catch up schedule??

[strikeabalance]

hi! i used to post here a long time ago. so long ago in fact that i can't remember my old user name and password :-(

anyway! i have to just talk this out with some like minded people because i'm torn on what to do. 

i have some major transitioning going on in my life right now. i have several children that will start back at public school this year after being homeschooled.  this is not MY decision, but my stbxh's demand via our legal stuff.  he asked via email last night if they were going to be vaccinated up to date to enroll in school. 

i hadn't planned on it. i was going to just keep the religious exemption. 

the catch up schedule for my kids' ages isn't horrible. and the minimum requirements for my state aren't either. but,  there are still some that i don't feel are necessary at all. i don't think i can pick the ones i want and leave the ones i don't. i don't think i can do a half religious exemption, LOL!! 

basically, the minimum is dtap, hep b, mmr, polio, chicken pox. i am against hep b, there is no need for it at their ages.  there is no real threat for dtap because they are all too old.  i would be willing to do mmr, polio and chicken pox ( only because we cannot find ANYONE that has it!  we thought we did and were soooo excited, but turns out it was just a rash :-()

sooooooo i guess what i am wondering is, do i just keep with the religious exemption until he makes a legal stink?  or do it say "ok." because i can space them out. i MIGHT be able to say no to at least hep b.  some of them they only need like ONE shot, not 3-4.   i always said that i would revisit the schedule when the kids hit 7 IF they were public school........

if you have an opinion at all, please feel free to share it :-)

thx!

[Turquesa]

Do you mind sharing what state you live in?  I've heard (though I'm not positive) that in states like NY, you need to do all or nothing.  If you do just some, schools won't accept your religious exemption.

What does your state law say?   

[strikeabalance]

i'm in va. i hadn't even thought to look at the laws. i kinda figured it would be all or none with regards to the religious exemption...... i'm tempted to ask our care provider if she'd help me out with a medical one...... we'll see.

[Turquesa]

http://www.nvic.org/Vaccine-Laws/state-vaccine-requirements/virginia.aspx

If you definitely want some of the vaxes but not all, I have heard of people going over state lines to get them and then claiming religious exemptions.  It can get tricky with all of the government vaccine tracking, however.  Make sure that you're not in the Virginia Immunization Information System: 

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/immunization/viis/viisabout.htm

For a medical exemption, I've heard of people going to chiropractors or naturopathic doctors, but it all depends on how your state defines "physician."  It may also be hard for the provider to make a case for why the vaxes you don't want are medically bad for your children and the vaxes you do want aren't. 

It's a really sad place for us selective vaxers to be in.    If I were forced to choose between all or nothing, I'd choose nothing.  If states care about public health as much as they claim, they'll accomm0date selective vaxers better.  

[Centura]

Im in VA too, and in the same situation as you, need to do some catch up... please, let me know what you found out!