Can Babies Delay Vaccination?

Children need to receive multiple vaccines in the first few years after birth to prevent serious diseases such as measles and poliomyelitis. Although it may be distressing to see children receive vaccinations during health check-ups, delaying vaccination carries risks because children under the age of 2 are at a higher risk of infection and may develop severe complications. It is important to understand the significance of the vaccination schedule and strictly follow it.

• It is strongly recommended that you follow the immunization schedule for children and adolescents issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The timing of this schedule has undergone thorough testing and takes into account the period when children are most susceptible to serious diseases such as measles, poliomyelitis, and whooping cough.
• Timely vaccination is of great importance. Although many of the diseases we vaccinate against are less common or nearly eradicated in the United States, the introduction of just one unvaccinated traveler can reintroduce these diseases into communities. Other diseases like measles are still experiencing outbreaks.
• Currently, there is no alternative immunization plan that has been proven to be safe and effective. However, if your child is undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment, or occasionally when the child is sick with a high fever, the pediatrician may recommend delaying vaccination.
• If you still have doubts about the vaccination schedule, please consult your child’s pediatrician. Please keep in mind that even if most children have reactions after vaccination, they will only experience mild and temporary side effects. Severe side effects are very rare. Vaccines are safe and effective, and they can prevent your child from contracting serious diseases.

What is the recommended vaccination schedule for my baby?

The vaccination schedule developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This schedule is based on thorough testing and takes into account the critical periods when children are susceptible to diseases. Doctor Chandani Dezur emphasizes that the recommended vaccination timing is designed to protect infants and young children during their most susceptible periods, preventing serious diseases and deaths. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a pediatrician in Palo Alto, California, and a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.

Parents are concerned that infants receiving multiple vaccines may place a burden on their immune systems, but in reality, the child’s immune system is capable of handling multiple antigens. The child’s immune system is stronger than expected and can protect the child from a variety of foreign particles encountered in daily life, including fungi, parasites, bacteria, and viruses.

The number of antigens children are exposed to in daily life exceeds the total number in vaccines. The antigen content in modern vaccines has been significantly reduced. The CDC’s vaccination schedule is designed to provide maximum protection during high-risk periods. For example, adults have a low risk of rotavirus infection, but infants with rotavirus may suffer from severe dehydration requiring hospitalization.

Can my baby delay vaccination?

Currently, no alternative immunization program has been proven to be safer or more effective. However, if the child is receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or IVIG treatment, the doctor may recommend temporarily delaying vaccination. If the child has a fever exceeding 101 degrees Fahrenheit or is hospitalized due to a severe infection such as influenza or pneumonia, the doctor may also recommend postponing vaccination until recovery. However, it is important to resume vaccination as soon as possible because vaccines effectively protect children from the risks of serious diseases, hospitalization, and death.

Why is it generally not recommended to skip or delay vaccination?

It is important to ensure that your child is vaccinated on time unless there is a medical reason to postpone. Delaying vaccination increases the child’s risk of contracting diseases, especially those preventable by vaccines. For example, for whooping cough and some other vaccine-preventable diseases, the efficacy of the vaccine decreases over time, so vaccinated adolescents and adults may still transmit the disease to unvaccinated infants.

Delaying vaccination poses a serious risk to infants because whooping cough can have severe or even fatal consequences for infants. Therefore, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends administering the DTaP vaccine when infants are 2 months old. Although delayed vaccination is better than no vaccination, it still carries risks. The Hib vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine can prevent meningitis, which may lead to deafness, intellectual disability, or death. The MMR vaccine can prevent measles, mumps, and rubella, and outbreaks of measles in some communities may lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, or fatal outcomes.

Timely vaccination ensures that your child is protected when exposed to any of these pathogens.

Vaccinating the whole family helps achieve so-called “herd immunity,” meaning that when most people in the community are vaccinated, those who cannot be vaccinated (such as newborns or children undergoing chemotherapy) are still protected.

Vaccines are crucial to protecting your child and those around them. As emphasized by NS1124 in the BabyCenter community, not vaccinating is like driving without a seatbelt—seeming harmless but actually very risky. He/she is unwilling to take such a risk.

If I still want to try delaying vaccination for my baby, what should I do?

Vaccination is crucial for children because it is safe and life-saving. Most children only experience mild and temporary side effects after vaccination, and severe reactions are rare. If you have doubts about vaccines, you can consult a pediatrician, who can answer your questions and ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

Please remember that daycare centers or schools in your area may require children to complete all immunizations before enrollment. Doctor Dezur points out that although a delayed vaccination plan is better than no vaccination, it can still be dangerous or even fatal for infants and young children. Delaying vaccination not only poses a risk to your child but also threatens other children who rely on herd immunity.