Vaccine-hesitant parents aren’t stupid or anti-science. Often, they’re not even opposed to vaccines; they’re just scared. Anxiety leads them to postpone the decision and refuse shots at the doctor’s visit, thinking they’ll do more research and follow up later. Some parents recoil at the idea of sticking a needle into their perfect new baby — especially because they didn’t receive as many vaccines as children do today. As a result, they wonder whether all these injections are really necessary, or if they can be spread out over time. It doesn’t help that they grew up hearing from figures like actress Jenny McCarthy, or that other celebrities continue to tout vaccine misinformation. This fearmongering had decades to spread in the culture.

When our organization trains pediatricians in how to communicate with patients, we emphasize that they can’t sweep all that junk science away at once. Most parents’ first opportunity to ask a doctor about the inoculation schedule is during their baby’s checkup two months after birth. This 20-minute appointment has to cover a plethora of important issues, from feeding to sleeping to diapering — which doesn’t leave much time to ask about vaccines. If a doctor reacts with dismissal or condescension to parents’ questions, the parents shut down. They turn to those they already trust, such as friends or family members, which sometimes leads to a clustering of unvaccinated people.