To be quite honest, part of the reason my children are still vaccinated is because it's easier to do it than not, and I haven't encountered the sorts of situations that would immediately put a hard stop to it like some of the parents in this article. But my assessment of our risk suggests that it really isn't a necessary thing for us in most cases. What has kept us going is that I don't want to jump through the hoops to file for an exemption, find a new pediatrician or network of providers that are cool with it and can refer us to specialists when necessary who will also be cool with it, and other hassles. At this point, the actual getting sick part is not a huge consideration. I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I'll be honest about it.
The social pressure I'm sure is a big part of the point. But I do have to laugh at the suggestion that parents who want to opt out are all uneducated, lazy rubes. It is so, so, so much easier to just do what everyone else is doing and not stick your neck out. Again, I'm not saying there aren't people who mislead with poor data or capitalize on mistrust to make a quick buck. But uneducated and lazy doesn't describe any of the parents I know in real life who make this choice, even though I haven't also made it.
We started vaccinating for everything and then stopped due to health problems. I wish I were braver and smarter on the beginning and didnтАЩt do it at all. Fortunately, we live in a state that allows religious exemptions and it has been relatively easy to obtain these both in private (non-catholic) and public schools. Finding a pediatrician was more challenging, but I did find one (the only one in the area) that allows for parental choice. Unfortunately, pediatricians have a financial interest in getting a high percentage of children in their practice vaccinated (there are bonuses tied into it). There is a big incentive for everyone to dismiss any problems due to vaccination program. The specialists ask but do not give us any grief and donтАЩt lecture us, I think everyone leaves the vaccine enforcement to pediatricians.
To be quite honest, part of the reason my children are still vaccinated is because it's easier to do it than not, and I haven't encountered the sorts of situations that would immediately put a hard stop to it like some of the parents in this article. But my assessment of our risk suggests that it really isn't a necessary thing for us in most cases. What has kept us going is that I don't want to jump through the hoops to file for an exemption, find a new pediatrician or network of providers that are cool with it and can refer us to specialists when necessary who will also be cool with it, and other hassles. At this point, the actual getting sick part is not a huge consideration. I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I'll be honest about it.
The social pressure I'm sure is a big part of the point. But I do have to laugh at the suggestion that parents who want to opt out are all uneducated, lazy rubes. It is so, so, so much easier to just do what everyone else is doing and not stick your neck out. Again, I'm not saying there aren't people who mislead with poor data or capitalize on mistrust to make a quick buck. But uneducated and lazy doesn't describe any of the parents I know in real life who make this choice, even though I haven't also made it.
We started vaccinating for everything and then stopped due to health problems. I wish I were braver and smarter on the beginning and didnтАЩt do it at all. Fortunately, we live in a state that allows religious exemptions and it has been relatively easy to obtain these both in private (non-catholic) and public schools. Finding a pediatrician was more challenging, but I did find one (the only one in the area) that allows for parental choice. Unfortunately, pediatricians have a financial interest in getting a high percentage of children in their practice vaccinated (there are bonuses tied into it). There is a big incentive for everyone to dismiss any problems due to vaccination program. The specialists ask but do not give us any grief and donтАЩt lecture us, I think everyone leaves the vaccine enforcement to pediatricians.