The Colic Care^® Blog

More and More Families Skipping Vaccinations

Here is an article I came accross, courtesy of the Huffington Post, that I would really like to share with everyone.  The article was written by Dr. Bob Sears, a pediatrician and author.  I think you'll find it very interesting.

What to Do About All These Non-Vaccinating Families

by Dr. Bob Sears

Today's USA Today story on the increasing trend of vaccine refusal shared some interesting information, but fell short of actually providing useful or workable answers. The article cites a new CDC study that showed in 2003 only 22 percent of parents refused or delayed a vaccine for their child, whereas in 2008 this number soared to 39 percent.

For many years I believe the CDC has been trying to hide the fact that more and more parents are refusing or delaying vaccines. Why? Because if compliant parents hear that their neighbors or friends are questioning vaccines, they might start to think, "Hmm ... maybe I should begin to question vaccines as well. I think I'll start doing some research and educating myself about vaccines instead of just taking my doctor's word for it."

And this story tries to sugar-coat the issue as well, stating that "parents in 2008 had more opportunities to delay shots than they had five years earlier" because three new vaccines have been introduced. I don't by it. This implies that some children aren't receiving all their vaccines because some vaccines are new. I would look at it differently: More and more parents are beginning to question the vaccine schedule -- not just the new vaccines, but the manner in which so many are being given at a time. This trend has nothing to do with the new shots. Compliant parents wouldn't even question new shots anyway. And they wouldn't even be aware that their baby is getting a new shot because they wouldn't even ask. Again, the CDC doesn't want those parents who are being good little patients and getting all their shots, no questions asked, to start wondering why more and other parents are refusing.

Then the story turns to the measles epidemic that has "ravaged" the country. While measles can occasionally be severe and cause a fatality, the fact is that measles has remained the same in our country over the last decade -- about 100 to 150 cases each year, with NO increase and NO fatalities! If the CDC is going to convince parents to stop questioning vaccines, they'll need to come up with some better arguments than that.

Hey, I know! How about some new and expanded safety research! The only way non-compliant parents are going to stop worrying about vaccines is if we can give them the type of safety research they want: large-scale, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, long-term research. So, 20 years from now we'll have that research. But what do we do in the meantime?

Here's what the AAP says to do in their official policy (found on page eight of the Red Book, sitting in every single pediatrician's office in the country):

• Treat these parents with respect
• Listen to their concerns
• Clearly discuss the importance of vaccines and the risks of the diseases
• If the parents remain non-compliant, the doctor can serve these patient's needs by (and I quote) "developing a schedule of immunizations that does not require multiple injections at a single visit."
• "Continued refusal after adequate discussion (I continue to quote) SHOULD BE RESPECTED."

The number of physicians who actually follow the AAP's advice is dismally small. I've been creating a growing list of Vaccine Friendly Doctor's on my website who WILL listen and respect these patient's wishes and who will provide an alternative vaccine schedule for patients who want to vaccinate differently. But it's slow going. I just don't understand why the AAP would even bother making such a policy if they won't try to get their members to follow it.

Dr. Offit and many other physicians like him who believe we should NOT provide alternative schedules are actually MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE. By kicking these patients out of their office and refusing to vaccinate these patients in a manner they will comply with, these doctors are leaving such babies unvaccinated. On the other hand, sometimes these doctors DO manage to talk (bully) their patients into starting their little two-month-old babies on the regular schedule. Most of these parents end up leaving such a doctor and going somewhere else.

In my humble (but outspoken) opinion, the ONLY way to increase vaccination rates in our country at this time is to provide alternative approaches that worried parents will feel more comfortable with. The PR campaign that the AAP and CDC are launching probably won't do a thing. That's because the campaign doesn't include new safety research. It isn't saying, "Hey, look America -- we've proven vaccines, and the schedule by which we give them, are perfectly safe!" Instead, it's saying "The diseases can be bad (which they can), so everybody get in line!" I just don't think that's going to work. That's using scare tactics, not education. By adopting the AAP policy of providing alternative schedules, more and more doctors can serve their patients and keep the vaccine-preventable diseases at bay.

Dr. Bob Sears
www.TheVaccineBook.com

 I hope you all found this article to be a good read.  I did.  If you have any questions or comments, please write them below.  I can't wait to hear from you!!

 

Integrative Medicine: The best of “mother nature” and modern medicine.

“Holistic”, “Alternative”, “Natural”, “Green”, “Organic”….all of these terms have come to describe everything from cleaning products to fruits and vegetables. How do you navigate this new “all natural” world, especially when it comes to your children? A great option is to consult a naturopathic physician. Naturopathic physicians are well-educated medical professionals who undergo conventional medical training with a different perspective—that is, that nature can sometimes fill in the gaps where conventional medicine is lacking. This is the true definition of integrative medicine—using a more natural approach in combination with conventional medical treatment, and deciding which approach is the most appropriate for the patient.

There is no better age group to use integrative medicine than with the pediatric community. Children are lacking the lifetime of poor lifestyle and ignored medical conditions that adults often contend with, which makes them perfect candidates for a more natural approach. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending to conventional pediatricians that they become informed about alternative therapies and even use them if they are a “safe and effective” alternative to conditions not responding to conventional medical therapies. The latest research shows that up to 50% of parents of children with chronic medical conditions are using some form of alternative therapy, with or without the knowledge of their primary pediatrician. Unfortunately, many parents are navigating the world of alternative medicine on their own, or with the help of the all-knowing “Google”, which makes for a less than desirable situation.

Luckily, you don’t have to navigate these options on your own. Naturopathic Doctors, like me, can work with you to make sure that you are receiving the “best of both worlds”. Our goal is not to replace your pediatrician, but to offer other avenues when conventional therapies are not working. Most of us have attended one of four medical schools in the country that offer this integrative medical approach, and we have extensive training in using this knowledge within the pediatric community. Here are some of the more common questions I see in my office.

My child is currently taking his/her (5th, 6th, etc.) round of antibiotics for ear infections. I am considering ear tubes, but am wondering if there are any other alternatives to this procedure?

Children are more susceptible to ear infections due to their shorter, more horizontal, eustachian tubes. Fluid easily builds up, and can cause inflammation in the inner ear. This can be a nightmare for parents, who feel like their life is one continual visit to the doctor for antibiotics. From a naturopathic perspective, we attempt to look at the underlying cause of the problem, and use specific changes to the child’s diet to decrease reactivity to the environment and build up the child’s immune system. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, but some bacteria in our bodies are beneficial, and frequent antibiotic usage can disrupt the normal, “good” bacteria in our bodies, which can in turn, lead to more immune dysfunction. Frequent antibiotic usage also creates antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, making judicious use of antibiotics very important.

Will my child develop Autism from immunizations?

The short answer is no. There does appear to be a correlation with onset of autism in some children with immunizations, but this is only for a subset of children with a particular metabolic disorder. Some vaccines are “live” vaccines, which can sometimes cause problems for certain children, however there are simple steps that you can do to lessen this reaction. The controversial preservative thimeresol has been removed from most vaccines, making this less of a concern. It is important that you make informed decisions about immunizations, including the benefits and/or risks associated with you decision.

I saw Jenny McCarthy on Oprah talking about how she cured her son’s autism by changing his diet. Do you know anything about this?

Autism is a multi-factorial condition with many unknown causes. Researchers and clinicians are working tirelessly to uncover the causes and treatments for this epidemic. Currently, the best approach for children affected with autism is a combined approach using behavior modification (such as Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA) and biomedical approaches (nutrient/dietary modifications). Awareness of these biomedical approaches have become mainstream from organizations such as DAN (Defeat Autism Now/Autism Research Institute) and celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy. A Naturopathic Doctor can help you determine if these approaches could be beneficial for your child.

Why doesn’t my pediatrician know about alternative medicine?

Pediatricians are faced with the monumental task of identifying, preventing, and intervening with life-threatening diseases in children. While children have an uncanny ability to “bounce back” from illness, they also have the ability to become extremely ill in a short amount of time. Conventional pediatricians have education and experience that revolves around this paradigm, and is extremely important for the health of your child. There are numerous alternative therapies and attempting to find the therapies that are safe and effective can become too time-consuming for a busy practice. A true integrative approach to health care involves delegating areas of expertise to other practitioners, and naturopathic physicians can easily fill this role.

If you have questions or comments about Integrative Medicine, I would love to hear them!!  Feel free to comment below, or visit our Ask Dr. Tara section.