Should you vaccinate your children? One actress says yes -- find out why.
Today on Good Morning America, actress Amanda Peet sounded off on the importance of child vaccinations, saying with the 2007 birth of her daughter, Frankie, she began learning more about vaccination safety. She announced her support for Every Child by Two (ECBT) and is scheduled to participate on a panel on August 5 to encourage parents to have their children receive all recommended vaccinations by the age of 2.
"It seems that the media is often giving celebrities and actors more authority on this issue than they are giving the experts," Peet said. "I know it's a paradox, but that's part of why I wanted to become a spokesperson, to say to people, 'Please don't listen to me. Don't listen to actors. Go to the experts.'"
She was likely referring to former Playboy model Jenny McCarthy's stance that vaccinations place children at a higher risk for developing autism. McCarthy's son is autistic.
Yesterday, actor Charlie Sheen made headlines when he paid his daughters' $380 pediatrician in nickels because he's upset the doctor is immunizing his children. (That's 7,600 nickels!)
On GMA, Peet also apologized for statements she made in the July issue of the parenting magazine Cookie in which she said, "Frankly, I feel that parents who don't vaccinate their children are parasites."
"I didn't mean to show disdain, and I did and do apologize for the use of the word 'parasites,'" she said on GMA. "But I do in no way, shape, or form retract my position or the meaning behind the use of the word, which is that if there are vast reductions in herd immunity, our children will be at risk."
Watch the video and decide for yourself -- do you think children under two should be vaccinated?
filed under: family
Email8 comments so far | Post a comment now >>
Okay, I caught this while I was at the gym. Off the bat, let me say that I am a public relations professional. I am also a parent who vaccinated her children but also refrained from giving a second Pertussis immunization to her daughter after the first one caused such an extreme reaction. This was at my pediatrician’s recommendation. I must say that Amanda Peet sounded like a paid spokesperson and not a very good one at that. She lacked total credibility, was very low energy and I would not be surprised to find out if some pharmaceutical company hired her. I truly hate to use the word “bimbo” against another mom, but she sure sounded like one. Naturally, the use of the word “parasites” to describe those parents who refrain from immunizing their kids is not only shockingly harsh but also shockingly off-kilter. Why would a parent be a parasite, of all things, for not immunizing their kids?? Does Amanda Peet actually know what a parasite is? By contrast, Jenny McCarthy, whether you agree with her or not, brings passion, fire, wit, intelligence and charm to her point of view. I admire her crusade and do believe that the skyrocketing levels of autism are linked to something we are giving our kids. I have fought the battle against conventional medicine supremacy and prevailed by combining it with alternative medicine. I have experienced the beauty of a natural, midwifery birth in a hospital birthing center and fought off many colds and viruses by using herbs and supplements. I can talk about why acupuncture works and why my natural thyroid supplement has kept me healthier than my friends on synthetic thyroid medicine. I have studying alternative medicine and read whatever I can on the subject. I am completely suspicious of Amanda Peet’s motives — honestly, what Hollywood mom decides to make this her personal cause, out of the blue??? Jenny McCarthy has an autistic child, for God’s sake…what’s Amanda’s connection to this subject?? Could you guys put an investigative journalist on this story? Also, please remember that much of what is embraced as groundbreaking in the medical world has actually been floating around for a long time, but the people who promote these ideas are viewed as nuts. I think that a debate of this subject is very important. I would like to hear from the parents like Jenny McCarthy out
- Shira from New York
See Age of Autism for your answer to why Amanda Peet, why now?
- Dana
As the mother of an Autistic child and 4 other children I do not believe that Vaccines are the “cause” of my son’s Autism. I have three other boys and all my children have been vaccinated and have the same father (I am very happily married). Studies have shown over and over that vaccinations aren’t linked to Autism. Europe’s record keeping (which is much more accessible than ours) shows Autism occurring at the same rate in both the unvaccinated and vaccinated groups. Why isn’t Jenny McCarthy talking about the fact that the criteria for an autism diagnosis has been broadened several times? Furthermore, why isn’t anyone mentioning that at the same time that Autism diagnosis is increasing that the diagnosis of retardation has dropped? Let’s get real - try and be objective and get all the facts out there. My child isn’t a statistic and I resent the broad and sensational media reports.
- Kelly
The reason she calls the parents who do not vaccinate their children is because they are relying on the herd immunity provided by other vaccinated children to prevent children from dying of the diseases that the vaccinations are designed to prevent. When the vaccination rate for these diseases get over a certain point the diseases get eradicated from the general population.
- Jane
There was so much wrong with what she said I have to agree she sounded like a spokesperson who isn’t very well studied on the issue. First she says to listen to doctors, not actresses then proceeds to defend vaccinations. But she seemed to use examples to back her cause, that only promoted what Jenny said. She shared that we are walking chemical banks (using examples of our water supply, etc.), so the answer is to add more chemicals? Where is the logic? The truth is I feel really bad for her because I feel she made a comment that launched her into the forefront, but she is trying to fit facts into her philosophy, when we should base our convictions on the facts first. Wonder what she would think about the old article from Money magazine on the money being made from vaccinations? And can’t she see that it’s the outspoken people like Jenny who are bringing change and making the vaccines a bit safer for Amanda’s child. She should use great caution in proceeding because her next child may not fair so well with the shots, and I doubt her only child has had the MMR yet. We live and we learn! I just wish she would have studied what the shots do to the brain and immune system of a child, and that they are cultured in body parts of humans (aborted baby parts) and animals (how else can you truly culture a disease?), then a bit of a chemical cocktail is added. Who would promote them without great caution?
- A Robertson
I’ve done a lot of research, and use alternative medicine myself with excellent results. I believe we should green our vaccines. But one of the gals on an earlier post does have a point. Only one of her four children is autistic and she vaccinated them all. But than some children have extremely bad reactions to vaccines. Anyway they give too many vaccines too young. The vaccine schedule is insane.
- linda
My son has Eosinophilic Esophagitis, which was not diagnosed until age 6 and was not properly treated/controlled until age 7. Those were 7 years of malabsorption and malnutrition due to severe GI inflammation. It is only diagnosed via biopsy, and wasn’t well understood when he was younger, which is why it took so long to diagnose & treat. He had the symptoms since birth. He also had odd behaviors from the get-go. About a year after the Eosinophilic Esophagitis diagnosis, it was confirmed that he has Asperger’s Syndrome (high functioning on the autism spectrum), which explained everything else that was going on with him. There are too many kids with eosinophilic disorders who are on the spectrum, so I started asking the Drs about it, especially since GI problems and autism seem to go hand-in-hand in general. Our Drs told me that there has been research that links malabsorption/malnutrition with autism symptoms. There are obviously several causes for autism, not just one or 2. While I am not saying for sure that the vaccines can’t be playing a part for some, I find it likely that food reactions (eosinophilic or otherwise) may be causing gastrointestinal inflammation in many as well and that seems to be overlooked. This may also be why some kids seem to improve on the Feingold diet (although that did nothing for my son). I’m just saying it’s something else to think about, and I don’t hear too much said about the food reaction issues. My son had to stop eating all food and was put on a special elemental formula to allow his GI tract to heal. We weren’t able to pinpoint all of the food allergies via an elimination diet so we had to start from scratch. After 4 yrs of formula and food trials, we’ve only found 12 safe foods so far, and we’re still plugging away. The removal of all food healed his GI tract but did not improve his ASD symptoms; then again he had 7 years of damage & malabsorption. I’d love to see more research into this link, not just the vaccines!!!!
- Debbie
I am amazed at the Debbie! I am on the same path, I think, and am so glad to see that Eosin—-thing. My son had something wrong also from birth BUT ALSO had reactions to vaccines. It would take a book to explain it all, but I have an appt w/ the PED Gastro to talk about the endoscopy. I”m praying we can get to the bottom of this mess. He has “autism” but I think it’s a mystery………
- jeanne
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