Immunization Schedule
The importance of immunizations
At Pediatrics West, we follow the immunization schedule recommended by the CDC (Center for Disease Control).
As healthcare providers for children and young adults, we believe vaccinations are the best way to protect them from preventable diseases that can cause devastating harm.
If you have questions or concerns about the pediatric immunization schedule, please speak to your provider at your next visit. You also may visit the websites listed below for additional information:
Immunization Schedule
Recommended Vaccines
Aspirin and Reye’s syndrome
Aspirin should never be administered to children after immunizations as it may increase the risk of Reye’s Syndrome.
Links have been found between Reye’s Syndrome and administering aspirin to children and teens. Although rare, Reye’s Syndrome can potentially be fatal.
Reye’s Syndrome is a condition that causes swelling of both the brain and liver. It typically occurs in children recovering from viral infections, however administering aspirin to your child after a vaccine may increase their chance of Reye’s Syndrome. Additionally, if your child is recovering from flu-like illnesses or chickenpox, aspirin should be avoided.
Potential Reactions
Reactions to vaccines can vary and are perfectly normal. Serious reactions are rare, but can occur.
Mild reactions to vaccines can be treated at home, however DO NOT USE ASPIRIN. Some of the more common reactions include:
- Grogginess, fussiness, or restless sleep
- Fever
- Swelling, redness or pain near the shot site
Call Pediatrics West if:
- Redness starts after 48 hours or becomes larger than 2 inches
- Pain or redness gets worse after three days or lasts more than seven days
- Fever starts after two days or lasts more than three days
- Your child becomes worse or you become concerned
How to Treat Symptoms at Shot Site:
- If your child is experiencing pain at the shot site, apply a cold pack for 20 minutes at a time as needed. You also may give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- If the shot site is itchy, you can apply a 1% hydrocortisone cream twice daily as needed.
About the Vaccines & CDC
We follow the CDC’s recommended pediatric immunization schedule because it has been researched and proven to be the safest for children. The CDC’s schedule for immunizations are carefully timed to protect children when they are the most vulnerable and when the vaccine will trigger the strongest response from the child’s immune system.
If you’d like to learn more about each of the vaccines administered, you can click on the links below.
Hep A
Hep B
DTaP
IPV
HiB
PCV 13
Rotateq
Influenza yearly
MMR
Varicella
MMRV
TdaP
Meningococcal
HPV