This week’s story of a boy on Long Island with bacterial meningitis who required ICU care brought out raw emotions in all of us. We can’t help but empathize with the family, and think “what if this was my child?” The important take-away message is that certain infections are very serious and prevention is the best … Continued
Question of the Day: Should I give my child medication before he gets a vaccine? Answer: Only give medication when it is needed. The pain of the vaccine is minimal and not prevented by Tylenol. Only a small percentage of children have fever with a vaccine and that fever may not occur in the four … Continued
PHA doctors feel strongly that vaccines are a very important part of preventive medicine in chidren. We follow the immunization guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We recommend that all vaccines are given when they are due. We allow small amounts of leeway for special situations which you should feel free to discuss with … Continued
Question: I have been hearing lately that my 9 year old daughter should get the meningitis shot before she leaves for sleep away camp. My camp recommends it but does not require it. I understand the usual age for this vaccine is 10-11, but when they are going to sleep away, it is a good idea … Continued
Q: My son was in on Sat for his Tdap vaccine for sixth grade. His arm has been black and blue at the injection site. There is a bump there as well. Is this a normal reaction? A: Yes. That is a normal reaction for a booster vaccine.
There is an article going around social media wrtiten by a parent who claims his daughter was negatively affected by HPV. This prompted me to review the literature on HPV vaccine. There are extensive studies showing HPV vaccine safety. There are studies looking at normal teenagers and adults who got the vaccine. There are studies … Continued
The tragic death of a local 17 year old boy reminds us that certain infections can be deadly and that vaccinating our children is life-saving. As pediatricians, we are spending more time convincing parents of the need to vaccinate their children. In part, this is due to the effectiveness of vaccines in eliminating many life-threatening diseases. No mother today has suffered with a … Continued
Flumist is an intranasal flu vaccine with similar efficacy as the traditional injectable flu vaccine. It may be more effective than traditional flu vaccine in years when there is a “mismatch” (the actual flu strain in the community is slightly different than the one that was put into the vaccine.) While traditional flu vaccine is inactivated (contains no live virus), the Flumist … Continued
