Reasons to not delay your child’s vaccinations

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated the Childhood Vaccination Schedule. A yearly flu shot is now recommended for all children aged six months and older, and the academy is now calling for a second dose of the rotavirus vaccine to protect children against the leading cause of severe diarrhea.

The academy also published a special article in response to concerns from parents about the safety of vaccines. It says that parents should not delay vaccinations, or withhold vaccines from their children.

A large study previously found no additional health risks for children who received vaccines. Children who don’t receive vaccines on schedule are at an increased risk for catching infectious diseases.

Young children who are not vaccinated can also suffer severe injuries and even death. Before the pneumococcal vaccine became part of the schedule in 2000, there was an average of 200 deaths of children under five, every year in the US.