There has been a lot of false and misleading information on the internet about vaccines and their safety. Because of this, it’s not surprising that parents still have many questions about vaccines. Social media makes it easier than ever for incorrect or scary vaccine information to spread. That’s why we encourage families to look to trusted sources that use scientific research and come from respected health organizations. On this page, we want to share important facts about why vaccines matter and why we believe they are so important.
The truth is simple: vaccines save lives! They are a key part of protecting people from dangerous diseases, especially infants and children who are most at risk. At Howard County Pediatrics, we require all of our patients to be vaccinated in order to be part of our medical home. Some families want to vaccinate but may prefer a schedule that is different from the one recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its Committee on Infectious Disease. In our experience, using a schedule that is very different from the one recommended can:
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lead to more illness in the community,
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increase mistakes with vaccines,
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put patients and staff at higher risk, and
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result in more children being harmed or dying from preventable diseases.
Because of this, our policy is not to delay required vaccines by more than six months from the recommended ages set by the AAP.
You can click
here to see the general schedule of vaccinations that we follow. The order and timing of the recommended vaccines may be adjusted, by our physicians, based on the medical needs of an individual patient. Our practice
Vaccine Policy is critical in stopping dangerous illnesses from spreading to anyone who visits or works in our office. We welcome any questions or clarifications regarding our position on the need for vaccines for children and adolsescents.
Please see the list of links below to view science supported information on vaccines
World Health Organization (WHO) Vaccine Home Page
Immunizations, What You Need to Know (AAP)
Immunization Action Coalition
Vaccine Education Center (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)