Mercury content
Until recently, many vaccines contained high levels of the preservative thimerosal, which is primarily mercury. With current vaccination schedules, children were given almost 200mcg of mercury by the time they were 6 months old. The EPA says that the "safe" level of mercury a newborn can withstand is 0.4mcg a day. Yet, the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is given to many babies on their first day of life, contains 12.5mcg of mercury. Most vaccines, such as the DTP, Hib, and others such as the flu vaccine and the Rhogam shot, all contained roughly 25mcg of mercury. The numbers could have been much higher or lower depending on which dose of the vial the shot was taken from, and whether the vial was shaken properly, as settling occurs between shots from one individual to another. The DTaP shot contained no thimerosal.

As of 2004, vaccine manufacturers have been forced to drastically cut down or eliminate the use of thimerosal in the vaccines as evidence has mounted concerning the neurologic damage which the drugs may have caused. Some still contain mercury, so you should check with your doctor before any vaccine you chose to give yourself or your child to make sure that it is mercury free.

Allergies
Make sure you check all the ingredients of the vaccine. For example, yeast is a component of the Hep B vaccine and eggs are in the MMR. It is important that the person receiving the vaccine is not receiving something that they are allergic to.

The Immune System
The immune system of the individual must be very healthy prior to vaccinating. Do not allow a vaccine to be administered when the individual is sick. Many doctors like to give vaccines even though a child is sick just because they are in the office for perhaps a cold or allergies. You need to wait until the child is healthy again. Also, taking medications, such as Tylenol or other similar drugs per the advice of a physician should be strongly reconsidered. Those medications not only cause gastrointestinal bleeding, but they also dampen and inhibit the effect of natural killer cells present in the immune system.

A week before and week after a vaccine is received, it is very important that you take high doses of vitamin C (500mg 3-4 times a day for a child, 1000mg 5-6 times a day for an adult), as well as other immune support supplements such as thymus and spleen tissue extracts. Other nutrients such as selenium and vitamin A may be beneficial too.

If the individual chooses to become vaccinated after becoming involved in the decision making process, the vaccination schedule below tends to be "easier" on the body. This schedule is taken from more holistic-type pediatricians such as Dr. Sears and Gordon. Personally, we do not follow the schedule as we chose not to vaccinate our children, but for those who have decided to vaccinate their child, (notice I said that you, not your pediatrician has made this decision), it is better than the typical regime out there.  Remember to make sure that you are receiving a thimerosal-free, allergy-free vaccine, and your have taken the proper steps to prepare your immune system. Also note, it is currently only the law in West Virginia and Mississippi that vaccines are required. You and/or your child can claim exemption, (for religious beliefs or through a medical doctor), in the state of North Carolina, and still attend school.

The "Safer" Schedule (not necessarily ideal, advised or safe)
4 months: Hib (mercury-free) and IPV
5 months: DTaP
6 months: Hib, IPV
7 months: DTaP
8 months: Hib
9 months: DTaP
15 months: Measles
17 months: Hib, IPV
18 months: DTaP
27 months: Rubella
39 months: Mumps

4 years minimum: Hep B (mercury-free). It should be noted that many individuals who have received the 3 series of Hep B vaccination still show under-immunity.

5 years minimum: Varicella (aka Chicken Pox). Better yet, have your child hang around another child who has it so they can get it naturally.

BOOSTERS: Don't get them done automatically - have the titers checked. This is a simple blood test and many times the actual booster is unnecessary.

Other Suggestions from the National Vaccine Information Center
www.909shot.com

• Make sure you know the vaccine manufacturer's name and lot number in case of any reaction(s)
• Make sure you know how to identify and report a vaccine reaction
• Make sure you know the vaccine's side effects
• Make sure your child is not sick before vaccinating
• If your child has had a previous vaccine reaction and/or there is a family history of vaccine reactions, neurological disorders, severe allergies, or immune system disorders, you may want to consider your options