Updated at: 11/13/2009 6:18 PM
By: Mark Albert, Melissa Sweeney and Tim Montgomery
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Are Some MN Parents Putting Your Kids' Health at Risk?
 

A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS investigation has found more parents than ever are refusing to get their kids vaccinated against the most deadly diseases.

Many health experts didn't know about it until we told them.

Reporter Mark Albert has spent two months digging through hundreds of pages of immunization records from every school district in the state. What he found is surprising parents and administrators alike - a 71% spike in the number of conscientious objections in the past five years.

Watch our investigation now...

Conscientious Objections by Vaccine 2008-2009 School Year
Click here to find your child's school district to see how many Conscientious Objections have been filed by parents for the 2008-2009 school year.
Updated: 09:53 PM
 
2008 - 2009 Conscientious Objection Increase by Vaccine

Updated: 05:11 PM
 
MN Vaccine Conscientious Objections from 2004 - 2009
The number of conscientious objections has risen every year for the past five years for four of the six state-required vaccinations. Parents filed 71% more objections in the 2008-2009 school year than the 2004-2005 school year.

Click here to see the growth in each vaccine for each school year, by total number and by the percentage of enrollment for all Minnesota school districts.
Updated: 06:11 PM
 
Hear Shannon Peterson Talk About Her Daughter   
Abby seemed to have just recovered from the Chicken Pox. But on Feb. 18, 2001, she fell violently ill and died 10 hours after showing symptoms...
Updated: 08:31 PM
 
Hear Stephanie Lee Talk About Her Daughter   
"Some might say I'm just being hysterical," Stephanie Lee said recently at her Finlayson home. "Well, I guess that's my option. If I've already had one die, how many other parents would say, 'oh, let's line the other two up?'"
Updated: 08:36 PM
 
Read Minnesota's Immunization Record Exemption Form

Updated: 06:22 PM
 
Read Minnesota's Required Immunizations for Children

Updated: 06:22 PM