Childhood Vaccines - Required vs Recommended

Up until the pandemic, you may not have had an opinion about vaccines unless you were a parent. In California, where Kaname Chiropractic is located, immunizations are mandated for children to attend schools and daycare centers. This website is a great resource for updated information on the required vaccines for K-12, including information about vaccine catch-up for children ages 7 years old and older. 

A key distinction to make is that the CA recommended vaccine schedule is not equal to the required list needed to attend schools.

What is required is what is mandated by the State of CA. What is recommended is the default of what your child’s pediatrician at Sutter, Kaiser and other hospitals or private providers will offer. It is nearly four times as many vaccinations as what is mandated or required.

Immunizations have saved many lives. We also do not understand the safety of giving multiple immunizations at once and giving them to infants. Today in the United States, immunization schedules are at an all-time high and are being administered at the earliest in life, ever. Despite what many people assume, there are no studies that prove this to be safe.

I am neither pro nor anti vaccine. Just like any other parent, I want to make the best decisions for my child. I have done extensive research on vaccine benefits and side effects and in general, I recommend being conservative with immunizations especially as the current recommended list is four times as many immunizations that were recommended in the 1980s.

“The current recommended list is four times as many immunizations that were recommended in the 1980s.”

The following are my specific recommendations as a doctor and health care professional. 

1. Do not give vaccines to your child if your child is sick, is taking antibiotics or has eczema. Their immune system is handling a lot already so I suggest waiting for another time to inoculate. 

2. Do not give vaccines to children under 14 months old - their neurological development is in a fragile state and the heavy metals (aluminum) in the vaccine can overstimulate the nerve system. Heavy metals cross the blood-brain barrier, are stored in the central nervous system and are neurotoxins.

3. Only give 1-2 shots at a time to avoid overstimulating their nervous and immune systems. Recommended schedules offer 4-7 shots per visit usually.

4. Ask your pediatrician to get blood titers done when going in for a booster shot to see if antibodies for the shot given prior are still active. If the blood titer antibodies come back positive, you can postpone the booster until a future date. 

5. Try to get a medical exemption for the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. Immunity to chickenpox is lifelong if contracted naturally, whereas the antibodies to the vaccine are only active for about 10 years after inoculation. 

Keeping these recommendations in mind, I have made an "alternative" immunization schedule that abides by the California state laws, allowing children to enter schools and daycare centers. The alternative schedule has a recommendation for whether you want to begin immunizing your child at 4 months, 6 months or 12 months.

If you prefer to vaccinate your child with the hospital recommended schedule but want to decrease the risk of side effects, I recommend bringing in your child to get their spine checked by a pediatric chiropractor, like at Kaname Chiropractic, one to two days before receiving a shot and then for the one to two days right after receiving a shot.

“[If you] want to decrease the risk of side effects, I recommend bringing in your child to get their spine checked by a pediatric chiropractor.”

Many chiropractors notice the dural tension in an infant's spine that occurs after a shot is administered due to the immune system's inflammatory response (fever, aching, etc). A gentle adjustment to the spine will help your baby keep their central nervous system flexible which can lead to better integration and management of the vaccination. You can also co-manage your child's inflammation outcomes by altering their diet (no sugar, dairy or gluten) or giving supplements.  

Equally as important are ways to boost your child's immune system naturally: 

• Vaginal birth - vaginal secretions in baby's orifices at birth boosts baby's immune system.

• Home birth - baby is already used to mom's bacteria in utero, so giving birth at home where mom's bacteria is everywhere will help protect the baby.

• Breastfeeding - baby receives mother's immune factors (IgM antibodies) through her milk. 

• Allowing toddlers play in dirt! 

• Avoiding the overuse of antibacterial serums, soaps and lotions. 

• Feeding babies and children bone broth. Castor oil works great too.

• Having your baby and children adjusted by a pediatric chiropractor, like at Kaname Chiropractic. Adjustments boost the immune system!

We can all agree that the internet is a vast place where you can find contradicting information. I understand that all parents want the best and safest option for their families, and that can look different for every family. For this reason, I have a list of additional resources that I would be happy to share with you if you reach out to me directly. 

Remember, there is no one perfect way to approach immunizations, but at Kaname Chiropractic we are happy to help you navigate this journey.