During the first few years of life, vaccines are an important tool in helping to protect children from potentially serious diseases. It’s common for caregivers to have questions about the current vaccine recommendations. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of misinformation when it comes to vaccines.
To get the most up to date information, caregivers can always consult the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as well as their pediatrician.
“It is really important to talk to your pediatrician or primary caregiver about informed decision-making on getting the right vaccines for your child,” said Thomas Murray, MD, PhD, associate medical director of Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital and professor of Pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine.
Understanding vaccine schedules
The first vaccine offered to newborns is the hepatitis B vaccine. It is used to prevent potential transmission from mom to baby and can help prevent liver damage and chronic liver infection.
Other common vaccines offered in early childhood include the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), varicella and inactivated poliovirus vaccines. Some of these vaccines, including the MMR vaccine require multiple doses.
“Some vaccines require multiple doses to establish long term immunity. That’s also why we get boosters for certain vaccines when we get older, even as adults, to maintain immunity,” said Dr. Murray.
Following the vaccine schedule is also important to get the greatest benefit.
“The current AAP vaccine schedules have been well studied and have done an excellent job of reducing vaccine preventable diseases,” said Dr. Murray. “So, there’s a lot of evidence to support the current AAP vaccine schedule.”
Seasonal vaccines
Some vaccines, like the MMR vaccine provide lifelong immunity, so once someone receives the recommended doses, they do not need additional boosters. Other seasonal vaccines are different in that they require a yearly shot.
For example, the flu vaccine changes each year because each flu vaccine is designed to match the strain that is currently circulating. It may be easy for busy families to overlook seasonal vaccines, or for caregivers to think they’re not important, but flu can be very serious, especially in young children.
“Across the country every year there are children who die from influenza. Children with underlying health problems have the highest risk of complications from the flu. The flu vaccine is protective against very severe disease and therefore it’s something we recommend,” said Dr. Murray.
Another seasonal illness for families to consider is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Nirsevimab is a monoclonal antibody offered to all newborns during the fall respiratory season and has been shown to have up to a 90% reduction in babies being hospitalized due to RSV.
RSV shots are also offered to adults 60 and older. These can be especially important for grandparents, who may be exposed to RSV through interaction with young kids, and are at risk of getting seriously ill.
Common vaccine misconceptions
One of the biggest concerns parents may have when it comes to vaccines are the potential adverse effects. It is common for there to be some redness and soreness at the site of a vaccine, and they can cause fever. However, that just means the immune system is mounting a response to the components of the vaccine and it is rarely serious. More serious side effects, such as anaphylaxis, are extremely rare.
Some caregivers may also be worried about the number of vaccines offered to kids.
“One of the common concerns is that kids get too many vaccines or get too many vaccines at once and then that can cause a problem for the immune system. In fact, based on studies, that isn’t the case,” said Dr. Murray.
But any time a caregiver has questions about a vaccine, they should feel comfortable reaching out to their pediatrician. Their pediatrician is familiar with their child’s medical history and can give the appropriate guidance.
