Immunizations

VACCINE STATEMENT

The providers and staff at Pediatric Associates of Mt. Carmel are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care we can for our patients. We feel that in order to achieve this goal, we want to form a partnership with the parents and guardians of our patients based on mutual trust.

Fundamental to this is our belief that immunizations are one of the most important aspects of preventative health care we have available to protect children and adolescents from serious illness, chronic disease, and even death.

Therefore, we recommend that all patients follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) immunization schedule. At Pediatric Associates of Mt. Carmel, we respect the important role parents and guardians play in making healthcare decisions for their children, and we are committed to providing care that is both safe and evidence-based.

We are unable to provide care to families who do not plan to vaccinate at all.

A complete refusal of vaccines represents a fundamental difference in medical philosophy and prevents us from maintaining a safe and effective partnership.

We want to work collaboratively with families experiencing delays to help them return to the recommended schedule. Our goal is always to work with families. We want to help them feel informed, supported, and confident in vaccinating their children so they can grow up healthy and protected from serious vaccine-preventable diseases. We welcome the opportunity to discuss and answer any questions you may have.

Notes:

Effective 5/1/25

1. If an infant is born to a mother with Hepatitis B, the 0-1-6 month schedule should be followed

2. Hepatitis A vaccine may be administered once the patient is over 12 months of age; dose #1 and #2 are given 6-18 months apart

3. HPV vaccine series can be started at age 9 years

●     if the first dose is given before the patient is 15 years old, only one other dose is needed; dose #1 and #2 should be separated by at least 6 months

●     if a patient is 15 years or older when the first dose is given, 3 total doses will be required to complete the series

4. If a child is 10 years old and tetanus prophylaxis is needed, Tdap should be given

5. Meningococcal B #1 and #2 are given at least 6 months apart

Additional notes:

Flu vaccine is given seasonally, from August through April (depending on supply); patients who receive their first dose before the age of 9 years are recommended to receive 2 doses in the same season, at least 4 weeks apart; if 2 doses cannot be given in the same season, it should be done the following season

RSV immunization is administered to infants 0-8 months of age in October through March if Mom did not receive RSV maternal vaccine or if the baby is born less than 2 weeks after Mom received the vaccine; Mom is recommended to receive the maternal RSV vaccine at 32-36 weeks of gestation

Adolescents 13 years and older, who have not received any or all of the vaccines designated for the 9-12 year age group, should be given these vaccines; those who have not yet started the Hepatitis B series should receive this vaccine also

Yearly Well Visits from the ages of 3 – 21 years are expected in order to be a patient in good standing

Those patients who do not have yearly Well Visits will not be eligible to have

●     forms completed and/or signed off by our office

●     medication refills

●     administration of certain medications and vaccinations in office

●     mental health therapy or psychiatric services in office