Help Unravelling Immunization Questions

Probably the first thing you will notice if you take the time to study issues surrounding vaccines is that there is very little middle ground. Most people are passionate and opinionated and fall neatly on one side or the other. Both sides have harnessed the fear factor by promoting the dangers of the oppositions point of view. Making decisions about vaccines feels more like politics than healthcare.

How do you balance out all this conflicting information about immunizations to get accurate information from a reliable source? I have been supporting parents in making choices with respect to healthcare for many years now and decisions regarding vaccinations are among the hardest. Here are a few insights about the process of making this challenging decision.

Part of the reason this choice is so hard is that there ARE very real risks no matter what you decide to do. Because of this it is important to realize that the weighing of risk to benefit is very individualized. Vaccines are probably the only prescription drug whose dose, schedule and administration is promoted by non medical personnel who are not trained to make healthcare decisions. Make sure you work with someone who is familiar with your child, knows personal and family medical history, and can advise you about the risk to benefit ratio of each vaccine vs. the natural disease. It is not appropriate to take medical advice about prescription medications for your child from non-medical personnel.

Secondly seek council from someone who can offer you a range of options. These may include alternatives to specific vaccines, delayed schedule, administration of limited or single vaccines, specific immune enhancement, etc. Providers who promote only 1 protocol are more likely to influence you to adopt their opinions and be unable to offer practical information about your range of options.

Lastly consider the worst scenario. If you DO have a problem, can your provider support you and offer appropriate care? Many people who experience vaccine reactions find that most physicians do not recognize vaccinosis and have no ability to treat it. Since many childhood diseases exist even in the vaccinated populations, vaccinated children who contract the diseases of childhood often go undiagnosed and without correct care. Similarly unvaccinated children are often misdiagnosed due to the assumption that only unimmunized children are vulnerable to these illnesses.

The word doctor comes from the Latin root 'to teach'. Successful healers trust that providing good information and supporting their patients in making good decisions about their family creates excellent health. When people ask me if I am for or against vaccines I reply that I am pro-education. Teaching about vaccines, health and the options available allow parents to feel empowered and confident about their choices. They also become fellow converts to a pro education stance that supports all parents in making excellent decisions based on the unique character of their individual child.