But the truth is more complicated.
For starters the vast majority of Americans vaccinate their children.
The problem is that that number1.3 percentis an increase from .9 percent of two-year-olds born in the year 2011.
Heather Hazzan. Wardrobe styling by Ronald Burton. Prop styling by Campbell Pearson. Hair by Hide Suzuki. Makeup by Deanna Melluso at See Management. Shot on location at One Medical.
In other words its not that these people are vehemently opposed to vaccinating.
Rather they arent fully convinced thatvaccines are safeor necessary.
So what goes into engaging with someone who isvaccine-hesitant?
SELF reached out to six doctors and nurses to learn how they embark on these important conversations.
Number one is, the first thing I do is listen, he tells SELF.
I want to know why they feel what they feel.
What are their experiences, what makes them hesitant to vaccinate?
Wheres this coming from?
Just let them talk.
He also recounts his own deeply disturbing experiences ofvaccine-preventable diseases.
I did see kids that were deathly ill from it.
And I show them what those kids look like.
And all the time and effort you spent giving them very good scientific data isnt going to work.
Unfortunately, because many of their beliefs arent grounded in science you cant get through to everyone.
And you may not be able to change everyones mind.
But he says its worth trying in any case.
For instance, Dr. Agarwal says, shes learned to be more direct.
you might get encephalitis, ormeningitis;pneumoniain a one-year-old is a serious disease too.
And these are things that we need to prevent.'
I would say I am more straightforward now with them about the risks.
Unfortunately there arent many that I feel like I can change their mind.
She admits that watching parents refuse to vaccinate can wear her down.
My priority is the child.
Those are really heart-wrenching cases because you know that likely it could have been prevented, she says.
When she does make a pitch for vaccines, Dr. Messina prefers to lead with questions.
I usually approach it as What areyouconcerned about, what have you read?
What have you read on the internet, what have your friends told you?
And then we go one by one through the things that theyre worried about.
Thats how strongly I feel about it.
that can be the deciding factor.
Some parents will ask, Do you give these vaccines to your kids?
Do you wanna see?
Understanding exactly which kind of concern shes dealing with can help Dr. Trout tailor her response.
Some people change their minds on the spot, Dr. Trout says.
I find that it depends on what their concern is.
[Some people] cannot define why they are hesitant.
They just say, I don’t know, but I don’t want it.
The hardest part about addressing vaccine hesitancy is that it is a very emotional subject.
In 2009 she had googled that years flu vaccine and became convinced it wasnt safe.
However, Ill know someone who does and Ill do my best to get that information to you.
As a nurse, Butler values the power of knowledge and education.
That is the opportunity for so many things in our world today.
I never want to deny someone the opportunity to get information or knowledge.
In situations when explaining the science to people doesnt work, some physicians try another strategy.
And unfortunately theres plenty of material to provoke an emotional response.
Since desperate times call for desperate measures, Dr. Bisgrove incorporated this heartbreaking story into her case for vaccinating.
And suddenly I had a lot of parents vaccinating their kids.
This story is part of a larger package called Vaccines Save Lives.
you’re able to find the rest of the packagehere.
