Input on not vaxing in New Jersey

[Tahlulah]

Hello. We are considering moving to northern NJ from upstate NY. We don't vaccinate our two daughters. I get the impression from reading online that parents living in NJ tend to get harassed more because of the pharma influence in the state. Does anyone have anything to say about this? I don't want to avoid moving to NJ unnecessarily. Thanks! Molly

[LunaStella]

I'm in Southern NJ (and have only been here for about 9 months) but I have found it darn near impossible to find a doctor who isn't firmly pro-vax. There's one dr in the area who is pro-homeopathy (he's mentioned on here - Dr. Levy) but who is also very pro-vax. We're selective/delaying and even with that the ped we ended up going to just kind of huffed and rolled his eyes when I said "I want that shot, but not that shot" though at least he didn't argue with me or try to make us sign a waiver or anything. You might have better luck in North Jersey if you're close to NYC but that's just a guess.

I'm just thankful we're moving out West soon. Our next well visit can wait until we're out there.

[bocbocboc]

If you're going to move to the Montclair area, Dr. Maria Yerovi in Bloomfield is awesome!!! We went to her since our son was born and she is incredibly supportive and very open minded. We recently moved to Midland Park and are looking for a no-vax friendly dr. all over again.  I know of Dr. Rosen in Oradell, which is near Paramus and not to far from Ridgewood.  I haven't had a chance to test out anyone yet.  I'll post again if I find someone fabulous.

[audreyhorne]

my oldest two children were born ten and eight years ago at st peters in new brunswick("health care city") and we lived there until they for three years before moving to south jersey and we have never had a problem there with not vaxxing. once in south jersey, we had an issue with one of the doctors at cherry hill peds and we switched to kressville and haven't had any problems since. my oldest has asthma and was hospitalized a few years ago at virtua in vorhees and we didn't have any issues about vax or refusing specific medications or treatments there either. i've been prepared to do battle but it's seriously never come up, nor has an objections to extended breastfeeding or co-sleeping, but maybe we've been lucky.

[jbgbmommy]

I live in South Jersey and have found selective and delayed vaccinations to be a big uphill battle. I have been looking to change pediatricians for awhile now and can't find one I really like. I would love to do a naturopathic dr. but they aren't licensed in nj and we can't afford that without insurance to help pay. I have been looking into osteopathic doctors recently, thinking they would be more open-minded.

What do you all do about school for your children? I am looking into pre k for my child now and I am very upset about the number of mandated vaccines in NJ, including a yearly flu shot. NJ is only 1 of 2 states in the USA that requires a yearly flu shot to attend school. Frustrating!

[gozal]

We select/delay vax and I just had no problem registering my son for kindergarten at a super mainstream public school system. (He's not attending, he's going to a charter, but I had to register him with the district first.) In fact, they were surprised that I vaxed at all since all the other kids in the school with exemptions were unvaxed entirely. I was told exactly what I needed to write, they put the letter in his file, and that's it.

Having said that, yeah, you're not going to get much cheerleading, for sure, except for bf. If you really need you ped/school to be on your wavelength in this regard, it's hard to find, at least where I live. I did switch from one ped practice to another mostly for other reasons, but also because I was annoyed by their vax pep talks and all the "independence" posters on the walls (you know, "Little Johnny sleeps all night in his own bed like a good boy"). My current practice is accepting of what you want to do. In general I have no had any problem doing what I feel is right - but I have no problem smiling and nodding and going home and doing my thing. Some people need more support. There are plenty of like-minded people around - institutions, not as much. Yes, you'll find it more in Essex county and north, if you can afford it. 

I would say it depends very much on your reasons for moving. If we didn't need to be in the metro area for work, this is not an area I would choose to be in. This isn't because there aren't lovely things about being here, but it is very expensive and crowded. Although we did find the perfect charter school in a situation where we could not afford private tuition...that I might have moved here for, depending.

[jbgbmommy]

Gozal- Thanks that gives me hope on sending my daughter to school. If you don't mind me asking, did you get a medical or religious exemption? You talked to the district about your intention to get an exemption and they instructed you on how to do that? This is all new to me and I wasn't sure where to start. Thanks!

[gozal]

Glad I could help! I did not try to get a medical exemption, since those are seriously difficult to get, from what I understand. I got a religious exemption - just a brief letter stating that getting Vax X, Y, Z is against my religious beliefs. The way it worked was, when I went to register my son, first I had to bring in all the school forms, his birth certificate, and proofs of rsidency to the school office; like at the DMV they tell you exactly what counts as proof. You sit with someone from the office and they verify all that stuff, then send you off to the school nurse, who is really the arbiter. She looked over my sons' health form (man, is that thing detailed!) and asked lots of questions about my son's health. Then she went through his vaxes and said, What about X, Y, and Z. I just said that we are not giving him those and I would be happy to bring her a letter of religious exemption. My advice here is to say as little as possible, just very matter-of-factly state what you want to do. It was clear at this point that the nurse and I were of the same religion, and I guess I seemed to her like a "normal" person (WHATEVER), so she kind of did a double take and gave me some serious stink-eye. But I was just very calm and polite and she ended being kind and helpful. They are NOT allowed to ask about your religion or question you in any way, if you say that you are seeking a religious exemption. She actually asked the superintendent or some other Ed dept. CEO type exactly what I needed to write, called me back to let me know, we wrote the letter, DH and I signed it, and I mailed it back to the nurse's office. We didn't have to notarize it or anything like that. She also told me that all the other kids at the school with exemptions did not receive vaxes at all so that was why she checked for me, since we were selective. So there are definitely others, and this is just one of the elementaries in town. I was never threatened that I couldn't register my child or otherwise coerced. And I also learned that preschools generally require more vaxes than the public school system. Flu isn't required, HIB isn't required, and I think one other that preschool does.

[jbgbmommy]

Thanks so much gozal!! Great info. Yes, I figured the less you say the better. That's why I wanted to ask someone on the outside for advice, because I don't want to ask anyone associated with the school. I'll probably let it go and just see if they pick up on the vaccines she hasn't gotten, and then go from there. Not sure if I mentioned that before, but we also selectively vaccinated. So you didn't need a priest/minister to sign the exemption I take it?

It's weird, and annoying, how many differences there are within the same state. I know the local elementary school in our town requires the annual flu shot for all kids, in addition to the preschools I have visited. They always say it is a state requirement, yet apparently it is not the case in the entire state. Another question for you. We got my daughter the first dose of the flu vaccine over a year ago (after much back and forth). I never took her back for the second dose. I wonder though if they will question the fact that I got her 1 dose of the flu vaccine in the past but now claim an exemption for it. I guess if they aren't allowed to question my religious beliefs then they shouldn't ask about it. If you don't mind me asking, where are you in NJ? No problem if you would rather not say. We live in Camden County. Thanks again for the info! And congrats on your twins!! Hope you are feeling well.

[brenda-sw]

We are in Bergen County.  We don't vax.  See Dr Rosen in Oradell nj (wholechildcenter.org).  Have never had any problems at all.  Both kids (3yr, 5 yrs) enrolled in two diff schools.  USe the religious expemption.  Also have some health issues we are dealing with so ER trips, lots of specialists and have never had a problem w/ any of those either.

Good Luck,

Brenda

[TrishB]

We are in Camden County and do not vax. I gave birth to DD at Virtua in Voorhees and refused the Vitamin K, Eye goop (can't think of the real name) and Hep B. They simply sad okay and didn't push any more. We also cloth diapered in the hospital and the nurses loved it! DD sees Dr. Mohazzebi (the younger one) at Kressville Peds in Sicklerville and he is great. Nobody has ever questioned my choice to not vax her there!

[*GreenMama*]

We are in NW morris county, my son is in public school, and we put in a religious exemption for vax.  In NJ they are still not allowed to ask you what religion you practice which is a great help to many people who don't want their religious beliefs questioned. I attach the mandate that says that every time I put in religious exemptions so that they are reminded. I'm happy to talk to you more about it if you have any questions! 
 

[gozal]

Sorry I took so long to get back to you! It has been way too busy around here...

Originally Posted by jbgbmommy 

So you didn't need a priest/minister to sign the exemption I take it?

No, nothing like that...they cannot ask you about your religion, you do not mention it explicitly in the letter, and they cannot question the sincerity of your beliefs. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbgbmommy 

Another question for you. We got my daughter the first dose of the flu vaccine over a year ago (after much back and forth). I never took her back for the second dose. I wonder though if they will question the fact that I got her 1 dose of the flu vaccine in the past but now claim an exemption for it. I guess if they aren't allowed to question my religious beliefs then they shouldn't ask about it. 

I don't think they would question you - you could always say that your beliefs have changed (since you gave the first dose). You may have to alter the wording slightly, maybe just add a "presently" in the phrase "X, Y, Z vax is [presently] against my religious beliefs." My experience was, as soon as you express an intent to request a religious exemption, that's that. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbgbmommy 

If you don't mind me asking, where are you in NJ? No problem if you would rather not say. We live in Camden County. Thanks again for the info! And congrats on your twins!! Hope you are feeling well.

I'm a little nuts about internet security so I will PM you. :) And thank you so much for the well wishes! I am feeling so much better into the 2nd tri!

[gozal]

Oh, I meant to add, at the very mainstream hospital where I gave birth they actually do not give HepB to newborns at all. As DH went off with our newborn for the first physical, I actually yelled after him "Don't forget, NO HepB!!!" and they told me, don't worry, we don't do it anyway. I don't know about the VitK and antiobiotic ointment because we wanted them. Despite its mainstream-ness the hospital was also super respectful of the baby's first hour on my chest, rooming-in, and EBF. That's sort of been my experience in NJ, there are progressive elements but only within a very medicalized framework. It's frustrating for sure, but it's workable.

[olien]

we have had no problem with our unvaxed kids...unless we went to a mainstream Dr. Our regular ped is a holistic ped in northern NJ. refered to by many as the king of holistic Peds. LOL. So...that being said...he of course doesnt give us a hard time about not vaxing & he is always helping people with religious or medical exemptions for schools.

Now the problem for us is if we go to another Dr. If our kids get sick when our ped is on Vacation lets say. I actually had a doctor once tell me that my son MUST have pertussus because he wasn't vaccinated for it (even though the symptoms werent the same) Otherwise no problem. You just have to look for what meets your needs. The Holistic Moms Network has been a great resource for me as well.

[tt7]

Who is the King of ped's, Dr. Schalcter, please advise-thanks!  Any other options for non vax ped's in Morris County area?  What about this new nonsense bill in our state? ! 

[*GreenMama*]

I'm totally not happy about this new bill.  Time to write and call and otherwise annoy the senate until the vote!  Dr. Ching-Hwa Chi is supportive of parents who choose not to vax.  He's in Hackettstown, very close to Morris County!
 

[thecrownemom]

Originally Posted by brenda-sw 

We are in Bergen County.  We don't vax.  See Dr Rosen in Oradell nj (wholechildcenter.org).  Have never had any problems at all.  Both kids (3yr, 5 yrs) enrolled in two diff schools.  USe the religious expemption.  Also have some health issues we are dealing with so ER trips, lots of specialists and have never had a problem w/ any of those either.

Good Luck,

Brenda

Hi Brenda

I am 34 weeks pregnant and Dr Rosen will be our baby's pediatrician.  I have been curious how he feels on keeping boys intact.  Might you know about that? I have a one-on-one meeting set up with him soon since they decided to cancel their monthly info sessions- I will ask him then, but I figured I would ask you as well. :)

[stretch358]

I see Dr. Rosen and my son is intact, he never mentioned anything about it, he handled it fine never tried to retract it or anything. 
 

[thecrownemom]

thanks for responding stretch358.