The first 15 months of a child’s life are an important time within the vaccination schedule as an opportunity to establish initial protection against diseases like polio and hepatitis B.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children be vaccinated against 14 illnesses during the first two years of their life. The timing of the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule is constructed based on scientific understanding of how a child’s immune system responds to vaccines at different ages. Staying on schedule in the first two years of life is critical to setting a child up for lifelong immunity.
Pediatricians and family physicians can play a major role in an infant’s immunity by engaging parents in ongoing discussions about what vaccines their child needs and when. Below we review some best practices for pediatricians to keep in mind that will ensure their youngest patients have a healthy start to their lives.
Give a Strong Recommendation
Providers are a valuable resource to patients for medical information and offering a strong vaccine recommendation can have a positive impact on vaccine acceptance. Check to see if your recommendation is effective by reviewing the CDC’s guide to talking with parents about vaccines for infants, which provides advice and recommendations on managing conversations around vaccines.
Be Prepared with Resources
It should be expected that parents may have questions about a specific vaccine or timing. Having answers and educational, scientific resources available can help a parent feel confident in their choice to immunize their child. The CDC offers a collection of resources for providers to help guide these discussions.
Stick to the Schedule
A study published in Public Health Reports found that children whose vaccines were intentionally delayed were less likely to receive all their recommended vaccines by 19 months than children whose parents did not delay their vaccines. By encouraging parents to follow the schedule and sending upcoming vaccine reminders, pediatricians can help to prevent lapses in a child’s immunization schedule.
Encourage Consistent Recordkeeping
Providers record a patient’s vaccines in their state’s official childhood vaccination records, but parents should also manage and maintain a record of their child’s vaccines. Diligent recordkeeping can prevent a loss of information and the potential need for revaccination. The CDC has created a milestone tracker, which is a useful tool to help parents maintain their child’s record.
Ease the Stress of a Vaccine Visit
Vaccine visits can be stressful for both patients and parents, but there are many things providers and parents can do to help put a child at ease. Offer support and suggestions for parents to help make a vaccine visit easier for their child, such as using a favorite toy as a mental distraction during the vaccination.
By working closely with parents, pediatricians can ensure their newest patients are on track for a lifetime of immunity from preventable diseases and maintain strong child vaccination rates.