The Rotavirus vaccine produced by Glaxo has been found to contain a pig virus and the US FDA has told doctors to stop administering it to babies.  Babies usually receive Roto shots at 2 and 4 months of age when following the CDC recommended vaccination schedule.  The vaccine was found to include traces of contamination by  porcine circovirus 1, known as PCV1, and although the FDA maintains the vaccine is ”probably safe”, they are still recomending that the drug no longer be given until more information is gathered.  Other countries like Switzerland and Israel have quickly followed suit and have stopped using the Rotarix vaccine by GlaxoSmithKline.

This news strikes a cord with me.  Since before my kids were born I have been researching vaccines and trying to decide how I would proceed with my boys.  While on bed rest, I was struck by two books, Dr. Sears’ The Vaccine Book and Dr. Stephanie Cave’s What your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations.  They both go through each vaccine and the disease they help prevent and give you a ton of information on the history of vaccines and the adjuvants and additives in them.   I highly recommend both books.  How you vaccinate is definitely an individual choice, but I thought this would be a good time to post some alternative vaccination schedules as listed in these two books.   I have added in RED how they differ from the CDC schedule and some of my comments.

Dr. Bob Sears’ Selective Vaccination Schedule

• birth: no vaccines
  • The CDC would have you give the HEP B Vaccination in the hospital and follow up with two more boosters before the child is one and a half.  Dr. Sears suggests you revisit this vaccine at 12 years of age or when the child is sexually active.  This disease is only communicable sexually or by blood.)
• 2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus
  
  • My comments:  as of the news today, you would omit Rotavirus unless you got RotaTeq which is not manufactured by Glaxo.  If on the CDC schedule you would also be doing HIB, Polio (IPV), and PCV, also known as Prevnar at the 2 month mark.  Dr. Sears spreads these out over the next month, but omits the Polio Vaccine entirely.
• 3 months PCV, HIB
  • So, this is how Dr. Sears recommends you spread the vaccinations out. If on CDC schedule, you would have no vaccinations at 3 months, you would have gotten them all together at 2 months.  Also, it is worth noting that he has completely omitted taking the polio vaccine.  My comments:  if traveling to Africa or Asia I would consider the polio vaccine as it is still circulation in some countries there.  Also the Prevnar vaccine is very new and I think it’s wise to keep an eye on reactions and other issues that may come up with such a new product. And please note, Prevnar contains Aluminum phosphate.
• 4 months DTaP, Rotavirus
  • so, the CDC would have you do PCV, HIB, and Polio now as well.  Dr. Sears has spread these out to next month.
• 5 months PCV, HIB
  • again, note that Dr. Sears has ommited the Polio Vaccine altogether.
• 6 months DTaP, Rotavirus
  • so, the CDC would recommend you do PCV and HIB now, Dr. Sears spreads these out to the next month)
• 7 months PCV, HIB
• 12 month – no shots
  • at some point between 12-15 months the CDC adds the following shots: another Hep B shot (this would be the third in the series while Dr. Sears recommends waiting until the child is sexually active), another polio shot (this would be the third polio shot).  The CDC recommends the MMR shot while Dr. Sears’ opinion on this is that Measles, Mumps and Rubella are routine childhood illnesses that are very rarely serious and have become increasingly rare in general.  The CDC also recommends a Varicella shot, and the first of two Hep A shots.  The CDC also would have you add influenza shots yearly starting at this age (My comment: flu vaccines often contain mercury.  You must ask for one without.
• 15 months PCV, HIB
  • the CDC would have you do these as well as the ones I mentioned above.
• 5 years Tetanus booster
• 10 years Blood tests (called “titer” tests) for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and Hep A immunity. If a titer is positive, showing your child acquired immunity through natural exposure, he may not need the shot, but consider vaccinating if not immune.
• Also consider a 3-dose polio series if travel to Africa or Asia is a possibility.
• 12 years Hep B (3 doses)

Dr. Stephanie Cave’s Vaccination schedule

Before you vaccinate, Dr. Cave recommends the following:

1.  Ask the doctor to check vaccine titers to check for immunity before giving
boosters.

2. If you have to vaccinate, give the following:

– Vitamin A (cod liver oil) 1 tbsp for three days before and on the day
of the shot.

– Vitamin C 100 mg twice daily for infants and 300mg twice daily for
toddlers for three days before and on the day of the shot.

Her schedule is more progressive than Dr. Sears.  I have added in red how she differs from him.

• Birth – Hepatitis B only if mom is Hepatitis B Positive; otherwise, no vaccine shot.
• 4 months – Hib, IPV (Polio) 
  
  • Dr. Cave does not advocate a 2 month start of vaccines.  Her first shot is at 4 months, and then she recommends spreading them out, similar to Dr. Sears.  Unlike Dr. Sears, she recommends the polio vaccine and does the Hib vaccine now.  She skips the Rotavirus and pushes Dtap to 5 months.  Furthermore, she leaves PCV (Prevnar) for when the child is two years old.
• 5 months – DTaP
• 6 months – Hib, IPV (Polio)
• 7 months – DTaP
• 8 months – Hib
• 9 months – DTaP
• 15 months – Measles
  • My comments:  please note, this is a single vaccination for Measles.  It is not MMR.  You can get single doses of vaccines instead of getting them all together in one shot.  Dr. Cave asked  American Medicine (a wholesale pharmaceutical company) to carry these immunizations separately.  The owners of American Medicine (225-924-0247) are Mark and Bridgette Schexnayder who are also pharmacists.  To order your own separate doses of these vaccines you will need the following faxed to 225-924-0249
    • Doctor’s prescription with the child’s name
    • Copy of Doctor’s license

• 17 months – Hiv, IPV
• 18 months – DTaP
• 24 months – Prevnar (1 dose only)
• 27 months – Rubella
  • again, please note this is the separate does of just Rubella.  You will have to go through American Medical to get this instead of the combined MMR vaccine.
• 30 months – Mumps
• 4 years – Varicella (if not immune already)
• 4 – 5 years – Hepatitis B series
• 4 -5 years – DTaP, IPV boosters
• 4 -5 years – Test titers for MMR and do not give unless not immune. Immunize only for vaccines found to be negative.