Kailyn Lowry is standing by her decision not to vaccinate her youngest child, despite receiving backlash for the Teen Mom 2 star’s anti-vaccination stance.
“I mean, I guess the only thing I can really say and continue to stand for is to parent how it’s best for your child and family,” she told InTouch Weekly Friday. “People don’t love everything I do, but I don’t shove my beliefs down anyone else’s throat. I know what’s best for my kids and other parents know what’s best for theirs.”
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The controversy first arose in the most recent episode of Lowry’s Coffee Convos podcast with Lindsie Chrisley.
“I definitely think this is a controversial topic, and I don’t want to lose listeners because of my opinion — but, I did vaccinate Isaac, because to me, I didn’t know any better, and I gave — I let them vaccinate him with whatever they basically said that he needed. And I feel like I was ignorant, and didn’t do research, and didn’t know any better,” Lowry said during the podcast of her 8-year-old son with ex Jo Rivera.
She continued that when she had her second child, 5-year-old son Lincoln, with ex-husband Javi Marroquin, she began to investigate the issue by talking with fellow moms and watching “documentaries on Netflix.” After that research, she decided not to vaccinate her youngest child, whom she shares with ex Chris Lopez.
“Lux is 18 months and he is not vaccinated,” she explained. “He hasn’t ever really been sick, and for me, I just think the more research that I do, and the more educated I’ve become, I just don’t vaccinate him.”
Upon the podcast’s release, listeners were quick to condemn Lowry’s decision to not vaccinate her child, which the World Health Organization recently named the organization’s top global threats for the year. According to the WHO, vaccines prevent 2 million to 3 million deaths a year, and another 1.5 million deaths could be prevented annually with improved vaccination rates.
“Not vaccinating YOUR kids endangers every single baby, child and human that comes in contact with YOUR kid,” one follower responded on Twitter. “It’s FINE if you want to endanger YOUR kid because of your stupidity, but not vaccinating YOUR KID is irresponsible, dangerous and incredibly selfish!!”
“Deciding not to vaccinate YOUR KIDS puts every single infant, toddler, kid, and adult you come in contact with in danger,” another echoed. “You are incredibly ignorant, selfish, uninformed, self-centered and misguided.”
Teen Mom 2 airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.
Photo credit: Instagram/Kailyn Lowry
