Immunizing your child is one of the most important things you can do as a parent or guardian to keep them safe and healthy.
Choosing to Immunize Your Child
The doctors in our practice know that vaccines, or immunizations, save lives. Immunizations prevent complications, disability, hospitalization, and death from disease. The most common side effects after receiving vaccinations include low-grade fever and soreness at the site of the injection. At Allegro Pediatrics we use combination vaccines whenever possible to deliver vaccines safely, with fewer overall injections.
Scientific research consistently supports vaccine safety and effectiveness. This research has repeatedly shown that there is no established link between vaccines and children's chronic health issues. Due to the success of immunizations, there are significantly fewer cases of deadly disease than ever before. However, there are still tragic stories of children suffering severe effects or dying from vaccine-preventable infections.
Our doctors are committed to discussing vaccinations and preserving relationships with families who decline or alter the recommended vaccine schedule. However, we do ask that these families sign a Refusal To Vaccinate Form to acknowledge acceptance of responsibility and potential consequences of vaccine refusal.
Below are some Allegro-approved immunization resources that we suggest to parents for review. You can also speak with your doctor at any time, if you have questions about immunizations.
Reliable Immunization Resources for Parents
HPV Vaccine Patient Education - Information about the HPV vaccine from Allegro Pediatrics and the Washington State Department of Health
www.CISPImmunize.org - AAP’s Childhood Immunization Support Program (CISP) with information for parents and providers
Plain Talk about Childhood Immunizations - A comprehensive, readable resource published by Washington State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Immunization Program - Information about vaccine safety, including a Parents’ Guide to Childhood Immunizations
Immunizations for Public Health (I4PH) - The latest scientific information on immunizations for the public, healthcare providers, policy makers, and the media
Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia - A member of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Vaccine Safety Net
Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins - Information to help guide decision-makers and educate physicians, the public, and the media about key issues surrounding the safety of vaccines
VaccinateYourBaby.org - Vaccinate Your Baby is a program of Every Child by Two, and serves as a central resource of vaccine information for parents.
Books:
- Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know by Drs. Paul Offit and Louis Bell
- Vaccinating Your Child: Questions and Answers for the Concerned Parent by Dr. Sharon Humiston and Cynthia Good
- Immunizations and Infectious Diseases: An Informed Parent’s Guide by Dr. Margaret Fisher
- Do Vaccines Cause That? A Guide for Evaluating Vaccine Safety Concerns by Dr. Martin Myers and Diego Pineda
- The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear by Seth Mnookin
Recommended Vaccine and Well Child Check-Up Schedule
Immunizations are an important part of routine check-ups, and the recommended vaccination schedule is coordinated with these visits. The vaccination schedule is based off of recommendations from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Our doctors may consider adjustments in the vaccination schedule based their best clinical judgment for individual patients as needed.
Allegro Pediatrics participates in the Washington State Vaccine Association and the national Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. More information can be found on the Washington State Department of Health and Public Health Seattle & King County websites.
