Much of the recent media coverage on the debate about childhood vaccinations and the
possible links to autism or other neurological disorders presents the
issue as an “either/or” decision. Parents may feel they either have to
vaccinate their children in complete compliance with the CDC mandated
schedule or choose not to vaccinate their children at all.
A growing number of parents are discovering that vaccines are not
all-or-nothing. If for any reason, you don’t feel comfortable with the
vaccine schedule created by the CDC, there are steps you can take to
create a schedule of immunizations that you feel comfortable with for
each of your children.
1) Do your research. You will find impassioned
viewpoints on either side of the vaccine debate, and it’s important to
carefully evaluate the source of the material you are reading. Two
resources that take a careful, middle-of-the-road approach are Dr.
Stephanie Cave’s What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations (2001) and Dr. Bob Sears’ The Vaccine Book (2007). (Dr. Sears has created an online companion to his book that includes a blog, online discussion forum, FAQs, and more. He also answers reader questions in a bi-monthly column at Metropolitan Mama.)
2) Evaluate your child’s unique and specific needs.
Is there a history of illness in your family that causes you to be
concerned about your child receiving vaccinations as a younger baby?
Do you live in a community where there is a high incidence of a
vaccine-preventable illness? Do you and your family plan to travel out
of the country any time soon? There are many questions to consider
when deciding which vaccines you want your child to receive and when.
As your child’s parent, no one is better qualified than you to look at
the big picture and make these decisions.
3) Create a vaccine schedule that best suits your child.
Having done your research, you may feel comfortable following the CDC
mandated schedule. If not, you can create a schedule that you feel
will best meet the needs of your child(ren). Both Dr. Cave and Dr.
Sears provide suggested schedules in their books, and there are more
examples of schedules to be found online.
4) Talk with your doctor. Schedule an appointment to discuss the schedule you have created. Dr. Sears has some excellent insight
into how to approach the discussion with your doctor. Some physicians
may be more open to an alternative vaccine schedule than others. If
you feel strongly that an alternative vaccine schedule is important to
your child’s health and well-being and your doctor strongly opposes the
schedule you have created, it may be that you will want to find a new
health care provider.
5) Understand exemptions. If there are certain
vaccines you oppose your child receiving, you may want to research your
state’s specific policies and procedures on vaccine exemptions. This article at the National Vaccine Information Center is a good place to start educating yourself on vaccine exemptions.
FEEDBACK: Have you created an alternative vaccine schedule you would
like to share with others? Tell us about it in the comments or link to
your own posted schedule!
Loading ...
We purposely waited to vaccinate our kids but then again it wouldn’t have mattered because the doctor’s office was so busy the kids would have been behind schedule anyway.
We’ve always had a “delayed” vaccine schedule because I just never cared what “the experts” said regarding most things baby. I was “late” for milestone check-up, so I was late for “scheduled” vaccines (sometimes years late for those). I never took guidelines as rules, so I just trusted my gut, kept my kids healthy, and eventually got around to taking the kids for check-ups. I think too many parents don’t trust themselves to be the best advocates for their children and therein lies the problem. Trust your gut – you know your child(ren).
Fantastic information!
We have a delayed vaccination schedule with my son. A day after receiving his ‘shots’ at his 1 year physical, he ended up in the hospital with respiratory distress – LITERALLY less than 24 hours later. While the hospital doctors said there was no connection to the vaccines, our pediatrician said it could have been – every child’s system will react different. Luckily, we have a fantastic pediatrician that works with *US* not the government or drug companies.
We do this as well. I have two family members with autism and they truly believe vaccinations played a large role in the situation.
I’m afraid to not give them, but I do refuse many of them. The Vaccine Awakening blog is also a great resource for info.
Another option is a network of doctors called DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!). They are board certified MD’s but they are trained in DAN protocol. They also administer “organic” vaccines which do not contain the toxins normal vaccines contain. You can google to find one near you.
Great article!!
This topic just came up on another blog! I think you have covered the info really well and given some good resources.
Several of my children have shown evidence of an allergy that runs in our family which makes it unsafe for them to receive most vaccinations. I’ve refused vaccinations for the others just to be safe — I don’t want to find out my infant is allergic AFTER he’s been given a shot of what would essentially be poison to him!
Some of the doctors we’ve encountered have been completely sympathetic to this. At least one looked at me like I was crazy and told me it was impossible for my kids to be allergic to the vaccines. That reaction only made me all the more steadfast in my decision — I now know I can’t blindly trust what a doctor says just because he has a degree.
This is a great post I might have to post one simular. I have mixed opinion on the MMR I have chosen to delay the shot for my son untill he turns two then we will break it up into 3 shos 6 months apart!
I highly recommend Dr. Sears’ book. I am vaccinating my children but not according to the CDC vaccine schedule. I, too, am starting my daughter’s MMR vaccinations when she turns two and I am spacing them out like the above poster. My son will also have a modified vaccine schedule. Don’t be influenced by doctor’s who look at you like you’re crazy. Stand firm. You are your child’s advocate!
Great article, Allison.
We are non-vaxing with our daughter and still possibly may selectively vaccinate her in the future (she’s two years old). This past year we were asked to leave our pediatric practice because we refused to give Grace both her 18 and 24 month vaccinations at one time, which they wanted to do at her two year old appointment. I flat-out refused (they’d called me on the phone over this after I’d already had her well visit scheduled…I like to track her stats) and told them that it was ridiculous and unsafe. The nurse said that the head doctor would prefer not to treat our daughter then. Fine by me.
I was incensed. However, I researched and researched and researched some more to find doctors in our area (well, NEAR our area…we’re not really “anywhere”, LOL) who were okay with non-vaxing. I found a wonderful medical center filled with doctors who support it. Grace had her two year old visit there and I was enamored with not only the doctor and their entire mission but also the great information that I gleaned on other aspects of health.
Vaccination is a topic very near and dear to my heart. As parents, we have the right to be fully informed and to make our own choices, prayerfully and intelligently, for our children.