Do the Duggars vaccinate?

[Blonde not dumb]

Does anyone know if the Duggars vaccinate? I know some hardcore fundies like ZuZu don't so I imagine it's not outside the realm of possibility, but they never struck me on the show as completely eschewing modern medicine. However, I think it was in the last season when they were visiting the Bateses, most of the Duggar kids came down with chickenpox and passed it to the Bates kids. The varicella vaccine has been around for awhile, so if the Duggars followed a routine childhood vaccine schedule, all of their kids from roughly Joseph or so on down should not have had chickenpox.

 

Anyone have any insight or am I the only nerd who thinks about this?

 

*Disclaimer: I'm not trying to start a vaccination debate. However you choose to handle that with yourself or your children is your business as far as I'm concerned. After all, no one here has a reality show.

[twin2]

Does anyone know if the Duggars vaccinate? I know some hardcore fundies like ZuZu don't so I imagine it's not outside the realm of possibility, but they never struck me on the show as completely eschewing modern medicine. However, I think it was in the last season when they were visiting the Bateses, most of the Duggar kids came down with chickenpox and passed it to the Bates kids. The varicella vaccine has been around for awhile, so if the Duggars followed a routine childhood vaccine schedule, all of their kids from roughly Joseph or so on down should not have had chickenpox.

Anyone have any insight or am I the only nerd who thinks about this? :lol:

*Disclaimer: I'm not trying to start a vaccination debate. However you choose to handle that with yourself or your children is your business as far as I'm concerned. After all, no one here has a reality show. :whistle:

As per the "wisdom" of Jim Boob: you actually do not want to vaccinate for chickenpox, because if you get chickenpox as a child you can not get shingles as an adult.

[emmyfair]

As per the "wisdom" of Jim Boob: you actually do not want to vaccinate for chickenpox, because if you get chickenpox as a child you can not get shingles as an adult.

That was the episode that finished my watching the Duggars, much to my husband's elation. I have also refered to Jim-Bob as "dufus mcboob-face" ever since....

[Blonde not dumb]

As per the "wisdom" of Jim Boob: you actually do not want to vaccinate for chickenpox, because if you get chickenpox as a child you can not get shingles as an adult.

Argh!!! Thank you for reminding me. I think I blocked that out due to the sheer frustration that it caused me. I'm in nursing school and my mom is a nurse and the conversation we had following that asinine comment just came flooding back. My mom was appalled that someone on the crew didn't correct him. She really wanted me try to send them an email to educate them about this fact. I'm not kidding. Wonder if they'll get the shingles vaccine when they're old? :roll:

[dawn9476]

I would think that only Josie is. They probably had no choice in the matter when it comes to Josie because of her premature birth.

[ADoyle90815]

I would think that only Josie is. They probably had no choice in the matter when it comes to Josie because of her premature birth.

That would be my guess, as from what I remember from that episode is that Michelle had to take her out of the house when everyone had chickenpox.

[Jessica]

Some people are selective about their vaccines and will get them for the really scary diseases but not for chicken pox. So... Maybe, maybe not.

[Mommy22alyns]

As per the "wisdom" of Jim Boob: you actually do not want to vaccinate for chickenpox, because if you get chickenpox as a child you can not get shingles as an adult.

Oh, boy. That's ten kinds of dumb. :doh:

[SinInTheCamp]

As per the "wisdom" of Jim Boob: you actually do not want to vaccinate for chickenpox, because if you get chickenpox as a child you can not get shingles as an adult.

I've gotten both chickenpox and shingles. Shingles causes a pain unlike any I've ever felt. I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

From the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (nfid.org):

"Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common illness that strikes about 1 million Americans each year, about half of whom are 60 years of age and older. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. When people are first infected with the varicella-zoster virus, usually as children, they get chickenpox. Years or decades later, the virus can reactivate and cause shingles. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of shingles. Shingles is associated with normal aging and with anything that weakens the immune system such as certain medications, cancers, or infections, but it can also occur in healthy children and younger persons.

...

Chickenpox can be prevented by vaccination. Children who have never had chickenpox should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine, with the 1st dose administered at 12 – 15 months of age and the 2nd at 4-6 years of age. Two doses, administered 4-8 weeks apart, are also recommended for people 13 years of age

or older. There is a safe and effective vaccine to prevent shingles. It prevents shingles in 50 percent of those vaccinated and reduces the incidence of PHN by 66 percent. Although people who are vaccinated may still get shingles, they are likely to experience a milder case than un-vaccinated persons."

Suck on that, JimBob.

[Boogalou]

I've gotten both chickenpox and shingles. Shingles causes a pain unlike any I've ever felt. I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

From the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (nfid.org):

"Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common illness that strikes about 1 million Americans each year, about half of whom are 60 years of age and older. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. When people are first infected with the varicella-zoster virus, usually as children, they get chickenpox. Years or decades later, the virus can reactivate and cause shingles. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of shingles. Shingles is associated with normal aging and with anything that weakens the immune system such as certain medications, cancers, or infections, but it can also occur in healthy children and younger persons.

...

Chickenpox can be prevented by vaccination. Children who have never had chickenpox should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine, with the 1st dose administered at 12 – 15 months of age and the 2nd at 4-6 years of age. Two doses, administered 4-8 weeks apart, are also recommended for people 13 years of age

or older. There is a safe and effective vaccine to prevent shingles. It prevents shingles in 50 percent of those vaccinated and reduces the incidence of PHN by 66 percent. Although people who are vaccinated may still get shingles, they are likely to experience a milder case than un-vaccinated persons."

Suck on that, JimBob.

Hmm... I am unconvinced. Could you please back that up with some (ir)relevant KJV bible verses. Ones about goats would be particularly helpful.

[emmiedahl]

They might be partial vaccinators.

I don't like giving my kids the latest, greatest drug if I can avoid it. I like to see how the rest of the population takes to it first. I know they are tested extensively--I have significant science background, so I totally know. But still... I'll wait if I can. Drugs are sometimes pulled off the market after a few years because new issues arise, and I'd rather keep that cushion between them and my babies. I held out for a while with the chicken pox vaccine, but my kids all are fully immunized now. It will be several years before my daughter needs Gardasil, so I'll make the decision then. I haven't really researched that one. **Please don't inundate me with opinions on Gardasil; I know everyone seems to have a strong opinion on it. I assure you I will look at scientific research and weigh the options carefully.**

[Childless]

Jim Bob is an idiot.

[O Latin]

Doesn't a baby have to be at least a year old to get the chicken pox vaccine? So Josie wouldn't have been old enough to have gotten it yet when all the other Duggars came down with the chicken pox.

They might be partial vaccinators.

I don't like giving my kids the latest, greatest drug if I can avoid it. I like to see how the rest of the population takes to it first. I know they are tested extensively--I have significant science background, so I totally know. But still... I'll wait if I can. Drugs are sometimes pulled off the market after a few years because new issues arise, and I'd rather keep that cushion between them and my babies. I held out for a while with the chicken pox vaccine, but my kids all are fully immunized now. It will be several years before my daughter needs Gardasil, so I'll make the decision then. I haven't really researched that one. **Please don't inundate me with opinions on Gardasil; I know everyone seems to have a strong opinion on it. I assure you I will look at scientific research and weigh the options carefully.**

This. When I refused to get the Gardasil vaccine (I was already an older teenager when it came out) everyone assumed it was because I was in the camp that thought it would lead to more teen sex or whatever. No, I just didn't want to inject myself with something that might have unknown side effects years down the road. It's the same reason I don't rush out to buy the new iWhatever the minute it's available. I'm just generally weary of new things until they've been around for awhile and established themselves.

[emmiedahl]

Jim Bob is an idiot.

That's pretty much the salient message of X Kids and Counting, right?

It's the same reason I don't rush out to buy the new iWhatever the minute it's available. I'm just generally weary of new things until they've been around for awhile and established themselves.

Me too. I'm just a suspicious person. I always assume Big Business/Big Gov't/Big Pharma is out to screw me unless I have evidence to the contrary.

[marmalade]

IIRC, the Duggars caught the pox after attending the ATI homeschool "conference" in Nashville. They were incubating when on the set filming the movie Courageous and toured the Chick-fil-A plant (filmed but never aired; hope all the plant workers had THEIR vaxes or already had CP themselves).

Michelle was still in the Little Rock house with Josie and the kids put their face against the glass storm door to say hello, but they all went back to LR without Michelle/Josie to recover.

I imagine they had no choice about vaccinating Josie; the hospital has to protect itself against malpractice lawsuits, no matter the religious beliefs of the premie's family.

Because it can never be said too often: Boob is a flat out moron.

[doggie]

of course they never got vaccinated. you think gothard promotes it? Since they homeschool they don't have to. ATI will end up spreading some real nasty things that people are vaccinated for. We have seen this with other religious groups who don't believe in vaccinating. Then you have jimboob who is so ignorant of you converted it to food the would could eat for years on it.

[SinInTheCamp]

Hmm... I am unconvinced. Could you please back that up with some (ir)relevant KJV bible verses. Ones about goats would be particularly helpful.

Nothing relevant to chickenpox, but I think this one refers to unicorns! :lol:

Dan 8:5 - And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat [had] a notable horn between his eyes.

[clarinetpower]

a FLYING unicorn!!!

[dawniecakes]

I'm pretty sure that one of the early episodes (season 1 or 2), Michelle talks about taking the kids to get their shots. I'm guessing it was just the major boosters, though.

[gilora]

I think they would have to get some shots in order to get travel visas for the mission trips.

[Rachel333]

I don't know, they strike me as the type of fundies who would vaccinate. They seem more sensible than most when it comes to medical care--see them encouraging Josh and Anna to have their first baby in a hospital.

It also looks like you have to be vaccinated for yellow fever to go to El Salvador, and I'm sure other vaccines are recommended. I wonder what they did for that.

[dawn9476]

I don't know, they strike me as the type of fundies who would vaccinate. They seem more sensible than most when it comes to medical care--see them encouraging Josh and Anna to have their first baby in a hospital.

It also looks like you have to be vaccinated for yellow fever to go to El Salvador, and I'm sure other vaccines are recommended. I wonder what they did for that.

Yeah. I just did some googling and a vaccination for Yellow Fever is required while vaccinations for Typhoid, Hepatitis A&B, and Rabies are recommended. It's also recommended that all your other routine vaccinations should be up to date.

[Sweetpea1]

Nothing relevant to chickenpox, but I think this one refers to unicorns! :lol:

Dan 8:5 - And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat [had] a notable horn between his eyes.

:clap: :clap: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[browngrl]

Doesn't a baby have to be at least a year old to get the chicken pox vaccine? So Josie wouldn't have been old enough to have gotten it yet when all the other Duggars came down with the chicken pox.

This. When I refused to get the Gardasil vaccine (I was already an older teenager when it came out) everyone assumed it was because I was in the camp that thought it would lead to more teen sex or whatever. No, I just didn't want to inject myself with something that might have unknown side effects years down the road. It's the same reason I don't rush out to buy the new iWhatever the minute it's available. I'm just generally weary of new things until they've been around for awhile and established themselves.

As hard as it is for me not to get on my soap box about vaccines - I shall try.

For people considering the Gardasil vaccine here is an important fact: cervical cancer is due to the Human Papilloma virus. The HPV is essentially ubiquitous. Whether or not you choose to decrease your risk of cancer with the vaccine - be meticulous about PAP smears. Cervical cancer is treatable if caught early but it is an awful cancer if caught late.

[sableduck]

IIRC, they addressed this briefly in their latest book and the message was that they do vaccinate on schedule. I think it was in the context of one of the older girls being afraid of needles and shots.

My sister was a 23-weeker, a week younger than Josie gestationally at birth. All of her vaccinations were delayed on advice of the neonatologist and pediatrician. They wanted her to receive them at her adjusted age,dependent on health at the time, and not how chronologically old she was. So even though she was 5 months old when she was released from the hospital, at approximately her due date, she had never received any vaccinations. It may be the same with Josie.