The safety of vaccines: What every parent should know
“Is it safe for her to get all these vaccines at once?” a new parent asked me while holding her 2-month-old.
As a family medicine doctor, this is a conversation I have frequently and welcome. It’s understandable for parents to have questions when so much doubt is circulating online. Vaccines are beneficial, but I know it’s not a fun day for babies or their parents.
I always give the same answer: Vaccines are one of the best ways to protect children from serious diseases. Here’s why I’m confident saying that.
Vaccines are some of the most carefully studied medical products
Before a vaccine is recommended for children, it goes through many years of testing. Safety checks begin as soon as a vaccine is created and continue through several stages of clinical trials. These trials consider how well the vaccine works to protect against serious disease and makes sure benefits outweigh potential risks and side effects.
Even after a vaccine is approved, it is still watched closely. Experts continue to monitor vaccines for as long as they are used to make sure they stay safe. Only vaccines that meet strict safety standards are added to the immunization schedule for children and teens.
My colleagues and I are here to help
When making decisions for your child, it’s natural to want to discuss the pros and cons for your child’s health. No question is too big or too small. Ask us how vaccines work and why they’re important. We want you to feel confident and informed when making decisions for your child.
Vaccination is one of the best ways to keep your child—and your community—healthy
As a doctor, my patients count on me to be in the clinic to care for them – not at home sick. That’s one reason why I get my annual flu and COVID vaccines.
Getting vaccinated protects your child from dangerous illnesses like measles, polio, and tetanus. Vaccinations also reduce the risk of serious illness from seasonal viruses like flu, COVID, and RSV. That might mean your child stays well enough to stay in school – and you don’t have to watch K-Pop Demon Hunters for what feels like the 800th time today.
Vaccination also protects people around you like newborns, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Vaccines do not cause autism
Decades of large, high-quality studies from around the world all show the same result: no link between vaccines and autism.
Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, explained, “Decades of research have shown vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect children’s health.”
Experts know that genetics play the biggest role in autism, and the condition often runs in families. Some prenatal or early-life factors may also play a part. But autism is not caused by vaccines, parenting style, or anything a parent does. Researchers continue to study autism so we can better support children and families.
Because nothing is more important to us than taking care of the most important people in your world.
