Part 1: Your Most Important Parenting Questions, Finally Answered
A practical, nuanced breakdown of the issues every parent worries about — immunity, safety, autism concerns, vaccine choices, and more.
Every so often, I open up a dedicated thread for my upgraded subscribers to ask me anything — the real questions they may not feel comfortable bringing to their pediatrician’s office, or the ones that require a more nuanced, integrative lens. These Q&A sessions always spark some of my favorite conversations, and today I’m sharing a handful of those questions along with my answers.
Here are a few of the questions from this round:
“Hi Dr. G! My son is almost 11 months… is he getting exposed to enough germs to build his immune system?”
“Thoughts on homeoprophylaxis for immunizations — efficacy and providers?”
“Should grandparents get the pertussis vaccine if the baby is unvaccinated? And can vaccines shed?”
“Do you have concerns about the number of ultrasounds today compared to 40 years ago, and any link to autism?”
(Answers below.)
1. “Hi Dr. G! My son is almost 11 months. We have a babysitter that comes to the house. He’s around other kids on occasion (maybe 1x a week) and I take him in public often but I wonder if he’s getting exposed to enough germs to build his immune system. He has had colds but luckily he’s never been sick sick. From what I understand is getting sick is what builds the immune system. Should I make an effort to expose him to more or is it actually a good thing that he isn’t exposed to what some kids are exposed to in daycare/ ect? In health,”
You definitely don’t need to force exposure. Babies don’t need daycare-level illness to build a healthy immune system. Everyday life provides plenty of microbial exposure—touching surfaces, being outdoors, interacting with family and the occasional child is more than enough for most infants. Getting sick can help train the immune system, but it’s not the only way. Breastfeeding (if applicable), good nutrition, sleep, outdoor play, and a low-toxin environment all contribute meaningfully to immune development.
Daycare-level constant sickness isn’t inherently “better”—just more exposure. Some kids benefit from less frequent, spaced-out illnesses so their system isn’t overwhelmed. Your son being generally healthy is a good sign, not a red flag.
2. “Thanks for all the resources and support you provide for parents! I wanted to know your thoughts on the homeoprophylaxis options for immunizations, efficacy, and providers that offer them for places where schools require it.”
Homeoprophylaxis (HP) is used by some holistic practitioners, but evidence for its efficacy is extremely limited compared to conventional vaccines. HP is generally considered safe because the remedies are highly diluted, but there is no strong data showing it prevents disease the way vaccines do. Schools in the U.S. do not accept HP in place of required immunizations, so families using HP still need exemptions or alternative pathways.
If families choose to explore HP, I encourage them to use it as a supportive or complementary strategy—not as a replacement for legally required immunizations—and to work with trained practitioners who understand both the philosophical approach and the real-world limitations.
3. “If a child under 1 yr old has had few to no vaccinations, would you recommend grandparents that spend a lot of time with the grandchild to receive a pertussis vaccine? Is there such thing as a virus shedding from a vaccine?”
For pertussis, adults can carry and transmit the infection even with mild or no symptoms. Vaccinated individuals can still transmit Whooping Cough. The “cocooning” strategy (vaccinating close contacts) has mixed evidence, but many pediatricians still recommend it when babies are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, though there are also many providers that no longer recommend this. It’s not mandatory, but it’s something to discuss as part of a family conversation, depending on your personal beliefs around vaccines.
As for shedding—most live virus vaccines can theoretically shed, but pertussis (Tdap) is not a live vaccine, so it does not shed. Measles, rotavirus, chickenpox, and flu (nasal spray) are the classic examples of live vaccines where limited shedding can occur, usually at low levels and rarely causing illness.
4. “Hi. Do you have any concerns about the number of ultrasounds that pregnant women get, compared with 40 years ago, and potential impact for autism?”
Ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, and is widely considered safe when used appropriately. That said, we do use far more ultrasounds now than in the past. While there’s no strong evidence linking ultrasound exposure to autism, I generally recommend keeping ultrasounds to the medically necessary minimum—especially long, repeated, or “keepsake” scans that have no clinical benefit. Given the steep rise in autism, everything, including ultrasounds should be considered and no medical intervention should be used unless needed as we don’t know what we may find out in the future.
As with many prenatal exposures, the research is incomplete. I always advocate for a balanced approach: use ultrasounds when they are needed for medical decision-making, but avoid unnecessary ones just for curiosity or entertainment.
More questions to come shortly…