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Read Dr. Elena Krasnov's Weekly Column in the Health & Fitness section of the 24 Hours Magazine. Look for new articles every week!

Monday, April 19, 2010

The Vaccination Debate

Q: Dear Elena, I am 34 weeks pregnant and the one thing that stresses me the most about having this baby is how to make a decision on whether or not to vaccinate. I have heard of high levels of aluminum and mercury in some which can lead to autism. My husband believes it`s safer to vaccinate. Please help us to make a decision. Signed, Nancy Burlington, ON

A: First of all, you should relax and enjoy your time during pregnancy. It is important to concentrate on staying healthy and well rested. Make sure you are not stressed because that will translate into stress for the fetus as well.  A healthy mother often leads to a healthy infant.

If you yourself have the immunity for common diseases it will transfer to the infant both via placenta and via breast milk after birth. Most breast-fed infants have better immunity then their formula fed counterparts for that exact reason.

I think when it comes to a vaccination decision it is important to make an educated choice and not get carried away by mass hysteria or be intimidated into it by threats of imminent disease.

Try and find an open-minded doctor to help guide you through it. Immunization is a personal choice as well as a responsibility. There are some homeopathic immunization protocols that can be followed successfully with guidance by a knowledgeable homeopath but it requires exceptional organizational skills on the part of the parent. The schedule for administering different remedies can prove challenging to some. The time of the year that the baby is born is also important. I don't see the benefit of immunizing an infant of 2 month old for a winter occurring viruses if they are born in the spring and summer, you can always wait until the baby is older when their immune system is more mature.

I think it is ridiculous to vaccinate young children for Hepatitis B (a blood born infection often associated with sexual contact). Exposing young children to unnecessary vaccines and boosters can cause a problem for the developing immune system. Artificial immunity is also short lived.  It will not be there to protect your child when they need it later in life.

There are some serious diseases like polio which merit a further look. I would consider immunizing for polio due to risk of death and paralysis if it happens, but not for tetanus, because it is unlikely that your baby is going o go gardening with dirty, rusted tools any time soon. Save that for when there is an actual risk of coming in contact with soil organisms.

If you choose to immunize your baby in a conventional way, I recommend delaying the scheduled shots by several months at a time and spreading them out rather that doing them all together. It allows the baby's immune system to recover between injections. Do not use vaccines that contain thimerosol (mercury). Don't use live virus vaccines. Use homeopathic remedies between shots to help remove any long lasting problems by detoxifying the cellular matrix. Using homeopathic remedies to boost anti-viral response is also a good practice. I often use Guna-Citomix  without any problems.

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Dr. Elena Krasnov is a registered Naturopathic Doctor and Clinic Director of the Toronto Naturopathic Clinic. Submit your questions online at 24hrs.ca

Co-written by Miranda Tallon-Malisani Holistic Nutritionist