At 12:04 AM 8/20/97 -0400, you wrote: >In a message dated 97-08-19 22:41:21 EDT, (Kathy Donigan) >writes: > >> I am looking for articles regarding immunization that address the concerns >> that some parents have with the adverse reactions. A small percentage of >my >> patients either refuse immunization or do so very reluctantly, and it >would >> be helpful to give them something to read that was both informative but >not >> too lengthy. Any suggestions? >> >I'd be interested, too, but I'm not sure it'll help. Those few parents that >I have that refuse immunizations are usually fanatically opposed to them. An >article won't help. If I can't convince them in a few minutes of >conversation in the office, I make a note in the chart that they refuse, and >leave it at that. Of course, I do bug them about it frequently, but it >rarely helps. Some will allow them when it comes time to enter school, and >they have no valid reason to refuse. > >Moshe Adler, MD > I too have found that most parents who have taken a stance against immunizations are quite unlikely to change their minds despite anything they are told or read. I guess I was just hoping against hope that someone had an article that could make a difference. I still continue to see a family who refuses immunizations as long as they seem overall reasonable in other respects. I must admit though that I am much more wary of such a family as they frequently have less then mainstream ideas about other aspects of medical care. Speaking of this, how do the rest of you deal with parents who seem determined to try alternative treatments in general? I for one think you have to do this on a case by case basis. Clearly if the treatment is dangerous or extremely costly and unproven, a strong stance against up to terminating the relationship is the only logical approach, but many times things are much more murky than that.