No-Vax friendly pediatrician in Chicago?

[WindyCityMom]

I'm in Chicago, doesn't matter if I have to travel north or south, or to close suburbs. Does anyone know of a No-Vax friendly pedi in the area? We're using the religious exemption, but I don't know if that matters. DD has not been to her pedi in a while (we were selective vaxing but told the pedi we were "delaying" the rest.. we just never went back). We're however looking for a pedi for our new DD and our current DD.

TIA!

EDITED TO ADD: Both DDs are/will be on Illinois Medicaid.

[WindyCityMom]

Just came on to add that I got DD in to see Mariela Cano at Ravenswood (IL Masonic). DD already sees her pedi there (whom I've had horrible problems with as far as delaying even varicella for her, she just gives you that "glare" and asks 10,000 times about why not and why would I want to risk this and that and this and.. yeah). So I'm pretty happy with all of this I'll let you all know how it goes, it is in mid november.

[lillacfaerie]

Love Dr. Minkus in Skokie, or Lincolnwood. He's Pro Breastfeeding, Cosleeping, Homebirth, and is fine with not vaxing. LOVE HIM!

[WindyCityMom]

Thanks He doesn't take medicaid though

[Natsuki]

It will be very difficult to find a ped who takes medicaid who is also non-vax friendly I'm afraid .

Is paying out of pocket for visits an option for you?

[WindyCityMom]

Natsuki- Paying out of pocket IS an option if this doc doesn't work out for us.

Not Vaxing means not going for all of the "well-baby" visits. I do take DD in for growth/weight checks periodically, but when I do that I take her to an immediate care center anyways so we're in and out and they don't care for anyone else's records. And it's cheap.

DD did have some issues around 6 months which I believe were vaccine related, she had sudden onset hydrocephalus that miraculously cleared up after time and no vaxes. She was at Children's for that, no one confirmed it was vax related just that it was very "mysterious". Being 17 years old at the time, they were almost accusing me of hurting her. Anywho, that's another story

SO.. I don't mind paying OOP if this doctor doesn't work out. We're still covered under Medicaid, and they haven't said anything to us when we've not done wellbaby checks before. Or are the well-checks gov't mandated? Either way, if I've got an exemption letter, and she's not sick, there's not much they can do to force me to take her to the doctor, KWIM?

[tracymom1]

I just wanted to second Dr. Minkus. He is wonderful - supports extended breastfeeding, home birth, trying alternatives before giving meds, and supports a parent's decision not to vax. He is very gentle and loving. I would never bring my kids elsewhere!!

[WindyCityMom]

I wonder if he'd even take a patient who was self pay. hmm.

[*Eva*]

We see Dr. Casaclang at Advocate Blackhawk and Halsted. While he is not supportive of non vaxing he doesn't really give me any problem about it besides asking me if I have any questions about it that I would like to discuss with him. Aside from that though he's super nice and both of my kids really like him. Oh and we've also never taken our now 17 month old in for a WBV and he's never said a word about it. He's also not pushy about giving antibiotics and is more than willing to go over any concerns you may have with the course of treatment he would like to give with your child's illness. One other thing is he's a Family Practice doctor, not a pediatrician so that may be why he is so lax about the vaccines too.

[WindyCityMom]

Awesome DD has never had antibiotics and her old doctors have basically thrown perscriptions in my face. I just told them, "I won't be filling these". I nearly did the one time a resident gave her an ear infection by digging in her ear for 15 minutes.. this was at a different hospital.

Anyways, ANOTHER QUESTION!! Or a few..
When I tell them I don't want to vax, do I let them know the real reason, exactly why (which are personal beliefs) or do I tell them that it is for religious reasons, which we will need to use for school? Just wondering I've also got DD on medicaid and I know they have some sort of vaccine program going on, but.. well could someone help explain all of this? please and thank you!

[SuburbanHippie]

There is also Homefirst (Dr Eisenstein). They are vax friendly for sure. They have 3 offices in the suburbs. I don't think they take Medicaid, but I'm sure they accept cash. I actually thought about traveling down there to see them (and it's 90 minutes south on a good traffic day for me).

[WindyCityMom]

Thanks i'll keep them in mind as well.

[Carson]

Eva - Casaclang has been our family medicine doc for a couple of years and we do really like him. He is wonderful about not overprescribing meds. Have to give him tons of credit for that.

I think my only concern is waiting in the office there - we've both experienced very long wait times. How has your experience been with that? And you said he's not supportive of non vaxing - are you doing any? We'll probably be on a selective & delayed schedule.

I'd like to hear more about using Casaclang as a ped, you can PM me or post here if you think of anything. TIA!

[ihathi]

Windy City Mama, I'm seeing you all over MDC today!!!For the last four years, we've been with Mariela Cano *and* Dr. Minkus.* I really adore both of them, though when you're on Medicaid, Cano is obviously preferible.*
When we've gone to Minkus (i.e., when DS2 was a newborn), we've paid out of pocket.* Your form of payment doesn't matter to them.* Just be forewarned--it's really *expensive*!!!* Also, it doesn't matter what reason you give for not vaxing to the pediatrician.* The religious exemption thing is only relevant to a school, institution, etc.* We were very honest in conversations about not vaxing/selectively vaxing with Cano and Minkus.* What I love about both of them is that there was no judgment in their responses.Good luck to you!

[WindyCityMom]

ihathi- thanks Yep, loving this site, haha. I've been researching things online for other matters, and am constantly poking in! Anyhow.. thank you very much for the response about talking to the doctor about not vaxing. Like I said, DDs old pediatrician was just plain rude and would bug her eyes out at me and ask me repeatedly, and at EVERY visit, why, explain myself, why would I want to potentially harm my child (to which I replied, "EXACTLY!"), etc. The last visit DD had with her, I was very firm and told her that we had explained ourselvs already, and that she neednt ask again.

I will post back in November when DD has her appointment

[*Eva*]

Originally Posted by Carson

Eva - Casaclang has been our family medicine doc for a couple of years and we do really like him. He is wonderful about not overprescribing meds. Have to give him tons of credit for that.

I think my only concern is waiting in the office there - we've both experienced very long wait times. How has your experience been with that? And you said he's not supportive of non vaxing - are you doing any? We'll probably be on a selective & delayed schedule.

I'd like to hear more about using Casaclang as a ped, you can PM me or post here if you think of anything. TIA!

We are not doing any vaccines, our oldest did have up to 12 months and our youngest has not had any at all. As far as I can tell he would be fine with doing a selective/delayed schedule. We've been seeing him for 3 years now and only twice has the vaccine talk come up, once b/c we had to get Van's school physical done and then again when we brought Ian in for his 2 month WBV. Both times he was very nice about it and did not pressure us that much about getting the shots. His nurse cracked me up though, when I told her we weren't getting shots done on my oldest she goes "Oh thank god, I really didn't want to get kicked again today." In regards to the wait times, yeah its usually a long time but I'm willing to put up with it since I'm always able to get a same day appt and he's not a crazy drug pusher lol.

[Carson]

Eva, thanks for your response. The wait times give me pause, but as DH will be the one going mostly, I will see what he thinks. One more, LOL. See it's just easier talking to you than 'interviewing' him.

How is he with circ/no-circ?

[*Eva*]

Originally Posted by Carson

Eva, thanks for your response. The wait times give me pause, but as DH will be the one going mostly, I will see what he thinks. One more, LOL. See it's just easier talking to you than 'interviewing' him.

How is he with circ/no-circ?

Neither one of my guys is circed and he's never tried to retract either of them. From what I remember I think he just moved Ian's foreskin slightly just to make sure that everything was aligned correctly but he by no means tried to retract him. Oh and as far as I can tell he's breastfeeding friendly too. We've never had a huge conversation about it but he knows Ian is bf and has never said anything bad about it lol.

[lucifugous]

Originally Posted by WindyCityMom

Just came on to add that I got DD in to see Mariela Cano at Ravenswood (IL Masonic). DD already sees her pedi there (whom I've had horrible problems with as far as delaying even varicella for her, she just gives you that "glare" and asks 10,000 times about why not and why would I want to risk this and that and this and.. yeah). So I'm pretty happy with all of this I'll let you all know how it goes, it is in mid november.

Dr. Cano won't give you trouble for not vaxing. She might recommend HIB & pc but she will not pressure you because as she knows, it is your right to choose.

[WindyCityMom]

lucifugous- thanks Do you see Dr. Cano? Anything else you could tell me about her?

ETA: in that post, I meant just plain ol' not vaxing against varicella- not delaying it.