Sitting down with your child’s doctor to ask questions about vaccines can be very, very intimidating. But what if you were armed with a list of good questions, and a little background info so you aren’t completely clueless when you start the conversation? Yep, that’s exactly what a Diligent Mama would do! So, let me tell you my top questions I’d have on-the-ready for my appointment.
Print this list to take to your next appointment! Click here
10 Questions for Your Child’s Doctor at a Well-Visit Appointment
Before I get into the questions, here are three resources you would want to familiarize yourself with prior to the well visit appointment.
- Childhood Immunization Schedule from the CDC
- American Academy of Pediatrics Vaccination Recommendations
- List of Vaccines and Their Ingredients
Question 1: If we give all of the scheduled shots today, HOW MUCH ALUMINUM will be injected in to my child? What is the safe aluminum exposure limit for my child’s weight?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Dr. Larry Palevsky (pediatric board certified doctor) testifying at a vaccine safety hearing in Connecticut in February 2020. He talks about the concerns related to aluminum nanoparticles penetrating the brain.
- Physicians for Informed Consent summary of aluminum handout
- Vaccine Conversation Podcast Episodes 75 & 76
Dr. Larry Palevsky talks about aluminum concerns.
Key Points to Remember:
- Aluminum that enters the body through the digestive tract (breastmilk, baby formula, baby food) is different than aluminum that enters the body through injection. The digestive system filters out about 90% of the aluminum before it enters the bloodstream. Not so with injected aluminum.
- Based on the recommendations of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which is a division of the US government’s Health and Human Services, only 1 microgram per kilogram of body weight per day is safe. The average 2 month old baby weighs around 12 pounds, which is around 5 kilograms. So, only 5 micrograms of aluminum per day would be considered safe.
- This chart from Physicians for Informed Consent shows some of the vaccines and their amounts of aluminum measured in micrograms (mcg).
Published Studies Related to Aluminum Concerns:
- Journal of Immunology Research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23609067/
- Journal of Current Medical Chemistry: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21568886/
- Journal of Toxicology: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25349607/
Question 2: Is this vaccine SHIELDED FROM LIABILITY under the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act? What does that mean in terms of legal recourse should my child have reaction or injury from this vaccine?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Read the actual legislation here (note Part B on liability): https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/5546
- ICAN Decide’s Vaccine Safety White Papers: https://icandecide.org/article/an-introduction-to-vaccine-safety/
- Robert Kennedy Interview with Joe Rogan (start at minute mark 32:42 and listen to about 34:00): https://rumble.com/v2ujfts-joe-rogan-interviews-robert-f.-kennedy-jr.-the-complete-unedited-interview-.html or click on the reel below where I shared that clip.
- Vaccine Conversation Podcast Episode 67: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thevaccineconversation/episodes/Ep–67—1986-Media-Coverage-of-the-National-Childhood-Vaccine-Injury-Act-e9qlk7
- Bruesewitz vs. Wyeth Lawsuit: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the “unavoidably unsafe” statute in this lawsuit.
Excerpt from the Bruesewitz vs. Wyeth Lawsuit explaining the dilemma that led to the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act
Key Points to Remember:
- The 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act shields the manufacturers, doctors, nurses, and clinics from all liability should injury or death occur from any vaccines.
- This Act was upheld in a 2011 Supreme Court decision called Bruesewitz v. Wyeth. The court used the term “unavoidable unsafe” to describe vaccines, as originated in 1986 Act.
Question 3: What is the CURRENT ANNUAL DEATH RATE from these vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Physicians for Informed Consent: https://physiciansforinformedconsent.org/education/ Click on the disease you are interested in (Here is the polio vaccine for example).
- Vaccine Conversation Podcast “The Disease and the Vaccine” Episode 11: Pertussis/Whooping Cough (They have similar episodes for all health conditions on the recommended vaccine schedule such as Mumps, Meningococcal, and Measles.
Example of Disease Information Sheet found on Physicians for Informed Consent website.
Key Points to Remember:
- Any statistics/numbers quoted should be US only numbers. You need to consider the environment in which your children are being raised, not children in other parts of the world.
- Make sure the numbers given are for the current time period (within 5 years). The death rate of serious diseases many decades ago is irrelevant, as many traits of our society have changed.
Question 4: If my child is not vaccinated for ___, and he/she catches it, is it likely to be a mild illness CONSIDERING MY CHILD’S OVERALL HEALTH and my child’s immune system?
(See Resources in Question 5)
Question 5: If my child were to have a more serious case of ____ with severe symptoms, WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE? What is the success rates of those treatments here in America?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Physicians for Informed Consent: https://physiciansforinformedconsent.org/education/ Click on the disease you are interested in.
- Vaccine Conversation Podcast “The Disease and the Vaccine” Episode 11: Pertussis/Whooping Cough (They have similar episodes for all health conditions on the recommended vaccine schedule such as Mumps, Meningococcal, and Measles.
Example of information on each disease and possible treatments from Physicians for Informed Consent
Question 6: Have any SERIOUS ADVERSE REACTIONS or risks been reported for this vaccine? At what rate do these serious side effects occur?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Vaccine Manufacturer’s Package Inserts: Pay extra attention to sections 5 & 6
- National Vaccine Information Center: Use the drop down menu to select the vaccine you are studying. (All of ones on the recommended vaccination schedule are there, including some of the new vaccines.) The Quick Facts section at the bottom will offer up-to-date information and statistics on serious adverse events from VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System) and the Federal Government’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. It’s the best way I’ve found to quickly check these numbers.
Example of current injury report for rotavirus vaccine
Key Points to Remember:
- We are NOT talking about injection site redness. We want the doctor to focus on SERIOUS reactions.
- The phrase “one in a million” to describe the likelihood of a severe reaction may just be a talking point. I have yet to see that statistic proven in any scientific literature.
- The CDC’s Lazurus Study, conducted by Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Research, found that less than 1% of adverse events from vaccines are reported. See the Lazurus Final Report here, and pay attention to the “Results” section on page 6. You can see Dr. Stanley Plotkin (important expert in vaccinology) verify this study under oath is sworn testimony here.
Question 7: Are there any known carcinogens, neurotoxins, or immunotoxins included in the ingredients for this vaccine?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
- Formaldehyde Information from cancer.gov (formaldehyde is a carcinogen)
- Mercury/ Thimerosal Information from Journal of Advanced Neurotoxicity published in the National Library of Health (mercury is a neurtoxin)
- Aluminum Information from Physicians for Informed Consent (additional aluminum resources can be found in question one of this list) (aluminum is a neurotoxin)
- Vaccine Package Inserts– note section 13.1 which states that each vaccine “has not been evaluated for its carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic potential, or its potential to impair fertility”
- Vaccines and Their Ingredients (a quick list of vaccine ingredients)
Example from Vaccine Package Inserts, section 13.1
Key Points to Remember:
- Carcinogens definition- substance directly know to cause cancer
- Neurotoxins definition- a substance known to destroy nerve tissue
- Immunotoxins definition-a compound that is toxic to the immune system
Question 8: Have there been any INERT placebo-controlled trials on the _______ vaccine?
(See Resources in Question 10)
From Weston A. Price Foundation on vaccine placebos.
Question 9: Has there been any scientific evidence showing that giving THIS COMBINATION of vaccines on the same day is safe?
(See Resources in Question 10)
Question 10: Have there been any studies to show the safety of mixing DIFFERENT manufacturing BRANDS of vaccines is safe? Have studies shown that it’s safe to give booster shots from a different company/brand than the original shot?
Resources to Educate Yourself:
Key Points:
- Most vaccines use another vaccine as the “placebo”, not an inert placebo like a saline solution.
- Most vaccines have only undergone short-term safety testing. In the case of the Hep B vaccine, testing only lasted 5 days.
- No studies have been done on the cumulative safety of the entire schedule as whole.
- No studies have been done on the synergistic effects of giving multiple vaccines on the same day.
- No studies have been done on giving 2nd and 3rd booster dose of a vaccine from a different manufacturer than the original dose.
Is Anyone Asking These Kinds of Questions?
You might be feeling a little crazy for even ASKING these questions, so I want to make you aware of WHO is actually asking questions like these. The media would lead you to believe all smart, educated, responsible people unanimously agree whole-heartedly on childhood vaccines. They would also have you believe that only those too stupid to listen to the experts would go against the current recommendations. That isn’t the case, and I’ll show you how I know.
An article was published in the medical journal Pediatrics titled “Children who have received no vaccines: who are they and where do they live?” This 2004 article identified common characteristics for children who are unvaccinated. They looked at over 150,000 children all across the United States for a span of 6 years. They found that these unvaccinated children come from homes where the parents:
- Are married
- Have college degrees
- Have an annual household income that is higher than $75,000
- “Expressed concerns regarding the safety of vaccines and indicated that medical doctors have little influence over vaccination decisions for their children.” (Pediatrics, PubMed ID #: 15231927)
In addition, a 2019 article from the magazine Money, titled “Rich People Are Leading the Anti-Vaccine Movement — and Experts Have a Theory Why” came to similar conclusions. Parents that choose not to vaccinate their kids have these commonalities:
- They live in the most affluent neighborhoods.
- They are well-educated.
- They have access to exceptional medical care.
My point in showing you these common characteristics is not to claim that education or income make a difference in one’s ability to be a good parent or make good decisions. They don’t. But I want to point out that these people asking questions are STABLE. They are in stable relationships. They have stable incomes. They have degrees that likely offer them options for stable employment. They live in stable neighborhoods. They aren’t dumb, backwoods, lunatics who are off-their-rockers like we might be led to believe.
In fact, this stability has likely given them the confidence to think for themselves. They don’t need the approval of the masses. In fact, there’s a good chance that in their chosen career paths, they are LEADING the masses (lawyers, CEOs, financial planners, and other professional positions with high income levels). In short, if you’ve got questions, you’re in good company.
In the article from Money magazine, they interviewed Linda Fentiman, a Pace law professor who specializes in health law and vaccine exemptions. Her assessment of these parents is below:
“Parents who opt out of vaccines tend to ‘believe, simply, that they can make the scientific determinations about the efficacy and dangers of vaccines for themselves,’ she says.
They have more free time on their hands than lower income parents — time that can be spent poring over anti-vaccine forums and websites, and applying for state-specific exemptions required to bypass school immunization laws. And they believe what they’re reading […]”.
Well, Linda, you’re right. I DO believe that I can make these determinations myself after reading up on them and asking good questions. But it’s not because I have too much free time on my hands. It’s because THESE ARE MY CHILDREN. I love them, and I’m called to steward them well.
Final Thoughts on the Questions for Your Doctor
I hope you realize that there is much homework to be done before walking into your doctor’s office and blindly trusting the recommended schedule as it will be presented to you. Yes, infectious diseases can be serious. And deadly diseases should be understood and the risks thoroughly considered. But severe adverse events from vaccine and severe allergic reactions must also be considered. And in the end, you may find that the higher risk is not where you expected it to be!
Don’t be surprised if your child’s health care provider isn’t prepared to answer this list of questions. Most of them are not common questions that they deal with every day. In fact, most parents don’t ask any questions at all. Childhood vaccinations must be carefully considered, so if you can’t get sufficient answers to your questions on the first visit, ask to continue the conversation at the next appointment. Or you may need to find another provider that is more knowledgeable about immunization practices.
If your child’s day care or school requires proof of vaccination by a certain date, you can always seek an religious/philosophical exemption from your local health departments while you gather the information needed to make a wise decision.
In my very unprofessional opinion, the best protection you can give your young children is your own research and your own wisdom for their particular situations. Carefully and prayerfully gather your information, assess the greater risk for serious illnesses and their corresponding vaccines, and move forward knowing you’ve done your best.
Don’t miss my article on the Top Ten Resources for a Mom with Questions about Vaccines!
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