Ask the Doctor: The Newest Ways to Fight Childhood Illness
Contributed by Stephanie Nottestad, M.D., Family Practitioner with Obstetrics at Fort HealthCare’s Cambridge Clinic and Jefferson Family Practice.
Getting poked with needles is probably not your child’s idea of a good time. But keeping up-to-date on immunizations protects her from many dangerous diseases.
A: The U.S. government regularly revises its immunization guidelines as new vaccines are developed. In 2007 it released updates that include the following:
- The schedule now is split by age group. One chart covers children up to age 6, and the second is for children and teens ages 7 to 18. A special catch-up schedule also is provided for kids who have missed shots.
- Rotavirus is a common cause of vomiting and diarrhea. Almost all nonvaccinated children are infected with this virus by age 5. This vaccine is given as a liquid rather than as a shot. Children should get three doses at ages 2, 4 and 6 months.
- All children ages 6 months to 5 years should get an influenza vaccine each year. Mild cases of the flu cause fever, cough, sore throat and fatigue. However, this disease kills about 36,000 Americans each year.
- Previous guidelines recommended a vaccine for varicella, or chicken pox, between ages 12 and 15 months. Now, a second dose also should be given at ages 4 to 6 years.
- The new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protects against a virus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. It is recommended that girls be vaccinated for HPV between the ages of 11 and 12 years. This is a threeshot series.
- Hepatitis A vaccine has also been recommended for all children, with the first dose given at 12 months and the second dose given at 18 months.
Q: Are there times when a child shouldn’t be vaccinated?
A: In some cases, a child should not receive a vaccination. These include having an underlying illness or allergy, or taking certain medications. So, be sure to review these guidelines with your child’s healthcare provider and talk about any concerns you may have, including:
- New vaccines that are available
- Special vaccines, such as flu shots for children with certain risk factors, including heart disease, diabetes and asthma
- Catch-up vaccines if your child has skipped certain immunizations
- Booster shots for older children
- Potential vaccination side effects
Q: Is my child up-to-date with her vaccinations?
A: Vaccines can protect your child from serious infectious diseases—and may save her life. Check out the following chart with recommended ages for routine childhood immunizations to make sure. Keep in mind that in order to be fully protected against common childhood diseases, your child may need several shots spread out over months or years.
