I was interviewed for this article, and I think it came out well.
I hope everyone will check it out.
Front Page, Style Section, Sunday NYT.
Behind the Veil
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Story of a Hippie Mom and an MD, and what they decided about Vaccinations
Okay. . . so, what happened is this:
Once upon a time, one non-vaccinating home-birthing home-schooling hippie woman married an MD.. . . and that was the beginning. Now with each subsequent child the hippie mom pushed the vaccination compromise a bit further in her direction (delaying all vaccines with number one for about a year, only selectively... See More vaccinating number two, and not vaccinating number three at all!). Everything was fine and good until the family found out they are moving to Saudi Arabia, where many of these eradicated diseases still exist. The MD put his foot down. "We must have this boy vaccinated before we move," he said. To which the hippie mom replied, "NOOOOO. . . I can't do it!" and cried big crocodile tears. To no avail. The MD had his mind made up. So the hippie mom, not fully ready to give in, began to do a full investigation. She read a couple of vaccination books (including The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Sears's son Dr. Sears) cover to cover, and finally came to the following decision.
Some vaccines are really really pointless (HepA, for example). Others are good for young children but virtually useless for the older child (HIB and Rotavirus, are two examples). But, two became clearly the stand-outs for useful vaccines that have proven efficacy, and diseases that are prevalent AND have high-mortality rates in the middle east.
So. . . drum roll please. . .
The baby of the hippie and the MD is getting vaccinated for Polio and DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis).
And both the MD and the hippie mom can rest at peace.
Once upon a time, one non-vaccinating home-birthing home-schooling hippie woman married an MD.. . . and that was the beginning. Now with each subsequent child the hippie mom pushed the vaccination compromise a bit further in her direction (delaying all vaccines with number one for about a year, only selectively... See More vaccinating number two, and not vaccinating number three at all!). Everything was fine and good until the family found out they are moving to Saudi Arabia, where many of these eradicated diseases still exist. The MD put his foot down. "We must have this boy vaccinated before we move," he said. To which the hippie mom replied, "NOOOOO. . . I can't do it!" and cried big crocodile tears. To no avail. The MD had his mind made up. So the hippie mom, not fully ready to give in, began to do a full investigation. She read a couple of vaccination books (including The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Sears's son Dr. Sears) cover to cover, and finally came to the following decision.
Some vaccines are really really pointless (HepA, for example). Others are good for young children but virtually useless for the older child (HIB and Rotavirus, are two examples). But, two became clearly the stand-outs for useful vaccines that have proven efficacy, and diseases that are prevalent AND have high-mortality rates in the middle east.
So. . . drum roll please. . .
The baby of the hippie and the MD is getting vaccinated for Polio and DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis).
And both the MD and the hippie mom can rest at peace.
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