As most of us do in the winter months, we find ourselves waking up to a cough, running nose, or those pesky body aches that ultimately serve as reminders as to why there is a Walgreens on every corner. As a mother of children that participate in the local public education system, I am guaranteed the pleasure of utilizing between four and six days of vacation tending to an ailing miniature human during the months of November through March. In most cases, my offspring are able to fight the latest virus traveling through their little bodies within 48-72 hours. However, in the event that the fever reaches the normal daily high of Doha in July, I make the dreaded call to the pediatrician’s office.
With four kids, I trust that I have earned the wisdom to make a sound judgment between emergency room and homeopathic remedy from within our domicile. The last thing I want to do is expose myself and the already compromised child immune system to the sick care hub filled with twelve feverish monsters with green crusted noses, conjunctivitis and…worse – those that look like they've contracted the plague of 1348.
After careful consideration, we bite the bullet and make the trip to the office of the ill. A thorough review from the nurse, the traumatic throat culture and a full once over from the doc the diagnosis is, (wait for it…..) VIRUS. Prescribed are lots of liquids, rest, and over the counter children’s remedies…..blah blah blah blah.
Before we break free with our detailed co-payment documentation, Ms. MD reviews the health record only to realize that none of the small beings in my family have opted for this season's flu shot cocktail. HOW COULD THIS BE? SUCH THE OUTRAGE! There is no caring and loving parent that could possibly allow their child to walk the streets in 2013 without the renowned influenza vaccination! It dawns on me at this moment, that we've hit a point in society where we believe our own immune systems couldn't possibly protect our bodies like science and the magic of the synthetic serum.
Yes, we've reached THAT point.
The point where the human race is in jeopardy without modern science. This is the point where we've given all control to anyone with "MD" after their name, no longer listening to our own minds and bodies. Choices have been stolen from us during this process of civilization. Our kids cannot attend public schools or group sporting events without a laundry list of vaccinations that start at birth. Peanuts, chocolate, wheat, dairy, meat – all excluded at one time or another from classrooms due to allergies. Car seats until they're old enough to drive the car themselves! Helmets for bicycles, tricycles, scooters, climbing the jungle gym and walking the dog! School supplies consist of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, multiple boxes of tissues with antiseptic!
Where have we come in our society?
And at what point do we say "enough is enough?" There is evidence to argue both sides of the fence. Vaccinations have saved children with compromised immune systems. The other side is taking a perfectly healthy child and introducing substances that we have no way of predicting future results. Many parents believe vaccines have compromised our children's immune systems and exposed them to other outside diseases leaving them powerless to fight. Others feel that they should reserve the right to be the deciding party on what man-made substances will be inserted into their organic child. Yet, society as a whole will shun children that do not participate in the mass inoculation. So as parents we are left to travel along with the herd, or choose to ostracize our pure and innocent children from civilization.
,