Totally Shocked - naturopath pushed vaccines on me!

[chinupchamp]

Just thought I would share something I thought was pretty strange...

My family and I are heading to Mexico to live for about 18 months (San Miguel de Allende to be exact) and I was telling my naturopath about the trip.

She pipes up: "I can help you with some anti-parasitic stuff so you don't feel the effects of parasites so severely. So, you'll have to start looking into the vaccines you'll need for the time you are away, right?"

I stared at her and told her that my DD is totally unvaxed at 2.5. My DH is not up to date either. I asked if there is something she can do for me, make some recommendations about not vaxing in Mexico etc.

Nope. She starts on about yellow fever vaxes, "you absolutely need tetanus" and measles etc. She says that I should ask my doctor about splitting them up for me, and when I said I was a little concerned about the heavy metals, it didn't even register! She actually said that it's better to vax or risk illness in my LO.

Needless to say, I was totally shocked. Maybe I was a little gullible about how naturopaths felt about vaxing.

Anyway, just thought I would share.
Happy weekend everyone!
Lisa in Alberta

[jessafina]

Definitely surprising. Maybe she hasn't traveled much and Mexico really worried her for some reason? Even then... seems really odd. But I suppose that just as there are MDs who surprise us by not being pro-vax there is the occasional naturopath who is.

[MyBoysBlue]

Wow she needs to check her info. Yellow fever vaccine isn't even recommended for Mexico. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/i...ng.php#concern

Yah. Not someone to be taking advice from.

[yarngoddess]

I think people often hear "travel outside the us" and their brain's freeze. That is one of those things that are drilled into our heads- how VPD's are transfered "my aunt's sister came over from mexico and now baby has VPD" I hope you send her some info to educate them about how to approach these life situations a bit better. I would much rather have a doc say "You know, I don't know! Give me a few minutes and let me look that up!" yet they just continue to spew old, worthless info out over and over and over.

[linchi]

I chose a Dr because she was in addition to being a family doctor a Homeopathic and Acupuncturist. Unfortunately she pushed vaccines VERY strongly for my newborn. She said she could give homeopathic remedies which would help, but that the vaccines were almost all 'mandatory'. This shocked me, although we are in France and I think not many people question vaccines / meds here.

[nia82]

I'm sorry for your experience! Not all NDs are what you'd expect... Same with pediatricians, some are more no-vax friendly than one would assume...

As for Mexico... Well Tetanus is the same risk everywhere, so why would she advertise that? You should google measles stats for Mexico but I bet kids are more heavily vaccinated there than in the US thanks to foundations and WHO protocols. I know that Hep A is more prevalent but I'd never vax for that either. Just simple precautions will do (don't eat raw fish stuff and such).

@ linchi: I was under the impression France is a mandatory country and allows no exemptions whatsoever, just like Slovakia? I'm from Germany we have no vaccine mandates, but I remember in High School some kids would do an exchange year in France and they had to get up to date and get Hep B shots too (late 1990ies). Just wondering...

[chinupchamp]

I have been searching some of the past posts in this forum about vaxing for travel to mexico specifically, which is why I knew she was way off base when she started on about yellow fever and higher instances of measles etc.

And yes, PP, you are correct. The stats show that mexico has a very high compliance rate when it comes to vaccinations - I thought I had bookmarked the pages I got that info from but I can't find it now, as usual!

At any rate, I am still looking for that magical leprechaun that is said to exist in my province - the pro-delayed, selective and anti-vax doctor.

[cravenab00]

yea, it seems some naturopaths are no better than MDs when it comes to vaxiing.

many naturopaths even do circs

[zinemama]

It is possible to take a holistic approach to medicine, as a naturopath does, and still believe in the efficacy of vaccines.

[ammiga]

Originally Posted by zinemama

It is possible to take a holistic approach to medicine, as a naturopath does, and still believe in the efficacy of vaccines.

There is more to naturopathy than a holistic approach to medicine. It tends to minimize medicine and focus more on the body's natural ability to heal itself. The focus is more on body, lifestyle, and diet than alopathic medicines.

Of course, there is a range of belief systems across all areas of medicine. But, it is a bit surprising to have a naturopath push vaccines... especially the ones that were pushed. And the lack of mention of any natural ways to avoid the diseases in the first place or natural ways to treat any illnesses isn't quite in line with most naturopaths.

[milkybean]

We've had a very hard time finding a naturopath that behaves the way we want an ND to behave.

But I will say, the one we took DS to for his first year was great about it. Said clearly to me...."I have this form to fill out, I have to ask about vaccines. All I care about is "yes" or "no", and then once I've checked the box matching what you say, we'll move along".

And she did actually bring in a few vaccines towards the end of our year there, because she was losing patients who wanted them and went elsewhere when she couldn't provide them. I felt that was a bummer, because it wasn't her philosophy, but that's the decision she made...


Anyway, I really empathize with you.

[Mama Khi]

I know someone who ended up getting all the recommended newborn vaxes for her baby because their naturopah said that those diseases were really deadly for babies. I was surprised but I guess it is really not that uncommon.