Vaccines and Preventive Care

Vaccines

The physicians and physician assistants of Willows Pediatrics strongly believe children should receive vaccines acording to the schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Scientific evidence has established that childhood vaccines are safe and protect children from serious illness. Children who do not receive immunizations are susceptible to potentially life-threatening illnesses, and present a risk to any other children they come into contact with and the community at large. The potential consequences of vaccine preventable diseases include hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, seizures, brain damage, and even death.

Sorting through the benefits and misinformation

As pediatricians, we have seen the tremendous benefits of childhood vaccinations. At the same time, we have seen how misinformation about vaccines has led some parents to delay or with hold vaccines, putting children at risk for illness. We understand the difficulty parents may have in sorting through the vast quantities of data on vaccine safety, and we are here to help guide you and answer all your vaccine-related questions.

At each visit we will review your child’s health record and discuss with you any vaccines that are recommended. Your child’s vaccine record is kept in your child’s chart as well as in our computer database, which allows us to print out each child’s vaccine record for school and camp forms. We also participate in CIRTS (the Connecticut Immunization Registry and Tracking System). Below is our recommended well child and vaccination schedule.

Preventive Care

Checkups are opportunities to screen your child for vision and hearing problems, chart growth patterns, and administer any vaccinations that may be due. They are also an important time for us to get to know your child as an individual and answer questions parents have about development and behavior.

Please make appointments for your child’s annual checkup at least three months in advance; even sooner when check-ups fall during the summer months.

 

Recommended Physical Exams for Newborns through Teens

Age Vaccinations* and Tests**

2 Weeks

Hep B #1 if not given at birth, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen

2 Months

DaPT #1, IPV #1, Prevnar #1, HIB #1, Rotateq #1, Hep B #2, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen

4 Months

DaPT #2, IPV #2, Prevnar #2, HIB #2, Rotateq #2, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen

6 Months

DaPT #3, IPV #3, Prevnar #3, HIB #3, Rotateq #3, Hgb

9 Months

Hep B #3

12 Months

MMR #1, Varivax #1, Hep A #1, Hgb, Lead Level

15 Months

Prevnar #4, HIB #4

18-20 Months

DaPT #4, Hep A #2, MCHAT

2 Years

Hemoglobin, Lead Level, MCHAT

2.5 Years

Physical Exam Only

3 Years

Annual Physical Exam begins, urinalysis and Hgb

4 Years

DaPT #5, IPV #4

5 Years

MMR #2, Varivax #2

10 Years

Cholesterol if family history of hypercholesterolemia

11-12 Years

Menactra #1, Tdap, Adolescent anxiety and depression screening done yearly starting at age 12 years

13 – 14 Years

HPV #1 followed by a booster in 12 months

16 Years

Menactra #2, STD screening yearly

Pre-College

Meningitis B #1 followed by a booster. Vaccine Review. Quantiferon Gold** if indicated, Cholesterol

*All vaccines are thimerosal free

DTaP

Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis, Tetanus vaccine for children less than
7 years of age

HEP A

Hepatitis A vaccine

HEP B

Hepatitis B vaccine

HIB

Haemophilus Influenza Type B vaccine

HPV

Human Papilloma Virus vaccine (Gardasil 9)

Note:  If first dose of HPV is given before age 15 years, 2 doses are needed. If
first dose is given on or after age 15 years, 3 doses are needed.

IPV

Inactivated Polio vaccine

Menactra

Meningococcal Group A,C,W,Y (MenACWY) vaccine

MMR

Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine

Prevnar

Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV)

Rotateq

Rotavirus vaccine

Tdap

Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis, Tetanus vaccine for adolescents

Trumenba

Bexsero

Meningococcal Group B (MenB) vaccine (two different brands of

the MenB vaccine are available). We currently offer Bexsero.

Varivax

Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccine

Screening Tools

MCHAT

Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddler

**Hemoglobin (Hgb) is a simple finger prick test to screen for anemia.

**The Quantiferon Gold blood test is a type of tuberculin test. Cholesterol and other blood work will be done as necessary.