Mesquite Pediatrics Blog

If you received a text message from us, then you have a child in an age group that is eligible for an accelerated vaccine schedule.  We are having a Saturday morning vaccination clinic on March 1st to provide vaccines for children whose parents are concerned about the availability of vaccines in the future.  Please see more details below and call us to schedule your child for the clinic if you are interested.  We will also be offering flu and COVID vaccines at this clinic. If you cannot make it on the morning of March 1st, you can make an appointment for a time during regular business hours after that date.  While we do not know if any changes may occur we do know that this is a safe and effective strategy.  Our primary goal remains ensuring your child’s health and wellness.

Vaccine Availability Concerns

We have heard from many families who have questions or concerns about potential changes in health policies in our country. As your pediatricians, we want to remind you of our goal of providing the best possible care for your children and helping them grow and thrive in a healthy community. We wish we could predict what will happen with vaccine policy in the near future, but unfortunately we cannot. We do know that the newly-confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services has been an outspoken critic of vaccines, especially the MMR, HPV, and polio vaccines (references below). At the very least, he founded Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccination group; argued against measles vaccination in Samoa during an outbreak that led to 83 deaths; is an interested party in, and stands to profit from, a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the HPV vaccine; and is affiliated with a lawyer who has petitioned for the revocation of the license for polio vaccine.

Some Vaccines can be Given Early

Given the uncertainty regarding the future of vaccinations and protection against vaccine preventable infections, we are offering an optional accelerated vaccination schedule for our patients.  This accelerated schedule is within recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that guides our immunization practices.  These doses would not be “extra” but would be given early to ensure the child is protected against vaccine preventable infections while the vaccines are available.  They will be just as effective when given on this schedule and will be accepted by any institution with vaccination requirements.

Vaccines on the Accelerated schedule

• MMRV: 2nd dose available for children 15 months- 4 yrs. Must be at least 3 months after the first dose of MMR & Varicella vaccinations (usually given at 1 yr). If your child is 4 years or older and has not yet received this vaccination they would also be eligible.  (Informative Links: RFK and Samoan Measles Outbreak, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on: MMR, Varicella, Sabin Vaccine Institute Q&A)
• HPV: Series can be started at 9 years of age instead of the usual 11 years of age.  If your child has not received this vaccination and is 9 years or older they are eligible. The second dose will be given 6 months later.  (Informative Links:  RKF on HPV Vaccine Lawsuit, Children’s Hospital of Philadelpha on: HPV)
• DTaP/Hib/IPV (Pentacel) and pneumoncoccal vaccine: 4th doses available for infants 12 months-14 months. Must be at least 6 months after the 6 month vaccinations. (Informative Links:  Children’s Hospital of Philadelpha on: RFK Lawyer Petitions to Revoke Polio Vaccine License, DTaP, Hib, Polio)

More Links that May be of Interest

• RFK on vaccines in general and race: Washington Post on RFK
• Concern for Outbreaks:  RFK and Outbreaks
• Article Oulining how Vaccines Have Saved 146 Million Lives Since 1974:  The Lancet on Vaccines
• Article on Excellent Effectiveness of HPV Vaccine in Preventing Cervical Cancer:  Journal of the Natinal Cancer Institute on HPV Vaccine
• Vaccines and Autism:  STATNews, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, CDC

Information About Flu Vaccines

Flu vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months of age and older. The flu vaccine is offered in injectable and nasal spray forms.

Those who are at highest risk from the flu (and therefore for whom we most strongly recommend the vaccine) are:

• children aged 6 months to 5 years
• children and adolescents who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome with influenza virus infection
• women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
• adults and children who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma (hypertension is not considered a high-risk condition)
• adults and children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus), renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies, or immunodeficiency (including immunodeficiency caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus [HIV])
• adults and children who have any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders).
• residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities that house persons of any age who have chronic medical conditions
• persons aged > 65 years

Also, a flu vaccine is strongly recommended for any household contact of any of the people listed above and for anyone who works in health care.

Children under 9 years of age who have not received at least 2 doses of flu vaccine in the past are recommended to get 2 doses this year, at least 4 weeks apart.

Nasal Flu Vaccine (Flumist)

There are certain people who absolutely should not get the nasal vaccine and others for whom it may not be a good idea (these people should consult with their physician).

This year we have a limited supply of the nasal flu vaccine (Flumist). But there are certain people who absolutely should not get the nasal vaccine and others for whom it may not be a good idea (these people should consult with their physician).

Those who definitely should not get the nasal flu vaccine are people in the following categories:

• Children under 2 years of age
• Children under 18 years of age currently receiving aspirin- or salicylate-containing therapy
• Children under 5 years of age who have had wheezing or asthma in the past 12 months
• People who have had a serious allergic reaction to a flu vaccine or flu vaccine ingredient (including gentamicin, gelatin, or arginine)
• People who have a weakened immune system (immunosuppressed, immunocompromised, or on long term oral steroids)
• People who live with or care for a person who is immunocompromised
• People without a functioning spleen
• Pregnant women
• People with a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak into the nose, mouth, ear, or other part of the skull
• People with a cochlear implant
• People who have taken flu antiviral drugs within the last 17 days

Those for whom it may not be a good idea and consultation with a physician is recommended include:

• People over 4 years of age who have asthma
• People with lung, heart, kidney, or liver disease, neurological or neuromuscular disease, or a metabolic disorder (including diabetes)
• People who currently have a fever or are otherwise sick
• People who have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of a previous flu vaccine

Below is our usual check-up and immunization schedule. Your child’s schedule may vary, so make sure you ask us when your child’s next visit should be.

Additional Information

• We do not recommend giving your child Tylenol (acetaminophen) before the vaccines as there is some evidence that this may decrease the effectiveness of the vaccines.
• If you are interested in more information on a particular vaccine-preventable disease, visit our AAP Patient Education Library where you can download Vaccine Information Sheets to learn about the disease, side effects of the vaccine, and other pertinent information.
• Download our Well-Child Exam Handouts for more detailed information and guidance, based on your child’s age.

First Week Check (usually 1-3 days after leaving the hospital)

• Usually no vaccines

Two Week Check

• Usually no vaccines ( Hepatitis B if not given at birth)
• Second newborn genetic disease screen collected

One Month Check

• Usually no vaccines

Two Month Check

• Pentacel ( Diphtheria , Tetanus , acellular Pertussis , Hib , and Polio )
• Hepatitis B
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
• Rotavirus

Four Month Check

• Pentacel ( Diphtheria , Tetanus , acellular Pertussis , Hib , and Polio )
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
• Rotavirus

Six Month Check

• Pentacel ( Diphtheria , Tetanus , acellular Pertussis , Hib , and Polio )
• Hepatitis B
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
• Rotavirus

Nine Month Check

• Hearing Screen

One Year Check

• MMR ( Measles , Mumps , and Rubella )
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)
• Hepatitis A
• Anemia and Lead Screens
• Vision Screen

Fifteen Month Check

• Pentacel ( Diphtheria , Tetanus , acellular Pertussis , Hib , and Polio )
• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Eighteen Month Check

• Hepatitis A

Two Year Check

• No Vaccines
• Vision Screen
• Lead Screen

Thirty Month Check

• No Vaccines

Three Year Check

• Hearing Screen
• Vision Screen

Four Year Check

• DTaP-IPV ( Diphtheria , Tetanus , acellular Pertussis and polio)
• MMRV ( Measles , Mumps , Rubella , Varicella )

Five Year Check

• Hearing Screen
• Vision Screen

Six to Eight Years

• Checkup every year

 Nine Year Check

• Vision Screen

 Ten Year Check

• Hearing Screen
• Cholesterol Screen

Eleven Year Check

• Tdap ( Tetanus , Diphtheria , acellular Pertussis )
• Meningococcal (meningitis)
• Human Papillomavirus

Twelve to Twenty-Six Years

• Checkup every year
• Usually no vaccines
• Anemia screen at 12 year check
• Meningococcal (meningitis) – second dose given at 16 years
• Hearing screen to 16 year check
• Anemia screen at 16 year check
• Cholesterol screen at 18 year check
• Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) at 21 year check

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all recommend that mothers receive the vaccine against whooping cough (Pertussis) with every pregnancy. They also recommend that fathers and other close caregivers receive the vaccine.

Unfortunately, whooping cough is still a common and potentially deadly disease for babies. In a recent outbreak in California, thousands became sick and 10 babies died. Babies are not well protected by the vaccine until they have received the third dose at 6 months of age. At Mesquite Pediatrics, we feel strongly about making sure the babies in our practice have every protection possible from whooping cough. Therefore, when supplies are available, we now offer this vaccine (known as Tdap) to parents and other family members who will have close contact with our babies.

If you would like to receive this vaccine at our office, you can register yourself as a patient on our patient portal. When you schedule the appointment for your baby to be seen, please let the receptionist know that you would like to receive the vaccine during the appointment. You will be asked to return to the portal to fill out a short questionnaire to ensure that the vaccine is medically appropriate for you. Then when you come for your baby’s appointment be ready to roll up your sleeve to help create a cocoon of protection around the newest addition to your family!