“Childhood death from communicable diseases in the United States was at an all-time low. However, because we have had this myth that vaccines are dangerous, vaccine rates have gone down. So we’re seeing a reemergence of diseases that should have been eradicated,” says Dyan Hes, MD, a pediatrician who is double-board certified in pediatrics and obesity medicine.
Even with scientific proof that vaccines save lives, many people still have questions and concerns about their effectiveness or safety. It’s natural to be concerned about the medical care your children receive (especially for very young babies). So we spoke with leading pediatricians to clear up the misconceptions they hear most often about childhood vaccines. Here’s what every parent needs to know the safety and effectiveness of vaccinating their children.
Dr. Hes is a pediatrician and medical director of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City. She is double board certified in pediatrics and obesity medicine.
Dr. Patel is a pediatrician at New York Presbyterian-Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.
Preeti Parikh, MD is the Executive Medical Director at GoodRx and served as the Chief Medical Officer of HealthiNation.
References
Offit, P, et al. (2002). Addressing Parents’ Concerns: Do Multiple Vaccines Overwhelm or Weaken the Infant’s Immune System? Pediatrics.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2022). Get Vaccinated: What to Expect — for Parents.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021). Childhood Immunization.
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