Questions about exemptions

[tarajean56]

I live in FL, and understand that getting a religious exemption is pretty straightforward. DS (13 mo) was fully vaxed until 6 mo. We have stopped vaxing as of now (I am thinking we will forever, but haven't ruled out that we MIGHT selectively vax in the future).

Are exemptions really just for school purposes, or should I get one now? My main concern is that he has a surgery coming up in March and they always ask me if he is up-to-date on immunizations. He'll be 17 mo then, and will be "behind." I don't know what will happen when I say he's not up to date, but I just do not want to open up a can of worms with him being "behind." Also, if I do get the exemption, when they ask if he's up to date, do I just say, "he has a religious exemption"?

And - at his next WBV, I know they are going to be pushing for all the 12 month vaxes we said we were waiting on. If I got the exemption, I guess I would just bring it for them? Is that typically the end of the story or could they still fire me? We haven't talked with them a lot about not vaxing.

[amydep]

The religious exemption is for school purposes only. The doctor's office can fire you even if you have a religious exemption. It depends on what their policy is on not vaxing. Once you have the exemption (and if I were you I would just wait until he is school-aged because you are undecided at this point), then you submit that to the school system when you enroll your child. It is not needed at the doctor's office. If the doctor's office asks why you are not vaxing, you can just tell them that you are delaying for now. I called my DD's ped and told them that I wouldn't be scheduling her 12 month visit because it is basically just for shots, and we aren't doing any more shots at this time. I don't want to take her into the doctor's office and risk her catching something during cold and flu season. You don't have to go to the well-baby visits at all. The only time you need to take your child to the doctor is if your baby is very sick, and if your baby is very sick then they shouldn't be getting any vaxes at that time anyway.

When your son goes for surgery, you can just tell them that he is behind and you are not caught up at this point. It wouldn't be a lie!

If I were you I would hold off on the WBV for now if you don't want to be pressured into anything. If you need to go to the WBV for some other reason, then just tell them that you don't want to do any shots at this time (due to cold and flu season). You want your baby's immune system nice and strong during this time of year and not risk developing a fever due to the vaccine, etc. and then have to be fighting off a cold or flu at the same time.

[Gitti]

What pp said and when he goes for surgery you can either say he is all up to date or you can say that you are behind. It actually shouldn't matter at all. Believe me, the surgeon won't care. That is just a standard question now.

Personally I would say he is up to date.

Exemptions are only needed for school and like pp said, I would cancel the 12 mo. wbv.

We don't do wbv at all in our family.