Immunizations
Sandhills Pediatrics follows the immunization guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). 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 www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis.
Flu Clinics: We have Walk-In Hours at all 3 locations for flu vaccine this year
-Southern Pines: Walk in flu clinic is Monday-Friday 8:15am-11:30 am, 1:30-4:00pm
-7 Lakes: Walk in flu clinic is Monday-Friday 8:30am-11:30am, 1:30pm-4:00pm
-Raeford: Walk in flu clinic is Monday-Friday 8:30am-11:30am, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Our Vaccine Philosophy
Our practice believes that ALL children should receive the recommended vaccines according to the guidelines provided by the AAP and the CDC. Vaccines are SAFE and effective in preventing diseases and health complications in children and young adults. Regular vaccinations help children ward off infections that can cause death and horrific permanent disabilities, and are administered as one of the safest and BEST methods of disease prevention.
All of the children of the staff of Sandhills Pediatrics are fully vaccinated, on-time, on the standard evidence-based AAP/CDC/ACIP schedule.
We are happy to discuss any concerns about vaccines at your child's next visit.
We do not accept as patients the children of parents who completely refuse all vaccines. The choice to leave your child unprotected is a terrible choice that we are unwilling to endorse, and it will not be a good practice-family fit in this circumstance.
Please read the resources below!
Sandhills Pediatrics Vaccine Policy
Parent Refusal of Immunization - Sandhills Pediatrics Policy Statement
The doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and staff of Sandhills Pediatrics strive to provide top-quality, evidence-based pediatric care to every patient with a family-centered and cooperative approach.
- We believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives.
- We believe in the safety of our vaccines.
* We believe that all children and young adults should receive all the recommended vaccines according to the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
* We believe, based on all available literature, evidence and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. We firmly believe that thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and remains in a few vaccines in small amounts, does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
* We believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as health care providers, and that you can perform as parents. The recommended vaccines and their schedule given are the results of decades of scientific study and data gathering on millions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.
Recently, a disturbing trend of unjustified fear of vaccines has developed in the United States. We are concerned as we see this spread to our practice. To address this trend, Sandhills Pediatrics has developed this policy regarding immunization and their refusal.
With the success of immunizations in the United States, families have the good fortune to not fear these infectious diseases as previous generations did. Naturally, ongoing appraisal of vaccine efficacy and safety should and does occur. Unfortunately, our media is full of incorrect and, in our view, irresponsible information regarding vaccine safety. We would like to direct families to excellent sources of objective information put forward by caring, thoughtful individuals and groups. In particular, we recommend these websites:
www.vaccine.cop.edu – from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
http://www.cispimmunize.org – from the American Academy of Pediatrics
www.immunize.org
www.immunize.org/reports - stories of “unprotected people”
We recognize that there has always been and will likely always be controversy surrounding vaccination. Indeed, Benjamin Franklin, persuaded by his brother, was opposed to smallpox vaccine until scientific data convinced him otherwise. Tragically, he delayed inoculating his favorite son Franky, who contracted smallpox and died at the age of 4, leaving Ben with a lifetime of guilt and remorse. Quoting Mr. Franklin’s autobiography:
In 1736, I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the smallpox…I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a child died under it, my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen.
We must insist that patients of Sandhills Pediatrics receive at least a minimum number of vaccines in a timely manner to remain patients of our practice. We of Sandhills Pediatrics respect a parent’s role as the ultimate decision maker for a child’s health care, just as we have been for our children and families. However, in the midst of growing misinformation and vaccine refusal, we feel we must make the strongest statement possible regarding the importance of vaccination to an individual child’s health as well as the public health. Vaccines we insist upon are DTaP (prevents diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), HIB (prevents Heamophilus influenzae type B meningitis and epiglottitis), and Prevnar (prevents Pneumococcal meningitis, pneumonia and blood infections), and MMR (prevents measles, mumps, and rubella).
No one can guarantee the 100% safety of any vaccine, medication, or other medical intervention. However, we feel so strongly that the evidence for vaccine safety and necessity far outweighs any possible risks that we must make this change in practice policy. We are always open to discussing parents’ concerns further.
We wholeheartedly endorse and follow the complete immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control.
November 2011
Recommended Immunization Schedule
- 0-6 Years -Schedule for Persons Aged 0 Through 6 Years | 2012
- Please note that we use combination vaccines at many visits in babies so there are fewer injections than the CDC chart shows!
- 7-18 Years-Schedule for Persons Aged 7 Through 18 Years | 2012
- Catch-up Schedule -Schedule for Persons Aged 4 Months Through 18 Years Who Start Late or Who Are More Than 1 Month Behind | 2012
Vaccine Storage
In June 2012 the Office of the Inspector General released a report that revealed numerous cases of health departments and pediatric practices storing vaccines incorrectly. Although there are some problems with how OIG did the analysis, it is undeniable that there are significant problems out there. Those problems are not at SHP!
Sandhills Pediatrics believes so strongly in the importance of vaccines that we have invested in expensive, CDC-compliant pharmacy grade refrigerators and freezers for all three offices that store our precious vaccines at precise temperatures. We also have a professional grade NIST certified temperature monitoring device for each of our three offices that calls/texts/emails our vaccine storage team if there are any out of range temperatures 24/7/365.
Please feel free to ask us if you have any concerns!
Resources
Vaccine Safety: The Facts A brief fact sheet on vaccines from the AAP
Dr Ari Brown answers vaccine Q&As: Excellent summary of vaccine/autism (non)controversy
The problem with Dr Bob's "alternative"/delayed protection vaccine schedule: Dr Paul Offit, international vaccine expert, dissects Dr Bob Sears' vaccine schedule.
Unprotected People: From the Immunization Action Coalition: Read real-life accounts of people who have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases: compelling personal testimonies, remembrances, case reports, and newspaper articles
PKIDS: From Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases: One day in May, eight families affected by vaccine preventable diseases gathered in a small studio in New Jersey to share their stories.
Families Fighting Flu: From an advocacy Group founded by parents whose children became severely ill from Influenza.
Deadly Choices: Website for excellent book about the anti-vaccine movement.
Moms who Vax: Pro vaccine blog written by two moms
Voices for Vaccines: Pro vaccine advocacy group of parents and grandparents
Quick Access
Sick Child?
View the KidsDoc Symptom Checker from HealthyChildren.org