Seeking Pediatrician/Practice More Open Minded about Vaccination Shots

[Anonymous]

Any recommendations on a pediatrician/practice where they allow the parents to space out the vaccinations shots? Our practice is very conservative and frowns upon one or two shots at a time instead of the required four or five. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I see Dr Kulp (301-230-2280) and he is open minded about the shots- he knows I am wary and he is totally fine with what we have chosen to do with our 4 kids (wait until 6 months to start, space them out (not give tons at a time)), also he is fine with us choosing not to do the optional shots at all.
We used to see Nancy Hoover at Kensington Peds and they were fine with our choices too.
I think both practices are great-- Nancy is more alternative minded, Dr Kulp is open to it all, but he admits he just does not have the time right now to further his training in alternative medicine.

[Anonymous]

As far as I know, there aren't any additional benefits to spacing out vaccines. Have you heard something different?

[Anonymous]

what area are you looking for one in

[Anonymous]

response to 19:11 poster- (from poster #2)
i space the vaccines out because it seems unrealistic that they will be able to mount a good strong and lasting immune response to 5(or more) vaccines at one time. I would do one at a time if I could- but most are bundled- plus making so many visits is unrealistic. Also, if there is a bad reaction, I will know which shot it is in response to.
in real life, with a real disease exposure , people are not exposed to multiple diseases at a time (usually!) so it seems to make sense to me intuitively that the response will be better and stronger if it is to one disease at a time.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. I never even thought about it from that aspect-makes a lot of sense.

[Anonymous]

I go to Northern VA Pediatrics in Falls Church, and they let me space out the shots. I get 1/2 of the shots or so on the well visit date, then make an appointment for a shots only visit for the other ones. They want me to stay kind of on schedule, but have no problem with me spacing them out. They even have the MMR in separate M, M and R dosages.

[Anonymous]

we re doing no shots and go to whole childs pediatrics in ashburn

they are fine with it

[Anonymous]

Northern Virginia Ped's. in Falls Church. They are very good about scheduling spaced out vaccaines including separating the MMR

[Anonymous]

to the post who choose "no vaccines". Are you planning on every giving them the vaccines? I am just curious? I went back and forth on lots of the vaccine myself.

[Anonymous]

To the PP, I have not given any shots to my kids yet. My oldest is three. I have done a lot of research, but am by no means an expert on the subject. That means I'm happy with my decision for now, but I am not absolutist about it. I realize that in a year or two or five, I might change my mind. For example, if it ever became a significant problem with my children's school (ie, it was a private school that was unwilling to except the standard exemtion forms) then I would probably go ahead and get them whatever was minimally required for school entrance. As it is, my kids have been in various daycares/preschools, and so far all have accepted the state exemption form. For me, my biggest concern has been what was being given to them in the first years of life. There is no way I'd give my kids any shots before they were talking and communicating well with me.

[Anonymous]

spacing out vaccines seems totally reasonable to me but "No vaccines" is INSANE. People who don't believe in vaccines feel that way because vaccines have been such a success in preventing disease. Have you ever seen a child who is handicapped because of polio or a child who has brain damage because of mennigitis? I have. Please wake up and read the data.

[Anonymous]

I agree COMPLETELY with 7:00 poster. Please, people, read the actual medical information that is out there and get your children vaccinated. The reason that some illnesses once considered wiped out in the US are back again is because of people who choose not to get your children vaccinated. So in my opinion, it is not only putting your children at risk, but everybody else's children as well.

[Anonymous]

To the two PP's, and other's who feel this way -- just because "everyone says so" does not make something true. History has told us time and time again, that some things which our medical professionals hold to be gospel truth, and things in our culture which "everyone knows", are not necessarily true. Those who have delved deeply into the topic begin to realize that these absolute answers - which we all think are so obvious -- aren't necessarily true.

What if the polio vaccine wasn't responsible for eradicating polio? What if more people have been harmed by the polio vaccine in the past 40 years than have been helped by it? What is Polio, anyway? What are the effects of it? How is it diagnosed? What if the menningitis vaccine does not truly prevent the vast majority of menningitis cases; and instead leads to improper diagnosis and serotype replacement? When is the last time *you* have been vaccinated against polio? Menningitis? Measels? What are doing to maintain health in yourself, so that you don't contract or spread these diseases? There are a thousand questions you could start asking and researching, and when you find the answers, it's like a thousand light bulbs going off -- and you *really* stop listening to the things that "everyone" knows to be true.

[Anonymous]

Extremists on either side - 'pro-vax or anti-vax' are dangerous. Vaccines have their place, for sure. But your information is simply incorrect. I would suggest that YOU read "the data" or "actual medical information" and note that many outbreaks of disease are in VACCINATED populations (i.e. recent measles outbreaks in the U.S.) or CAUSED by vaccines (i.e. recent polio outbreaks in Africa due to the oral vaccine). In addition, "your" children (assuming they're vaccinated) are not at any more risk because of "my" unvax child. And to say I'm putting my child at risk - well, IMO you're putting your child at risk, as well... but the point is...

We both have the right to choose what risk is acceptable to our families.

Too bad you can't respect that.