Mesquite Pediatrics Blog

We are entering RSV season again, so that means it’s the time of year for babies to get their RSV immunizations. All babies born from May to September this year are now recommended to get this very important injection to help prevent RSV, which is the most common cause of hospitalization and death in the first year of life outside the newborn period. We recommend bringing your baby in for this injection within the first 2 weeks of October. Read our other blog entries on RSV for more information.

As we have entered the new year let us focus on how to keep our children healthy. We know a healthy diet is important to their well-being and that it should contain more whole foods than processed foods. We know physical activity helps maintain healthy weight and prevent complications like diabetes and heart disease. We know vaccinations prevent harmful and potentially fatal infections. The falsified links of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and vaccinations to autism show that the numerous worldwide studies using gold-standard science will never be enough to convince conspiracy theorists and fear-mongers. Kennedy has said they “will find” the links, showing his determination to twist data to justify his preconceived notions. Measles cases are out of control, and the United States will lose our elimination status because our leaders refuse to acknowledge that vaccinations save lives. The change to the newborn hepatitis B vaccination recommendation by the ACIP was made to sow doubt in vaccinations, not because there is any data showing a risk to newborns from the vaccine. Recent COVID vaccination data was misrepresented and used falsely to imply a risk of death with the initial vaccination series, a risk not found by the FDA’s own investigation. The change of our vaccination policy to mimic another country, without data to support that it is superior, is just a bad public health decision. Other countries have different health care delivery systems, different parental sick time leave, different infectious disease risks, and different population sizes. We have seen guidelines change without scientific methods even being discussed and anticipate this trend to continue, a sharp departure from decades of precedent. Below are a few articles that we recommend you read.

Inside Medicine review of FDA’s internal review of COVID vaccinations and pediatric deaths

Paul Offit on the CDC claims

Paul Offit on Hep B

AAP Fact check

CHOP’s vaccination education center

With the recent changes in the CDC & FDA, specifically the firing of science experts from the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice); their replacement with non-scientist, anti-vaccination activists; and the spreading of false statements through both organizations, we will be following the AAP vaccination schedule instead of that published by the CDC.  The discussion of changing what has already been proven to be a safe, effective vaccination schedule is worrisome and based on anti-science fearmongering.   We will continue to offer accelerated vaccination, when possible, to interested parents.  We will continue to recommend the Hepatitis B vaccine be given at birth, as this approach has decreased Hepatitis B infection by 99%.  We will not draw Hepatitis B titers in young children as there is no evidence to do so.  The current outbreaks of measles (155 cases in AZ as of Dec 6, 2025) and pertussis are occurring in unvaccinated populations and further provide evidence that when the community vaccinates, the population is safer and we do not see children die of preventable diseases.  Furthermore, in 2024 the number of pediatric deaths from infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases grew for the third year in a row in Arizona as vaccination rates have dropped.  We believe in vaccinations. We believe in their safety, and we know that they save children’s lives. Our website has links to reliable websites at: Mesquite Pediatrics Reliable Websites.  We post regularly on Facebook.  The AAP vaccination schedule can be found at AAP Vaccination Schedule through the Healthy Children website. 

Below are a few articles to read more on the subject: 

Fact Checked: U.S. Vaccine Recommendations are Appropriate for Children in the United States 

Report: Hepatitis B vaccine safe; delaying would lead to increased infections 

Fact Checked: Vaccines: Safe and Effective, No Link to Autism 

If it is between October 1 and March 31 and you have a baby under 8 months of age, please read below to see if you should call us to schedule an appointment for this injection to help prevent RSV infection in your child.

RSV is the most common reason for babies under 1 year of age to be admitted to the hospital. Every year there are about 2.1 million outpatient visits and 58,000-80,000 hospitalizations due to RSV for children under 5 in the US. Fortunately, a vaccine for pregnant women (Abrysvo) and an injection for babies (Beyfortus) help prevent RSV infections in the youngest babies. We highly recommend this injection for any baby <8 months of age whose mother did not receive her RSV vaccine at least 2 weeks before the baby was born. It is given only during RSV season, from October 1 to March 31. It is also recommended for those 8-24 months with certain risk factors.

What is Beyfortus (nirsevimab)?
Beyfortus is an antibody that is a passive immunization. The antibodies circulate in the baby’s bloodstream and protect the baby from RSV for a period of at least 5 months (about the length of a typical RSV season). While not technically a “vaccine” in a traditional sense (active immunization), it is being used in a manner similar to routine childhood vaccines and may sometimes be referred to as a vaccine.

How effective is Beyfortus (nirsevimab)?
Data from the 2023-2024 RSV season show that Beyfortus was effective against RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalization among infants in their first RSV season. Specifically, data from the VISION Multi-Site Network of Electronic Health Records showed Beyfortus was 77% effective at preventing RSV-associated emergency room visits and 98% effective at preventing RSV-associated hospitalization.

What are the side effects of Beyfortus (nirsevimab)?
Because Beyfortus is a passive immunization and the baby’s immune system does not need to react to it in order for the baby to be protected, side effects are usually very mild. The only common side effects are reactions at the site of the injection such as pain, redness, or swelling. Allergic reactions can always happen with injections, but they are very rare. Overall, Beyfortus is very safe, well tolerated, and extremely effective.

Want to learn more about RSV?
Please see https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/RSV-When-Its-More-Than-Just-a-Cold.aspx

In this day and age it is hard to know who you should trust with the care of your child. There are a lot of opinions out there on how best to raise your children – family, friends, social media, etc. We are committed to providing high quality, evidence-based medical care to all families based on current guidelines and research. We would like to help you and your family navigate these uncertain and changing times with scientific and fact-based care.

With the recent changes in the CDC, specifically the firing of experts and their replacement with non-scientist, non-vaccination experts on the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) we do not believe we will be able to continue relying on the CDC’s vaccination schedule going forward. We will continue to follow the Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended schedule and offer accelerated vaccination when possible, given the current outbreaks of measles and the uncertainty of future vaccine availability. We believe in vaccinations. We believe in their safety and we know that they save children’s lives. In regards to the recent uncertainty around vaccinations we look to be your trusted source of information. Our website has links to reliable websites at: Mesquite Pediatrics Reliable Websites

The AAP vaccination schedule can be found at AAP Vaccination Schedule through the Healthy Children website.

Below are a few articles to read more on the subject:

Healthy Children Open Letter to Parents
AAP News on ACIP
Major US Medical Organizations Statement