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ldeitz (6/23/2008)
Anthony is scheduled to go for his 2 month immunizations on Wednesday and I have to say I am fairly nervous. So many people that I talk to bring up autism and say that it is more common in boys than girls. I have done some research.....to be honest though I have tried not to as sometimes "googling" isnt the best idea! Today a friend of mine told me that her neighbor has 4 children. Her first 2 were immunized and ended up autistic and she did not do her other 2 and they are fine. Could be a coincidence...who knows.... For me, not immunizing Anthony is not an option. I would personally feel as though I were not protecting him if I chose not to, however I am still nervous about the appointment. I would like to hear other peoples views on this....... the people who say that autism and vaccines are related actually dont say NOT to vaccinate..what they want is our vaccines cleaned up...they say there are too many chemicals in them that dont need to be there....jenny mcarthy is a huge advocate of this...even she believes in immunizing.....just doesnt like what IN the vaccines thats not necessary
Chulie ~Countdown to November 1,st 2008~
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amanda222 (6/25/2008)
slakie (6/24/2008)
The vaccines are not given too early...and they are "timed" in accordance to when the immune system is developing, which is appropriate given how the immune system develops (which is a HUGE topic that is truly hard to simplify).Slakie - with respect to timing, I know you said this is hard to simplify, but do you have some resources you'd recommend that would further explain why the recommended schedule is what it is?
I haven't gone in depth with my Immunology work for a while, but I'll look around. 
But what I recall:
-the basic premise of immunity is the ability to distinguish self from non-self -there are two general types of immunity: non-specific immunity and specific immunity. -Non-specific immunity is immediate, produces a maximal response, but produces NO immunilogical memory. It includes defences such as our skin, mucous membranes, and certain cells in our body. This is not involved with vaccination - responses do not involve recognition of specific proteins/antigens. -Specific immunity takes time to develop - there is a lag between exposure and maximal response. Responses involve recognition of specific proteins/antigens. It results in immunilogical memory (and thus involved with vaccination)
-There are different types of immune cells (and you all may have read about them) - T cells (T1 and T2 subtypes), B cells (makers of our very own antibodies), NK cells, macrophages/langerhans cells - they are produced in different parts of the body (e.g. T cells in the thymus, B cells in the spleen)
-Each type of immune cell made to best "recognize" different types of "bugs" - e.g. T1 cells best recognize virues, B cells, bacteria, NK cells recognize host cells that are infected with a specific "bug" etc.
-In addition to the above, some cells need help from other immune cells (e.g. B cells need "help" from either macrophages or T2 cells) so they can be activated to destroy the bug
-The main cells involved in specific immunity are the B-cells and T-cells (there are others, but I'll focus on these major players from here on for simplification)
-When the body develops immune cells, it makes a huge repetoire that includes immune cells that have the potential to recognize both host and foreign (i.e. "bugs", other human donor cells) protiens/antigens.
-To reach repetoire of the adult, immune cells go through "tests" where they are continually exposed to host antigens and foreign antigens (found in food, the environment, (vaccines) etc).
-Essentially cells need a "just right" exposure to become activated (and hence functioning in the body as an immune cell) - a "goldilocks approach". Too much exposure (i.e. from host/self antigen) the immune cell dies. Too little and the cell also essentially dies. "Just right" exposure activates the immune cell and allows it to exist in the body.
-Now T and B cells are generated at different times in the body after birth, so the vaccination schedule is generated so that the "bug" vaccination given scorresponds to the appropriate time when the immune cells are maturing in the body and to ensure that "just enough" exposure is given to the maturing cells so that the right cell(s) are appropriately activated and allowed to exist in the body.
-Once the immune cells are activated, they can be referred to as "memory cells". Some cells retain this memory life long...other cells need a "boost" to refresh that memory (eg. B cells that produce antibodies). Hence booster shots. -I don't exactly remember off the top of my head when each cell type starts to develop in the body, but I do recall in my studies charts describing just that ( and how it corresponds to the vaccination schedules). I"ll have to dig those up...
Sorry if this post is too long and too confusing. I tried the best I could to explain given the time of day (it's almost midnight and I'm tired after a long day and trying to coax my way to energized son to sleep).
slakie Married my sweetheart June 10th 2006
Mommy to a Cutie born April 25th 2007
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Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to explain that much. It does seem to make sense.
Married my love on October 20, 2007... expecting our baby boy in mid-October, 2008!
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