Collaborating with your Pediatrician on a Vaccination Schedule
by Lawrence P. Kaplan, Ph.D.
Parents of children diagnosed with autism, and others questioning a link between vaccines and autism, are meeting resistance from pediatricians who refuse to treat their children. Why? These parents reject the "one-size-fits-all" vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
According to the October 2005 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, more than one-third of pediatricians say they would dismiss a family from their practice for refusing all vaccinations. Some doctors state such policies with signs in their waiting rooms.
What Is the AAP Vaccine Schedule?
Under the guise of "prevention," the pediatrician’s black bag contains a newly accelerated vaccination schedule that reads like a diary developed by profit-hungry pharmaceutical companies. For 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend more than 25 pokes before age six. Most vaccines, a pediatrician’s instrument of well-child care, have undergone little research on efficacy and none on safety. Some, like the flu vaccine, still contain the mercury-based preservative, Thimerosal.
What’s a Parent to Do?
Parents of children with mercury toxicity, attributed, in part, to Thimerosal-containing vaccinations, may hesitate to vaccinate. In my book "Diagnosis Autism: Now What? 10 Steps to Improve Treatment Outcomes; A Parent-Physician Team Approach," I empower parents by encouraging healthy relationships with their pediatricians. Though developing a pediatric partnership can take years, due to resistance on both sides, benefits outweigh disadvantages. The kind, recognizable face of a familiar doctor is superior to an unfamiliar emergency room, should an accident occur.
- Find a pediatrician who views parents as partners. William Crook, MD, a pediatrician for over 50 years, said that he learned from parents every day. The patient-physician relationship is a two-way street, not a dictatorship. Ideally, a doctor is open to, flexible and knowledgeable about, complementary and alternative therapies. Share what you have learned with your doctor. Listen to what he/she has to say. The best ones will integrate your knowledge into their care.
- Ask your pediatrician about possible risks, as well as benefits, of all vaccinations. Doctors are required to share both sides of the story. Your questions should promote a dialogue where you can express your concerns, and the pediatrician can relate his/her clinical experiences. Compare the risks of contracting a disease to those of a possible vaccine reaction. Discuss ways to reduce vaccine reactions by strengthening immunity. Together, you should reach consensus about what action to take.
- Discuss delaying and spacing out vaccines. Start with The "User Friendly Vaccine Schedule" recommended by Dr. Donald Miller, a condensed version of which is in the Winter ‘04-’05 (10:2) issue of this newsletter. Dr. Miller’s recommendations are both conservative and sensible.
- Draw titers to show immunity. If your child has had some vaccines, but not all the boosters, ask your doctor to test for antibodies. Drawing a blood titer can be more expensive than having a booster shot. Still, it may be worthwhile if you are concerned about possible vaccine side effects. School entrance requires proof of immunity, not of shot completion. Most doctors are satisfied to forgo more shots if your child already has immunity.
- Learn about vaccine exemptions in your state. Exemptions are permitted for religious, philosophical and medical reasons. Go to <www.909shot.com>, and click on "State Information" to find out your state’s laws.
- Become an activist. Future legislative action depends on your voice. Empower yourself and become an advocate for your children and others. Join the great groups of parents who have already challenged the politics of vaccination.
Forced Vaccination in America?
With the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005 now headed for legislation, we may be witnessing forced vaccinations in a democracy. According to DDR Professional Advisory Board member, Barbara Loe Fisher, President of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), "This bill means that, if an American is injured by an experimental flu or anthrax vaccine that he/she is mandated to take, that citizen will be banned from exercising the Constitutional right to a jury trial, even if the vaccine maker engaged in criminal fraud and negligence in manufacturing that vaccine,"
What will you do if your pediatrician fires you for refusing to vaccinate your child? Not an easy question to answer. As long as you have a choice, be sure to seek an integrated partnership with your pediatrician. Finding a supportive doctor takes time and research. DDR can help you locate one.
[Dr. Lawrence P. Kaplan is the founder and Executive Director of US Autism & Asperger Association, Inc. He is the author of the book, Diagnosis Autism: Now What?