I have a question about childhood vaccine laws in Indiana.

I work for a local charity, and recently, there was a lady there who mentioned that she isn't getting her little boy vaccinated. She said that she can file a religious exemption. I'm not sure what religion she is. She said she was a Christian. She goes to a church that doesn't believe in music, but that's about all I know. I know she isn't Amish. She also doesn't believe in blood transfusions or taking medications. Her minister told her about the religious objection

She is claiming that with the religious exemption, her son will be allowed to attend school even though he hasn't had vaccines. I'm not sure that is true. He is only 3 months old now. Is it true that unvaccinated children can attend public school when the parent has filed a religious objection? I always thought that all kids had to be vaccinated to even go to daycare. I though that if someone had a religious objection to vaccination, then they had to homeschool their kids.

She is also worried about, and I hope I'm spelling this right, thimoseral? In vaccines. (I think it's the mercury preservative people are talking about). Can't you get vaccines without this preservative if you ask? I doubt if that will change her mind, as her objection is religious, but I've heard other people talking about this preservative.

So, I'm just curious and I was wondering if this lady's minister gave her bad advice. I was also wondering what people thought of her decision. Thanks for your answers. The whole vaccine thing seems to be a hot topic right now. I keep hearing about it. I don't know what the big deal is honestly, but then I guess I don't know much about it.

Here is what I found
NVIC — Indiana Exemptions (http://www.nvic.org/state-site/Indiana.htm)

According to this, a parent can send their child to a public school with no immunizations - if they objected because of religious reasons.

The mercury in vaccines is very real and the mercury has been effectively linked to autism and other problems. She sounds like Jehova Witness or Church of Latter Day Saints. There have been studies done where the Amish children who are not vaccinated have fewer problems than their English friends.

I do not even get a flu shot any more. Last one I got was 12 years ago and I got so ill I'd have felt better had I died I was that sick. My late mother was a Registered Nurse and was required to have these flu shots each year to be able to work in a hospital. The built up mercury in her system of these shots over the years caused her to have premature Alzheimer's and dementia. There was a study of nurses and just about 100% of the nurses who had received these shots over and over again had the dementia problem.

Very few of these vaccines are without mercury. You'll have to go to other countries to find them sans mercury. It should be a "big deal" as you are putting a toxic substance into your body or your child's body that is not excreted but builds up over years to only screw up your system.

Also fluoride and fluoride toothpastes, mouth washes and flouoride added to water supplies are bad. Fluoride is the by product of making aluminum and is a toxic substance that is added where it should not be added for human consumption. I eliminated all fluoride products and use toothpaste I get from health food store with no fluoride added. Read up on the net about what really is in those vaccines and if you don't have curly hair to start with, you'll have curly hair when you finish. Also the same thing will happen with the fluoride. Well water is better or buy a whole house filter to filter out the fluoride as it enters your body via the pores in your skin when you take a bath or shower.

There is more than one type of mercury and thimerisol contains ethyl not methyl mercury. Many people do object to using this preservative but states that banded thimerisol have shown in studies that autism continues to rise even without thimerisol. Somewhere, somehow, something is causing autism to increase but it appears through research that is not thimerisol. Mani immunizations such as the MMR can be taken individually and not as a triple shot like MMR.he single shots generallly do not contain thimerisol. However, your question was can she do this and the answer is yes. If your child is immunized he/she should still be safe to a certain extent, not 100%.
Thimerisol Study Shows No Links: Neurological Problems not Caused by Preservative (http://healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com/blog.cfm/thimerisol_study_shows_no_links)

YES most states have exemption waivers that parents can sign. It has been very common in my county for 20 years now. They can still go to public school.
This site has a book Sanctity of Blood you can order that explains it all.
Pain Release Clinic Children's Health Care (http://www.painreleaseclinic.com/children.html)

As noted there are many Christian denominations that follow and believe that. And yes, they are allowed to go to school. Remember that division of Church and State everyone talks about

the mercury preservative has been removed from many vaccines... the flu vaccine is one that sometimes still has it, but some states, like mine, prohibit its use.

we ran middle ground, doing delayed vaccination. My son was at home, not in a day care, so he was largely out of the "pack"... especially for the first 6mo.

in the end, by the time he was ready to start preK he had all of his vaccinations, but honestly he probably had 2/3rds the number of shots.

reading about vaccinations is like listening to democrats and republicans go at each other... the pro vaccination people ignore that there are countries that have delayed schedules that seem to work (fewer shots), and the con vaccination people often have a lot of talk but no proof.

by the way, I'm a chemist who has trained many premed and prepharmacy students, so its not like I'm completely stupid... this is where my wife says "really?"... =)

Thanks for your answers. I didn't know anything about this before, so I'm glad you guys explained it to me.

Twinkiedooter, I didn't mean any disrespect when I said "no big deal", I was just saying that I had never thought it was a big deal in the past and stating my ignorance about vaccines, so I hope I didn't offend you. I grew up in a house where everyone was vaccinated and one of my foster moms was a nurse, so I've never heard about negative side effects from the vaccines before.

That's really interesting to hear about this from all points of view. That's good that her son will still be allowed to go to school. I was just wondering because I'd hate for him to get to be 5 and then be told, sorry kid you can't go, so that's good that he will be able to.

Thanks again for your input! :)