So CA is attempting to change the vaccination exemption laws - making those who have a philosophical exemption get a signed letter from their doctor for school or whatever.
My 6yo had a physical today and a few things happened that gave me just a bit more confidence in our ped's office.
1 - I was handed a form to sign when I registered my son. The check-in lady said it was a "consent for any treatment today, including vaccinations". I refused to sign it, and there was no issue with that at all. She just wrote "declined" across it and signed it herself as a witness. (I figure I'm in the doc office, so obviously I'm consenting for some kind of treatment, but I'm not ever going to consent to vaccines, so I'm not signing it.) The check-in lady printed out a paper that goes to the nurse in the back, there's some basic patient info on it, as well as all the vaccines that are needed for this visit. She stamps this paper "BEHIND ON IMMUNIZATIONS" (yes, the stamp was all caps). I had to laugh. The stamp is because the list of 10 vaccines is not enough to tell the nurse/doc that we are behind. :)
2 - We get to the patient room, go over basics with the nurse, then the doc comes in. We are just there for a basic 6yr physical - so nothing major. (My family has a history of cancers, heart disease, diabetes - so I like to have once-a-year check ups for a baseline of care. Just in case.) Doc checks his eyes/ears/heart/lungs/stomach, looks down his shorts (but doesn't touch his penis at all, yay!), then sits at the computer to fill in info. He states "I see you are behind on vaccines, are you ever going to get them?" I tell him no. He says "ok". And that's the end of it. No trying to convince me I'm wrong, no scare tactics, nothing. I love it.
3 - I tell him about how CA is trying to change the law and require this letter. And I ask "if this letter is required for exemption, would you be willing to sign it so I can continue to not vaccinate legally". He says "sure, as long as you know why we believe in the vaccines, and have an understanding of what we are trying to do with them, then I won't have an issue signing whatever I need to sign for you". !!!!!
I am so happy about this. I have had issues with previous doctors in this practice - one who would try to talk to me about vaccines each visit, and one who told me that my son was having seizures because I didn't vaccinate him (they have a vaccine for seizure disorders now? I had no idea...). *sigh* But this doctor is so good - with the boys, and with me. And he is accepting of the fact that I do know what I'm doing, and allows me to make educated choices regarding my children.
Yay! :)
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