Tag: immunization

Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!

Posted on by Allied

By: Megan Hayes, CPNP (Peconic Pediatrics, Riverhead & Southold, New York)

Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!

Edward Jenner is often referred to as the father of modern vaccines, but did you know that the first use of immunizations may have been as early as 200 BCE?  As history marches on, scientists have learned more and more about how diseases work – and how to prevent them.  Sweeping epidemics and dangerous diseases have shaped history, but the CDC reminds us that – thanks to vaccines – we live largely untouched by many diseases that are now considered preventable.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF both advocate for vaccines as “a child’s right” – every child has the right to a healthy life, free from preventable diseases.  A vaccine schedule provides a timeframe that allows kids to receive the maximum benefit from each vaccination dose.  Of course, not every child sees it that way: Every day, parents and healthcare providers alike work to help kids cope through fear or anxiety due to ‘shots.’  If you as a parent have questions or concerns, there are great online resources to address questions that parents commonly ask at the CDC and The American Academy of Pediatrics.  Of course, it is your pediatric office’s primary goal to keep your child healthy and safe, which means that we are available for your questions as well.

Addressing the Measles Outbreaks in New York

Posted on by Allied

By: Kerry Fierstein, MD Pediatric Health Associates (Plainview, New York)

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

Measles outbreaks in Brooklyn and Rockland have put public health on the front page of our newspapers. A disease which had been declared eliminated from North America in 2002, is once again scaring parents, doctors and government officials.

Things to know:
-When Measles vaccine rates in a community fall below 95%, measles virus comes back.
-Measles is very contagious and it is difficult to avoid exposure when measles is in the community.
-Children with measles commonly have serious complications.
-There is no treatment for measles, but we can prevent it with the measles vaccine.
-Measles vaccine is safe and effective.
-Measles vaccine is given as part of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) or the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella.)
-Measles vaccine is recommended at 12 months and again at 4-6 years of age. After the first dose 93% of children are immune to measles. After the second dose 97% of children are immune to the measles.
– The second measles vaccine may be given as soon as 28 days after the first one and still fulfill all school requirements.
-Infants 6-12 months of age who are going into high-risk areas may receive an early dose of vaccine, but would still need two more doses after one year of age.
-There are measles outbreaks in Brooklyn (mostly Williamsburg and Borough Park) and Rockland with isolated cases surrounding those areas. Westchester cases are starting to rise.
-Travel outside of the US is considered high risk.

Things to do:
-Vaccinate your infant for measles on time, at 12-15 months.
-Tell your pediatrician if your child is traveling internationally (or visiting a local area of outbreak.) If the child is 6-12 months, an early MMR should be given. If the child has only had one vaccine, it may make sense to give the second vaccine early.
– Speak out against anti-vaccine propaganda in social media. We can not allow the anti-vaccine minority to drown out well-established science and put our children at risk.

To learn more about the Allied Physicians Group vaccine schedule visit, https://alliedphysiciansgroup.com/what-to-expect/

The Vaccine Imperative

Posted on by Allied

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 course of action, and that means vaccines.

Pediatricians are vaccine experts and most of us consider it our mission to protect your child by vaccinating him or her. We get frustrated when we need to convince parents of the need to vaccinate their children.  In part, this is due to the effectiveness of vaccines in eliminating many life-threatening diseases.  Unfortunately, if enough parents decide not to vaccinate their children, many of the diseases of the past will become all too real a part of our children’s futures.

Diseases which used to strike fear in the hearts of parents and pediatricians have all been virtually eliminated by vaccines.

Measles was virtually unseen in the United States for many years until a Disney World outbreak in 2014.  This deadly disease is a major problem worldwide, killing over 700,000 children per year.  There is a current outbreak of over 50 cases of measles in Minnesota due to fear of vaccines.

Polio infected nearly 60,000 children, causing more than 3,000 deaths in the United States, at the height of the 1952 epidemic. Since the polio vaccine was introduced, polio has been completely eliminated in North America.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has seen a resurgence due to a decrease in vaccination rates.  The pertussis bacteria produce weeks of coughing spasms that cannot be cured with an antibiotic. In infants, pertussis can lead to death.

Haemophilus Influenza B was the most common cause of meningitis and epiglottis in young children before the HIB vaccine came out in1983.  The HIB vaccine has decreased invasive Haemophilus disease by over 95% and saved the lives of thousands of children.

Pneumoccocus  is a very common cause of meningitis,  pneumonia and sepsis (an infection of the blood and organs.)  Since the introduction of the Prevnar vaccine in 2000, rates of serious pneumococcal disease have decreased 80%.

Meningococcus causes meningitis in infants and adolescents.  The Menactra vaccine, which contains 4 strains of this organism, is so effective in preventing disease that  New York State requires students be vaccinated before 7th and 12th grades.  Many colleges are now requiring all students be vaccinated.   A fifth strain, MenB for short, has emerged on college campuses in the last few years.  A vaccine for Men B was approved for use in the United States about 2 years ago. There is no recommendation for routine use of this vaccine.  Your pediatrician will be happy to discuss these recommendations and why you should or should not need the vaccine.

Human Papilloma Virus, commonly acquired during the teenage and college years is inextricably linked to cervical cancer. HPV vaccine has been available in the U.S. for over 10 years. In addition to preventing the strains of HPV associated with cancer, it also prevents the strains associated with genital warts.

Your pediatrician is your best source of vaccine information. Talk to your pediatrician about the vaccines that are available and make sure your child is safely protected against all vaccine preventable illnesses.

Measles: How To Protect Your Family

Posted on by Allied

Officials Warn Of Possible Measles Exposure At Newark Airport

Officials: Possible measles exposure reported at O’Hare International Airport

Measles is a highly contagious virus and is spread by air through coughing and sneezing.  Measles usually starts with fever, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat.  It is followed by a rash that spreads over the body.

“Although usually a self-limited illness, children younger than 5 years of age and adults older than 20 years of age are more likely to suffer from measles complications. Ear infections occur in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in permanent hearing loss.  As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.  About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it.  Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.” (https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html)

Please make sure your child(ren) are vaccinated at the recommended time. If your child is exposed to a person with Measles please call your provider as soon as possible.