I am going to confess that I am my children’s pediatrician. I have given them every vaccination they have ever had and probably would not trust another provider to do it. I endorse the vaccination schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics; I believe it is safe and prevents disease. I completed medical school and three years of pediatric training that helped shape this belief. I have seen death in children from polio, whooping cough, and pneumococcal meningitis.
However, I have chosen to use an alternative vaccination schedule when my vaccine-hesitant families request it. Mine evolved over time to complete most of the required vaccinations by the time a child is 2 years old. It is not “evidence-based”, the catchphrase we use to say something is scientifically proven safe and effective. However, it is rooted in something I value highly as a pediatrician: trust, open communication, and compromise.
My patients and I have a difference of opinion sometimes, whether it is about immunizations, antibiotics, or discipline. That does not mean we cannot or should not keep talking to each other. There are a lot of people out there not vaccinating their children, who may be putting others at risk of contracting disease. Guess what? They love their children as much as I love mine, and you love yours. As a pediatrician, I am going to trust you are doing what you think is best for your children, even if I do not agree with your opinion.
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