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Modern Pediatrics Vaccine Policy
Our Policy
We require all patients to follow the same CDC-based vaccine schedule, unless there is a specific medical disease/disorder which prevents them from doing so.
Our Thought Process
The childhood vaccination schedule recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been shown again and again to be safe and effective. We believe that allowing alternative, delayed, or no-vaccine schedules sends the wrong message to caregivers and our community, suggesting we aren't absolutely certain the recommended schedule is safe, effective, or necessary. For these reasons, our vaccine policy at Modern Pediatrics is that all patients follow the same recommended vaccine schedule, unless there is a specific medical disease/disorder which prevents them from doing so.
At the end of the day, we are all on the same team with the same mission: to keep our children safe and healthy so they can grow and develop into amazing people. We absolutely respect and believe in the rights of caregivers to choose different vaccine schedules for their children, and we do so without judgment. At the same time, we have equal respect for and belief in the safety and necessity of vaccines, and the scientific studies confirming these facts.
At Modern Pediatrics we believe every caregiver has the right to understand their child's medical information, and we welcome any family's request to discuss our vaccine policy. We pledge to have these conversations without judgment, in the interest of keeping our community safe and healthy.
Vaccine Education
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) - Vaccine Education Center
Immunize.org - Ask the Experts
Vaccine FAQs
Which vaccines will my child receive, and when will these vaccines be given?
The vaccine schedule for each visit can be found in this article from our resource center.
Can we use an alternative or delayed vaccine schedule for our child?
We do not allow alternative or delayed vaccine schedules for patients of our practice, but any of our providers would love the chance to explain the science proving the required vaccine schedule is safe and effective.
We want to receive most of the vaccines, but are nervous about one specific vaccine in the schedule. Can we opt out of that one vaccine and still join your practice?
Our vaccine policy requires our patients to receive all the necessary vaccines on the same schedule. That being said, we need you to feel safe about trusting us with your child's medical care. If we weren't absolutely certain the vaccine schedule was safe, we couldn't require them in good conscience. We would love the chance to explain the reasons we know that each and every scheduled vaccine is safe for your child.
Can we spread out the vaccines for each visit, so they aren't all given at once?
Our vaccine policy requires all necessary vaccines to be given at the same visit. At your visit, we will discuss each vaccine in detail, so you know what diseases you're preventing for your child, the short term side effects they might experience, and how to handle those side effect should they occur.
The CDC recommends each vaccine dose is given during a certain age range. Why does your schedule have specific ages?
Our vaccine policy and schedule uses the front end of the CDC's ranges, which ensures our patients are vaccinated as soon as it is safe and effective to do so.
Can we still join if my child has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving some of the vaccines?
Absolutely! Some rare medical conditions cause a child to be unable to receive some of the required vaccines. If you believe your child has a medical disease which prohibits them from receiving a specific vaccine, please let us know right away. We do require documentation explaining the specific contraindication from a trusted pediatric specialist in the relevant field of medicine. We're more than happy to help coordinate that referral if you don't already have one!
My child has been on a delayed or alternative vaccine schedule. Can we still join your practice?
We would love to work with your family! If your child was previously on an alternative or delayed vaccine schedule, we will create a vaccine catch-up plan to get them up to date as quickly and safely as possible. Once your child has been caught up on vaccines, we require that they stay on the CDC vaccine schedule moving forward.