Not everyone can be "converted," unfortunately, and I respect and understand that many pediatricians don't want to bother with anti-vaccine parents. However, unvaccinated children need competent doctors more than anyone, so I have deep respect for pediatricians who are willing to accept them as patients. Don't give up on them, though. Here are ten things that you can say that just might win someone over.
1. "Do you think I want to hurt your child?"
Many anti-vax parents believe that their pediatricians are part of a worldwide conspiracy to cover up rates of vaccine side effects or to cause children to become sick or autistic. Of course, it's a lot harder to believe this conspiracy theory when you have to actually say it out loud to the person you're accusing.
2. "My children are vaccinated, and so am I."
If you had some kind of insider knowledge about vaccines being dangerous-- or a conspiracy to cover up that fact-- you wouldn't have your own kids or yourself immunized. The simple reassurance that you support immunization for your own family can go a long way.
3. "What is your specific concern about vaccines?"
You can explain and refute individual concerns about vaccines if you know what they are. Some parents are worried about autism; others think they're full of aborted fetal tissue. You can accomplish a lot by providing the space for parents to voice their concerns and hear factual answers.
4. "If you don't trust my expertise, why are you here?"
Chances are that this anti-vax parent wouldn't call 911 screaming for a naturopath if their child was seriously injured. And they wouldn't be in your office to begin with if they didn't trust you to have a general sense of expertise about children's health. Ask why vaccines seem to be an exception to their willingness to trust you.
5. "Here's a list of great resources about vaccines."
Many fact-based websites offer refutations to the claims and concerns of sites like Natural News and Mercola. Have a list of reputable websites ready for vaccine-hesitant families. In my experience, vaccine-hesitant parents respond better to personal stories and nonprofits-- like Shot by Shot and Voices for Vaccines-- than to what they perceive as faceless organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC.
6. "That sure is a cute cloth diaper, and I'm so glad that you plan to breastfeed into toddlerhood!"
Many anti-vaccine parents suffer from persecution complexes and delusions of martyrdom. They believe that they, with their "natural" choices, are condemned and shamed by the mainstream simply because they're different. It's a good idea to reassure an anti-vaccine parent that you don't have a problem with natural living, only with parents who eschew necessary preventative medicine.
7. "I know you love your children."
Anti-vaccine parents are, with very few exceptions, loving parents who have simply been misled by dangerous misinformation. You won't get anywhere by calling them neglectful or implying that they don't care about their children-- that would only further alienate them.
8. "I know you're smart."
It might be hard to grit your teeth and spit this out when you're speaking to a nineteen-year-old mom who thinks her Google research trumps your medical doctorate, but say it anyway. Most parents will feel more comfortable talking to you if they feel like you're speaking to them human-to-human without condescension.
9. "I dedicated my life to taking care of children and I want your baby to be healthy."
It's important to remind parents that you genuinely care about their kids' health and safety. After all, you wouldn't have become a pediatrician i you didn't. It can't hurt to offer a gentle reminder that you share their goal of raising a happy, healthy child.
10. "Let's talk about this again in a few weeks."
Maybe you didn't manage to talk them into vaccines this time, but that doesn't mean you made no progress at all. It might take several appointments before the parent starts to come around-- and, unfortunately, some may never come around at all-- but that doesn't mean that your efforts are wasted. Even if they don't seem like they're listening, they are.
You might not be one of the pediatricians patient enough to wade through all the headaches and facepalming that come with accepting anti-vaccine clients-- much less the risk that one might bring pertussis or measles into your waiting room. However, if you are, your voice can make a world of difference to parents like me. We aren't all lost causes. We're here and we're listening, and children's lives are on the line.
No comments:
Post a Comment