HPV vaccines and failure to communicate
My second favorite** part of being a pediatrician is talking with parents about the best ways to keep their kids safe. I spend a lot…
The Grandma I Wish I Knew
From what I've been told, my maternal grandmother was a vivacious woman, full of life. IÂ have been told many stories about her, but never met…
When It’s Not a Choice: Measles and Leukemia
Prior to our son’s possible exposure to measles, I did not think about how my choice to vaccinate my children affected anyone but my own…
Growing Up Unvaccinated
I am the 70s child of a health nut. I wasn't vaccinated. I was brought up on an incredibly healthy diet: no sugar til I…
How a Chickenpox Lollipop and a Pink Birthmark Got Me All Worked Up About Vaccination
When my son Cole* was 10 months old, my neighbor Melissa* informed me that she was going to be giving her 4-year-old daughter a chickenpox…
Getting with the Schedule: Slow-Vax to Pro-Vax
I am the mother of a two-year-old girl and a nine-month-old girl. My pregnancy with my youngest was unexpected and filled with worry. I nearly…
Science is Real
Of all the criticisms lobbed at me after I "came out" as pro-vaccine, by far my favorite is that I'm in the pocket of Big…
Learning Lessons from Measles
April, 1961 in Baltimore, I went to play with my younger cousin Leon while my mother shopped nearby for birthday party hats, balloons, and other…
A Science-Based View
Today, instead of watching Jenny McCarthy make her debut on The View, I will be getting my annual influenza vaccine. As a registered nurse, I…
Making the hard choice to protect
My son, H, had his 12 month well visit one Friday where he received the pneumonia, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and Hepatitis A vaccinations…