Pediatricians walk a delicate line with parents in measles vaccination debate
Pediatricians are trying to manage anxious parents begging for early measles vaccinations and those who refuse the shot, leading to delicate discussions.
One mom told her pediatrician she was skipping a checkup for her 4-month-old because she was afraid the baby would catch measles from the doctor’s office before he could be vaccinated — even though there were no cases reported in the area. Another parent said he was refusing to inoculate his 1-year-old because he didn’t want to “experiment” on his child.
These and other recent discussions about measles vaccinations at Dr. Alex Cvijanovich’s Albuquerque, New Mexico, pediatric practice have been fraught since the highly contagious virus started making national headlines — and they’re only getting more challenging.
“The people who are willing, are willing to give it early,” said Cvijanovich, who is also a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “But the people who have dug in their heels, it just becomes a more frustrating conversation.”
As virus cases rise and the United States recorded its first measles death in a decade, pediatricians are in a dilemma. How do they convey the seriousness of the virus to vaccine-skeptical parents while also quelling the anxieties of families who want to immunize their newborns but can’t yet?
It’s a delicate balancing act, according to six doctors in practices from West Virginia to Washington state. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccination has a proven track record against the highly contagious disease, with two doses of the shot 97% effective against measles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Decades of studies have shown it to be safe and have refuted false claims that it is linked to autism.
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