In Erie, Pa and want to delay.stop (?) vac's

[acquiescer]

Hi! I’m new to the boards and hope this isn’t a double post, comp seems to have eaten my last attempted post. I’ve seen some great advice given so hopefully I’ll be able to clear my head and start this process. Thanks to the net, I have a ton of info at my feet but, I’m more confused than anything right now.
Some background on my family:
-I have two sons with my fiance. They’re ages 4 and 2, fiance is English and currently lives there
-After his 18 month shots, my 2 year old started showing signs of speech and social delays
-Moved to the UK again, no improvement. Spoke to other families and researched. We thought he might be autistic.
-Came back to the States, Dr. referred us to Early Intervention. We are currently on Medical Assistance.
-Early Intervention saw no “red flags” for Autism, but DS has the speech skills of a 9-12 month old @ 25 months, and needs help improving eye contact and responding to name being called, commands (“no”, “please come here” “stop” etc). He’s now been in speech therapy for 2 weeks.
-Even before E.I. he’s been showing a lot of improvement trying to communicate to us and interact. It’s like he’s been in a fog and just broke through

So after a ton of research me and their dad want to delay and/or stop vac’s altogether and see what happens (developmentally and healthwise- our oldest has asthma and constant colds). We figured out PA only has a religious exemption. We aren’t affiliated with any religion, we don’t go to church or anything like that, we celebrate G-d in our own ways.
So for anyone whose gone through this (and theres lots in the forum and all over the net, I’m just worried my circumstances are a little different.)

1. Do I have to be affiliated with a religion? Who do I take this exemption to? Do they ask a lot of questions? I’ve heard they are becoming harder and harder to come by…And how long does it take to go into effect (it’s flu shot season and I’m dodging the questions at the Dr’s)?

2. Has anyone been on State Medical Assistance and gone through this? Are the Dr’s allowed to deny seeing your child even with an exemption? My oldest needs his inhalers and nebulizer, and they aren’t cheap. I thought when I applied, the caseworker said something about service being withheld if we didn’t keep up with the vac schedule. And are there any delayed vac. Friendly Dr’s in PA? No luck with the Dr. Sears site.

3. School. My oldest is in preschool and I’m afraid they’ll kick him out or treat him differently. What are school officials allowed to do and not allowed to do?

Thanks in advance for answering questions that have probably been asked a million times before. We just want to do what we believe's best for our babies but we aren’t rich and I don’t want to put them at a bigger disadvantage

[Mommymama]

Hi and welcome to MDC!

Here's the NVIC info on exemption in PA:

http://www.nvic.org/state-site/Pennsylvania.htm

Quick Fact:
Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.

Other Resources:

State of Pennsylvania: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/
State of Pennsylvania Immunization Program: http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/
health/cwp/
browse.asp?A=178&BMDRN=2000&BCO
B=0&C=38875

State of Pennsylvania Immunization Requirements for Child Care:
http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/
health/cwp/view.asp?A=178&Q=242063

State of Pennsylvania Immunization Requirements for School:
http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/
health/cwp/view.asp?a=178&q=242070

[kiara7]

You do not have to belong to any church or religious organization and no one has the right to question your beliefs (except for NY I think )

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by acquiescer

1. Do I have to be affiliated with a religion? Who do I take this exemption to? Do they ask a lot of questions? I’ve heard they are becoming harder and harder to come by…And how long does it take to go into effect (it’s flu shot season and I’m dodging the questions at the Dr’s)?

Here is PA vax exemption law: http://www.nvic.org/state-site/Pennsylvania.htm

Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.

You do not have to be affiliated with a religion. You do not need one for the Dr (though it may be helpful to give them one). Just say, "We are religiously opposed to the practice of vaccination" and if necessary "are you discriminating against us due to our religious beliefs?"

2. Has anyone been on State Medical Assistance and gone through this? Are the Dr’s allowed to deny seeing your child even with an exemption? My oldest needs his inhalers and nebulizer, and they aren’t cheap. I thought when I applied, the caseworker said something about service being withheld if we didn’t keep up with the vac schedule. And are there any delayed vac. Friendly Dr’s in PA? No luck with the Dr. Sears site.

Yes, a Dr can refuse to see you. They (the State) cannot withhold services from a parent who knowledgeably does not vaccinate (as opposed to being "lazy"). You can go to the PA tribe board and look for a Dr there. I would give them a religious exemption letter if necessary.

3. School. My oldest is in preschool and I’m afraid they’ll kick him out or treat him differently. What are school officials allowed to do and not allowed to do?

There are no vaccine requirements for preschool in PA specifically. I would not bring it up...ever. If they did I would give them a notarized religious exemption letter.



Sample Religious Exemption Letter

Quote:
To whom it may concern;



(We / I) {First and Last name(s)}, as the {(parent (s) / guardian(s)} of ______________________(name of newborn child) are exercising (our/my) rights under the US Constitution, PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, ARTICLE 21. CONTROL OF ACUTE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES,TITLE VI. POLIOMYELITIS AND OTHER DISEASES, NY CLS Pub Health § 2164 (2002), to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination, ALL injections, prophylaxis, & testing due to our genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practices herein required.

The U.S. Supreme Court held in Frazee V. Illinois Dept. of Security, 489 U.S. 829, that a religious belief is subject to protection even though no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not advocate or require such belief. This ruling is also reflected in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Nov. 1, 1980; Part 1605.1-Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion.


Sincerely,

Your signature.
Date

[Gitti]

I thought I had read that the older child is in school. I missed that she is in pre-school.

And I was not aware that there is no vaccine mandate for pre-school im Pa.

Good to know.

[acquiescer]

: Thank you all for the replies, I didn't realize there wasn't a vaccine mandate for pre-school either. They asked for the records so I assumed there was lol.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by Gitti

I thought I had read that the older child is in school. I missed that she is in pre-school.

And I was not aware that there is no vaccine mandate for pre-school im Pa.

Good to know.

I decided to check the law since this thread popped back up. Though the "public school code of 1949" applies to only Kindergarten and up, there is another section for "children in group care settings". In some state's laws it is clear that this includes pre-school children, though in PA's law it does n't seem to include pre-school children.


TITLE 28. HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 27. COMMUNICABLE AND NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES
SUBCHAPTER C. QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN CHILDREN AND STAFF ATTENDING SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE
GROUP SETTINGS
28 Pa. Code. § 27.77 (2007)
§ 27.77. Immunization requirements for children in child care group settings.

[newmum35]

I'm sorry I'm not helping, but had a question of my own... I'm also in PA - good to know about the preschool, I had been wondering about it myself. Just out of curiosity which shots did he have at 18th months? I am selectively/delaying vax and just curious about that (mine has a 15 mo. appt coming up soon)

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by newmum35

I'm sorry I'm not helping, but had a question of my own... I'm also in PA - good to know about the preschool, I had been wondering about it myself. Just out of curiosity which shots did he have at 18th months? I am selectively/delaying vax and just curious about that (mine has a 15 mo. appt coming up soon)

At 18 mo. they generally give the MMR plus now the Chicken pox vax. So it is now called the MMRV.

That is 4 viruses all at once.

Don't do it. Research first. We gave that one last vaccine and our grandson has a severe reaction. We stopped right after that and just never went back to another Pedi at all.

Edited to say, I think they upped the schedule and do those at 15 mo. already now.