I hate well child visits - Page 2

[peainthepod]

It's not illegal to not vaccinate your child. I understand wanting to CYA--I took my baby in for his newborn hearing test and exam when he was a week old. But we don't do WBVs now and we never will. I don't want to take him in that germy doctor's office anyway.

If you haven't already read them, Raising Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Jill Romm and How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor by Robert Mendelsohn, MD are great books to have on hand. There's often no need to see a pediatrician even when your child is ill, let alone when they're perfectly healthy.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by k9sarchik

I don't know where you are in Sacramento but I found this listing of Dr's in South Sacramento. https://members.kaiserpermanente.org...ialtysearch.do

Click continue after you hit the link.

Yes I have seen that listing. I've never seen a family physician on it.

We go to the Roseville facility as I am just outside of Sac.

[yarngoddess]

I have heard that the Kaiser doc's here (I'm in Placerville btw) are UBER pushy. They DO NOT take NO for an answer on ANYTHING that they think is 'right'. I would either 1)get your exemption form filled out and put in their chart-IN THE FRONT or write a letter stating that you UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will vax your child.

2) I would have a meeting with the doctor(s) of the practice and tell them that you feel that they are harrassing you based on your INFORMED decision to NOT vaccinate your child. I would also tell them that you will file a complaint if the harrasment does not stop.

Stand firm. Leave DH home. Is there some sort of Patient Advocate that you can contact and tell them that you are being harassed because of your decision to not vax? Kaiser opperates in it's own realm, but there are checks and balances that you can go through if you are a 'dissatisfyied' patient.

IF none of this works, and they continue to harass you I would start demanding a family doctor or an Osteopath. I KNOW that Kaiser allows FP and Ostieopaths' to see children- I have friends in that use them for their kids.

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this drama. I don't know that I would continue to go to WBV just because they are free. I also don't agree that WBV are going to provide you with any protection via CPS either.

For any mom's looking for a nice doc that does not hound over vax's and is foreskin friendly PLEASE call Dr. Garg I wish everyone could have a doc like her.

[kiara7]

It's not illegal not to vaccinate your child and it's not illegal not to take you healthy child to the doctor.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by kiara7

It's not illegal not to vaccinate your child and it's not illegal not to take you healthy child to the doctor.

I didn't mean to indicate that I thought either of those things were illegal. I know they are not.

There ARE, however, some areas that make it harder to get an exception, so that's what I meant when I used the word "legal" which I suppose was the wrong word to use. I guess "allowed" is a better word.

And about the doctor's visits, it is probably a debatable point, but it can be a red flag to some CPS workers if your child never sees the doctor. I was just being extra cautious.

[kiara7]

Got ya. California seems like a pretty laid back place for AP and non-vax families.

The whole CPS thing sometimes makes me wonder, but we don't do wbv - I don't want to bring my healthy ds into the doc's office to pick up some bugs, kwim?

It's stupid that we have to worry about not taking our healthy children to the doctor.

[applejuice]

I hated WBV as well, but there were times when having Dr. Paul M. Fleiss on my side worked to my advantage, especially in the ER and being accused of child abuse.

[rmzbm]

IMO, well visits are pointless. And I'd be more scared of CPS if I WENT to them. Pissed of Ped. more likely to call than anyone else...

[Juvysen]

We've partially vaxed (stopped when dd turned 12 months), and we've been getting not so subtle comments lately Bleh.

[curlyfry]

I haven't brought dd in over a year and called the office the other day to schedule a "WBV". They were like, "have you been bringing her somewhere else in the meantime?" I guess they were shocked that she hasn't gotten sick in over a year...

Anyway, just do what makes you comfortable. If you go because you like to have a record there's nothing wrong with that. Just stand your ground! And leave dh home if he's wavering.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by applejuice

I hated WBV as well, but there were times when having Dr. Paul M. Fleiss on my side worked to my advantage, especially in the ER and being accused of child abuse.

And if I could have a Fleiss or a Gordon or a Sears I might bother...

-Angela

[dnr3301]

I think more people get harassed when they act like there is room for conversion. Just stare at the docs and don't let them sway you, if you feel secure in your decisions. It's not a bad thing to listen to what they say and have questions, but just because they suggest something doesn't mean you have to do it.

But to avoid well child check for this is kinda silly. I do well child checks (and don't vax, either, so it's not about that) for a number of reasons: 1) so I have an established relationship with a doctor (I can never be accused of neglecting my kids' medical needs); 2) I have an established relationship with a doctor, myself, she trusts my judgment as far as when I call and say there is something wrong with my kid, she trusts me that I know what I'm talking about; 3) I was glad I had done them when my (then)17mo had a stroke and we were in and out of the hospital, doing millions of tests and procedures trying to first diagnose it and then treat it, then figure out why it happened; 3) when my kids are sick, she trusts me enough to listen to me on the phone and we decide together if I need to bring the kids in (did for mystery rash that turned out to be an allergy, didn't for mystery rash that turned out to be chicken pox, did for mystery rash that turned out to scarlet fever, didn't for infected ingrown toenail, that kind of stuff).

I also have a friend who had her doc catch a wilm's tumor (a kidney cancer in children) at a routine 6m check up. They removed his kidney the next week, and the oncologists said they caught it early, and even said they were surprised the doctor caught it since it was so small it wasn't causing any symptoms yet.

I think the potential good outweighs the discomfort we might feel at having to justify not vaxxing.

[readytobedone]

when mine bugs me to vax, i just argue with him. like i tell him that the pertussis vaccine doesn't really prevent transmission anyhow. and he looks at me like this



it's hard, mama. those WBVs can be hard. but what's even harder IMO is when she's sick and we have to go in and hear the passive-aggressive implications about how getting vaxed is a good idea because you never know when an ear infection MIGHT be meningitis.

and this is one of the crunchiest docs in town.

but still, for me, countering what he says works--because it reminds me i KNOW things and that i'm not just doing this on a whim. for example, he told me that being in daycare increases her risk of contracting a VPD a THOUSAND fold and that ALL the other patients in his practice who don't vax (and 20% don't!) are SAHMs

i don't believe that for a second! so i told him so. i said, "i don't believe all your other patients are SAHMs. and even if they are, their kids have to go to stores and things, so i don't really see your point."

anyway, just keep that faith. ignore him, or say "we're firm on this decision," or shoot down what he says--do what works for you. but do not vax unless YOU decide you want to OUTSIDE of the doc's office!!!!!

[melissabb]

Originally Posted by readytobedone

, he told me that being in daycare increases her risk of contracting a VPD a THOUSAND fold and that ALL the other patients in his practice who don't vax (and 20% don't!) are SAHMs

Okay, then doc...why are "we" vaxing at all then??? If the vax is so effective and all the "other kids" in daycare are vaxed then my child shouldn't have any chance at all of getting a VPD, right!? Because Lord knows that vaccines eradicate every and all chance of contracting disease. Hmmmm...must be that damned 20% out there wandering the aisles of Wal-mart spreading their disease germs all around. :

Sigh...when will they learn???

[mommyto3girls]

Something to remember for some of you, depending on your state, chiropractors may be considered "port of entry" physicians, meaning that they can act as a PCP just like a MD or DO, they just can't prescribe meds. Depending on your state, your chiropractor can do Well Child Checks to give you the paper trail you may need to show you are keeping up with medical care. My husband keeps vaccine exemption forms in our office (can not do a medical exemption *unless the parent tells him the child or a sibling had an adverse reaction) but we made up a great philosophical/religious exemption form that quotes the Ohio revised code and looks very official. He fills out/signs the school physical forms for patients and then gives them the exemption form to staple to it. He does not sign the exemption (to protect us legally) but having the two together gives the impression of it being "dr approved"

However, the scope of care for chiropractors varies widely by state (in some states they can perform minor surgery, in others they can only do adjustments, and most are somewhere in between)

[applejuice]

That is true.

For me, my DC father wrote up all of our physicals all through school through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. But be ready for a fight. Many schools do not know or recognize this and will demand that you go to a "real doctor", because that is the way others see it. I came home from school, a private, Catholic, grammar school with a note that stated that I needed to see a "real", medical doctor, and my mother had to send them the law that stated that my father, the DC, was legally able to do primary care as a school physical.

I ran into trouble looking for work and using my DC as a primary care doctor. I had the nurse and doctor taking turns insulting me and demanding that a see a doctor that was able to do surgery. MMMM. What did this guy have in mind. I refused and did was not hired, obviously.

[JesiLynne]

I don't do WBV. Period. If my kid is gaining weight, eating right, etc........ there is not reason to take him to see a dr. just for the dr. to tell me he is fine. I don't vax at all for anything. If there is something majorly wrong with my kid, then yes, I will take him to the dr. for an exam.

I wouldn't worry about CPS too much.

We wonder why health care is so $$$$$

[becca_howell]

I'm dreading DD's WBV next month. The only reason we're going in is to get our WIC forms filled out. I know exactly how much DD weighs, she's not getting any shots, and she's right on developmentally. Our ped seems to have a "whatever" attitude as far as vaccines go, so we'll have to see (first WBV with this ped).

[mommyto3girls]

Originally Posted by JesiLynne

I

We wonder why health care is so $$$$$

Yep, thats why we see our patients for a flat $30 fee. Dh decides the treatment needed: adjustments, laser, ultrasound, electro stim and the patient doesn't have to pick and choose what they can afford. What he decides is medically necessary is what they get and they know the price up front, thats the way it should be.

Luckily for us, in Ohio, the School physical forsm actually state now please have signed by a MD, DO, DC, or CNP so no issues here

[yarngoddess]

Originally Posted by becca_howell

I'm dreading DD's WBV next month. The only reason we're going in is to get our WIC forms filled out. I know exactly how much DD weighs, she's not getting any shots, and she's right on developmentally. Our ped seems to have a "whatever" attitude as far as vaccines go, so we'll have to see (first WBV with this ped).

Little OT-
Ummm You DON'T have to see a doc to get your wic. You do know this? I also don't do their lead/blood work either. I told the WIC worker that I don't vaccinate and that we don't do shots/needles unless it's life threatening. They just cross off the "doc" form part of the paper work and weigh and measure my kids in office. The people at WIC may not like it- but it's federal law that states that you are NOT required to vaccinate to recieve benefits! If they do try to pressure you to take DD to the doc's office or for shots or for the anemia or lead testing tell them that you are religiously opposed to such treatment and are not willing to discuss it.