Immunizations Specialist

What are immunizations?

Immunizations refer to your body’s ability to develop an immunity to contagious diseases by getting vaccines. Immunization is also known as vaccination. 

A vaccine contains a weakened or dead germ or unique parts of a germ. When injected into your body, your immune system recognizes the germ as a foreign substance and develops antibodies to fight against it.

Vaccines build up your immune system’s defense mechanism against germs without ever making you sick. 

Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC believes in the effectiveness of vaccines at preventing serious illness, promoting health and wellness, and saving lives. 

The practice provides all of the immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Are immunizations safe?

Immunizations are safe. Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC understands many parents have concerns about immunizations because of the belief that it causes autism or developmental disabilities.

However, all available data, scientific literature, and current studies indicate there’s no link between vaccinations and autism. 

Vaccines undergo years of testing and research before they’re made available to the public, including children.

Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC believes immunizations are the single-most-important health-promoting intervention they perform. 

Though immunizations are safe, it’s not uncommon to develop side effects following the injection. These side effects may include pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the injection, fever, or body aches. However, these side effects resolve quickly.

When do I need immunizations?

Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC provides immunizations as recommended by the CDC. Your age determines when you need immunizations.

Most children receive the recommended vaccines by age 12, and then receive booster vaccinations thereafter. Types of immunizations given to infants, children, and teens include:

• Hepatitis
• Rotavirus
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP)
• Flu
• Polio
• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• COVID-19

Children and teens may also receive vaccinations for pneumonia and meningitis. 

Adults receive booster immunizations and additional vaccinations based on age, including vaccinations for shingles and pneumonia.

Though most vaccines provide immunity for years, you need to get the flu vaccine every year. This is because the virus that causes the flu adapts and changes every year, so the vaccine needs to adapt and change with the virus to provide the best protection.

Immunizations promote health and well-being. To schedule your vaccinations, call Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC or book online today.

•  We believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness, to promote health and wellness, and to save lives. We believe in the safety of vaccines.
•  We believe that children and young adults should receive all of the recommended vaccines according to the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
•  We believe, based on all available data, scientific literature, current studies, and evidence-based medicine that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
•  We believe that thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and that remains in only a few vaccines today, does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
•  We believe that vaccinating children and young adults in the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as healthcare providers, and that you perform as parents/caregivers.
•  We know, and want you to know, that the recommended vaccines and their schedule are the results of years and years of scientific study and research with data gathered on millions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.
•  We understand that there has always been discussion surrounding vaccines, but that discussion does not change the facts, science, or evidence about vaccines.
•  The vaccine campaign is a victim of its own success. It’s precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness that we even discuss whether or not they should be given. Because of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, many of you have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis, or even chickenpox!
•  We write this statement not to scare you or coerce you, but to make you aware of the facts and to emphasize the importance of vaccinating your child. We recognize that the choice may be emotional for some parents, and we will do everything we can to support you in vaccinating your child according to the correct schedule.
•  Please understand, however, that delaying or “breaking up” the vaccines to give one or two at a time over two or more visits goes against expert recommendations and can put your child at risk for serious illness, or even death. Doing these things goes against both our medical advice and our core principles at Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC. Should you choose these options, you will be required to sign a “Refusal to Vaccinate” acknowledgment in the event of lengthy delays.
•  If you refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts and recommendations, we will ask you to find another health care provider who shares your views.
•  As medical professionals, we know that vaccinating children on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do for all children and young adults.
•  We’re always happy to answer any questions or to discuss any concerns you may have about vaccines.