I just had to console a mom in tears because of this book. She knows her child should get vaccines, and is at real risk without them, but is so fearful about getting vaccines. This book does a great job...of seeming to be researched and referenced, but the data does not support the assertions made of the risks of vaccines.

Great for conspiracy theorists, people looking to assign blame, and doctors who want to make money selling their book. Really unconscionable!

I just had to console a mom in tears because of this book. She knows her child should get vaccines, and is at real risk without them, but is so fearful about getting vaccines. This book does a great job...of seeming to be researched and referenced, but the data does not support the assertions made of the risks of vaccines.

Great for conspiracy theorists, people looking to assign blame, and doctors who want to make money selling their book. Really unconscionable!

This book is so out of date that I don't think any pediatricians use the vaccines or techniques ( such as stacking vaccines) they warn you about. All this book did was scare me. I did learn a few things about vaccines and were to get the latest information. Overall not worth the time and the scare.

This book is a little out dated. New information and new vaccines are out and being given since this book has been out. Overall, this book is okay. I think it needs to be updated.

This is an EXCELLENT book. My son was a perfectly NORMAL, beautiful little boy until he received his MMR vaccine. Within 24 hours he had all the hallmark symptoms of autism. He and his little brother are close in age, so my younger son received vaccines for the first 6 months of his life. The result? AUTISM AND PDD-NOS!!! If I had read this book, my boys, myself, and the rest of my family would not be suffering the way they are now, and our lives would be totally different. This should be REQUIRED reading for any new parent!

Finely written, well organized information. Great tool for empowering parents to make appropriate choices for their own children, with a wider range of information than what you typically recieve from the medical community.

I think the toughest part in reading books on vaccination is that you can find a book to support ANY conclusion that you have already made. But what about those of us who are (were) genuinely uncertain about what we plan to do with our children? I borrowed this book from a friend when I was pregnant and I highly recommend it as a place to start. Other reviewers are correct -- she is not vehemently anti-vaccination OR pro-vaccination. I appreciated the middle of the road approach, and since I can think for myself, I didn't mind that her recommendations were based on what is required by law in most states to enter school, etc. She mentions the exemptions, but acknowledges that her recommendations are based on if you want to give vaccines, but want to be cautious with it. I only give this book 4 stars because it was published in 2001 and a lot of its info needs to be updated (hint, hint, new edition??), but I still honestly recommend that parents who are looking to start their own quest for answers start here.

The vaccines covered include Hep B, DTP/DPaP, Hib, Polio, MMR, Varicella, Hep A, Pneumococcal, Meningococcal, Flu, Lyme Disease, and some brief overviews of Japanese encephalitis, Cholera, and yellow fever (vaccines for world travelers). Cave also includes a history of vaccines, including some failures. Cave's approach shies away from telling parents what to do, but it does give lots of information to think on and form your own conclusions.

This book contains some valuable information about vaccines, although it gets tiresome reading all of the "maybes," "possiblys," and "could bes."

My biggest criticism of the book, however, is that in making a strong and repeated point about the danger of the MMR vaccine, it relies heavily upon research by a doctor whose MMR-autism report has been thoroughly discredited. Dr. Andrew Wakefield's scary report in 1998 suggesting a link between MMR and autism and recommending that children space out those three vaccines is no longer considered good science even by those who initially supported it. Indeed, 10 of the 12 doctors who signed the Wakefield report (Wakefield was the 13th) have now retracted their support of the report's conclusions.

Dr. Wakefield began a hearing in March, 2008, on charges of misconduct for the manner in which he conducted the research for his report, and there is a great deal of controversy surrounding him for alleged conflicts of interest and inappriorate research methods. For example, prior to publishing his report, Dr. Wakefield had sought a patent for a competing measles vaccine, one that presumably would be of much greater value in a marketplace that sought to separate the MMR vaccine into three shots.

Dr. Cave's book was published before any of this came to light, so I suppose the most efficient way to criticize this book is simply to say that it is outdated as to some of its most potent claims. Frankly, this makes me wonder what other scientific claims made in the book are outdated. Seven years is a long time in the world of science, and it would be ideal to see an updated version of this book.

This book is fantastic! It is sure to provide with the information you need about all the common vaccines routinely injected in American children today. I also really appreciated the "safer vaccine schedule" Dr. Cave provides in the book. Dr. Cave is not against vaccines, but she makes her point clear that there are major problems with many of the ingredients in today's vaccines.

This much-needed book alerts parents about problems with vaccinations that their pediatricians will brush aside. If you are pregnant or a new parent, for the sake of your child, please read and seriously consider this book before consenting to the literally dozens of vaccinations your doctor's office will push on your infant during the first two years.

One note: a few other reviews complained that this book "falsely" states that state laws require children to be vaccinated. While there may be no laws requiring immunization per se, in most places children cannot attend public school, preschool or daycare without proof of the vaccinations. (As a mother and public schoolteacher, I know this from experience. I have had new students taken out of my classroom after administration found they had incomplete vaccination records on file; the students were only allowed in after the vaccinations were complete.)

So unless you plan to completely homeschool your child, or pay to send him or her to one of the few private schools that does not require vaccination, the law does present a dilemma for parents with legitimate concerns about vaccines. My concerns about vaccines were brushed away by my son's doctor's office. He got the shots. Now he has autism.

This book was incredibly helpful in reading through the various vaccines. Even though it is about 10 years old now, the information is still timely for the most part. My husband and I don't have kids yet and haven't quite settled on which vaccines our kids will and won't get, but they will be few.

I thought Dr. Cave's explanations were concise and ordered, and easy to follow. I believe this is a book I can keep on my shelf as a reference, and I would readily lend it out to friends. If you are reading this review, then you are likely at least taking a second look at vaccines. Please read the book and do your research before letting your child one receive more shot. Also, do NOT default to your doctor. Hear what your Dr. has to say and get a second opinion on your own. There are too many doctors who have their hands tied by insurance and the CDC that they will not truly speak their mind about vaccines or even TELL you that you DO have the right to refuse vaccines for your child. If you let your child get shots, you MUST be informed.

Read this book to become informed.

Outstanding!! I bought eight copies for my grown children and friends to protect their children.

This is a great book. A perfect place to start with your vaccine research -- thorough, concise, and easy to read.

I just finished reading this book and I thought it was great. I am now pregnant and I wanted to be more informed about the current vaccines.

If you ever wanted to know anything about vaccinations- this is the book for you. Non-biased and very helpful! Opened my eyes greatly!!!

As a parent, we sometimes blindly trust our child's pediatrician to tell us what we need to do to protect our child. After reading just a couple pages of this book, I was furious, that I knew none of the very real risks surrounding vaccinations, at the time that I vaccinated my daughter. This is a very easy read and incredibly informative and thorough. Not only does it explain the real dangers of the current vaccination schedule, it also has a suggested alternative vaccination schedule. This is not an anti-vaccine book but it will open your eyes, as a parent, to make an informed decision for your children.

This book has been extremely eye-opening and helpful in my search for information on the potential dangers of children's vaccinations. There are so many opinions out there, and I just wanted one concise, readable book that would serve as a resource. I have been so pleased with this book.

Dr. Cave is not scaring people away from vaccinating their children, but instead gives a thorough look into all the fascets of the vaccine. There are helpful charts, and also a breakdown of each of the vaccines commonly given to babies and children. Each one has its pros and cons listed so you can make an informed decision as to which ones you want your child to receive, and why. All the statistics are quite helpful, too.

Don't go in to your Pediatrician's office ignorant. This is too serious a matter to go with the flow without questioning what's best for your child.

I think this book has a lot of good info for people who don't know much about vaccines or how they work. I was impressed with the history that the author went into, and the details about studies and different vaccine generations. There were a lot of "maybes" and "mights" with the side effects that vaccines "could" cause, which got a little old. But if you take that with a grain of salt, I think the alternative vaccination schedule in the back of the book is worth it. So is the info about legal "opt-outs" for vaccinations.

This is the book I've been looking for! Information was historically presented AND gives info about each of the vaccines recommended by the national organizations (at least as of the time of publishing, naturally).

This is a well-balanced book with good information on what you might not know about the risks of vaccinations. It is actually written by a doctor who gives vaccinations, so it is not written from the perspective of someone unable to admit the benefits of vaccines as well. After reading this book, you will come away with a good understanding of the benefits and risks of vaccinations, when and which vaccines to give, and things you can do to help your child deal with the stress of a vaccine. A++ book!!!

This book is on my list of the three books all soon to be parents should be required to read. Other two are Ina may Gaskins guide to childbirth and Dr. Sears birth book. All parents are entitled to complete disclosure about desicions in our childs life (especially major ones such as medical prodcedures)and its so sad we have to search so hard to find that in this society. Great book for parents who want a little education to make their own choices and not be forced into one.

This book will scare you about vaccines and the whole industry. It is exactly what I was looking for. I'd been doing research on my own on the internet and old medical journals and had copies and clippings all over the place. If you are concerned about the safety and effectivness of immunizations and your childs Doctor and other moms for that matter make you feel like a paranoid conspiricy theorist then this book gathers in one place information from another Doctor and many studies that supported my concerns. There is also a very helpful section on steps you can take to make immunizations more safe for your child. As well as what you can do legally to avoid them altogether if you choose. Nothing fires me up more than the goverment or anyone trying to force me to do something for my own good. Give me the facts and let me make a decision. That's what this book does.

This was a very informative book that both my husband and I read cover to cover and have since continued our research on this matter. I encourage any parent to arm themselves with knowledge, and look out for the best interest of their child if they don't no one else will!

great book for parents concerned about vaccinations and the effects that come with, alot of info. my pediatrician never shared, a must read

I bought this and Dr. Sears new book, The Vaccine Book, at the same time. Both books contain similar information, but Dr. Sears is a little more up to date, especially on the thimerisol issue (which is no longer an issue). Both offer similar modified vaccination schedules. Both examine each vaccine, why it is given, disease history, and pros and cons of vaccination. I honestly didn't read this book as in depth since I had read The Vaccine book first. If you are looking for an all out "don't vaccinate" book, this is not it. But, if you are looking for a book that examines why, with what and alternatives, this book will examine those (although it is not without bias)

With the increase of autism so high & no definitive answers as to why, every parent should read this. It so important to make informed decisions when it comes to the well being of our children.

As pediatrician treating autistic children, some of whom have high levels of metal in their systems, Stephanie Cave, in my opinion, is the expert I most trust. Her book is balanced, and I loved that she layed out an alternative vaccine schedule. I read several other vaccine books on both ends of the spectrum, and this one is the most sensible, balanced, comprehensive and sane, right down the middle. She recognizes the value of certain vaccines, yet also acknowledges risks and concerns about the CDC's agressive vaccine schedule for infants. My only question is whether or not she currently recommends Prevnar. At the time of the writing, she was not recommending it in her practice because it was so new on the market. Other than that, the book was extrememly helpful for me in sorting out all the options for my baby.

This book is great. It contains great information and is biased on whether you should have your child vaccinated. This book is outdated but still contains great information. Dr. Cave also suggest an alternate vaccination schedule which is great. This is a must have book if you want to learn more about what ingredients are in the vaccination. The way that Dr. Cave wrote this book is a easy to understand and does not get to technical. I have recommended this book to many friends and they also love it. We all take it to our dr. office and ask them questions with the information we received.

As a new parent-to-be, you start taking a harder look at things. Whether you're a parent or not everyone should take the time to learn what we are injecting into our bodies. Before this book I knew more about car options than vaccines. What I like the most about this book is the author is not against vaccines but using her research she has arrived at a vaccine schedule that speads the vaccines out over time so children's immune system can process them. It really makes you wonder if the reason the outbreak of autism and adhd cases from the 1980's on has anything to do with the radical changes to the vaccine schedule. Read for yourself!

Attention parents, every parent should be educated about the shots the doctors are pumping into our precious babies. don't be brain washed by what they tell you. read this book and just be opened minded. then watch the doctors face when you start asking them questions regarding the ingredients.

This is not a review, but rather a response to the last poster inquiring why the autism rate is soaring in spite of the declining thimerosol (mercury derived preservative) amount in vaccines.

As a mother of a 4 yo son with autism, I believe that autism is a multi-faceted condition. I don't believe my son's autism was caused by mercury, HOWEVER, I do believe that he may have been vaccine injured; due to the fact that he received the Hepatitis B vaccine when he was less than 24 hours old. It is my belief that in genetically predisposed children, bombarding their immature immune systems with a vaccine is PART of the autism puzzle. Think about it...exposing the immature gastointestinal system to solids before it is ready increases the risk of food allergies...wheat, milk, eggs, nut products, etc...similar analogy.

It's not that the vaccines themselves are inherently harmful; but if they are given to a system not ready to adequately handle them, therein lies the problem. The US has the most aggressive vaccination schedule in the WORLD! China has changed their vaccination schedule so as not to vacc any child under the age of two!

Just my 2 cents.

Can anyone tell me why there is less and less mercury in vaccines yet the autism rate is getting higher and higher?

i wish i had this book with my first kid. it is now on the list of essentials to share with friends and families. i am not a scholar but this book was easy to understand.

I dont understand why this book got the great reviews it did

I have read several books on vaccinations Dr. Neustaedter's book, Dr. Tenpennys book and done quite a bit of research on the web. This is the first book I had picked up.

My problem with Dr. Cave's book is that its not honest -- its almost silently pro-vaccination. She openly credits vaccines for reduction in diseases while its obvious that that claim is questionable. Also, her 'recommended' list of vaccines is ALMOST every one of them -- except Hep B and Chicken pox. These are the 2 easiest ones to eliminate even by a lay man. you dont need an 'expert' doctor to tell you that. Every thing else she recommends all in a slightly delayed manner (by a few months).

If Dr. Cave really want to tell you what your doctor is not, then there should be more statistics on the incidence of these diseases and the real risks of contracting them. For example : Diptheria , every one knows there have been no cases of it for 50 years in the entire western hemisphere and no cases of wild polio for over 2 decades now. That is information that should be included for each disease before recommending the vaccination finally.

Also, she has no chapters on immune system function or the real harmful devastating effects vaccines are having on some children.

My personal opinion is Dr. Tenpennys books/dvds and Dr. Neustaedters book are far more convincing and useful.

I gave it four stars instead of 5 because the info is outdated. The book is great but needs to be updated-errors changed and re-released. The author gives a suggested alternate vaccination schedule to follow which is what I chose to do for my child.

Mercury may not still be in vaccines in an amount like they used to be but other chemicals are. I would suggest that the author include these things. Such examples are; MSG and formaldahyde. She touches on Aluminum but doesn't mention that vaccines are made in the tissues of other animals like Monkey Kidney tissue. She doesn't explore the problem of this DNA and RNA of these animals sitting dormat in the human body until they are ready to reap havock on our immune system.

I've read almost every book on vaccine safety and this one is by far the best. The information is presented in an easy-to read format which is great for reference. Also, Dr. Cave is a pediatrician - many of the other books out there are written by people with no medical credentials whatsoever. Dr. Cave is not anti-vaccination in all cases, nor is she pro-vaccination. The information she presents encourages parents to be equal partners with their doctor in deciding which vaccinations to give (or not to give) their child and also provides her own recommendations on WHEN to vaccinate, which is alone worth the price of the book. Also supplied are a list of resources to get more information on filing religious exemptions and many other topics. I wish I knew about this book when my first child was born five years ago - I would have done things much differently. I think this book is a must read for all parents.

Every parent or parent to be should read this book. It explains everything you need to know about vaccinations and the risk that come along with them.

As a pediatric occupational therapist treating kids with autism, sensory integration dysfunction, ADHD, and other neurological problems that canot be explained, I found this book to be fastenating, and in line with the current research. Something is causing these disorders and Dr. Cave is very couragous in speaking out for a safer vaccination process. She gives both sides of the story, and her advise to parents on the safest method for vaccinations is easy to understand and very practical. I Highly reccommend this book, and I have given it to everyone that will listen!

Robin Prothro, MS, OTR/L

I think this is the best of the vaccine reference books for average people. It isn't as alarmist as some of them, and gives good advice on increasing the safety of the vaccines you may choose to use for your children. I've bought multiple copies for new mothers. I've found it very helpful.

Every time I see a statistic, it seems to go up. Now, 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with Autism. That's incredibly alarming. Vaccines are a suspected factor in this dramatic increase in occurance and so parents should read and otherwise educate themselves as much as possible BEFORE getting their child/children vaccinated. Vaccines are reviewed quite objectively and in easy to understand detail in this informative book. Alternatives to the current suggested vaccine schedule offer parents options that match with their comfort level; it also helps you approach the subject with your pediatrician/family doctor, as it can be a touchy subject for some. This book was written by an MD, so I felt it was a true review of vaccine hazards AND benefits. It was an excellent resource for our family and certainly helped us make decisions regarding vaccinating our child (our first!) I highly recommend this to all parents.

This book is well organized and offers valuable information about vaccinating your children. It is easy to read and offers solid recommendations.

This is the best book I've seen that gives an unbiased opinon of vaccines. It has a wealth of information and I think every parent should read it before vaccinating their children.

As many people have noted, this book was published in 2001, which means the bulk of it was probably written prior to 2000. Seven years is a long time, and I hope that Cave will publish a revision soon.
Sadly, the book is NOT out of date when it comes to thimerosal. Although the amount of thimerosal has been decreased, it is NOT completely taken out of the vaccines. Another case of the CDC and APA's propaganda misleading parents.
What I like about this book is that it is middle of the road. I know I was turned off by many anti-vaccine web sites because of their alarmist claims. I was turned off by many pro-vaccine web sites for the same reason. Cave's book is a great introduction for parents who are just wondering what all the fuss is about. Once you've read this book, you can take a more informed look at other books and web sites. You can also focus your search to include just the vaccines or diseases that worry you the most. This is a great book to get as a gift for a new parent, as it will not immediately turn them off from the ingrained idea that vaccinations are good. You have to start somewhere, and this is a good place to begin!

I just had a baby and wanted to learn more about vaccinations. This book provided a great foundation of knowledge. The only down side was since the book has been written many of the vaccinations have done away with thermosal (mercury)- which is great. My Ped. said the alternative schedule was fine, but dated.

Overall, glad I read it but wish it was written with the most current vaccine info.

I agree with previous reviewer, in that this book misleads concerned parents in many ways. For example, the book would have you believe that the law MAKES you submit your children to vaccination. At least in California the law is fairly friendly in opting-out of vaccinations for your children, and other states vary in degree (a few are fairly intolerant/militant about vaccinations).

Also, Cave's book follows the Vaccination Industry's propaganda that attributes the 75%-95% drop in infections, that preceded vaccinations, to vaccination programs (the same programs that feed this 100 billion dollar industry). This drop occurred during the 50 years prior to the various vaccinations being introduced. We can thank sanitation, refrigeration, and nutrition for that 75%-95% drop, and not the vaccine industry as Dr. Cave does!

The previous reviewer recommends, and I agree, that Dr Sherri J. Tenpenny's book "Vaccines: The Risks, The Benefits, The Choices" is outstanding for an accurate reference manual for concerned parents that enables parents to make informed decisions based on accurate information. Depending on your decision, Dr. Tenpenny does an excellent job of guiding you through what you can do and why (even what you can do if, in the future, you're forced into submitting to a vaccination).

Also, Dr. Russel Blaylock has an excellent Vaccine chapter in his "Health and Nutrition Secrets" book. Also a great book.

I am a professor at a school in Indiana, and I checked this book out with the hope of using it in my class. But this book is utterly loaded with error and blatant non-facts. For example, all one has to do is open the book to the first page of chapter 1, and you see the authors informing the readers that vaccines are required by government law. As most anti-vaccine researchers know, this is a blatant non-fact, and there is no such law, and not a single state in the United States has such laws. Rather, it is schools that give the false impression that there is such a law, and schools are used to badger parents into getting vaccines, and they incorrectly state that there is such a law, which there is not. There are numerous other problems with this book also. First of all, it is a pro-vaccine book, recommending that parents merely wait (until after toddlerhood) rather than reject vaccines--as if vaccines might hopefully be somewhat safe enough later on, after toddlerhood. This book plainly does not properly address the severity of what vaccines do to people before, during, and after toddlerhood (through adulthood and old age). And regardless of age, this book overlooks the fact that vaccines are filled with poisons harmful or lethal to anyone, and which have been verified to cause all sorts of ailments and diseases--anything from early onset Alzheimer's to eczema to allergies to numerous auto-immune disorders to diabetes to cancer, and that is just the very beginning of what vaccines do. Reading this book gives the impression that vaccines may work, could be safe, do not necessarily cause epidemics rather than eliminate them, and that they are not seriously dangerous for kids after toddlerhood. All one needs to do is research the data that other doctors, such as Viera Schreibner, have uncovered from the professional journals, to see that this is simply incorrect. Parents should be very careful whether they want to trust this book, rather than a different one. I recommend the scientific research by Tenpenny, and her book, titled: VACCINES.

Pretty good book if you are looking for background information regarding vaccines. Unfortunately, this is a fairly old edition, hence much of the information provided is in dire need of an update/revision. If you want basic information regarding vaccines, their risks and their side effects and/or you are looking for an alternative vaccination schedule for your child, this is still a good reference book.

This is the single most important book I've ever read for my children. It is slam packed with need to know information. I buy this book and give it out to every baby shower I go too. A must read. Life changing information that most people don't know. It's written by a doctor.
I've always believed drug companies are just out for money, not for better health. But here's some proof on how they are hurting our babies.

I definitely recommend this book for any parent who feels overwhelmed, concerned, uninformed, nervous or just plain undecided about vaccinating their child. I was struggling for some time with the decision on whether or not to vaccinate my son, and if I did vaccinate, when to do it. This book clearly explains the pro's and con's of each vaccine, the purpose of each vaccine, recommends a schedule/timeline for administering them, and remains objective throughout. I really appreciated the fact that this was NOT an opinionated book full of "you should do this," and "you should not do that" kinds of statements.

I did, however, find it a bit basic, and as much as I appreciated and used the information presented in this book, I still did extra research online. That said, I found my "internet research" much easier to do after reading this book. I have since lent this book out to other parents who have also found it very helpful.

This is the best resource that I've found. It contains unbiased, research based information. Basically, she goes through each vaccine and gives you the history of the disease and the vax. There is also information on who should/shouldn't get certain vaccines and how to best prevent an adverse reaction. I was on the fence about vaxing at all before I read this book. After reading it I felt confident to selectively/delay vaccinate my baby. Ultimately it is your choice, but it helps to have some solid information to help make your decision.