Newsletter

There is a lot of information about vaccines circulating right now. At the same time, cases of preventable illnesses continue to rise around the country. When topics like measles, whooping cough, or changes to immunization guidance appear in headlines, it’s natural for families to seek to better understand what all of this means for their own children.

For parents, sorting through medical information, opinion pieces, and social media chatter can feel overwhelming. We sat down with Dr. Wendy Johnson of our East New York, Brooklyn office, and put together some questions and answers covering topics like vaccine safety and scheduling, to the reasons why certain vaccines are still necessary today. Our hope is that this guide provides clarity, reassurance, and a trusted foundation as you navigate these conversations for your family.

Is it safe for my child to receive multiple vaccines in one visit?
Yes. Getting several vaccines in one visit is just as safe as spacing them out. The advantage is that your child has only one day of possible fussiness or mild side effects instead of several.
A child’s immune system is incredibly capable and responds to hundreds of antigens every day from food, surfaces, and other people. Vaccines do not overwhelm the immune system. They simply give it a controlled practice run, an ability to create and have antibodies ready to go when faced with these serious childhood diseases.

How are vaccine recommendations adjusted for children with allergies, medical conditions, or missed doses?
Most children follow the standard vaccine schedule without needing adjustments.
For children with rare medical conditions such as certain immune deficiencies or those receiving chemotherapy, the schedule may be modified slightly.
If a child is behind on vaccines, pediatricians use catch up schedules. Details depend on the child’s age, how many doses were missed, and which diseases are being vaccinated against.

What are the risks of delaying or skipping a vaccine?
Delaying or skipping a vaccine leaves a child unprotected for a period of time. If a vaccine is skipped entirely, the child has no antibodies and is susceptible to catching that disease.
If a booster is delayed, their initial protection fades with time.

How important is it to follow the recommended schedule?
Following the recommended schedule is important because the schedule is designed so boosters are given before antibody levels drop. Delays create periods of lower protection when a child is more vulnerable to disease.

How effective are current vaccines?
Extremely effective. Different diseases behave differently, so each vaccine has its own schedule and type of protection. Some vaccines protect you from getting the disease, such as measles, chickenpox, and polio. Other vaccines target viruses that change over time, such as influenza and COVID. These vaccines may not prevent every infection, but they greatly reduce complications like severe illness, pneumonia, febrile seizures, and serious neurologic complications.

Is there any scientific evidence that vaccines cause autism?
No. The original claim was based on falsified information. The physician who made this claim had financial conflicts, produced fake data, and later admitted that the results were not real. Many researchers attempted to repeat his findings, and none found any link between vaccines and autism. Autism does have genetic components and is still being studied, but vaccines are not among the causes.

What does current research show about vaccine safety, including newer vaccines?
The development of vaccines is extensive: from research, human clinical trials, strict regulatory review then final approval from the FDA. After approval and once in public use, vaccines undergo continuous safety monitoring including reports of any adverse reactions, surveillance comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated populations and manufacturers’ follow up studies. Any updates in vaccine safety and guidance is reviewed and published.

How do pediatricians stay updated on the latest vaccine recommendations?
The answer to this question has changed a lot in the last few months. The majority of the medical community no longer has confidence in the CDC guidance and recommendations. Pediatricians and many healthcare agencies, including the NYDOH are now aligning with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association for evidence-based guidance.
Parents can find reliable and current information at HealthyChildren.org.

Should my newborn receive the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth?
Yes. If a baby becomes infected with Hepatitis B, they are at high risk for chronic liver disease, liver failure, and liver cancer. The vaccine prevents this. Although most mothers are tested for Hepatitis B during pregnancy, new infections can occur later in pregnancy and newborns can be exposed through friends, family and visitors. Because there is no way to be completely certain a newborn is not exposed, the birth dose is recommended.

What are the current recommendations for MMR and MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella) vaccines?
• The first MMR dose is recommended at 12 months.
• The combined MMRV vaccine is recommended as the second dose at 4 years of age.
• For children under the age of 4 years old, the MMR and Varicella (chicken pox) vaccines are separated because the combined dose (MMRV) slightly increases the risk of fever and febrile seizures in this age group.
• At age 4, the combined vaccine is preferred.

Why are more vaccines recommended now compared to the 1980s?
Medical research has advanced significantly in the last few decades. Vaccines developed in the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Hib and pneumococcal vaccines, have greatly reduced severe diseases like meningitis and pneumonia. Another example is the HPV vaccine which received FDA approval in 2006, and prevents several malignant cancers including cervical, penile, and oral cancers.
More vaccines today means fewer severe infections and fewer long term complications.

Why vaccinate against diseases that are considered eliminated, like polio?
If vaccination decreases, these diseases return. Recent outbreaks of measles, polio, and whooping cough have shown that low vaccination rates allow these illnesses to spread again. Continued vaccination keeps them from reestablishing themselves in communities.

Final thoughts for parents
Always talk openly with your pediatrician; they are there to help and protect your child. Not all online information is reliable. Many sources are driven by a desire for increased online engagement. Some people even spread misinformation hoping to go “viral”. They want clicks, likes, shares, and comments. Your pediatrician has a relationship with your family, and can help you navigate trustworthy information so that you can make decisions that keep your child safe and healthy.