Dear Editor,

This last session the Kansas legislature passed a law requiring children entering school to be immunized against hepatitis B and chickenpox. Many parents will comply without investigating the risks versus benefits.

The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), a federal agency, receives reports each year of 12,000 to 14,000 deaths, hospitalizations and injuries to children as a result of vaccines. This is an estimated 10% of actual adverse events which means that the real numbers are more likely from 120,000-140,000. Few children are at risk for hepatitis B and chickenpox is a common childhood illness with few negative long term repercussions, if any. The federal government actually pays out about $100 million per year to families whose vaccine damaged children died or had life long disabilities. This is paid through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

The National Vaccine Information Institute encourages parents to ask the following eight questions before vaccinating:
Is my child sick right now?
Has my child had a previous bad reaction?
Does my child have a personal or family history of vaccine reactions, neurological disorders, severe allergies, or immune system disorders?
Do I know if my child is at high risk of reacting?
Do I have full information on the vaccine's side effects?
Do I know how to identify a vaccine reaction?
Do I know how to report a vaccine reaction?
Do I know the vaccine manufacturer's name and the lot number?


Some other helpful information to consider: Chickenpox vaccines contain aborted fetal tissue as do Hepatitis A and some MMR. In 1998, the French government suspended school based vaccination requirements for Hepatitis B because of a link to multiple sclerosis and the more than six hundred cases of immune and neurological conditions reported. In all states parents can seek a medical waiver to exempt their child from mandated school vaccinations. Some states provide for philosophical or religious exemption. The symptoms which can occur from vaccines include allergies and respiratory conditions such as asthma, inflammations and anaphylactic shock, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), gastro-intestinal problems affecting the stomach, esophagus and lower GI tract. Nervous system disorders such as encephalitis, meningitis, Guillan-Barre', cerebral paralysis have been reported. Neurological disorders may include autism, convulsions, seizures, hyperactivity, incessant crying, appetite problems, bulemia, anorexia, blindness, deafness and delayed development. Childhood leukemias, diabetes, repeated infections, behavioral problems of all types, cancer, rheumatism, along with many other long term effects have been reported.

Perhaps the most important question a parent needs to ask is "Am I prepared for the possibility that my child could be seriously injured or die as a result of a vaccination?" An estimated $7 billion dollars was made by the vaccine enterprises in 2001. It just may be that there are other interests involved than that which pertains to your child's health. Check it out.

Connie Newcome
620-585-2556
Box 654
Inman, KS 67546