Don't stop believing in vaccinations

At his 6-month well-baby visit, my son received all of his routine vaccinations except for the H. influenzae, type b (Hib) vaccine because of a delay in shipment. I was told to return the following week for the shot. Yes, I brought him back, but I wonder how many children end up missing their doses because of this little inconvenience? Even worse, how many children never even received their first doses because of misinformed caregivers? Vaccines do not only protect those who receive them, but they also help "create a 'herd immunity' a wall of immunized people that prevents spread of disease, so children who are vulnerable — those too young to be vaccinated or who can't be because of immune disorders or other medical problems — are protected." Since the introduction of the Hib vaccine, the number of infections in the U.S. caused by this bacteria has decreased by 99%. Unfortunately, Hib is making a comeback, and it is not a pretty disease. It can cause meningitis (majority of cases), pneumonia, sepsis, epiglottitis (a severe throat infection), skin infections, and arthritis. Children have also died from these invasive bacterial infections.

Protect your children and others; vaccinate your children.

Fear of autism is not a reason to skip vaccines

Many recent scientific studies have concluded that there is no association between the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and autism. Yesterday, the special court experts (Special Masters) ruled that there is no causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism and that thimerosal-containing vaccines (very few of these left on the market) do not contribute to causing immune dysfunction, further confirming what the medical and scientific communities have always believed. I have always been an advocate of vaccinations, and both of my children are up-to-date with theirs. This is also my favorite lecture to prepare and give.

Vaccine schedules for routine vaccines are updated annually in January. Get the facts about vaccines from reputable, unbiased sources (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Immunization Action Coalition, Every Child by Two, Vaccinate Your Baby). Vaccine information sheets for every vaccine are available in multiple languages. As with any medical intervention, vaccinations may have some risks involved. However, the full benefits of vaccinating your child(ren) far outweigh these risks. Want to see some pictures of vaccine-preventable diseases?http://www.vaccinateyourbaby.com/safe/autism/omnibus_proceeding.cfm

Be sure to talk to your child's health care provider before choosing to forgo routine childhood vaccines. What you heard could be a myth (e.g. flu vaccines can give you the flu). Rare side effects (more than just fever or local injection reactions) should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System to help monitor vaccine safety.

So, are your children up-to-date with their vaccines?