Pediatricians fed up with parents who refuse to vaccinate their children out of concern it can cause autism or other problems increasingly are “firing” such families from their practices, raising questions about a doctor’s responsibility to these patients.

Medical associations don’t recommend such patient bans, but the practice appears to be growing, according to vaccine researchers.

In a study of Connecticut pediatricians published last year, some 30 percent of 133 doctors said they had asked a family to leave their practice for vaccine refusal, and a recent survey of 909 Midwestern pediatricians found that 21 percent reported discharging families for the same reason.

By comparison, in 2001 and 2006 about six percent of physicians said they “routinely” stopped working with families due to parents’ continued vaccine refusal and 16 percent “sometimes” dismissed them, according to surveys conducted then by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

According to the NVIC, today, our children are being given three times as many vaccinations as they got in the early 1980’s and that means more profit for the drug companies and the doctors selling the vaccines.

By: Jenny Wetzel, Office Manager

With our focus on Omega 3′s this week, I have been hearing about, and doing a little research on, the benefit of Omega 3′s with people who have ADHD symptoms.  Here is a pretty concise article highlighting the reasons why Fish Oil can be a great alternative treatment for ADHD.  As a side note, we like the Omega 3.6.9 liquid from Biogenesis that comes in a yummy lemon flavored liquid!

Alternative ADHD Treatment: Fish Oil

Research on alternative ADHD treatments suggests a daily fish oil capsule can help curb the symptoms of attention deficit without medication.

by Tina Adler

Could a daily fish oil capsule help curb the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD ADHD) in children and adults? alternative ADHD treatment really help?

Quite possibly, suggests the latest research – including a study published in the May 5, 2005, issue of Pediatrics. “A lack of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids may contribute to dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” reports one of the study’s authors, Paul Montgomery, D.Phil., a researcher in the psychiatry department at the University of Oxford in Read the rest of this entry →

By: Dr. Lisa Goodman, DC

As parents we face specific challenges when it comes to lifting, carrying, bending and twisting.  It is important to know that small, simple, repetitive movements can lead to serious and painful injuries.  As a parent, most of us can’t afford to have a back or shoulder injury.  Having two small children I know that it is important to protect my body and prevent injuries.  As a chiropractor, I know how valuable it is to teach other parents easy ways to protect themselves and prevent injuries.  We teach a class at Washington Park Chiropractic called “Parenting Ergonomics” in which parents and caregivers will learn detailed information about how best to incorporate proper ergonomics into their lives.  Here are three of my favorite tips:

1. Carrying: When carrying a child or an infant carrier be sure to switch sides.  Do not get in the habit of always holding a child on your left hip because you are right handed.  This will create a lot of rotation and torsion in your pelvis which can lead to catastrophic lower back pain over time.  This is particularly important if you have more than one child.  *Additionally, in our class we Read the rest of this entry →

A study by Lee and colleagues extrapolated that some 30 million visits were made by pediatric patients to chiropractors in 1997. A 2005 study by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners revealed that the percentage of chiropractic patients under 17 years of age has increased 8.5% since 1991 from 9.7% to 18.2%.  The chiropractic care of children is therefore a substantial aspect of chiropractic and the care of children in general.  Safety and effectiveness are issues germane to all healthcare providers. To contribute to evidence-based practice, this study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness associated with the chiropractic care of children. Read the rest of this entry →