If an alternate schedule mitigates that where is the harm?

The alternate schedule involves more shots and more doctor's visits than the CDC-approved schedule. It's not less stressful for the kid. Nor are the side effects from individual shots lessened.

The harm is that undervaccinated children are at risk for preventable diseases while their parents are pretending to be experts in immunology. The harm is children dying of measles.

[eta: In practice, parents who would like to choose the Dr Sears schedule frequently wind up foregoing certain vaccines altogether because, for example, the MMR is now only available bundled - you can't split them up because the manufacturers no longer make them that way. So parents just skip those entirely, and you wind up with situations like San Diego in 2008.]

I didn't know that about the MMR, Jessica. Thanks!

Kids who aren't vaccinated depend on other kids to be vaccinated for herd immunity. And the unvaccinated kids then spread disease to people who aren't vaccinated. It's like the Ayn Rand school of medicine.

The harm is that undervaccinated children are at risk for preventable diseases while their parents are pretending to be experts in immunology. The harm is children dying of measles.

The other harm is that kids who are vaccinated do not automatically skip the disease. So if Bethany doesn't have her vaccines and gets mumps, Noah can still get them from her, even though he has had his vaccines. (Though the likelihood is dramatically decreased and in instances where a vaccinated child does get the disease, it's often less virulent).

Spreading them out also leaves windows, and rather large gaps, for when your kid has no vaccination for a particular disease. Sears has shown no proof that his vaccine schedule is better. It's all feel-good nonsense.

In our district, starting the fall, all kids from 4th grade on need to prove that they have an updated Tdap. It's one of the only times after a kid is already enrolled that I've ever seen our district deal with whether or not a kid's vax's are up-to-date. Good on them, I say.

The alternate schedule involves more shots and more doctor's visits than the CDC-approved schedule. It's not less stressful for the kid

This is the part I've never been able to understand -- if you think there's a medical reason, I just think you're wrong, but if you think there's a trauma reason, I can't see how spreading them isn't out MORE traumatic?

I just had a successful shopping trip -- picking over the carcass of an about-to-close Border's, and getting a new office sweater at Lord & Taylor that was marked down to $30 on the tag, but I ended up getting for $12. And then I resisted buying expensive makeup just to get the gift-with-purchase, but I'm still considering it.

Does LA Unified require vaccines, Kat?

Yes. Or a waiver stating no vaccines due to religious stuff. A school in Mar Vista (which is between Culver City-ish and Venice) has a waiver rate that's over 60% in K-1.

Fucking people.

ION, I love the internet -- I just learned that the bronzer in the gift with purchase I saw is actually "leg bronzer," which I don't so much want. So I am saved from expensive habits.

I spent waaaaaay too much on makeup while shopping bored on Thursday. Sephra an Bare Essentials. However, right noe I don't want to buy clothes in my size, so makeup it is.

I'm unsure that doctors/medical professionals/communicable disease researchers say there is any harm in spreading out vaccinations. I think it's mostly done in combination for convenience (one trip versus several trips where they will be stressed out and feel shitty each time).

what everyone else said. Plus, as I've been working in infant vaccine research for the past two years, lots of parents who DON'T spread it out cancel appointments, cOne in months late, say "oh he's getting sick today let's not" etc...so trying to arrange that over even MORE visits is extra hard and more likely they'll miss something or not get it in time, Etc.

If I walk into Sephora, would someone tell me what's right for me? I kind of hate having to start by picking a brand, and am not convinced my current routine is the right one.

Also, I walked across the finish line of the Boston Marathon, so that's fun.