Valley expert says delayed vaccine schedules putting children at risk

PHOENIX — There’s a lot of misunderstanding and fear about vaccines among some parents who are spacing out their child’s vaccines rather than follow the recommendations put forth by experts.

That’s putting children more at risk for getting communicable diseases like the measles or whooping cough. It’s called ‘delayed vaccine schedule’.

Some parents fear adverse reactions to immunizations and want to pinpoint which vaccine caused the reaction if it happens.

Dr. Cara Christ, Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, says vaccines are safe and effective and people need to get their children vaccinated on schedule.

“Adverse reactions with immunizations are very, very rare,” Christ said. “Most of the time it’s going to be a sore arm, redness or swelling at the arm.

“They may get a little fever because that’s what the immune system does when it activates.”

Christ says delayed vaccine schedules also can create fear among children.

“The child could fear that every time they go to the doctor, they’re getting a shot as opposed to every couple of years after they’re finished with the first two years,” Christ said.

And with parents’ hectic lives balancing the home and work schedules, they can miss vaccines leaving the child not fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

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