In the past several years, I have written often about vaccines and their importance in our children’s health care. Now as the American Academy of Pediatrics NH chapter immunization representative, it is time again to speak up especially in light of the myriad of changes to the childhood vaccine schedule. First let me point out that your child’s doctor or NP or PA is the person to go to when discussing the benefits of vaccines not non medical, vaccine skeptic who happens to find himself in charge of U.S. Health and Human Services Department.
Most recently, children have been vaccinated for 17 contagious diseases and now the CDC had decreased the recommended vaccines to 11. Those still on the recommended list include DTaP and Tdap which cover tetanus, diptheria and pertussis; polio; MMr, which covers measles, rubella and mumps; Hib, which covers H.flu, chicken pox and pneumococcal as well as HPV. The good news is that they committee did see the value in these vaccines and continue to recommend them. All of these viral and bacterial diseases are serious and all have the potential to either cause death or lead to other sequelae that can lead to death. So parents should continue to have their children vaccinated on time for these diseases.
Now to those that have been sidelined as recommended for children in high risk groups. One is RSV. All children under 2 are in a high risk group and should be vaccinated during their first RSV season, as well as up to age 2 if they are at risk for severe disease due to other health issues. Most children are already eligible for this vaccine under this criteria.
Next are hepatitis A and B. While these diseases aren’t as common in childhood, outbreaks still do occur in the U.S. Hepatitis B is very concerning, as a pregnant mother can pass this on to her infant and may not even know she is infected. This can lead to serious liver disease and ultimately to liver cancer in some individuals. Vaccinating children at birth and the first several months of life helps avoid serious liver disease.
Lastly, there is meningococcus A and B. These diseases mainly happen in conditions where teens and young adults are living in community such as in college dorms or military barracks. While not the most common of our infectious diseases, they rank right up there as some of the most deadly. In my own experience, I have seen a teen go from well to fighting for their life in the ICU in less than 24 hours from one of these infections. Death can occur in a matter of hours with these diseases, so why take a chance?
I remember my mother, who was born in 1930, telling me that she was sent to summer camp every year to get out of New York City when polio went through. She was so petrified about polio that she signed my up for every dose I could get at the school clinic as well as in my pediatrician’s office. I believe I had 10 when only four to five are the norm.
I myself saw the devastation of H.Flu disease as a resident and watched several children be seriously ill or die from it. Some of the children were left with life long consequences from their infections. When the Hib vaccine came out, it was like a miracle and I have not seen another case of H. Flu in the 38 years out of the 40 years I’ve practiced pediatrics. This was a regular reason for hospital admission 40 years ago, so this is quite a testimony to the efficacy of the Hib vaccine.
It baffles me to think that the progress we’ve made in preventing deadly infectious diseases in the past 100 years should be thrown out the window. Right now, I am listening to a little baby crying in the hallway who probably just had her life saving vaccines. How can anyone deny babies the benefit of vaccines and the ability to avoid death at a young age? Lest we forget everyone should go and take a walk around their local cemetery where the old gravestones are located. Check out the dates on them and count how many toddlers and babies under 2 died and are buried there. Almost every one of these children died of infectious diseases that are vaccine preventable today.
Why would we want to go back to those days? My heart hurts for those parents of yesteryear and I don’t want to grieve with today’s parents. We pediatricians and all health care workers want the very best for America’s children and these new guidelines are not the best health care.
As always, I urge you to discuss these issues with your child’s health care team and trust us as we want help you in keeping your children safe.
Patricia Edwards is a pediatrician based in Concord and is an American Academy of Pediatrics NH chapter representative.