Preston Ridge Pediatrics Vaccine Policy

We at Preston Ridge Pediatrics firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and death in our pediatric patients. All newborns, infants, young children and teenagers should receive all of the recommended vaccines to prevent 17 different diseases according to the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

We also wholeheartedly believe in the safety of our vaccines and that based on all the available literature, evidence, and current studies, vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. We as a practice strive to lead by example which is why all our providers children were/are vaccinated on time according to the CDC schedule that we champion for and support.

The act of vaccinating children and teens is one of the single most important health-promoting interventions we perform as healthcare providers, and that you can perform as parents/caregivers. The recommended vaccines and subsequent vaccine schedule are the results of years of scientific study and data gathered on millions of children to show vaccine’s safety and their effectiveness.

The vaccine campaign is truly a victim of its own success over the last 60 years. It is precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness and death that we are even discussing whether or not they should be given. Because of vaccines, many adults have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis, or even chickenpox, or known a friend or family member whose child died of one of these diseases. This said, we recognize that there has always been and will likely always be controversy surrounding vaccination. We strongly feel that refusing to vaccinate is in itself inappropriate medical care and as board certified physicians it goes against our ethical code of do no harm.

We are making you aware of these facts not to scare or intimidate you, but to highlight the importance of vaccinating your child. We also recognize that the choice may be a very emotional one for some parents due to many influencing factors. We will do everything we can to convince you that vaccinating according to schedule is the right thing to do. However, should you have doubts, please discuss these with your provider at your child’s visit.

Because we are committed to protecting the health of your children through vaccination, we require all of our patients to be vaccinated. We do not allow alternate or broken up vaccine schedules here at Preston Ridge Pediatrics. We follow the AAP and CDC recommended immunization schedule from birth to age 18 years.

Finally, if you should absolutely refuse to vaccinate your infant/child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another healthcare provider who shares your views. We do not keep a list of such providers, nor would we recommend any such physician. Please recognize that by not vaccinating, you are putting your child at unnecessary risk for life-threatening illness and disability, and even death. As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating your child on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do to protect all children and young adults. Thank you for taking the time to read this policy.

 

Immunization Policy

When is the right age for child immunization vaccines?
When should I vaccinate my child?

Immunizing your child is a safe and effective way to prevent serious and life-threatening illnesses. Currently, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends routine vaccination to prevent 17 different diseases. Some vaccines are administered in a series of doses in order to provide adequate protection against the disease. Our practice follows these recommended immunization schedules to provide the best possible protection for your child against these diseases. Timely immunization of your child promotes healthy, disease-free lives.

View our Immunization Schedule:

We follow the AAP recommended immunization schedules generally accepted by the pediatric medical community. Some of the vaccines may be given as part of a combination vaccine so that your child gets fewer shots. Ask your doctor which vaccines your child should receive.

 

Recommended Schedule:
AGE

VACCINES
2 Month

*DTaP, Hib, Polio, HepB, Vaxneuvance, Rotateq
4 Month

*DTaP, Hib, Polio, HepB, Vaxneuvance, Rotateq

6 Month

*DTaP, Hib, Polio, HepB, Vaxneuvance, Rotateq

12 Month

Varivax, Vaxneuvance

15 Month

MMR, HIB

18 Month

DTaP, Hep A

2 Years

Hep A (must be at least 6 months from 1st dose)

4 Years

MMR

5 Years

DTP-A, IPV, Varivax

6-9 Years

Hep B if not completed

11 Years

Tdap, MCV-4, Gardasil

16-18 Years 

MCV-4, Men-B

*Combination vaccines are used at the 2, 4, and 6 month visits.

 
Additional vaccines that may be given: Dt, Td

Immunization Reactions:

Most infants and children will have very little if any discomfort or fever following an immunization. However, some children may be fussy, irritable, have joint pain or run a mild fever. There is no need to worry when this happens and the appropriate dose of acetaminophen may be given. Please report any severe reactions or extremely high fevers.

More information on vaccines and immunizing your child:

Office Documents

These links will allow you access to printable office forms. Note these forms should not be emailed back to the office. If you prefer, you can fax these to us at 770-772-6099, or bring them with you on your next visit."

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