Vaccinations are very much in the news at the moment and everyone is wondering whether or not to have the shots. Interestingly, this is not a new topic and many doctors and scientists have been expressing doubts about vaccinations in general. In particular, there is considerable discussion on whether the current vaccination programme for children is actually safe. The medical authorities would have us believe that it is, but are they right?
The current vaccination programme in South Africa calls for children to be vaccinated as follows –
- Birth: oral polio vaccine against Polio, Bacillus Calmette Guerin against Tuberculosis
- Six weeks: Oral Polio vaccine against Polio; Rotarix against Rotavirus; Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against Pneumococcal diseases; Pentaxim (five-in-one) against Diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), inactivated polio vaccine, Hemophilus influenzae type B; Hepatitis b against HBV
- 10 weeks: Pentaxim against Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hemophilus influenzae type B; Hepatitis B vaccine against HBV
- 14 weeks: Rotarix against Rotavirus; Prevenar against Pneumococcal diseases; Pentaxim against Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hemophilus influenzae type B; Hepatitis B vaccine
- 6–9 months: Measles vaccine
- Nine months: Prevenar against Pneumococcal diseases
- 12–18 months: Measles vaccine
- 18 months: Pentaxim against Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hemophilus influenzae type B
- Six years: Diftavax against Tetanus, Diphtheria
- 12 years: Diftavax against Tetanus, Diphtheria
Looking at this list from the Department of Health one can see that kids will get 19 different shots against a host of conditions. The prevailing view is that this is a good thing, but is it a valid argument? It depends on who you listen to. The pharmaceutical industry would like you to believe that it is, but they make trillions from vaccinations. The 5 biggest pharmaceutical companies are reputed to make more profits than all the other Fortune 500 companies combined! On the other hand, there are a growing number of doctors, scientists and researchers that are querying the safety of vaccines. There is also the hard evidence of deaths, deformations and illnesses that are being linked to vaccines.
It doesn’t make for happy reading.
In 2017 the WHO admitted that an explosion of polio in the Congo, Philippines and Afganistan was caused by a polio vaccination.1 In 2020 the UN admitted that the vaccine was responsible for a polio outbreak in Sudan.2
Also in 2017 a study3 found that the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination is killing more African children than the diseases themselves. To quote the study: ‘DTP was associated with 5-fold higher mortality than being unvaccinated.’ Strangely, the WHO has refused to stop this vaccination programme. Looking at the South African vaccination programme above, you’ll notice that this is the same (or similar) vaccine that is being given to our children!
There is also considerable debate as to whether the explosion of autism, allergies and asthma in children is influenced by vaccinations. In one article I read there are + 240 references to scientific papers looking at the link between mercury and autism.4 Mercury is a component of Thimerosal, a preservative that vaccine manufacturers use. There is also speculation that vaccinations may have something to do with the massive increase in ADD/ADHD seen in recent years.
In Nov 2020 a study5 was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that has some very interesting info on the topic. The researchers studied 3324 children (2763 vaccinated, either partially or fully, and 561 unvaccinated) that were born between 1 June 2008 and 27 January 2019. Their conclusions are eye opening! Just take a look at the table below to see the difference between the two groups.
The vaccinated children had to go to the doctor almost twice as frequently as the unvaccinated children. Another amazing fact was that NONE of the unvaccinated children developed ADHD! In their conclusion the researchers had the following to say: “… we can conclude that the unvaccinated children in this practice are not, overall, less healthy than the vaccinated and that indeed the vaccinated children appear to be significantly less healthy than the unvaccinated.”
It does appear, from all the research available, that childhood vaccination programmes cause more damage than good. Many doctors are questioning the wisdom of putting such a huge stress on the childrens’ underdeveloped immune systems by exposing them to such a concentrated vaccination programme. Some are speculating that immune systems stressed like this never fully recover, leading to lifelong health challenges.6
So what should a parent do? It’s a tough choice, and it isn’t made any easier because the pharmaceutical industry is putting huge pressure on doctors, educationalists and governments to insist that kids be vaccinated. Whatever you choose to do, there are some basics that will not change. The number one consideration for raising healthy children is diet. When one considers that a growing child produces over a billion new cells each day, the importance of diet becomes blindingly apparent! Some time back I wrote an article about how science is showing us that mother’s diet during pregnancy influences her child’s future health even into adulthood.7
It’s obvious that a diet of junk and processed foods, sweets and cakes, cannot supply the nutrients necessary for a growing child’s requirements. Critical periods in a child’s development, in particular from conception till about 4 years old and again around puberty, require enormous quantities of nutrients to fuel them. Unfortunately, surveys are showing that most children’s diets are sadly lacking in nutrients. Parents need to make sure that their diets include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and good quality protein. They also need to establish a good supplementation regime for their children, as it’s now impossible to get sufficient nutrients from our modern foods. For more on this, watch the A Natural Approach To Children’s Health video I made on this topic.
Another factor to be considered is the current obsession, aggravated by the current pandemic, of over sanitizing. A child’s immune system is just like a muscle – it needs to be exercised in order to grow stronger. The immune system develops by being exposed to bacteria and viruses, which stimulate it to develop antibodies to combat them. There are a number of studies showing that children who grow up in rural areas, playing outside in the dirt, have much more robust immune systems than children who grow up in cities.8 Playing with a pet, like a dog, will also contribute to a stronger immune system. There are even studies showing that adults who work on farms have stronger immune systems than their counterparts in the cities.9
I think that, in the final analysis, vaccines are probably over used and could lead to long term health challenges. Parents should strive to educate themselves on the pros and cons and also on the benefits of good diet, exercise and fresh air for their children. The good news is that there has never been more information available to help parents made good choices. That being said, parents should also be aware that the pharmaceutical industry has a lot invested in vaccines. So if you decide not to vaccinate your child, expect to encounter opposition. Just remember – it’s your child’s future health that is at stake.
References .
2. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/polio-outbreak-sudan-caused-oral-vaccine-72766683
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5360569/
4. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/wp-content/uploads/mercury-all-sources-research-combined-chd.pdf
5. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8674/htm
7. https://www.realhealth4life.co.za/mothers-diet-influences-babys-brain-and-immune-system-development/
8. https://realhealth4life.co.za/antibacterial-soaps/#more-384