Alternative Vaccine Schedule and VA/DC Daycares / HepB Vaccine

Updated on May 06, 2008
V.C. asks from Falls Church, VA
6 answers

I developed an alternative vaccine schdeule for my 11 month-old daughter which was approved by our Virginia pediatrician. Problem is, I now want to avoid the Hepatitis B vaccination altogether, due to its link to autoimmunity, which is common in our families (especially in the women who received the Hep B vaccine as adults). Now my problem is that I want to enroll my daughter in daycare at 16 months, and in a DC-based back-up daycare now. Will a DC daycare reject me for not following the schedule on time? Can I claim a religious exemption to the one vaccine and still be accepted in Virginia daycares?

Has anyone been able to mount a case for medical exemption without showing previous vaccine reactions in a given child? Would a mother's autoimmune status bear any weight on her daughter? Luckily, my 3-yr old son was fully vaccinated (with a few delays/spacing of Hep B, MMR and Varicella), he never suffered any reactions, and is perfectly healthy now, but did we dodge a bullet?

Is anyone else concerned about the Hepatitis B vaccine in particular? There are lots of anecdotal stories of autoimmune diseases being triggered by the vaccine (health care workers receive it), but no definitive studies proving causality.

If my daughter develops asthma, type 1 diabetes, lupus or some other autoimmune disease, I may not forgive myself for not putting up a greater fight and trusting my instincts.

The alternative schedule approved by my pediatrician is below, but we can still renegotiate and or delay if needed:
2 months - DTaP, HIB, Prevnar
4 months - DTaP HIB, Prevnar
6 months - DTaP, HIB, Prevnar
9 months – Polio
1 year – Polio
15 months - HIB, Prevnar
18 months – MMR
20 months – flu? (if required by daycare) (Thimerisol-free only)
21 months – Varicella
2 years – DTaP
26 months - Polio
3 years – flu (if required by school) (Thimerisol-free only)
4 years - flu (if required by school) (Thimerisol-free only)
5 years – DTaP, Polio, MMR (separate visits)

DECLINED Rotavirus and Flu shots in first year, will decline Hep A

Delaying Hep B series initiation to 26 months??

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So What Happened?

UPDATE: ABOUT HOW I CHOSE THIS SCHEDULE:
I created this schedule after reading Dr. Sears' schedule and others online. Dr. Sears had things much more spaced out, and I knew I would need daycare before the age of 2, so I had to condense things. My doctor was glad to see us accept the "important" infant vaccines first (DTaP, HIB, Prevnar), because these diseases are still prevalent. The polio vaccine didn't scare me, but it had to wait so I wasn't giving 4 shots at 2,4 and 6 months. I wanted to space any live virus vaccines apart and do them as late as possible (MMR and Varicella). I did not trust the new, optional rotavirus vaccine and felt that breastfeeding would protect my daughter from diarrheal diseases (it has, and it did for my 3-yr old - he eats a ton of yogurt now and I'm sure that helps too). My pediatrician did not examine the schedule for too long, he was concerned that spacing between vaccine series be correct, but otherwise, I got the sense he was seeing concerned parents often and was relieved I was vaccinating at all.
I trust my ped's office is ordering the best brands of vaccines (most are Sanofi-Pasteur, not Merck).
If I was a SAHM, I would wait on most vaccines until the age of two and do most at separate visits every 2-3 months until they are school aged. Lots of copays, but it's worth it.

More Answers

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E.T.

answers from Washington DC on

Daycare providers are private and can choose not to take you whether you are legally exempted from the vaccinations for school or not.

The providers are concerned about the risk to which you expose other children in their care.

My daycare provider in VA said they did have JW family that didn't vaccinate that they allowed, but that if a communicable disease was present, the children were sent home.

However, in VA, the only ground for refusing vaccinations is a substantiated religious objection.

Finally, I had to give vax records when I enrolled my daughter, but they have not much checked on them since. I give them the updated records when I think about it. I don't think they go over them in any close detail, but they have to provide records to inspectors.

BTW, neither flu nor Hep A are required in VA and my child will not receive either.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.R.

answers from Honolulu on

heres some info ive come across.. we've decided not to vaccinate at all..

http://nvic.org/state-site/state-exemptions.htm

http://www.vafvic.org/statutes.htm

http://nvic.org/state-site/Virginia.htm

http://www.vaclib.org/exempt/virginia.htm

he haven't had any problems yet...my children are able to go to day care as long as i take them home if something is going around at the daycare...they're worried about being sued if on of my kids get sick but if i give them an exemption form...which you can get off of the site...your child is then exempt...the best teacher out there is yourself...do your homework/research for what is best out there for your children. If you choose to not vaccinate ...just make sure your children eat absolutely healthy, so theyre immune systems are strong and theyre bodies can fight off any thing that they come across.

best of luck....
L.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.Q.

answers from Washington DC on

You said you wouldn't forgive yourself if you daughter developed an autoimmune problem but how would you feel if she developed meningitis from Hep B or the virus? Which evil outweighs the other?
Hep B is everywhere (it lives on countertops). It's just a matter of time before she gets exposed. My hope to you it to be completely aware of the signs and symptoms of an exposure.
A little fever is nothing to be taken for granted.
Personally I would be more concerned about the MMR vaccine and the risk of autism.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi V.. My son went to daycare in DC and their records are audited for vaccinations. When my son's daycare was audited they sent a letter to them saying that my son was past due for his Hib and that he could not return until he received it. Well he was not pass due for it b/c according to the schedule that his Dr. follows he was not due to receive it yet. The Dr. sent a copy of their schedule and he was able to stay. So maybe if your Dr. sends the schedule he will be fine. Also I opted out of the MMR and they didn't say anything about that; although it may have been an oversight. Good Luck

L.A.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi V.. Thanks for sharing your vac schedule. I was looking for something like that for my 16month old who has had a few required shots, but stopped at the 15month required DTAP, MMR, Polio.

How did you come up with this schedule? Or, did your doctor give this recommendation?

Thanks,

~L.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

This is so interesting..thank you for sharing your schedule. I just emailed my doctor a proposed schedule to see if she approves (based primarily on Dr. Sears's Alternative Vaccination Schedule). But I honestly hadn't considered the daycare problem! Does anybody know if this would also be true for in-home/small-group daycare or just daycare centers?

Have you tried the vitamins recommended by Dr. Sears around the time of vaccinations to boost immunity? Perhaps that would help.

This is such a tricky, confusing, scary issue; it feels good to be sharing resources with each other.

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