Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not make my son have his vaccine?

155 replies

Funkytuna · 27/05/2024 19:01

Hello all
So my 13 year old (ADHD and Autistic) was recently supposed to have his HPV vaccine in school. He point blank refused so it was rescheduled for the may half term at the local clinic. However, he is still very much refusing to have the vaccine. I've explained what its for and how serious cancer is (not that he needs me to tbh). But he is so stubborn its unreal. How would other parents deal with this? Both my children have always been up to date on their vaccines and I want him to take his health seriously. That being said it is his body and I cant physically force him.

OP posts:
NotYourHolidayDick · 27/05/2024 19:10

I feel your pain. DS refused HPV too. It took 5 adults to pin him down for his covid jab which he needed for foreign travel a few years back.
He isn't being naughty; his body goes into a FUCK NO state and he gets violent.

I don't think there's anything we can do. I just pray he doesn't get ill 😭

noctilucentcloud · 27/05/2024 19:08

Other than talking to him about why he is refusing it and helping him with those reasons eg if it's a needle phobia that you could go with him, he could take music, you could have a treat afterwards... But otherwise he's at an age where he can chose not to have it.

Lavender14 · 27/05/2024 19:08

I think it would help to understand why he's refusing it - is it the process of actually getting the vaccine or is it concerns about side effects or what's in it or how it's made etc etc. I think your first step is figuring that bit out and then trying to resolve that. I work with a few young people who are ND and they had concerns around vaccines so I got them to list their concerns and then we spoke to a gp about it and she took it all really seriously and gave them lots of good info and it helped? I'd also wonder if he's seeing anything online that is giving him false or misleading info?

QueenOfTheEntireFuckingUniverse · 27/05/2024 19:06

My DS hasn't had any vaccines since he was old enough to refuse. He has severe medical anxiety. He knows how serious the illnesses they protect you from are. But his anxiety is too bad.
It sucks. But I'm not going to force him.

Gettingannoyednow · 27/05/2024 19:04

I don't think you can make him. The nurses aren't going to hold him down and vaccinate him if he's refusing. It also sounds from your OP like he's probably Fraser competent, so that would make it his choice anyway.

Does he have a needle phobia?

Swipe left for the next trending thread