Knowing their child’s vaccination schedule used to be a given for most parents, but the atmosphere around the subject has changed dramatically over the past few years. With frequently changing information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the prominence of the anti-vaccination movement and the increase of misinformation online, it can be difficult to find factual information about vaccines.
The best thing for parents to do if they’re confused about their child’s vaccination schedule is to consult their doctor. We spoke with Dr. Ashleigh Omorogbe, an emergency medicine physician and president of the Washington, D.C. American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), about what parents need to know about vaccines.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
There’s a lot of conflicting information about vaccines out there right now, but what do doctors generally recommend?
Most doctors recommend an on-time vaccination schedule for children. The schedule that has been created is built to protect kids when they’re most vulnerable, and it’s also created to help keep our community safe. If parents ever have questions, or if you’re apprehensive about a vaccine, clinicians recommend that you have an open discussion with your doctor. We’re typically open to answering questions.
Have there been any scientific developments regarding vaccines or diseases that would be helpful for parents to know about?
Public health agencies have been actively tracking a rise in measles recently, and other vaccine-preventable outbreaks tied to lower childhood vaccination coverage. So, it is really important to try and stay on track with the vaccination schedule because we are seeing more outbreaks, unfortunately. As far as vaccinations updates, we continue to recommend up-to-date vaccinations for the COVID vaccine and all the other scheduled vaccines, such as the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.
It can be overwhelming for parents to figure out which vaccines their child should be getting when. What are the most important vaccines for children to get?
I would focus on the most severe childhood infections, so I would recommend getting the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine and the MMR. For older children and teenagers, we typically recommend the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine and the annual influenza vaccine. All of these vaccines have historically been shown to prevent some of the biggest threats that can face young children and communities.
Getting a vaccine can be scary for a child. How can parents help them prepare and be less nervous about it?
As a parent, trying to remain calm is really important, as is being honest with your kid about the importance of getting a vaccine and the fact that it may not be a completely pleasant experience. We’ll often try to distract kids with videos of singing. If your infant is getting a vaccination, breastfeeding can be a good distraction. Some clinics offer numbing cream or spray for the pain, and some kids just prefer to be held by their parents [when they’re getting a vaccine]. All of these steps can help reduce the pain anxiety that comes with vaccination.
Some parents may wait to have their children vaccinated for personal reasons. Does this have a negative effect on other children?
Yes. Delaying getting vaccinated, or skipping a vaccine entirely, lowers the community’s resistance to outbreaks. Diseases like measles require a really high coverage; about 95% [of people getting vaccinated] will protect the community. Even very small declines in vaccinations can lead to outbreaks that will put infants and those of us who are medically vulnerable at risk. Those delays are serious and can negatively impact the community.
Is there anything else you think parents should know about vaccines?
I think that it is totally reasonable to have questions and concerns about vaccines, but I really want to encourage parents and families to seek out accurate information from their providers and to come prepared with the questions they have so that they can make an informed decision. Our goal is to keep our community safe and to keep your kids safe, and it is part of our job to help educate patients. There’s nothing wrong with having concerns or having questions, but we want to discuss those questions with you freely.
