GP’s manner over babies vaccines

[SLiath]

I just had a voicemail from a woman at my GP’s practice. The only way to describe her tone is condescending. She asked if I had a chance to speak with “hubby” about getting immunisations for my two twins. I am a single mother. I had the first round which made them very poorly and declined the second for the time being I was concerned for their health. They were born premature and we spent 5 weeks in NICU so didn’t want anything impacting their feeding. She then stated with a very snarky tone that if I was not having them immunised I need to go to the practice to sign a form because the “child health surveillance team keeps emailing her.” I have had some hesitance to get the vaccines due to some mistrust in the NHS. This voicemail has now increased that trust. Has anyone had a similar experience?

It’s time we followed other countries and no vaccinations = no nursery place.

You do know that the more vulnerable a child is the more likely a vax is to cause harm?
Hence why we don't vaccinate all vaccines on day 1. We wait until babies are a bit stronger before injecting foreign bodies into them. Because we know it's normal to get symptoms a day or so after a vax ( temperature etc). So we wait 6 -8 weeks to vaccinate so babies at least have some form of immune system.
That's why we also don't vaccinate sick children, we wait until they are better.
So if he children are unwell, every health professional with a iota of knowledge will either delay or chat to the mom about her anxieties

OP is getting a hard time she didn't say she wasn't going to give her children the vaccine she said she delayed it for the time being

I had to delay my daughters as she was ill when her second appointment was. We got it as soon after as we could.

OP is asking appointment GP tone and the condescending 'have you asked your hubby' assuming no hubby with OP so wondering why asking that.

A few years back you might have got away with no vaccination as there was little of the serious childhood illnesses around - precisely because most chidlren were vaccinated. As soon as the NHS lets down its guard on this, then more illness circulates and more children become seriously ill. It is a vicious circle. Measles and whooping cough are known to be circulating again now which is all the more reason to vaccinate at the time advised for your children.

It is unfortunate and unacceptable that the GP receptionist was less than polite - but please do not put your children at risk because of this. It is such a small thing to risk your children's lives on.

What do you mean with it made them very sick?
Did your pediatrician get involved at the time? Health visitor?
Call them and discuss it with them. Call back this woman and let her know what happened to them.
They need their vaccines. It is very very important.
If they have reactions to any of the vaccine components, you pediatrician needs to investigate it, offer other formulations.... they will know what to test for and what to do.
If it was a bit of a fever and not eating much next day, that is normal and it means the vaccine worked well for them.

See this is part of the problem. You dont even know my children's vaccination history. My DC happen to vaccinated. But I did have questions about some of the vaccines and everyone had your attitude. @#$_& antivaxxer!! Instead of just having a discussion about it. You're speaking toba young anxious mom. Why would you not be kind. If the evidence for vaccines are so overwhelmingly positive, surely it would just speak for it self. Ho about just kindly answering instead of calling anyone with half a question an antivaxxer

Spreading them out like this is more traumatic for the baby, more hassle for the parents having to remember and attend many more appointments, and leaves the baby at risk of not being immune if exposed in the interim period.
The vaccines introduce an antigen to the baby's immune system and they mount a response to it - the UK schedule has 6in1, rotavirus and menB, so eight antigens in total. A baby will encounter thousands of antigens each day just from everyday life that their immune system will be dealing with. Splitting up the vaccine schedule isn't gentler on their immune system at all, if it was safer and more effective to do it this way, why wouldn't the NHS schedule all vaccines this way.

Because of what you said. Parents forget to come . So they weighed up the pros and cons. We get less uptake for vaccines over a certain age ( this is researched) so we need to rather put them closer together, more at a time and when they're young, because that's when we get the highest uptake.

Ive never had a jab mind you i am oldish.

HepB is an example of this.
It's sexually transmitted ( or caused by infected needles etc) so hep b was first only given to prostitutes, men in same sex relationships and health professionals or sexually active people in circles where hep b was prevalent. But the uptake was very very poor. Those 20 year old didn't come for the vaccine.
So they started put them in the baby schedule since parents would actually give them then. Uptake was more

Fine until they catch an awful, preventable, disease.

OP, It is very normal for babies to feel off for a few days after their immunisations. This is their body learning immunity. It’s only fir a few days. Calpol will normally keep it under control.

These vaccine doses are also time sensitive. If you don’t get them within the advise schedule windows, you have to start the course again, which is not great for the babies.

There are both measles and whooping cough outbreaks because babies are missing their immunisations. Babies can and have died of these infections.

You feeling offended by someone asking about a partner, or sounding snarky has nothing to do with how effective immunisations are for your kids. Do the right thing for your babies. Protect them with immunisations.

@SLiath Please trust your gut instinct. If you don't want them vaccinated DON'T have them vaccinated. You can always change your mind at any point and book in for vaccinations, None of mine are vaccinated. Just say you are 'declining all vaccinations currently'. I've never had to sign a form (although I do keep receiving letters saying all my children's vaccinations are over due - which I ignore).

Hope you’re not one of those hypocrites who uses the NHS when it suits.

Or pass it on and are responsible for death. People like this are the definition of selfish.

@Otherstories2002 we have choice in this country. It isn't the law to vaccinate my children

Doesn’t make it any less irresponsible though.

Don’t worry it’s just a tactic to shut down conversations around vaccines . Like anything they can causes side effects mostly mild and the benefit outweighs the risk. The yellow card scheme exists for a reason and the vaccine damage payment scheme (but that’s the extreme end of the spectrum)

The schedule is flexible too, vaccines can be split and that needs to be known. Vaccines can be done in different settings too eg day unit at hospital for children with previous severe reactions.

To just shout 🤬AnTi VaXxER 🤬 at anyone questioning or asking for support is counterproductive.

@Otherstories2002 I'm doing what I feel is currently best for my children

And that’s what’s important and what a good parent does. You’ll get people shouting at you about herd immunity and how you’re selfish BUT that’s not the case. Getting your own dc vaccinated in a way that’s safest for them is the priority and better late than never and ultimately does benefit others but the truth is every parent will put their own child first and that’s ok !

Because experience tells me that no rational individual with capacity becomes anti vax. They’re already gone.

It should be. Its neglect.

So much selfishness. The people not wanting to vaccinate their kids surely know about herd immunity? Screw those immunocompromised kids who can't be vaccinated eh? Just increase their risk of catching illnesses that'll probably kill them shall we?

And if someone doesn’t want to vaccinate - it’s their choice. I wouldn’t do it and I don’t agree with not vaccinating - my own dc so I got them vaccinated and I’m not going to shout at someone else for their own decision as they will have weighed it up and know the risks and that’s up to them as it’s their child.