While that's good news, the numbers still remain lower than pre-pandemic levels. Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, says the lower rates of childhood vaccines leave many kids susceptible to vaccine-preventable infections.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (:59) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"We saw routine vaccination rates amongst children drop around the world due to a variety of different reasons, including access to care during the pandemic," says Dr. Rajapakse.

The hope is to get more kids back on the routine vaccination schedule.

"The vaccines and our routine immunization schedule here in the United States protect against many different illnesses — including life threatening illnesses but a variety of things like whooping cough, tetanus, influenza, COVID-19," says Dr. Rajapakse.

And protection against some common bacterial infections.

"The beauty of vaccines is that they give you immunity without having to go through the risks of having the infection itself to gain that immunity. It kind of primes your immune system and teaches that how to fight off the bacteria or virus, for example, without ever having to come in contact with it directly itself," she says.

These vaccines have been rigorously tested.

"Those vaccines are very safe and very effective vaccines," Dr. Rajapakse says.

Routine childhood vaccine schedule

Chickenpox, tetanus, HPV, measles, mumps and rubella are a few of the important immunization series that prevent kids from getting sick. A seasonal influenza vaccine is encouraged for all people ages 6 months and older.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a child and adolescent immunization schedule by age. Check out the CDC website for more information on these vaccines.

Talk to your healthcare team to learn more about what vaccinations your child needs.

Related posts:

• Drug to prevent RSV in babies approved: What you need to know
• Infectious Diseases A–Z: Why it matters if U.S. loses measles elimination status
• Do you know who to talk to about your child’s routine vaccinations?

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), routine vaccinations for kindergarten in the U.S. fell to 93% during the 2021-2022 school year. That's the second year in a row routine vaccination rates decreased. The vaccines help prevent potentially fatal or severe illnesses, including diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) and others. 

The CDC says there are several reasons for the decline, including the possibility that  misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines may have played a role.

"It can be confusing if you're a parent and you're looking for information about routine vaccines because there's a lot of great information online. But there's also a lot of misinformation. And sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. 

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse talks about importance of routine vaccinations for children

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Rajapakse are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Nipunie Rajapakse, M.D./Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Rajapakse recommends talking to your child's health care professional for reliable information about routine vaccinations and websites such as mayoclinic.org and the CDC for evidence-based information.

"One of the specific vaccines that we've seen lower rates of is the MMR vaccine, or the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine," says Dr. Rajapakse. "This is a crucial vaccine, especially the measles component because we know once we drop below 95% protection in our population, we're at the highest risk of seeing larger measles outbreaks occur."

The CDC says the dip in MMR vaccine leaves about 250,000 kindergarten children in the U.S. potentially vulnerable to measles infection.

"That's why it's important, especially when kids are entering school, to ensure they're up to date with all of their vaccines. Many kids have fallen behind in the last couple of years with the COVID-19 pandemic," says Dr. Rajapakse.

Year-to-date, there have been two measles cases in the U.S., and in 2012, the CDC reported 121 confirmed measles cases. Along with pockets of measles outbreaks, sometimes related to travel abroad, Dr. Rajapakse says pertussis, or whooping cough, is another concern.

"We also see whooping cough outbreaks occur. And these are both vaccine-preventable infections, especially amongst the age groups that are most vulnerable to these infections. And, thankfully, while they're not super common, we do, unfortunately, see outbreaks happening in our communities. It's important that we get people up to date on their vaccines for these," says Dr. Rajapakse.

What is a measles infection?

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can live up to two hours in an airspace where an infected person coughs or sneezes. The symptoms of measles include cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, sore throat, fever, and a red, blotchy skin rash. Also called rubeola, measles can be severe and even fatal for small children.

The CDC recommends all children get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12–15 months old and the second dose at ages 4–6. Teens and adults who are unsure whether they are immune should contact their health care team. 

What is pertussis or whooping cough?

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection marked by a cough so severe it chokes away the ability to breath. Infants and toddlers are at the greatest risk of complications from whooping cough and are more likely to need treatment in a hospital. Complications can be life-threatening for infants younger than 6 months old.

Read about the vaccine schedules for children in the U.S.

Adult vaccination can protect against a number of diseases as well. Those include seasonal influenza, pneumonia, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), shingles, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Related posts:

• Why it’s critical for children to get their routine health care
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Children should have MMR vaccine for first day of school
• Mayo Clinic researchers recommend investments in vaccine safety in Nature commentary

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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As eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination now includes children 5–11, parents may want to consider preparing their children in advance of the needlestick.

"Vaccines and shots are always a stressful part of the visits for our kids," says Dr. Tina Ardon, a family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic and mom of three. "Talking about that ahead of time was really helpful for them, as you can explain what to expect and why it's important to take the vaccines."

Children 5 to 11 are now eligible for two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with age-appropriate doses, as are children 12 and older. The Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines have not yet been approved for children.

Watch: Dr. Ardon shares tips on how to prepare your children for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video sound bites with Dr. Ardon are in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Tina Ardon, M.D. / Family Medicine / Mayo Clinic"

"If your child is extremely needle phobic, then I would say reach out to your pediatrician or family doctor," says Dr. Ardon. "Sometimes there are ways that we can make that experience a little bit more comfortable and safer for the patient with distraction techniques that we can employ or even have numbing medications on hand, as well."

Vaccines for the 5–11 age group come in a smaller dose, and with different packaging and needles, compared to other doses. Despite those differences, Dr. Ardon says the COVID-19 vaccine is in many ways like other vaccines children already receive.

"The COVID-19 vaccine is administered in the same way, either in the arm or in the leg, depending on the age of the child," says Dr. Ardon. "The doses are appropriate for the age of the child, and side effects are similar to other vaccines, including fever, muscle aches, but most likely pain, redness and swelling at the injection site."

Dr. Ardon says it is recommended that patients wait until after the vaccine to see if they develop symptoms, such as fever or muscle aches. That's the time to determine if medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen would help.

She adds that if parents are worried about how their children might react, consider scheduling the vaccination for a day they are off school or for a weekend.

_______________________________________

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. 

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

Learn more about tracking COVID-19 and COVID-19 trends.

The post Preparing your child to be vaccinated for COVID-19 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Millions of children may be at risk of missing or delaying their routine childhood vaccines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine specialist, says she understands being thoughtful about taking your children outside the home for doctor’s visits during this time.

"The current situation with the novel coronavirus shows us how scary the world can be when we have a disease that we can’t treat or prevent," says Dr. Ardon. "When we talk about childhood vaccines, the whole concept is that we have vaccines that can prevent serious illnesses that can be harmful and even fatal for our children, so we don’t want to lose that opportunity to stay on top of those things that we have control over right now."

Immunizations keep children safe by protecting them from vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whopping cough. They provide immunity before children are exposed to diseases.

Watch: Dr. Tina Ardon talks about importance of vaccines.

Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Tina Ardon  are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy "Tina Ardon, M.D." / Family Medicine / Mayo Clinic.

One of the greatest concerns is the risk of children missing the measles vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious virus and one of the most vaccine-preventable diseases. In the U.S., there were more reported cases of measles in 2019 since 1992. The World Health Organization reported there were more than 140,000 measles deaths globally — mostly among children under 5 in 2018.

"We know that there have been outbreaks in measles here in the U.S., and that is a potentially deadly illness that we want to prevent. That’s a vaccine we’ve had a lot of attention on for some time, but we don’t want to get off track with the timing of that vaccine. I also think about pertussis, or whooping cough. That’s another disease that can be extremely harmful for our babies and our younger children, so we want to make sure we are staying on top of the schedule for pertussis, as well," says Dr. Ardon.

Parents are encouraged to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccination schedule to ensure that their child is protected from disease and illness. The CDC offers a complete list of recommended immunizations for all ages, including infants, adolescents, teens and adults. 

Parents and caregivers who are concerned about bringing their children in for an appointment are encouraged to talk with their health care provider and pediatrician. 

"Many clinics and hospitals have been weighing the risks and benefits of seeing children in the outpatient setting and making sure we have some good processes in place to make that as safe as possible, knowing how important these vaccines are for the child," says Dr. Ardon.

For the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information and COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the World Health Organization(WHO) says more than 117 million children in 37 countries may be missing out on the lifesaving measles vaccine. The WHO had issued some guidelines to help countries sustain immunization activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, discusses the importance of childhood vaccinations. Dr. Ardon also discusses masking guidelines for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click the player below:

Mayo Clinic Q&A is available on podcast platforms including Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and iHeart. 

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For the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information and COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

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THIS WEEK'S TOP TOPICS
Vaccines: Keep your child's shots on track
Along with new pencils and notebooks, your children or grandchildren may need certain shots before heading back to school. Childhood vaccines offer protection from serious or potentially fatal diseases. But it can be challenging to understand which vaccines your child needs and when. Here's what you need to know to make sure your child's immunizations are up to date.

Ebola transmission
The Ebola outbreak in Congo was declared a public health emergency of international concern in July. Ebola is spread by direct contact with bodily fluids of a person who is sick with the virus. Signs and symptoms typically begin abruptly within five to 10 days of infection. The illness is marked by severe bleeding, organ failure, and, in many cases, death. Learn more from Dr. James Steckelberg, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist.

EXPERT ANSWERS
Hepatitis C: What happens in end-stage liver disease?
With end-stage hepatitis C or end-stage liver disease, the liver has been severely damaged by the hepatitis C virus. Often people have no signs or symptoms of liver disease, or have only mild symptoms for years or even decades. The only effective treatment for people with end-stage liver disease is a liver transplant. Chronic hepatitis C virus is the most frequent cause of liver transplantation in the U.S. Learn more from Dr. Michael Picco, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist.

Will a vegetarian diet help you lose weight?
A vegetarian diet is not inherently a weight-loss diet but rather a lifestyle choice. It is true, however, that adults and children who follow a vegetarian diet generally are leaner than those who follow a nonvegetarian diet. Learn more from Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist.

PLUS ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Ingrown toenails
Sprain: First aid
Prediabetes
Slideshow: Sun damage

HEALTHY RECIPES
Yellow pear and cherry tomato salad
Avocado salad with ginger-miso dressing
Bean salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Chicken and coleslaw wrap

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK
Want to avoid cold sores? Use sunblock
No one likes cold sores. The tingling, red lip blisters are tough to hide, and sometimes they're slow to heal. You can help prevent them by applying sunblock on your lips and face year-round. Avoid kissing anyone who has a cold sore, and don't share utensils, lip balm, towels or other personal items.

Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Discover more healthy lifestyle topics at mayoclinic.org.

Receive a free e-subscription to Housecall and other health newsletters.

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Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1:00) is in the downloads at the end of the post.
Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Since babies don't come into the world immune from most illnesses, their first few rounds of vaccinations are critical.

"The DTaP vaccine is a very important part of vaccination of young children," Dr. Rajapakse says. "It is ... kind of the backbone of our vaccination strategy for young children."

The "D" in "DTaP" stands for diphtheria.

"The reason we don't see [diphtheria] in the United States anymore is also thanks to vaccines like this that have been part of the routine schedule for quite some time and have allowed us to eradicate that disease from here," Dr. Rajapakse says.

But cases still occur, and kids who get diphtheria risk bad effects on the heart and other organs.

The "T" stands for tetanus, which can develop any time dirt or soil gets into a wound.

"The bacteria can produce a toxin that affects the abilities of the muscles to work, and this can cause stiffening of the muscles and rigidity of the muscles," Dr. Rajapakse says.

There are no good antibiotics or treatments for tetanus.

The "aP" stands for acellular pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

"Usually circulating in areas where there's low levels of vaccine protection, and it is a very serious infection, especially for young infants," Dr. Rajapakse says.

For unvaccinated babies under 6 months, whooping cough can be deadly.

Dr. Rajapakse says the DTaP vaccine is critical for protecting your baby from suffering and, in many cases, death.

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In this Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Robert Kraichely, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, will discuss treatment for IBS. Also on the program, Dr. Jennifer Vande Voort, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist, will discuss esketamine nasal spray — a fast-acting treatment for depression that recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, will share what you need to know about childhood vaccines.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Irritable bowel syndrome / esketamine for depression / kids and vaccines: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Do vaccines cause autism? Is it OK to skip certain vaccines? Get the facts on these and other common questions.

Childhood vaccines protect children from a variety of serious or potentially fatal diseases, including diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) and others. If these diseases seem uncommon — or even unheard of — it's usually because these vaccines are doing their job.

Still, you might wonder about the benefits and risks of childhood vaccines. Here are straight answers to common questions about childhood vaccines.

Is natural immunity better than vaccination?

A natural infection might provide better immunity than vaccination — but there are serious risks. For example, a natural chickenpox (varicella) infection could lead to pneumonia. A natural polio infection could cause permanent paralysis. A natural mumps infection could lead to deafness. A natural Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infection could result in permanent brain damage or even death. Vaccination can help prevent these diseases and their potentially serious complications.

Do vaccines cause autism?

Vaccines do not cause autism. Despite much controversy on the topic, researchers haven't found a connection between autism and childhood vaccines. In fact, the original study that ignited the debate years ago has been retracted.

Are vaccine side effects dangerous?

Any vaccine can cause side effects. Usually, these side effects are minor — a low-grade fever, fussiness and soreness at the injection site. Some vaccines cause a temporary headache, fatigue or loss of appetite. Rarely, a child might experience a severe allergic reaction or a neurological side effect, such as a seizure. Although these rare side effects are a concern, the risk of a vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely small. The benefits of getting a vaccine are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.

Of course, vaccines aren't given to children who have known allergies to specific vaccine components. Likewise, if your child develops a life-threatening reaction to a particular vaccine, further doses of that vaccine won't be given.

Why are vaccines given so early?

The diseases that childhood vaccines are meant to prevent are most likely to occur when a child is very young and the risk of complications is greatest. That makes early vaccination — sometimes beginning shortly after birth — essential. If you postpone vaccines until a child is older, it might be too late.

Is it OK to pick and choose vaccines?

In general, skipping vaccines isn't a good idea. This can leave your child vulnerable to potentially serious diseases that could otherwise be avoided. And consider this: For some children — including those who can't receive certain vaccines for medical reasons (such as cancer therapy) — the only protection from vaccine-preventable diseases is the immunity of the people around them. If immunization rates drop, vaccine-preventable diseases might once again become common threats.

If you have reservations about particular vaccines, discuss your concerns with your child's doctor. If your child falls behind the standard vaccines schedule, ask the doctor about catch-up immunizations.

This article is written by Mayo Clinic staff. Find more health and medical information on mayoclinic.org.

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Measles

"One to 2 out of every 1,000 kids that develops measles infection will die. We know about the same number will develop potentially irreversible brain damage as a consequence of the infection. It's completely unnecessary because we have an excellent vaccine that prevents this infection."

The measles vaccine is part of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine series given to children.

Watch: Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse discusses myths about measles.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network."

Dr. Rajapakse says parents are trying to make the best decisions for their children in terms of how to protect them.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there available through various channels, on the internet, through social media," says Dr. Rajapakse. "That can make making the right decision challenging for parents who may not quite understand the studies that have been done or what studies have shown, or have trouble kind of reconciling all of this different, conflicting information that they see."

One of the biggest myths Dr. Rajapakse hears is misinformation that links the measles vaccine with autism.

"This is something that many parents raise to us as their reason for not wanting to vaccinate their children against measles, mumps and rubella. This comes from a now discredited, retracted study from the late 1990s that came out in The Lancet. It has since been retracted from that publication and all of the co-authors have removed their names from being associated with that paper." Data that was included in that article was found to be falsified and the authors were found to be guilty of fraud and multiple ethical violations.

More than 20 studies since then have found no link between the vaccine and autism, including a recently published large study in Denmark.

"Over 600,000 children were studied through a population-based registry that again has shown that there is absolutely no link between MMR vaccine and autism," says Dr. Rajapakse. "In that study, they also looked at a subgroup of kids who were determined to be at a higher risk of autism — either through risk factors such as having a father or mother with advanced age or a sibling with autism. And even within that group at increased risk they did not find any association with MMR vaccine."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 - 15 months of age and the second dose at ages 4 - 6. Two doses of MMR vaccine are approximately 97 percent effective at preventing measles.

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