Rating: 
Summary: Very informative reading
Review: As a first time mother, I found this book to be an extremely informative guide. It clarified for me some complex issues surrounding childhood vaccinations. Sometimes even the best intentioned medical professionals do not have or simply do not elect to take the time to properly inform parents regarding the real dangers of not vaccinating their children, and sometimes even the best intentioned parents do not take the time to seek out this information. I believe this book sheds light on the critical issue of helping parents to understand that the risks of contracting these diseases far outweigh the risks associated with the vaccine. It was perhaps only a generation ago that many of these diseases posed serious health hazards to everyone. This book certainly helped me to make educated decisions regarding the health of my child, and I think every parent would benefit from this information.
Rating: 
Summary: Smoke and Mirrors
Review: I just finished reading "Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know". It was as I suspected; the usual arguments and half truths and snide comments about parents who choose not to vaccinate. I guess what surprised me is they are *still* saying that DPT doesn't cause permanent brain damage or death and there is no such thing as a hot lot! They also say that no one has *ever* died from the hep B vaccine -- I know a man whose 5 week old daughter died within hours after the injection! Everything else is pretty standard partyline fare. They do a neat trick with the references. They don't use footnotes, they just put a list of books in the back that they got their info from. That way you don't know what they are quoting and what they are twisting/making up (unless you are educated in this area). Who's going to take thetime to hunt through 5 books to find a reference? The book will very easily mislead a lot of unsuspecting, trusting parents. However, a couple of statements are so ludicrous it seems like anyone with a brain will figure it out. But parents looking for reassurance that vaccination is safe/effective will find it here. It's a good book to have on hand just to know what a pediatrican is likely to hit you with when you go in for a check-up or to use in a debate with uneducated friends and family when they question your informed choice not to vaccinate (or selectively vaccinate.)
Rating:
Summary: Smoke and Mirrors
Review: I just finished reading "Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know". It was as I suspected; the usual arguments and half truths and snide comments about parents who choose not to vaccinate. I guess what surprised me is they are *still* saying that DPT doesn't cause permanent brain damage or death and there is no such thing as a hot lot! They also say that no one has *ever* died from the hep B vaccine -- I know a man whose 5 week old daughter died within hours after the injection! Everything else is pretty standard partyline fare. They do a neat trick with the references. They don't use footnotes, they just put a list of books in the back that they got their info from. That way you don't know what they are quoting and what they are twisting/making up (unless you are educated in this area). Who's going to take thetime to hunt through 5 books to find a reference? The book will very easily mislead a lot of unsuspecting, trusting parents. However, a couple of statements are so ludicrous it seems like anyone with a brain will figure it out. But parents looking for reassurance that vaccination is safe/effective will find it here. It's a good book to have on hand just to know what a pediatrican is likely to hit you with when you go in for a check-up or to use in a debate with uneducated friends and family when they question your informed choice not to vaccinate (or selectively vaccinate.)
Rating:
Summary: Lies, Lies, and More Lies
Review: I was very disappointed in this book. I needed to make decisions that would affect my children's life and health. I thought this book was going to be objective and look at data from all angles. I thought important studies would be presented showing safety concerns and that an analysis would follow. Instead, this book was obviously written to convince parents to immunize under any circumstance. It was written to promote vaccines, not to provide parents with honest information. I have read many books on this topic and have seen the studies. I even know children who are retarded from the vaccines. This book is dishonest, biased, and an imperfect tool for parents seeking to protect their loved ones.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, easy to read, informative and interesting.
Review: If, as a parent, you had ever questioned the necessity of vaccinating your children, this book will certainly help settle any fears, and help you make decisions appropriate for your child. Contrary to some opposing views here, this book does not merely promote administering vaccinations, it is a book not afraid to give you the facts and histories of the diseases we can safely prevent our children, and our children's children, from acquiring. Remember, the reason some unvaccinated children can walk safely around, is due to the choices of the parents who did trust in the research, efficiency and safety of these vaccines. Not vaccinating, is opting to take the unnecessary risk. Thank you, Drs. Offit and Bell, for keeping all children safe.
Rating: 
Summary: Information parents need to make decisions about vaccines
Review: In the 1990s alone, there have been six new or newly recommended vaccines. Should I get the new rotavirus or chickenpox vaccine? Should I get the polio shot or polio drops? Should I allow my newborn to get the hepatitis B vaccine? To answer these questions, we have tried to explain how vaccines work as well as the strengths and limitations of each vaccine. In a section entitled, The Great Vaccine Myths, we have tried to sort out some commonly held beliefs by those who fear vaccines. We hope that this will help parents wade through the information and often misinformation about vaccines. We would welcome your comments and suggestions about our book.
Rating:
Summary: Lies and Misinformation
Review: Page 14 says enough in two places:
"SIDS causes about 5,000 to 6,000 deaths each year in the United States. Because the disease affects children between 2 and 4 months of age, there is often a temporal relationship between the receipt of a DTP vaccine and SIDS." Notice the authors do not say, "the disease USUALLY affects children between 2 and 4 months," or "MOST OFTEN affects children between 2 and 4 months." They plainly state that it affects (implying that it ONLY affects) children between 2 and 4 months. This is contrary to what we've been hearing from pediatricians and the Back-to-Sleep Campaign for years. SIDS affects children under the age of ONE YEAR. If the authors can't even get this fact right, how can they be trusted for their other facts?
I continue: "there has never been any evidence that such 'bad lots' actually existed." Interesting. I know of a pediatrician who reported a 'bad lot' to VAERS which caused the deaths of 4 or 5 children, all who had received their DTP shot from the same batch.
These authors are in the business of pushing vaccines. There is certainly a strong bias in this book, one that left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for every parent's home medical library!
Review: Parents, if you cringe at the thought of your child getting a needle, then this book is a must have for your home medical library. Dr. Paul A. Offit (Chief of Infectious Disease at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia), and Dr. Louis Bell's (Infectious and Emergency medicine at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia) new book, WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VACCINES, is truly a parent's lifeline in a sea of questions and worries about the how's and why's of today's essential vaccinations for home, as well as abroad. As a pediatric nurse, who invariably gets to "do the honors" of bringing tears to a formerly cooing sweet lil baby face...this book at least helps takes the sting out of inflicting the boo-boo's in question to the wee small babe, as well as her worried parent's hearts. Bravo! Drs. Offit and Bell, and thank you for this informative little book! Parents, buy a copy for Granny and Gramps too! Also recommended: "Breaking the Antibiotic Habit: A Parent's Guide to Coughs, Colds, Ear Infections and Sore Throats" again, expertly written by Drs. Paul Offit and Dr. Bonnie Fass-Offit.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent review of vaccines
Review: Perhaps the best review of vaccinations that I have read. As a pediatrician, I feel this book is invaluable to any parent deciding on vaccines for their child.
Rating:
Summary: Misleading Title
Review: The sole purpose of this book is to convince parents to vaccinate their babies when and how the medical establishment/drug industry wants them to. My baby girl's pediatrician loaned me this book stating that "it presents both sides of the issues." She mistakenly left inside a form letter from the MERCK VACCINE DIVISION saying that they highly recommend the book for parents to "dispel all of the misinformation" out there. In my opinion, everyone should proceed with caution when a multi-billion dollar conglomerate gives their stamp of approval on a book. Don't bother using this book as a reference. It doesn't even tell you about the ingredients (like mercury, formaldehyde and aluminum) contained in vaccines. It truly insulted my intelligence by being so one-sided. There are other books I've read (i.e. The Vaccine Guide, by Randall Neustaedter, OMD) that give both sides of the story.
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