immunizations...vaccines.....yadda yadda yadda...

Many of you have heard recent talks about vaccines and autism...or parents deciding not to get their children vaccinated b/c they don't like the thought of viruses being put into their children's body....
I'm not getting on a soap box here, but I think that that too many people are adapting others' opinions instead of doing the research themselves.
First off...this whole autism and vaccine thing....there is no link so far to vaccines causing autisI am not convinced that vaccines can cause autism...I think that they can aggravate symptoms that a child already has. People ask "then why are there more cases of autism being diagnosed??" I think that it's b/c we are paying attention now! Years ago, kids were just written off as disruptive and rebels....now people are paying attention and helping them instead of ignoring it......
However, I agree that there should be a huge push to make our vaccinations mercury-free.
http://www.newsmax.com/health/vaccines_cause_autism/2008/03/03/77315.html
this is a good article, but after researching the case discussed I can find no information on how they were able to prove a vaccination caused the autism.....if anyone else finds info on it, let me know.
One thing I hear alot it "why get the MMR, Dtp, or polio vaccine when you never see those diseases anymore?" I say.....vaccines are a major reason why the diseases aren't seen as much if at all! this is a common type of argument heard by those against immunizations. According to the CDC website, diseases such as like measles saw a sharp decline starting in 1963 when the vaccine was introduced!
Another argument I've heard is regarding putting those viruses in your child's body.....
there are 3 types of vaccines :
-Live attenuated vaccines contain bacteria or viruses that have been altered so they can't cause disease.
-Killed vaccines contain killed bacteria or inactivated viruses.
-Toxoid vaccines contain toxins produced by the germ that have been made harmless.
-Component vaccines contain parts of the whole bacteria or viruses.

Most of the vaccinations children receive are live-attenuated. http://www.drspock.com/ lists the vaccinations and the types they are.
Now, don't get me wrong, I think that some vaccinations aren't necessary for children. Such as the Gardasil vaccine...the new one for girls/women to protect against hpv which can lead to cervical cancer. What they don't tell you is that the only way you can contract hpv is through sex. Now, why would I want to give my daughter a vaccine like that?! I see it as enabling her...giving her another reason to have sex before she's married...I mean why not? right?
seriously...
This week I had a conversastion with a friend of mine who couldn't see why her newborn baby boy needed the hepatitis B vaccine.....hepatitis B is commonly known as being spread through sex or dirty needles.....what people don't realize is that it can also be spread through the baby being bitten by another toddler while at daycare, or a child at school leaks through their diaper or underwear and your child happens to get some "fluid" on their hands...
Anyway...what I'm getting at is why would you want to subject your child to the risk of getting a serious illness when you have resources available to you to protect them??
Organic food, exercise, obsessively cleaning and washing your hands can only do so much, but ultimately in the end you are still in a world that doesn't live like you do and many people aren't as careful!!
I'm not saying those who don't get their children vaccinated are bad parents or anything like that at all! It's their decision and if you've done the research and are still convinced that you are making the right decision...then that's great! At least you're reading up and developing your own opinion instead of adopting the opinion of your best friend.
I want to encourage everyone to research both sides of the argument yourself.
Like I said...I'm not insinuating that anyone is a bad parent or doing something wrong...this is just a big topic and I've heard too many people echo someone else's opinion and when you ask them questions regarding their decision (because I want to learn more), they can't answer you and it's frustrating.
I, for one, am going to have my child vaccinated. I don't like the thought of putting her through shots, but at the same time I want her protected and I don't want it hanging over my head later, if she should get sick...that I could have done something and I didn't.