For thinking i shouldn't be getting constantly pestered by the local nurse and GP team to get my daughter immunises when i've repeatedly told them my answer is no?

[Lowla]

My daughter is 4. She got all her jabs as a baby, but i stopped at the MMR one. Since we missed the appointment, i've been getting loads of letters to invite us to the clinic for the MMR jab and now her school booster jab for some other virus. (Hib or something like that).

I've phoned the GP and asked them not to send any more letters out as i've chosen not to get her immunised any further for my own personal reasons, and worries over her last reactions to the jabs. And now i've got some nurse calling me asking to do a home visit next week to 'check on me and dd'. I asked 'is this about the jabs?' and she said, rather reluctantly, 'yes'.

AIBU for feeling like they should respect my decision?

Sorry for the bad grammar. Writing this in a rush as i have to run and get dd from school.

Crass and rude, now let me see, "smart arse", "silly whims" - who said that, I wonder?

Wow that got a lt of replies quickly.

Yeah irradiated / eradicated - good spot I didn't realise there was a difference. Lean something new every day.

I honestly can't believe that making a "personal choice" not to be vaccinated is a good idea. Sad reflection on society. If you (or your DC) can't be vaccinated due to medical reasons, such as a bad reaction, you better bloody hope that everyone else HAS been vaccinated as that helps to protect you and your DC.

Ayone who still believes that bull about MMR (an consequently doesn't get their DC immunised) is an idiot. Fact.

Sossiges- But the OP is not making an informed decision. Has she said that she has sought advice from a Dr? No.

YANBU to want them to stop hassling you. I am seriously considering not taking DS for his booster jab but may have him tested for immunity before I do that.

Tell them not to come, they can't force you to let them in.

And what about someone like my child Whois?

In my child's case FWIW it's not to do with a "bad reaction" it's slightly more serious than that. But don't let that stop you from your rant.

Lowla

"I'm asking whether or not they should respect my decision when i say no."

No, they shouldn't. You're making an uniformed and potentially dangerous choice.

Should doctors respect people's decision to smoke? Or to get obese? Or to not give their children inhalers for asthma because they believe taking a spoonful of sugar instead is better for them...?

YABU - this is why:

www.blacktriangle.org/blog/?p=715

YABVU in my view. I would expect the medical team to keep asking you to take your DC to be immunised even if you say no.

yanbu, if that the decsion you have made then HCP should respect that.

As much as I am (after much research) all for vaccinations I don't think forcing them is the way to go and I have never met anyone who doesn't vaccinate without good reason for having made their choices.

I'm pro-vaccination under most circumstances. However, YANBU to think they should respect your decision and take no for an answer.

YANBU to expect them to respect your decision.

I do however agree with whois's sentiments. As for medical reasons, then that's a different matter.

Should doctors respect people's decision to smoke? Or to get obese? Or to not give their children inhalers for asthma because they believe taking a spoonful of sugar instead is better for them.

A doctor can't force anyone to stop smoking or to loose weight even if that is what they deem to be in the best interest of them or their children.

The difference with asthma is if you don't use the medication then the chances of that causing a problem is pretty high. With vaccinations the chances of the child getting an illness is much lower and for SOME parents they believe that the risks of vaccinating outweigh the risks of not vaccinating.

Just go in and speak to our GP and ask them to stop sending reminders.

Yes. They should respect your decision. But to be honest getting them to back off usually just takes good communication. The fact that they chase is probably a good thing for plenty of people who miss appointments and want reminders.

Speak to your GP. Ask them to getting your decision put clearly on your notes.

But YABU to put an immunisation issue in aibu. It just brings all the shouty bigots out.

SpottedGurnard "advice from a doctor" - interesting - now what do you think that (completely unbiased) advice would be? If I wanted independent advice on vaccinations I would not be asking someone who is paid per jab, would you?

Can someone explain why the op should have her uninformed decision not to vaccinate respected?

"Should doctors respect people's decision to smoke? Or to get obese?"

correct me if I am wrong but smokers and fat people are merely encouraged to not smoke/eat less. No one pesters them and visits their houses?

KillerRack you said something about the NHS not making it easier to have the separate jabs because of financial reasons but:
a) its perfectly reasonable to consider financial issues in relation to the effectiveness and necessity of the treatment
b) if the reason you think there is a "risk" associated with MMR is because the autism thing then you are being VVVVVU and out of date with your info.
OP, unless the drs who treated your LO in hosptial have said you should not vaccinate, why would you not? Unless you are a medical professional yourself, how can you make the right call? Maybe look at the HV visit as an opportunity to get more info.

You are daft as a brush if you don't get your children vaccinated.

Believing hocus pocus fairy stories and supersticions about how evil vaccines are, are what i would expect in parts of rural Africa, not in the UK.

Sorry, you are bonkers, and threatening the health of other people's children who rely on the herd immunity of vaccines to be fully protected.

Doesn't a parent have the right to refuse ANY medical treatement for their child and if they do then the health authorities would have to go to court to get a decision made by a judge? Or am I misremembering that?

A friend of mine has 4 DC's. DS3 was diagnosed with autism at 2.5yrs. Consequently she didn't get DD (youngest) vaccinated against ANYTHING. Healthiest child I've ever met. Seriously.
says the woman who's DS has had all the jabs
Each to their own and all that but my friend is convinced her DD has such a strong immune system because she had to build up her own defences against everything.

YABU
It's more to do with how she reacts each time a virus - any virus - is injected into her
The virus in vaccines is attenuated and weakened and in tiny doses.

If you are worried about that level, how on EARTH do you hope to protect her from the big bad world outside where there are people carrying viruses all the time.

DS reacted spectacularly to several of his immunisations.
I took that as proof that the real disease would have killed him, so got them all done and he is now hale, hearty and irritating.

OP, just saw your last post - I imagine many drs whould find what you are insinuatiing there extremely offensive. Have my second ever .

Pagwatch A vaccination thread attracts the shouty bigots like jam attracts wasps, no matter where it is posted...

If a parent refuses to give consent for a particular treatment, the courts can overrule this decision if they think treatment is in the child?s best interests

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/900.aspx