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Original poster

If you decided to delay or to forgo MMR, how did health professionals react?

431 replies

usedtogotomars · 19/12/2017 16:41

Just wondering about this (and haven’t yet decided) - do they respond in a way that respects your view or do they try to persuade you to have the vaccinations given to your child?

OP posts:
Tidypidy · 19/12/2017 17:41

We delayed mmr for ds1 as he was too poorly to have it on the usual schedule. His consultant suggested we delay so when gp queried it there was no issue. He had it eventually about 10 months later.

reallyanotherone · 19/12/2017 17:41

I delayed dc1 in consultation with my hv. Only by 6m, had it done at 2.

Several reasons, but autism runs dh’s family and he had concerns about dc1 at the time- no speech, certain traits he’d seen in his severely autistic brother.

Even though i know, logically, there is no link, hv’s idea was to put it off 6m until any issues with dc would be clearer. Then we’d know, 100%, that the mmr made no difference.

This was at the height of the mmr scare and there was no outbreaks at the time. Seemed a good compromise to me, disproving the link to worried parents and getting the child vaccinated.

theredjellybean · 19/12/2017 17:41

As a GP, I will listen to a parents reasons, I will explain in sympathetic but very firm terms why the so called evidence against vacs is so scientifically poor, what the risks to their children are if they are u vaccinated, and I am clear on this. I do not hold back on telling it how it is, but without loads of emotion.
I will give written info for them to read, steer them towards appropriate and regulated Internet sites and offer a further follow up appointment to talk more.
After a second appointment I am afraid my patience is stretched. I cannot give endless time to people who believe in such flawed so called science, however I don't treat them differently or their children differently when they come about other health issues.
My job is firstly to do no harm... Therefore I will continue to provide care to unvaccinated children and their parents but respect the decision... No... Sorry you don't deserve respect for taking a decision based on false research, scare mongering and Internet "experts"

packofshunts · 19/12/2017 17:42

Except it is other people's business when your DC either contract or pass on a potentially lethal illness AngryHmm

Mishappening · 19/12/2017 17:42

Why do such reactions concern you if you know you are right?! It is a free country; we can all be as bonkers as we choose!!

EllenJanethickerknickers · 19/12/2017 17:43

When DS2 was DXed at 3 yo with autism no HCP batted an eyelid at my delaying MMR for him and DS3. I waited until they were older and more robust before I risked them having the jab. It may well be that the correlation was incorrect but children are sometimes vaccine damaged. There is no argument about that. But that risk is generally less than the risk of being damaged by the illness unless you know of risk factors concerning your DC.

Isadora2007 · 19/12/2017 17:44

We were asked to fill in a form stating that we were refusing/delaying (delete as appropriate) the vaccinations and a list of the vaccines was provided for us to indicate which ones were refused/delayed.
It was not confrontational at all, but did say “in the unlikely event that you do not wish these to be undertaken as per the attached schedule”... which clearly indicated a (understandable) bias towards the vaccines.

pestov · 19/12/2017 17:45

I have no problem with NHS sanctioned health reasons, and I have one friend who gave her son every vaccine as a single dose right from the start as she felt this would be better for him to cope with. But to refuse to vaccinate at all without a good reason is baffling

theredjellybean · 19/12/2017 17:46

Oh... Just seen the op saying she/he doesn't have any concern for the opinions of any hcp... Well marvellous, hope your GP is understanding about your complete disregard for their yrs of training, and experience with these issues

Mishappening · 19/12/2017 17:46

My DD2 did not have the whooping cough vaccination for various reasons - I will not describe to you what happened as it makes me want to weep with shame even 40 years later.

Please switch your rational brain on - you do not want to suffer asw e all did; nor make a vulnerable pre-vaccination baby or a child who cannot be vaccinated for sound medical reasons suffer or die.

IamClaire · 19/12/2017 17:47

Adalind - In our case we made the decision after having a few week old baby in hospital for days close to death because of a reaction to vaccines.

putdownyourphone · 19/12/2017 17:47

Nope, not a peep from my HV, she smiled and said she was glad I was making an informed decision no matter what, as many rarely do.

GP has never mentioned it either.

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/12/2017 17:48

They give a medical opinion not a personal one. DD's was delayed because she had a reaction to her earlier vaccinations. I had the later ones done as soon as I could. Because the risk of the disease is more than the risk of vaccine damage.

Make no mistake, people who understand science understand that vaccines can cause issues. But not a tenth the issues that non-vaccination causes.

genever · 19/12/2017 17:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

greathat · 19/12/2017 17:51

Your health visitor thought you were making an informed decision to refuse? She must be pretty crap

Original poster
usedtogotomars · 19/12/2017 17:53

Just FIY I didn’t say I knew I was right.

I don’t know what to think, quite honestly, but I am not so arrogant I believe I am always right.

OP posts:
cansu · 19/12/2017 17:54

My dd was not immunised and she caught the measles. She was v ill and it was entirely my fault. Don't make my mistake, vaccinate your child. I wish the health professionals had questioned my decision.

PortiaCastis · 19/12/2017 17:55

Will you be concerned about HCPs reactions when you have to take your dc to hospital suffering the effects of measles

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/12/2017 17:55

If you don't know what to think, why not take the advice of the people who have medical degrees and years of experience? Not being snarky but it does seem odd not to follow medical advice unless you are absolutely convinced you are right.

BertrandRussell · 19/12/2017 17:56

“Nope, not a peep from my HV, she smiled and said she was glad I was making an informed decision no matter what, as many rarely do.”

Pictures or it didn’t happen.

packofshunts · 19/12/2017 17:58

Usedto why don't you know what to think?

Snowman41 · 19/12/2017 18:00

I didn't discuss my decision with anyone. Do people genuinely make doctors appointments just to tell the GP this Confused

I delayed because we were at the height of the Andrew Wakefield scandal, but I didn't talk to any health care professionals about it.

Original poster
usedtogotomars · 19/12/2017 18:01

Because medical professionals aren’t always right either, and I have proof close to home for that.

OP posts:
Vitalogy · 19/12/2017 18:03

OP, honestly, who cares what they think.
This is the second time I've written this on a thread today, trust your gut, end of.

theredjellybean · 19/12/2017 18:03

But usedto you said up thread that 'their opinions do not matter to me particularly'

If that is not is not you already believing your decision is right and your not interested in any one else's... Well I don't know what is?

It seems you just don't want a hcp to question your decision.. Sorry love... It's my job to question your decision when it has potentially catastrophic consequences for children who can't speak up for themselves

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