the vaccine “work better,” 125 micrograms of aluminum is also added.
See here to read the theoretical dangers of injected aluminum.
Side effects of this vaccine are generally mild, but they do occur in about 20 percent of babies. Those are the standard side effects, such as fussiness, fever, redness, swelling, etc. 15 percent of that 20 percent were considered serious (about 600 cases) and it’s not even known for sure that it was a vaccine (or this vaccine, since they are given so many at once) that caused these “serious” reactions.
And if it stopped there, I would give Benjamin this vaccine. The only worrisome ingredient is aluminum, and I believe as long as I only allow one aluminum-containing vaccine at a time, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the possible negatives of aluminum.
But there is one more side effect that really hits home with me and my family. One of the serious side effects that stands out is seizures. Seizures can occur after any vaccine due to high fever, but more are reported with this vaccine than any other. When you combine the 4 doses, the odds of a baby having a seizure from this vaccine are 1 in 20,000, more if your baby has a history of seizures.
And the tendency for seizures can be passed genetically.
And I have had to watch my brother suffer his entire life from his genetically inherited seizure disorder. If it weren’t for the seizures that went undiagnosed when he was an infant, he would have normal mental capacities today.
Now, even entertaining the possibility of skipping a vaccine caused my heart to flutter. I don’t want to be held responsible if a vaccine-induced seizure permanently damages his brain due to oxygen deprivation. I also don’t want to be held responsible if he contracts meningitis. What else can I do to ensure my baby won’t catch a serious form of this disease?
Which lead me to the importance, and I’m just going to say that word again, importance, of breastfeeding.
You would have had to have lived in a hole lately to have not heard about the benefits of breastfeeding. If you have, I welcome you to the 21st century. And I will be writing a What I Believe post on breastfeeding one of these days that highlight all the lesser-mentioned benefits. Like the lowered risk of cancer in women. And the lowered risk of diabetes in women. And the higher IQ’s in the children.
But for now, I want to focus on how breastfeeding helps protect children from dangerous diseases.
Breast milk has antibodies that coat the lining of the nose, lungs, and intestines, so most germs that get inhaled or swallowed are killed.
Can formula do that?
(Say it with me, “NO.”)
But there’s more you need to know. These diseases are not just a risk for babies under 6 months of age. And only 25% of babies in the United States are breastfed longer than that.
And they need the protection from these diseases after one year of age, too. And only 15% are still nursing that late in the United States.
These diseases for which vaccinations were invented are for the protection of infants under the age of two. Over that age, the risk of contracting most these diseases in a serious form is very rare.
So if you do not vaccinate, yes, you can count on breast milk to help protect your child. But do not cheat your child from this natural, God-given protection. Nurse for two years or longer.
Another way you can protect your child if you choose not to vaccinate or to use a selective vaccination schedule is to avoid daycare. Before Benjamin caught RSV, I would have said I was doing all I can to prevent him from catching diseases. He didn’t go to daycare and I was still nursing.
Oh, but wait. Church nursery is still daycare.
And guess where he caught that delightful little bug?
Yep, church nursery.
So we won’t do the church nursery anymore.
To wrap things up: No, Benjamin won’t get Prevnar, the vaccine for Pc. But only because I fear he is genetically prone to a seizure disorder, which the vaccine can aggravate. Yes, we will nurse until he is at least two to help protect him. No, he won’t go to church nursery. And so far, the tally stands at one vaccine: the hibTITER brand vaccine for HIB.
Any one else skipping this vaccine? What influenced your decision?
————————————–
Next up: Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis Diseases and the DTaP Vaccine
————————————–
All vaccination information came from The Vaccination Book by Dr. Sears.
Filed under: The Breastfeeding, The Vaccination Lessons on March 9th, 2008
We got it for the same reason we got the Hib (which I put in your comments there so I’ll spare ya the repeat.)
We didn’t have a history of seizures in the mix, but if we did, I think I’d make the same decision you are.
And I’m gonna reiterate one of your points, but in a different way (and probably stronger than you did) - In my mind vaccinating off the CDC schedule really makes both breastfeeding and staying out of daycare situations a must.
(That said, I skipped the flu vaccine this year for Alex and then ended up having to visit two hospitals over Christmas. We were covered in soap and anti bac. Guess who got sick? ME!)
[Reply]
Wow, can I say thank you for a well reasoned post about why you might choose one vaccine, or not choose a vaccine, that is right for your family? You’ve obviously spent a lot of time researching, and thinking, and I applaud you. I think it’s always hard to balance risks in our children.
Just a note on nursery care - I get anxious when kids who haven’t had vax are in our nursery at church, or in day care, or in the case of rubella, are in schools. You protect your kids by breastfeeding, and good nutrition and all of those things, and I think you have a really sensible solution to the vaccine issue. But there’s a whole other side to the vaccine debate, around herd immunity.
When your child isn’t vaccinated, he or she can carry germs that could make another child very ill. This is a big issue with wee babes or with immune suppressed children. I’m a big fan of considering alternate vaccine schedules, but I also think that it means that I need to keep my kids out of daycare and church nursery and play groups or crowded play places until they are either caught up to the standard vaccines, or no longer toddlers. I recognize that mumps or measles might not be a big issue with my child, if they catch it, but to the tiny baby or the adult undergoing chemo, this could kill them. And if my child gave a pregnant mom rubella, and another mom had to loose a baby, I don’t know that I could live with myself.
Again, thanks for a well thought out post. I have enjoyed the vaccine book, and I have enjoyed your posts on the vaccine questions too.
[Reply]
I do not vaccinate at all. We are all given the personal choice and have to do what we feel is best for our children. It is a difficult decision. I’m glad that there is a book out there that explains it better. Over at http://www.daringyoungmom.com/ she’s talking about it too. You can use homeopathy to immunize as well. It is safer and more effective as I understand it. Of course, it’s not covered by insurance in most cases and most MDs would probably tell you that it doesn’t work.
[Reply]
Well thought out post. Yes, I probably would have made the same decision based on your set of circumstances.
I totally agree with the “tailoring” of a vax schedule to fit the needs/concerns/circumstances of the child vs. one-size-fits-all.
I salute you for promoting extended breastfeeding as well. (DD is still nursing a 2y3m!)
Looking forward to the next post in your series.
[Reply]
We vaccinate, but I understand why you made your decision with family history.
Your breastfeeding numbers shocked me. I can’t believe only 25% are nursed after the first 6 months.
Although - I guess I am not that surprised with the way the formula companies push it.
Even my daughters own doctors has offered comments that could be seen as discouraging. She wanted me to supplement when my daughter was first born - now she is a 19 pound chubby little thing at almost 7 months old. She told me I could start introducing formula to give myself a break. I just learned to tune out her comments about breastfeeding because she is obviously a little anti-breastfeeding, but otherwise I love her as a doctor and think she is great.
Anyway, I’m still nursing here and I’d like to continue to at least one year. When we hit the one year mark not sure of what I will do yet, maybe express the milk and offer it to her in a sippy cup. I don’t know that much about extended nursing.
[Reply]
I’m sorry, I am not sure I fully understand the breastfeeding comments. Do you intend to exclusively nurse until your children are two years old? Can a normal body produce enough milk to sustain a two year old?
[Reply]
Katherine,
That was a good question. No, I wasn’t planning on exclusively breastfeeding for the first two years. Benjamin wouldn’t allow that. He likes food too much.
My plan is to nurse on demand. And at almost one year, this means still nursing through the night, before naptime and bedtime, when he wakes up, and whenever else he feels like nursing.
I have heard that the desire for nursing can naturally diminish as the child grows, but my experience with my older daughter (whom I nursed until over the age of two) has been that any disinterest in nursing has to be highly encouraged by me, mainly by distracting the toddler with toys and engaging activities. So far, Benjamin is shaping up to be the same nursaholic she was, so I am not worried that we won’t be nursing enough.
[Reply]
I think it is really great that you are researching vaccines and trying to make an informed choice for your child.
I just thought I would give you one more thing to think about.
From what I remember from nursing school, a seizure DISORDER is very different from a febrile seizure (fever induced seizure). Fever induced seizures are fairly common in very young children, but I don’t believe that there is a correlation to these causing seizure disorders later in life.
Just thought I would put that out there…though it sounds like from your experience with your brother, you prefer not to increase your risk of ANY kind of seizure.
[Reply]
What about nursing a two-year-old if you’re pregnant with your second? I have a 15-month-old and we’re thinking about our next one. He still nurses five or six times a day. He’d nurse almost exclusively if I let him.
All my friends say their doctors told them to stop nursing once they got pregnant. But my mil nursed until she delivered the next one. So, anyone had any experience with this?
As re: vaccinations, we do one at a time, an alternative schedule as per Dr. Sears (the younger one), avoiding flu vaccines and putting off measles until he’s older. At least, that’s what we’re trying to do. Difficult when you don’t have vaccine coverage and have to go to the heatlh department, which only does combo vaccines for kids. Ugh.
[Reply]
Emily - for some posts I wrote on my extended nursing experience, see here and here.
I nursed through my pregnancy and even tandem nursed for about six months.
It’s not only possible and safe, but it reduces sibling rivalry, and makes mothering a newborn and toddler a LOT easier.
[Reply]
And watch out for those combo shots - they have incredibly high aluminum levels!
[Reply]
I agree with your reasons for not getting this vac. I didn’t get it for either of my boys.
My first pretty much had no problems with vac’s as he was a HUGE baby, 9lbs 11oz at birth and only got bigger. My second was 10ozs smaller at birth but had a really rough time with anything we gave him for vacs.
So I stopped his vac’s at 6mos and finished him off when he was 4years old, big enough to handle them.
I agree that nursing works great for you and your children but I was a little upset at the way you put down formula feeding. Both my boys were exclusively formula fed due to a genetic defect with mlk production on my part.
My boys were as healthy, sometimes more healthy than the nursed babies I knew. I think it depends on each persons immune system.
I do agree that nursing is God’s perfect food for baby, and the benefits for mom and baby are great. But sometimes formula’s the best choice too.
Anyway, this is just my opinion.
[Reply]
Beckie,
I’m sorry if what I said hurt you. Of course I realize that there are those who cannot breastfeed, and it is not your fault and I am sure you did all you could to take the best care of your children regardless!
I simply wanted to show one big difference between formula and breastmilk, not to hurt those that are unable, but to convince those that are able, yet choose otherwise.
[Reply]
Thanks. This is an issue as a mother has to decide for her child and herself. I can appreciate your conviction about this. You have made the best choice for you and your family. God bless.
[Reply]
Great job with this post! I’m breastfeeding my 8 month-old, and I’m already getting the questions of “how much longer.” I’m really interested in extended breastfeeding, and I appreciate all of the thoughts and information - and the links to your tandem nursing posts were great!
You mentioned that your babies nurse through the night. My little girl does that, too (and co-sleeps, of course), and people seem to think it sounds really weird. I love having her sleep next to me, and nurse herself back to sleep whenever she needs. It also means she doesn’t have to nurse quite so much during the day, so she can eat foods, play, etc. How do you answer people’s questions and comments?
[Reply]
Bethany, I know you asked Beth, but.. if you don’t want to deal with other people questioning you about your baby nursing through the night, etc… there’s no need to tell them. Lately I’ve found that much easier.
Beth, to reply directly to your post: We are not doing this vaccine. 1) My child is breastfed and does not go to daycare, not even the church nursery, and 2) I feel that the “newer” vaccines are not nearly as important as the older ones (i.e. ones I got as a child, although I even question some of them) and 3) The CDC admits in the “Vaccine Safety” chapter of their own pink book that the rate of serious vaccine complications (from all vaccines) now exceeds the rate of vaccine preventable diseases. I find that to be a very shocking and disturbing admission from the CDC. If that trend were in danger of reversing, I would be much more in favor of vaccinating .
[Reply]
Blurgh, that church nursery. Katherine is still nursing 3-6 times a day at 17 months, and I plan to continue that past two years. I’ve given her all the vaccines so far, but I am definitely leaning toward vaccinating on an altered schedule and turning down some vaccines with our next baby, whenever that happens.
We are generally healthy people…but holy cows, this winter has been murder. We’ve all three had cold after cold after virus after cold…I’ve never been so sick.
It has to be the church nursery (Sunday mornings and Thursday mornings for Mom2Mom) and the childcare center at the gym (twice a week). Blech. I can’t take the sickness anymore, but I don’t know what to do about Sunday school, moms’ group, and working out. Sunday service is the one I know how to handle - we’re working on training her at home to sit still so she can be in church with us. Sunday school is a newlyweds class (my husband is a midweek small group leader for one of the newlywed groups, so we have to attend the Sunday class) and we can’t bring K in with us. The gym is fairly new - I’ve been a member since December and I’ve loved getting back in shape. But the SICKNESS!
[Reply]
[...] breastfeed their babies beyond the age of 6 months. The Natural Mommy has a great article about the importance of breastfeeding (along with lessons about vaccinating). Â Statements like this certainly don’t help to to [...]
Great comments on this vaccine! I’m using Dr. Sears’ Selective Schedule, and was looking up info on new strains of Pc and found your article. (I’m “fav’ing” your website by the way…I love it! I’m also an AP, SAHM, cloth diapering, breastfeeding as long as I can Mama.)
I think your comments about church nursery are good too…my MIL never put her kids in nursery because they were never sick, but the one time they were was from nursery. I keep my 4-mo. old son in church service with me.
Anyway, thanks for the great article and well-researched information. I’m always so happy to see how MUCH of a benefit breastfeeding is. I had no doubts about it, it’s just always great to hear even more ways it is best for baby.
[Reply]
… You’re going to skip the church nursery because your kid got sick? I’m all behind the vaccine logic here- we did the same thing- but if you don’t ever let anyone else watch your kid or allow them to be around other kids- IMO that’s just not healthy. Yes- RSV is a more serious sickness in very young babies- both of mine had it the year before last and it was a nightmare- for all of us. Nebulizers, ER visits- the whole 9 yards… But at the same time- I wouldn’t dream of forgoing interactions with kids their own age just to avoid the germs
Whether it’s the church nursery or the playground with you- the germ spreading concern is the same. I do hope you’ve calmed down after this experience and aren’t going to force them into seclusion (or hazmat suits) to avoid the germs out there 
[Reply]
Dear Natural Mommy,
I am glad to have stumbled across your website while I was searching for information on the PC vaccine. When my son was born, the hospital scared me into giving him the first round of shots, and since then I have refused all other vaccinations. This Saturday, my son will turn 6 months, and his 6 month well-baby check-up is this coming Monday. My husband offered to come with me this time so I would have the courage to go through with getting his shots. The closer that we get to the 15th, the more nervous I become. I don’t want to vaccinate him. I don’t feel the need for all these vaccinations. I worry about the consiquences if I don’t get him vaccinated but I breastfeed. Shouldn’t that be enough to sustain his immunity? I am a stay-at-home, breastfeeding mom, shouldn’t that protect him? In your opinion which vaccines should I use and which should I avoid? Also, I am the only one in my family that has choosen to breastfeed my child. My entire family gave me a great deal of support for the first three months, but have since started to ask me when I plan to ween him. I would love to continue to breastfeed for the first 12-18 months. But I feel like I should pump and feed him my expressed milk in a bottle rather than nurse him. I’m riddled with guilt about both breastfeeding and vaccinations, and I would sincerly appreciate your input.
~Andi
[Reply]
I am using Dr. Sears schedule. I didn’t want my son to have a flu shot but he got turned down for RSV. He was born with a cleft palate and a cold could be devastating to him. My dr. wasn’t really receptive at first to the Sears schedule but once he was on it, she was more confident that I intended on getting all the recommended vaccines–I was just tweaking the schedule a little.
I can’t breastfeed him because he can’t create suction. He’s not in daycare (because I can’t seem to find work!!!). I had to quit my job because he had a g-tube and no daycare would take him (which also cost me unemployment benefits because I quit for personal reasons).
I avoid play dates and plan on not taking him out too much until he has his surgery in spring ‘09. In a way, I’m glad I’m home with him so he doesn’t have to be exposed to other kids (some parents still send their kids to daycare even when sick….).
[Reply]
[...] not Prevnar. I’m waiting to see if I can get it ordered. Here’s some info on the difference: The Natural Mommy » Vaccination Lessons: The Pc Vaccine. And Breastfeeding. Because I Like To Combin… I’m sort of following Sears in waiting till 5 to do anything else. __________________ Happy [...]
Does anyone know if a vaccinated child can carry diseases and pass it on to unvaccinated children? Everyone always talks about unvaccinated children passing on diseases, but wouldn’t a vaccinated child who is exposed to disease also carry them, just not show symptoms?
[Reply]
18 month boy. Not vaccinated. BREASTFEEDING Until College! I take my son to many children activities. Yes, he gets a runny nose from time to time but nothing serious. Breast Milk is the BEST Medicine.
[Reply]