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Well baby visits VS not going

post #1 of 37
10/8/08 at 3:45pm
Thread Starter 
In the beginning, we did the 2 week, 3 week (issues with weight), 4 week, 5 week also. We did the 2 months, 4 months, 6 months but SKIPPED the 9 month, went to the 12 month and skipped the 15month and we are skipping the 18 month one too. We don't vax and he is not sick. *If* the state put their nose where it doesn't belong, can they hold that against me as neglect or something? From my understanding, the well baby visits are so numerous because of the vaccine schedule and not because they need to see them.

Also, I don't have insurance for DS right now. I went to apply for state medicaid but one of the last questions is "is your child up to date on vaccinations?" That scared me and turned me off to finishing the application. My state allows medical and religious exemptions but I'm scared they will focus in on me if I answer no to that question- if i say yes, that would be lying- right? He is up to date as far as not getting any! I don't want them in my business nor do I want phone calls or letters about it. Any insight into that as well?

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post #2 of 37
10/8/08 at 6:39pm
Dd 1 went at 1 week and has not been back since. She's 18 months old. I have a five week old dd also and she will not see a dr. either unless there is an issue with her health. Why would the state be sticking there nose in your business? They are your children and you are allowed to make those decisions.
post #3 of 37
10/8/08 at 7:26pm
We don't vax and I still go to wbv. My pediatrician and I have a really good relationship. He is not thrilled about the fact that I don't but has been VERY respectful of my choice. I keep going to have the kids weighed, measured, talk about various developmental things, but mostly to keep a good working relationship should my children become sick. I feel like because we see him on a regular basis (yearly for DS, DD is still a babe so more often) I will face less resistance and negativity regarding the vax issue if illness occurs.
post #4 of 37
10/9/08 at 12:24am
I don't go. I don't need to spend my money for someone to tell me my son is healthy. People with insurance aren't wasting their money, so they have a different take on it.
post #5 of 37
10/9/08 at 1:20am
Hi,

I do like to go to WBV, but I also have insurance for my children. It certainly would be harder for me to go if I was paying the full-cost of each visit.

I like to do WBV to help keep a good relationship with a pediatrician's office if we need help. My twins were preemies, had RSV that left them sick for 12 weeks, my daughter has asthma. I love having a pediatrician's office that knows me and will get my daughter in same day/next day.

I also think regular WBV protect me in the event allegations of medical neglect are made because of my failure to vaccinate. Whether it's right or wrong, I think it's easier to substantiate and protect yourself against allegations of neglect if you can point to having obtained regular medical care for your child. Otherwise, I think you do make yourself more vulnerable to charges of medical neglect, especially when failure to vaccinate is listed as an example.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the question about vaccinations on the Medicaid application. Just write "exempt for religious reasons" or "religious exemption" in the blank asking about vaccinations. My children are on medicaid and we dont' vaccinate. When we went to the WIC office last week, they asked me about vaccinations. I just said we had religious objections and were exempt. No problem. I just took my son to the ER for stitches after a nasty fall at a kid's event. The triage nurse asked me. I said we were exempt on religious grounds. The PA who came in to do the stitches asked me in an "authoritative" voice if he was up to date on his vaccinations. I just said, "We have religious objections, so no." She said, "oh, okay." She paused and then said, "You do know there is a risk of tetanus, but I'm sure you are aware of that." I think it helps in these situations that I have a long record of having received medical treatment for my son so that the failure to vaccinate just really does look like a religious issue and not part of an overall pattern of failure to obtain medical care for my children.
post #6 of 37
10/11/08 at 12:39am


We only go to the drs when the kids are pretty sick and i feel i need to take them. My son hasn't had a well check visit since he was 6months old and he's now over 2yrs old. We stopped vaxing him at 4months those shots were his last.

I say it's none of their concern, it's your child.

post #7 of 37
10/11/08 at 5:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purple Cat View Post

I also think regular WBV protect me in the event allegations of medical neglect are made because of my failure to vaccinate. Whether it's right or wrong, I think it's easier to substantiate and protect yourself against allegations of neglect if you can point to having obtained regular medical care for your child. Otherwise, I think you do make yourself more vulnerable to charges of medical neglect, especially when failure to vaccinate is listed as an example.
This is exactly why we decided to start taking dd for WBV. She didn't really see anyone for about 6 months but then we decided that it was worth the piece of mind that she was established somewhere. I keep copies of all of her records as well.
post #8 of 37
10/12/08 at 12:38pm
My son is 8-months old and has never been to a well baby visit, and we have excellent insurance. I feel that if he's sick, then he goes. I have taken him him to see a Dr. twice, but realized that it was my own lack of knowing how my son reacted to teething (our first child). Other than that, he's been fine. We did take him in at a week of age because of jaundice and that was it. We do not vaccinate either.
post #9 of 37
10/12/08 at 1:02pm
My parents did vax me, but we never went unless we were sick- and even then, we stopped going eventually, because my mom would just call in and say, "She's got strep again", and they would prescribe abx (I know, e-ville- ) over the phone.

I got criticized recently for not taking dd to the dr by inlaws. So, in order to have all my ducks in a row, I'm going to take her in to a vax friendly dr soon, just so I can say, "See? I took her to the dr a month ago, and all is well, I'm not neglecting her health." : Just in case- isn't it sad there has to be a "just in case?"

I did eventually get them off my back by saying, "I take her to the dr whenever there is a concern"- which is never, since she's NEVER SICK!
post #10 of 37
10/12/08 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazybean View Post
*If* the state put their nose where it doesn't belong, can they hold that against me as neglect or something?
If the state put their nose where it doesn't belong, yes, they can hold it against you. I say this from personal experience. (My daughter went to WBVs, but I stopped vaxing her at 18 months. She never got MMR, only got one round of varicella before I stopped. It WAS held against me.)

It can't be the reason they open a case against you, to my knowledge, but if a case IS opened, anything and everything can be used against you.

I also want to add that it works a heck of a lot more in your favor if you have evidence of doctor's visits. If you rarely went to the ped at all, I'm 99% sure it would NOT look good on you, in the eyes of the CPS folks.

That said, my son has been to the ped three times, and he is almost 8 months old. We missed the 4 month visit, and will likely miss the 9 month visit. (We do have WIC records for back up, should we ever need them. Nothing seems necessary until you have CPS scrutinizing you.)
post #11 of 37
10/13/08 at 5:50pm
I plan on taking her in around 2 weeks and then at 6 months just to establish a relationship. Maybe once a year after that.

Our FP actually advises parents to have at least a yearly exam and point-blank says it is because of all the CPS/government stories he hears about.

I think I might do dental and vision once a year.
post #12 of 37
10/13/08 at 9:46pm
I'm on state medicaid, they never asked about vaccines when I signed up and haven't asked since.

With my DD (1 year) I did 3, 6, 9 and will do a year. And then annually after that.

My DS is 3 and he goes annually.

Vision haven't started yet.

Dental is every 6 months (as recommended by our dentist).

I, personally, like having the paper trail there for if CPS ever poked their nose in my business. It hasn't been an issue so far, but you just never know...
post #13 of 37
10/13/08 at 10:00pm
My twins are vax free and we still go WBV. We do it as a precaution "just in case" CPS was ever to be called after and emegency trip to the ER or something. I just want proof that our kids were seen by a doctor and that no neglect has ever been reported. We didn't go to the ones that just required vaxs though (like the 15 month check up) but we did do all the others and will continue to do so. After they turned 2, we only go once a year on their birthdays.
post #14 of 37
10/14/08 at 1:42am
It infuriates me that there has to be a "just in case." DS went to his 2 week visit and hasn't been back. He's a sweet, happy, HEALTHY little baby - unvaxed. I'd love to say that I won't go, but I might go at 6 mos and at a year. I just REALLY don't feel like arguing with the doctor like I did at his 2 week visit.

Disgusting that we can't raise our own kids.
post #15 of 37
10/15/08 at 10:58am
Smeisnotapirate. Don't argue! You did it once to be "fair" and you propably explained your reasons- which usually lead to "you're wrong anyway and that's a load of bullocks" on behalf of the Doc.

You made your point, he made his point-I shut down when it comes to that. My Ped is never badgering us, we talked about it once, I said no thank you, that was that.
I do the same with family and inlaws. I just keep quiet-which can be hard when someone (usually someone who should know better!-say a Biologist who told me unvaxes toddlers are responsible for smallpox in the US!) spews lies or simply has no clue.
I don't argue.

I did skip one or two appointments and I hate "just in case". I do like our Ped who respects us so that makes it easier. Plus DS loves his new books...
I didn't do all of them-but when I happen to have a couple questions and that coincides with WBV times-I do take that options, no copays either so I don't feel like wasting money.

All it takes is a visit to the ER, a pi**ed of staff member enraged by your "neglect to vaccinate"-if you don't have a Ped that says, "the kid is fine"-that can be enough to get you into trouble. I just loooooove how making a parental decision is treated as if you're in a legal grey zone. There is no legal grey zone- you making a perfectly legal decision but are being forced to "work around" roadblocks, which sucks.

Some Doctors are awfully mad when you tell other people that vaccination is not a mandatory legal requirement and you can chose freely what your children are being injected with. The roadblocks are just punishment for not knowing your place and doing as the Doc says...
post #16 of 37
10/15/08 at 5:12pm
If you allow the state to fund your life - EG MEDICAID, then you allow them to control your life to some extent. Most government assistance programs have in their bylaws, notations about how you loose some of your rights.

As you can see the state (CPS) just loves to intervene on the behalf of the safety of the children and you can be harassed for anything you do that is not seen as total herd behavior. My mother is a former CPS worker so I have a little insight into this. If you screw up enough to get them in your life in the first place - you can go ahead and kiss goodbye any control you have over the way your children are raised.
post #17 of 37
10/15/08 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckumelos View Post
HA HA HA !!!!

That's funny. Ever spent any time in the safety forum. Most of the women there think THEY OWN MY CHILDREN and have the right to say how I should be raising my children, and furthermore think laws should be instituted to ensure I comply. Even here, on MDC, there are many people who do NOT believe you have that right.

Anyhow, if you allow the state to fund your life - EG MEDICAID, then you allow them to control your life to some extent. Most government assistance programs have in their bylaws, notations about how you loose some of your rights.

As you can see the state (CPS) just loves to intervene on the behalf of the safety of the children and you can be harassed for anything you do that is not seen as total herd behavior. My mother is a former CPS worker so I have a little insight into this. If you screw up enough to get them in your life in the first place - you can go ahead and kiss goodbye any control you have over the way your children are raised.
Edited after turning on brain a notch!

Maybe I just need clarification on that first part of your post-or I should be reading more often in the safety forum?
post #18 of 37
10/15/08 at 5:29pm
I don't blame you for not wanting to take them in unless there is an issue.

That place is a germy mess. Yuck!
post #19 of 37
10/15/08 at 5:29pm
OK , I'll just delete my post. Nevermind.
post #20 of 37
10/15/08 at 5:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckumelos View Post
OK , I'll just delete my post. Nevermind.
Hey, you wanna explain?? Mods don't like deleting post, I got reprimanded...
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