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Newborn

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Expecting Parents

Congratulations! Having a baby is one of the most rewarding but terrifying experiences in life.

We offer free “pre-natal visits” to expectant parents who haven’t decided on pediatrician and want the opportunity to see our office and meet with one of our providers. This visit can help you to become acquainted with us, find out which of our 2 locations is more convenient for you, and ask questions regarding the birth of your baby and our practice.

Topics you might wish to discuss include infant feeding (we have lactation consultants on staff available for in-office or telemed appointments!), our approach to illness (we are open 7 days a week including many evenings until 8pm) and immunizations (we follow the CDC/AAP guidelines).

To schedule a prenatal visit, please call the office- it’s a good idea to identify the medical insurance the baby will have and check with our office to be sure that we participate with them (although we try to keep this list up to date).

Once you’ve decided, no matter which hospital you plan to deliver- it’s easy, just let them know “Child Health Care Associates” and they will call and notify us/send records. Once you are ready for discharge from the hospital they will tell you to call for the first newborn appointment at the office.

Vaccines

Why are vaccines important?

Immunizations protect children. Vaccine-preventable diseases have dangerous consequences, including seizures, brain damage, blindness and even death. Because of the success of the national immunization program, many young parents today have never seen a case of one of these illnesses, but measles, meningitis, chickenpox, pertussis (whooping cough) and other diseases exist in the world and would re-emerge if immunization rates fell. For example, recent outbreaks of measles in the US (Florida, NY, California) were traced to unvaccinated children who became infected while traveling. Likewise, it would only take one case of polio from another country to bring the disease back to the US if children were not protected by vaccines. We also see many children who are immune-compromised due to chemotherapy or genetic conditions in our office. For all of these reasons we follow the recommended CDC/AAP vaccine schedules.

Are vaccines safe?

Yes. Today’s vaccines are safer than any in history. Vaccines contain antigens, which are either live but very weakened viruses, inactivated viruses, or small parts of bacteria or viruses that prompt the body to produce protective antibodies without causing the disease. Even though children receive more vaccines now, the total number of antigens is less because today’s vaccines are more refined than older versions. At a very young age, children’s immune systems are equipped to respond to many antigens at the same time, including those in vaccines as well as the ones they encounter in their daily activities such as eating, breathing and playing.

In addition to antigens, vaccines contain ingredients to prevent contamination and improve effectiveness. These ingredients have been found to be safe in humans in the quantities given in vaccines, which is much less than children are exposed to in their environment, food and water. Valid scientific studies have shown there is no link between autism and thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative once used in several vaccines. However, since thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines in 2001, autism rates have actually increased, supplying further evidence that thimerosal does not cause autism. The doctor who originally published his data suggesting a link between MMR and autism in the Lancet journal was proved to have fabricated data and lost his medical license as a result.

Can I delay or skip vaccines?

It is not a good idea to skip or delay vaccines, as this will leave your child vulnerable to diseases for a longer time. The vaccines were tested and approved to be given on a specific schedule and this is the schedule we follow. Any deviation from the approved/recommended schedule is “off-label” and essentially experimental.

Additionally, children are most vulnerable to complications of disease in their early years of life, when vaccines provide protection, and some vaccines produce a better immune response at particular ages. We follow the schedule agreed upon by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, which is designed by experts to ensure maximum protection and safety for children. This schedule allows for some flexibility when advised by a child’s pediatrician to delay a vaccine due to illness, certain chronic conditions or other medical reasons. Parents should discuss any concerns with their child’s pediatrician.

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