Vaccines
We feel strongly that the vaccines we provide are both safe and effective. Our practice encourages vaccination, as this has virtually eliminated many life-threatening and devastating illnesses. We follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the vaccine schedules and we use combination vaccines whenever possible to minimize the number of injections for the child.
Pediarix – is a combination vaccine that combines the DTaP, IPV, and Hepatitis B into one vaccine.
Pentacel – a combo vaccine which has DTaP, Polio and HiB.
DTaP – protects your child from diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough).
IPV – protects your child from paralytic polio. Currently, an inactivated polio vaccine is used in the United States. This vaccine is incapable of causing polio symptoms itself, and is safe for people with compromised immune systems.
Vaxneuvance – protects your child from invasive disease caused by pneumococcus bacteria… including meningitis and pneumonia.
HiB – protects your child from invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenza, type B bacteria… including meningitis. These bacteria can also cause other life-threatening infections of the eye and epiglottis.
Varivax – protects your child from serious chicken pox infections and helps to prevent complications of chicken pox including pneumonia and infections of the brain.
MMR – protects your child from measles, mumps, and rubella (german measles).
Tdap – boosts your child’s protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
Hep A – The Hepatitis A vaccine protects children from Hepatitis A, a viral illness that damages the liver, resulting in fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice. Two doses of the vaccine will provide long-term protection against this painful disease.
Hep B – The Hepatitis B vaccine is given to newborns in the hospital to prevent transmission of Hepatitis B from mother to infant. Some mothers don’t know they are carriers of Hepatitis B, and a large percentage of these mothers would transmit Hepatitis to their infants. Subsequent doses of the vaccine are administered as part of the Pediarix vaccine, and will confer life-long immunity to older infants and children.
Menactra or Menveo and Trumenba or Bexsero – are vaccines that protects against Meningococcal meningitis, the most common form of meningitis affecting teenagers. Meningitis is rapidly progressive and difficult to treat. It is now recommended that all teenagers receive this meningitis vaccine before entering junior high school, high school, or college.
Gardasil – vaccine that protects against HPV (human papilloma virus) which causes genital warts and leads to cervical, penile and anal cancers.