So, I'm new to issues that come up in regards to health care and declining vaccines. Honestly I'm feeling disgusted right now. After reading about children being dismissed from practices, refused surgery, denied immediate care in ERs so the doctor can berate the parent over vaccination status. I have my own personal issues with the health care model anyway, not related to vaccines, from past experiences.
What does everyone else do? How big of an issue has finding quality health care for yourselves or children been when not vaccinating at all or on schedule?
My children's MCP leaves us very little choice of practitioners. I took dd to the same practice my older kids have been to before, though not in a long time. I felt slightly harassed by one older doctor there and was asked to sign a paper stating that I knew I was endangering my baby and others by not vaccinating. Um, no. The other couple of doctors we saw there were more respectful about the vaccination issue. The same older doctor also told me I should put vaseline on my 5 week old dd's umbilical stump which was not healing quite normally(later found out she had an umbilical granuloma) and to give my 2 month old breastfed baby water in a bottle. Um, no. Then I received a letter stating they would no longer by taking our insurance. I thought I had found another doctor(from recommendations here) but when I went to dd's 4 month appt I was informed he had no longer been working there as of two weeks prior. I went through with the visit with a different doctor. She didn't go beyond asking if we were vaccinating that day. Okay. Yesterday dd had her 6 month appt. Different doctor, same place. I think she did fine at keeping a respectful manner. She repeatedly said, "I'm not judging you as a parent. I can't force you to vaccinate. I can't make you. I know that you have the right as a parent to withhold vaccines, but..." She also shared a 'little girl whose parents withheld the varicella vax almost died of chickenpox so parents rushed out to get her brother the vaccine' story.
So. Is this as good as it gets? Should I just 'be happy' my child has health care and isn't being dismissed from this practice(yet?). I'm considering going through our options again and calling around. I would much prefer a smaller practice of only one family doctor or maybe even two to going to a clinic type, numerous doctors, see whoever is there type of situation anyway. And I would definitely prefer someone AP friendly and open minded to alternative approaches to health and wellness. I think I'm just daydreaming though.
What does everyone else do? How big of an issue has finding quality health care for yourselves or children been when not vaccinating at all or on schedule?
My children's MCP leaves us very little choice of practitioners. I took dd to the same practice my older kids have been to before, though not in a long time. I felt slightly harassed by one older doctor there and was asked to sign a paper stating that I knew I was endangering my baby and others by not vaccinating. Um, no. The other couple of doctors we saw there were more respectful about the vaccination issue. The same older doctor also told me I should put vaseline on my 5 week old dd's umbilical stump which was not healing quite normally(later found out she had an umbilical granuloma) and to give my 2 month old breastfed baby water in a bottle. Um, no. Then I received a letter stating they would no longer by taking our insurance. I thought I had found another doctor(from recommendations here) but when I went to dd's 4 month appt I was informed he had no longer been working there as of two weeks prior. I went through with the visit with a different doctor. She didn't go beyond asking if we were vaccinating that day. Okay. Yesterday dd had her 6 month appt. Different doctor, same place. I think she did fine at keeping a respectful manner. She repeatedly said, "I'm not judging you as a parent. I can't force you to vaccinate. I can't make you. I know that you have the right as a parent to withhold vaccines, but..." She also shared a 'little girl whose parents withheld the varicella vax almost died of chickenpox so parents rushed out to get her brother the vaccine' story.
So. Is this as good as it gets? Should I just 'be happy' my child has health care and isn't being dismissed from this practice(yet?). I'm considering going through our options again and calling around. I would much prefer a smaller practice of only one family doctor or maybe even two to going to a clinic type, numerous doctors, see whoever is there type of situation anyway. And I would definitely prefer someone AP friendly and open minded to alternative approaches to health and wellness. I think I'm just daydreaming though.
and I'll check out those links as I find time, thanks.
