vax status and developmental ped.--wwyd?

[beachbaby]

DD has an appointment with a children's hopsital (KKI in Baltimore)  for an autism eval and dev. ped. appt. next week. On the intake forms, they ask "Is your child up to date on his/her immunizations?" and to provide vaccination records. As a non-vaxer, would you just check "no" and leave it at that? There is no form for signing with the religious exemption.

TIA!

[HealthHomeHappy]

I usually write over it N/A and then I say we don't vaccinate if they ask me about it. I usually change the subject pretty quickly after I've 'listened' to what they have to say.  Nobody has given me any issues as long as I assure them that I'll look into it again just to make sure.

[Emmeline II]

I think I just checked "no". If questioned, I'd say that we have decided that it is his best interest not to vaccinate and his pediatrician supports our decision.

[anj_rn]

I just check no.  If they ask me if my DD is UTD on her vaxes, I just say no.  If they ask further, I will tell them we are on a delayed schedule and get all our vaxes at our pediatrician's office.  If they really care I will tell them what she is missing and explain our schedule.  The only doc I have ever had that asked me about our scedule was pulmonology.  She said since DD has a trach she would prefer she get the vaxes for the pulm. dz, and even told me what order she recommended, based on what she treats as active dz in the hosp.  She really did not care if we got anything not resp. related.

None of our other specialists cared.  Most don;t even ask other than on the form.

[elmh23]

I just write no and leave it at that.  If the doctor asks, I explain what they've had (we delay vax) and leave it at that.  I've never had anyone ask further.

[2boyzmama]

Yep, I just check no.  Often it isn't even mentioned.  Once in a while a specialist might ask about a particular vaccine (like the example above, our Pulmonologist focusses on vaxes available for respiratory diseases, but he doesn't push it at all, I've actually gotten some really good information from him about vaccines, he has a PhD in Microbiology in addition to being an MD, and his knowledge of immunology in general is impressive)  The Dev Peds that we've seen have not cared about vax status, it's just a check box.  Some drs might be more interested in vax status if you suspect spectrum issues or allergies, as there is a potential correlation.  So a simple "no, he/she's not up to date, we're working with our Ped" usually suffices.  

[beachbaby]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to just check 'no' and leave it at that. If questioned, I'll answer from there. :)

[Lisa1970]

If they only ask if child is up to date, I just say yes. This is because the schedules are different in different countries, states, and even counties. The term up-to-date only means has had all planned really. Now if they ask if your child has specifically had XYZ and your child has not, then you would say no. 

[anj_rn]

Originally Posted by Lisa1970 

If they only ask if child is up to date, I just say yes. This is because the schedules are different in different countries, states, and even counties. The term up-to-date only means has had all planned really. Now if they ask if your child has specifically had XYZ and your child has not, then you would say no. 

In the US (where OP is) the CDC sets the recommended vax schedule for the nation (although there are ranges for various admin times for some of the vaxes),  The question "Are you up to date?" is referring to the schedule, not the individual parent's plan.  IMO, saying yes, when you know your child has not had the recommended vaxes, is intentionally deceiving the health care provider.  That is something I do have a problem with.  If I know a parent has lied to me about their child's history, it is hard to trust anything they say.  If you do not want to vax that is fine, but do not tell me you have.  Esp since it could change the teams mind based on diagnosis & treatment (I have seen this happen with Mumps).  It could also potentially ruin the relationship with the provider.

[blessedwithboys]

There wouldn't be a spot on a medical form to check "religious exemption".  Exemptions are related to school entry only.  If exemptions were relevant to doctors, we wouldn't all be reading posts about people being forced out of practices for not vaxing.  :)

[AnalogWife]

Our dev pedi asked and I felt a little shaky but just explained that I had "read some things."  Autism was near the bottom of my list of concerns but I didn't get into it and it was dropped until I was getting the dx next to my DH, she gave me a bit of a hairy eyeball about there being no evidence of a vax/ASD connection.  "Pppbbbbft.  Whatever," I thought, and that was it.

[KimPM]

We went to the same KKI facility - I wrote "no" on the form, or maybe I left it blank, I can't recall.  During our day-long visit, we talked with a nurse (the male nurse there) and he asked if he's had any vaxes.  I said no and he only asked why.  My answer was "religious reasons".  I think he just made a note in the computer records.  The topic was left alone after that.  None of the other people we saw mentioned anything about vaxes...not the dev ped, not the SLP.  But they all had access to the information typed into the computer by the nurse.