By: Jamie Roberts
Updated: Aug. 3, 2016
Originally Published: Feb. 15, 2015
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to chat with a parent who chooses not to vaccinate her children. I’ve often come across sweeping stereotypes about anti-vaxxers, labeling them as self-centered or careless. While I see some merit in those views, I also recognize that everyone’s story is different.
Meet Sarah (not her real name), a 39-year-old from Ithaca, New York, who has three children. She vaccinated her first child (now 19) but opted against it for her second, aged 11. With her youngest, 8-year-old Jake, she’s unable to vaccinate due to a religious exemption.
Curious about her shift in perspective, I asked what led to her decision. “I was just 20 when my first son was born,” she explained. “I did everything the doctor said without question. Fast forward seven and a half years, and I have Charlie. From the start, things felt different, even during my pregnancy. There was that little voice inside saying, ‘Something isn’t right.’ When Charlie got his first sunburn and broke out in a rash from the aloe I used, I realized just how sensitive he really was. He struggled with dairy, soy, and corn, and was a constantly crying baby for years. Now at nearly 12, he’s finally starting to feel more like himself.”
When I asked why she didn’t vaccinate her second child, Sarah replied that by that time, she had done her homework and disagreed with the vaccine schedule. I mentioned that many doctors are open to adjusting it, but she shared her concerns, echoing common anti-vaccine sentiments: vaccines aren’t tested sufficiently, the rigorous schedule may be linked to SIDS, and she’s willing to risk her children contracting measles or whooping cough. She even sent me a link to a site claiming more deaths were linked to the measles vaccine than to actual measles cases in the last decade.
When I pointed out that vaccines have largely eradicated dangerous diseases, she countered, “Measles rates dropped before the vaccine came along. Even in outbreaks, deaths are rare. There have been more deaths from vaccines than from the diseases themselves.”
To put things in perspective, during a measles outbreak in California from 1988 to 1990, there were over 16,000 infections and 75 fatalities, primarily among infants. Dr. Mark Thompson, a pediatrician I spoke with recently, stated that the risk of dying from measles is about 1 in 500, whereas the risks associated with the MMR vaccine are incredibly low—about 1 in a million for severe allergic reactions. Vaccines saved thousands of lives last year alone, making the benefits clear.
I raised the concern that if everyone shared her views, we could see a resurgence of these diseases. Sarah shrugged it off, attributing our current nutrition and sanitation standards to potentially milder outbreaks.
Despite her arguments, Sarah emphasized that her choice to forgo vaccinations for Charlie was based on his specific health issues. Lacking a formal diagnosis, she couldn’t secure a medical exemption, and she noted that such exemptions usually apply to just one vaccine. With a family history of autoimmune diseases, she feared vaccines could trigger issues for Charlie. She’s been managing his condition through diet, and he’s improved significantly—he even enjoyed Halloween candy this year, something he previously avoided due to corn syrup.
Then there’s her third child, Jake, who is now 8 and healthy. “I was less concerned about Jake, but I had already signed a religious exemption for Charlie,” she explained. Since she didn’t vaccinate her second child, she couldn’t do so for her third one. The religious exemption means she can’t change her mind for future kids.
In checking New York’s guidelines for religious exemptions, it seems approval is left to the schools. If the school suspects insincerity—like having different beliefs for different kids—they can deny it. “It’s ridiculous that I have to sign a religious exemption saying God told me not to vaccinate my kids,” Sarah said. “I’d rather say the Flying Spaghetti Monster told me!”
While Sarah’s perspective may not reflect the majority of non-vaccinating parents, her insights shed light on their reasoning. The religious exemption often obscures the real reasons behind these decisions, which could provide valuable data for public health research. “Why not let me document my reasons? There’s real information to be gathered,” Sarah stated. “Families with autoimmune diseases might be avoiding vaccinations for specific reasons, but all anyone hears is, ‘God told me not to vaccinate.’”
While it seems unlikely that data or research could sway staunch anti-vaxxers, understanding their motivations is crucial. The religious exemption may seem flimsy, but with the right information, we might reach those who are uncertain about vaccinations—possibly leading to just a few more children being vaccinated.
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In summary, while conversations with non-vaccinating parents can be frustrating, they can also provide insights into their individual circumstances. Understanding their perspectives may not change minds, but it can offer a glimpse into their decisions.