Immunizations

At Amherst Pediatric Associates, we feel strongly that your child should be immunized following the vaccine schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) . The vaccine schedule is scientifically determined to provide your child with maximal protection from disease and the smallest chance for any side effects. If you decide, against our recommendation, to deviate from the schedule, you may be asked to sign a vaccine refusal form. Vaccines are safe and effective.

Please follow the below links for pertinent information on vaccinating your child. The first link expresses our thoughts on vaccine safety, refutes common concerns and links you to reputable, scientific websites. The second link explains consequences of having a less-than-fully-vaccinated child. We have also provided you with a list of websites which provide helpful vaccination information.

• APA Vaccine Information
• Risks and Responsibilities of Choosing Not to Vaccinate
• Helpful vaccine websites:
  • American Academy of Pediatrics Immunizations
  • National Network for Immunization Information
  • PKIDs Online (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases)
  • Vaccinate Your Baby
  • Voices for Vaccines
  • Every Child by Two
  • Immunization Action Coalition

Recommended Immunization Schedule

• 0-6 Years —Schedule for children ages 0 to 6 years | 2011
• 7-18 Years —Schedule for children/adolescents ages 7 to 18 years | 2011
• Catch-up Schedule —Schedule for children/adolescents ages 4 months to 18 years who start late or who are more than 1 month behind | 2011

Resources

• For information about these vaccines and the diseases they protect against, please visit http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/immunizations.cfm .
• For detailed informational sheets published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) please visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis .
• Vaccine Safety: The Facts - A brief fact sheet on vaccines from the AAP