informed consent
H1N1: What to do to keep our disabled children safe and healthy?
I try not to use rubysoup as an outlet for just my vaccine beliefs, but H1N1 has been pushed to the forefront of our lives and, ironically, for those of us raising children with disabilities it is of even higher priority. Our children have been identified as a high-risk group for H1N1 and, yet, this is not news to us. In fact, our children are a high-risk group for most viral infections, including the seasonal flu. The underlying medical conditions that most of our children face simply make them more susceptible to catching infection and to having a harder time healing once they have fallen ill. This is not the first, nor will it be the last, winter that we will be super vigilant in keeping Quincy healthy…it’s just part of what we do.
With H1N1 it’s very difficult to know how to separate the hype and hyperbole from the truth. It really doesn’t feel like anyone is being terribly truthful. The CDC clearly has an agenda, which is to achieve herd immunity to H1N1 at whatever cost necessary. The public seems unwilling to have their individual health, or the health of their children, sacrificed to achieve herd immunity…many of us want our individual health to be the priority. The media is using this as a political tool, using this singular topic to either support or rail against our current Administration. It’s interesting and frustrating to watch it all play out, particularly for someone who has spent years working on the issue of vaccine safety in an environment where few really cared. Suddenly, everyone cares, everyone is an expert and everyone has an opinion.
But the ultimate question remains: what to do? I try my best to educate people. You should know if you are a high risk group. You should know that being overweight, having underlying medical conditions or being pregnant makes you high risk. You should read the package insert on any drug or medication you are taking, including vaccines, so you understand the risks. You should see a doctor immediately if you are sick…anti-virals have shown to be somewhat effective. You should practice healthy habits, take your vitamins and exercise. You should consult with a doctor or health care provider that will respect your concerns and decisions and is committed to keeping you healthy.
Recently the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested to their membership that if pediatricians have parents who refused to vaccinate their children they should “fire” them as patients. This is an divisive, ugly, polarizing issue. You absolutely will face criticism for whatever decision you make. You should not be afraid. You should not be bullied into doing something you aren’t comfortable doing. I hope we all get through this winter in good health and if you do get sick, I wish you a speedy recovery. I hope that the winter of 2009-10 goes down in history as nothing more than a huge lesson learned about all the facets of immunization and immunization policy, about individual rights, and about informed consent.
The TRUTH, not fear, about required school immunizations
I know I haven’t written in over a week and I probably shouldn’t come out with an entry that is a little cranky, but as we gear up for the start of school I find myself increasingly annoyed with the volume of ads being generated by our state health department and local school districts about whether or not your child will be allowed to attend school next week if they do not have their (chickenpox) vaccine. That is simply untrue. What bugs me the most is that no one seems to think it important to tell parents they do have the option of filing a religious or medical exemption for chickenpox or any other vaccine. You can request this paperwork from your school nurse or your local health agency or you can find it online at in the Alaska School and Child Care Facility Immunization Manual in Appendix C. I must admit that it took me a while to find these forms on the State’s website…they seem to have them buried.
I understand the push to have children vaccinated, although I will never understand the pressure to vaccinate against diseases that are treatable. To me that is vaccinating for the sake of convenience and not public health. I am sure there are those who disagree and I understand their position…I just don’t think they are right. I believe that parents should have access to all available information in order to make informed decisions about their children’s health. That means ads should not be running that tell parents that their children will be barred from school next week if they do not have their shots. That is nothing more than a cheap scare tactic and it is insulting.
I hope all of my readers will make informed decisions about vaccines and their children’s healthcare. I do not expect everyone to agree with the choices that I make. My intention is only to provide additional important information on this topic. What I would hate is for one single parent in Alaska or anywhere to race out and get shots for their children because they are afraid. Shame on federal, state and local officials who subscribe to the risk communication strategy of fear!! And, it makes you wonder why such a hardline approach? Maybe they are afraid of informed parents asking tough questions about the efficacy and safety of all these vaccines they are pushing on our children. I say, keep asking questions, demanding answers and making federal and state health officials uncomfortable. After all, we are the ones who will have to live with the consequences of our decisions, not them.
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National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC)
