Hello...I am responding to the question,"...How do I respond to a mother who does not want her child vaccinated...?".
The most important thing I would do is to honestly step back for atleast one moment from your preconceived notions and evaluate why in fact should she?
I would then begin to research unceasingly the vast amount of information out there on vaccines. ...ESPECIALLY, if this is going to be a topic that you wil be dealing with on a regular basis. As students in the health field it is vital to realize the sources from which you are learning as well as the funding behind the sources. Ultimately, the best way to test the efficiency is if it in fact brings health right? Is it really creating a healthy person. Or is it giving a false sense of health via drugs and immunization?
There are numerous studies to date showing that there was a natural decline in the incidences of many of these diseases, well before the advent of the vaccine. In addition there are numerous studies showing that entire populations that have been vaccinated have had epidemics of the very disease vaccinated against. There are also studies showing that there are also negative side effects.
Why are these studies not well known? Perhaps think a minute about the quality of food served in hospitals. My mother in law was offered a cookie and coke after chemo. Cancer thrives in acidic conditions. Think about how many classes on nutrition you are given in pre med and in medical school. Is there more of a focus on drugs than herbs? We are not taught about these more benign and safe ways to help others health. We are not taught about juicing and fasting. We are taught to use drugs. We must realize that it is not like this in every country. Other countries have more of a integration of herbs, acupuncture, etc. Germany has one of the most extensive data bases of herbs and there medicinal value. We on the other hand rank in the thirties in overall health care though we spend the most money. The only way that our health will truly move forward is for the emerging students to learn what in fact builds true inner health and vitality.This is desperately needed in a time where more and more children are afflicted by cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular issues. We must look for new answers.
Now for the studies....
http://www.whale.to/a/blaylock.html
http://www.whale.to/v/mend.html
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/stewart.html
http://www.whale.to/m/levy1.html
There are also many doctors who have spoken out about vaccines. Some began believing in them yet as learned more and more they changed their opinions. Some important doctors who hold/held this belief include Philip Incao M.D., Russel Blaylock M.D.,Dr. Mendelsohn M.D> a pediatrician for may, many years,Michel Odent
http://www.thinktwice.com/sids.htm.....the lsit goes on. It is important to note that most if not all of these are highly successful doctors, who have been in this profession for a long time. They have experience. They are ones that incorporate diet and lifestyle. Philip Incao for instance only sees 4 patients a day so that he can have a 1 and a half hour visit with them. These are not doctors who are ignorant and uncaring. Other doctors have been known to take a more conservative approach...and only give some of the vaccines and to do so when the children are older....as is Dr. Sears M.D> approach. He is a foremost expert on infant care.
My greatest desire is to not simply change people's opinion. My desire is to get people to think and to get the information out there so people can think.To extract oneself from there group of influence and be willing to look outside of the box.People are demanding that this occurs.We HEar of these horrible deaths from these diseases. I live in a more rural area where there is a high percentage of alternatively minded people. There was a breakout of whooping cough. I personally saw a range of responses. ...from using antibiotics given to" prevent any 2nd hand infection" to herbal approachs. The children who used the herbs and nutrition fared teh best.The one on antibiotics has been given multiple antibiotics for numerous things and has a poor diet. SHe has chronic immunity issues. and just keeps going to the doctor.The tragic deaths that we hear about typically occur in lower income families where sanitary condtions as well as dietary requirements, etc, are POORLY lacking and to be sure the amount of deaths is relatively very low.
One last note is that modern medicine has been largely based on Pasteur'sidea of protecting from the outside...protecting us from all of those terrible germs....His rival Antoine Bechamp always said, it is the inner terrain and the strength of this that decides one's health. On his death bed Pasteur changed his mind to agree with Bechamp. Unfortunately, mainstream medicine did not follow suit. We would have much more success if we were to spend the millions and billions of money on organic gardening, excercise programs, stress relief, parental skills,nutrition, and herbal knowledge than on immunization and drug use. SO the next time a mother says that she does not want to immunize perhaps just for a moment realize that she may not be some fanantical health nut but may in fact be on to something. The old time healers such as Norman Walker who lived to well over 100 as well as others all stated that vaccines poisoned the blood and that the blood was the river of life.IN our nation it is normal to live to 70 on multiple drugs....cancer, diabetes, etc, are par for the course. We have to realize that this is not the case. It is good to study long lived cultures and see that those who routinely live long...do not have extensive medical institutions, are not wealthy etc...they instead have pure water, pure food(pesticide free), pure air, excercise, sunlight, reflection, community, etc.....This is what we need for true healing.