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Decisions! Decisions? First you decide to have a baby and then you realize that you are going to be faced with more decisions about your life, your family's life and especially your child's life. Are you making the right decision? What if you make a mistake? Welcome to parenthood! This is only the beginning of a long road of decision-making with blind curves and unforeseen hazards. More than ever you will be faced with important decisions about your child's life that will have important consequences. One of the earliest decisions you will need to make is what immunizations your child will receive. This is a dilemma in decision-making for an increasing number of parents. Not only is it difficult to interpret the information regarding risks and complications, but also both parents have to reasonably agree. Physicians and other health-care advisers have many different perspectives and ways of helping. Following is "Dr. Wesp's Top 10 Tips": 1. Keep your perspective: This is one decision of many. What are you going to do when you need to give away the keys to the car? 2. Don't be intimidated: Some parents feel that physicians will not be open to the discussion of immunizations. You and your physician do not always have to agree. A physician may recommend immunizations but you are the parent and you have the final say. 3. Keep an open mind to discussion: Enter into a discussion to gather information. Look to professionals for their opinion and recommendation. It may help you decide. 4. Realize that the perfect answer may not be available: Not all research is perfect and if you are looking for the perfect answer you may be disappointed. Search for the best decision you can make with the best information. 5. No decision is without risk: Try to balance risk and benefit. 6. Review each immunization individually: Every immunization holds its own risks and benefits. The risk of meningitis from HIB remains high in the un-immunized population and the complications severe and life-threatening. In contrast, polio in the United States holds a lesser risk at this time. 7. Appreciate the disease: Pick up a medical textbook or talk to people who knew and experienced the disease and epidemics of the disease prior to vaccine development. 8. Look at data from reliable sources: Identify sources of information that are reliable such as the Centers for Disease Control and the international medical literature. The Internet can be helpful but can be confusing with information overload. 9. Try to separate fact from fiction and conjecture: When combined with fact, conjecture looks like fact. Be aware. 10. Avoid rigidity: New information is constantly being published. Re-evaluate your decision based upon this new information. The immunization dilemma will rage on, especially as new vaccines are researched and brought into clinical practice. For more information on vaccinations, talk to your doctor and ask for individual vaccine information sheets, or download them yourself at www.cdc.gov/nip. Dr. Clyde Wesp is a pediatrician with Southern Orange County Pediatric Associates with offices in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills and Rancho Santa Margarita and is affiliated with Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Mission Hospital and Children's Hospital of Orange County. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Memorial Care Physician Society. |
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