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Parents worry about contact with unvaccinated child

By Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

Dear Amy: I'm about to have my first child. My partner and I are very excited!

My brother and his partner have a young child. They have chosen not to vaccinate.

While I am not looking to get into a vaccine debate with them, I have some concerns about letting their young child come into close proximity with my newborn.

We plan to vaccinate our child, although I know that there are some vaccines that are not administered until our child reaches a certain age.

Prior to our baby receiving those vaccines, I feel very uneasy exposing the baby to children who are unvaccinated. I want to make it clear to my brother and his partner that I do not want their child around mine, until mine has been vaccinated. But I don't want to upset them or worse yet, get into a debate about vaccines with them.

How should I approach this delicate topic without upsetting anyone?

 

-- Worried New Mother

Dear Worried: Your job as a parent is to use your best judgment to do what is best for your family.

Your brother and his partner are using their own judgment, and have their own reasons, for denying their child vaccines.

According to my research, including conversations with pediatricians as well as recommendations published by many reputable sources, your unvaccinated baby is in a high-risk group for vaccine-preventable diseases.

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