Vaccination and Immunization

Children with a history of asthma may be at increased risk for breakthrough varicella infection, according to a new retrospective, population-based case-control study.

Findings of a new study should alleviate concern that immunization puts preterm infants at risk for clinical deterioration.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara explains key findings from a nationally representative survey published in Clinical Pediatrics. The survey asked parents what they wanted to know about vaccines and how they wanted providers to handle their concerns.

Physicians who opt against recommending HPV vaccination because they assume their patient is too young or not sexually active, or that the parent will refuse, are missing an opportunity to protect against a dangerous virus, according to a new study.

Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis have led pediatricians to take a hard line, sometimes dismissing patients who are non-compliant with immunizations. A new study examines the prevalence-and consequences-of patient dismissal.

The currently recommended childhood immunization schedule put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is designed to protect infants and young children from 14 harmful and potentially deadly diseases before a child’s second birthday.

Findings of a new prospective Swedish population-based cohort study provide further reassurance about the safety of H1N1 vaccination in pregnant women.

Many pediatricians believe that if they pay $30 for an immunization, as long as a payer reimburses them more than $30, they’re OK, said Chip Hart. The fact is, that’s not the case, he explained during his presentation “The Business of Immunization: Protecting Kids without Destroying Your Practice.”

Women who receive the prophylactic bivalent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine within 90 days of pregnancy are not at an increased risk for miscarriage, underscoring the safety of the vaccine. The proven safety of the bivalent HPV vaccine should quell the concerns of women and their health care practitioners.

The CDC now recommends that high-risk infants undergo postvaccination serologic testing between 9 and 12 months, updated from 9-18 months. The new vaccination interval can better cover at risk infants from HBV infection and also help ensure a higher adherence to the immunoprophylaxis protocol.

If there is no link between vaccines and conditions such as autism, why do pediatricians spend so much time talking about this topic with parents?

The ongoing US measles outbreak underscores the importance of childhood vaccines-opponents of vaccination notwithstanding, say experts.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has announced the release of the 2015 recommended vaccination schedule for children and adolescents in a recent policy statement from the Academy’s Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Two measles-containing vaccines are unlikely to result in adverse effects, a 12-year study has found.

Young children are more likely to get a second dose of influenza vaccine when their parents receive reminders by text message, a new study reports.

Contrary to current guidelines, children born before 37 weeks’ gestation should be considered at high risk for complications of influenza, a new meta-analysis shows.

Infants have borne the brunt of the worst outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough, in almost 70 years in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

In a new policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has expanded its recommendations for giving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae to high-risk older children and adolescents.

Watch to learn about the flu season and it's impact on younger adults with the H1N1 strain of the flu virus and how important the flu vaccine is for this part of the population.

Dr Anne Schuchat, Assistant Surgeon General and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, discusses the recent CDC report on declining humanpapillomavirus vaccine rates in adolescents.

The high cost of purchasing and administering vaccines has been a topic of discussion by pediatricians for some time. New vaccines cost much more than the older ones, and even the old vaccines have consistently increased in cost over the years. This has caused some pediatricians to consider dropping vaccines from their practices altogether.

The CDC releases its numbers on how many adolescents receive the human papillomavirus vaccine.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has taken the unusual step of recommending nasal spray vaccine over flu shots for healthy children aged 2 to 8 years.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently approved the 2014 recommended schedules for childhood and adolescent immunizations.

Vaccine-hesitant parents respond to strong provider recommendations.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released its guidance for influenza vaccination during the 2013-2014 influenza season. As always, AAP recommends that all children and adolescents aged 6 months and older receive either the trivalent or quadrivalent influenza vaccine, and children should be immunized as soon as the vaccine becomes available.

Do sick-visit immunizations dampen parental incentive to return for missed well-baby examinations?

Influenza-associated neurologic complications in children are rare but can be severe. Familiarity with the clinical presentation and frequency of specific neurologic findings can help pediatricians with early diagnosis and treatment.

IOM advises sustained federal commitment to research on schedule safety

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization to retain the use of thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines.