To address many of the concerns that people have about vaccines and their safety, ECBT posed some frequently-asked questions to several experts in the fields of immunization and autism and put their replies to the questions in a video format. Click on the videos below to view experts answers to parents’ most common questions.
Why Vaccinate?
Why do children need so many vaccines? [:59]
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Are my children really in danger of becoming seriously ill if I don’t have them vaccinated? [:50]
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How do you feel about chickenpox parties? [1:32]
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Many vaccines are for diseases that don’t appear to exist anymore. Why is it important to vaccinate against them? [1:52]
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Why Follow the Recommended Immunization Schedule?
Why is it necessary to vaccinate infants who are so young? [:50]
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Is it safe for a child to receive multiple vaccinations during a single office visit? [:44]
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Are we overwhelming the immune system by giving too many vaccines? [1:05]
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How do they determine the ages when children should receive each vaccine? Is it okay to delay vaccines? [1:05]
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What if I elect not to vaccinate my children? [1:53]
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Vaccine Testing, Ingredients & Safety
Are vaccines safe? [1:14]
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What sort of testing goes on before and after a vaccine is given to a child? [1:46]
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I’ve heard there are ingredients in vaccines that can harm children. Is this true? [:27]
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Is there mercury (thimerosal) in vaccines? Is that dangerous? [1:02]
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Can you explain why adjuvants, like aluminum, are in some vaccines? [:34]
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Should I be concerned about combination vaccines? [:36]
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What does it mean to “green” a vaccine? [1:19]
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Vaccines and Autism
Do vaccines cause autism? [1:34]
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What sort of research has been done to ensure that vaccines and autism are not related? [1:11]
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We’re seeing more vaccines being given and more children are being diagnosed with autism. What’s going on? [1:08]
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If I already have a child who is autistic, should I play it safe and not vaccinate my younger child? [1:50]
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Meet Our Experts
Paul A. Offit, MD
Director
Vaccine Education Center Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Paul A. Offit, MD is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition, Dr. Offit is the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Read More about Dr. Offit
Mark Sawyer, MD
Professor, Clinical Pediatrics & Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist
UCSD School of Medicine & Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego
Dr. Mark Sawyer is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist at the UCSD School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. He is the medical director of the UCSD San Diego Immunization Partnership, a contract with the San Diego County Agency for Health and Human Services to improve immunization delivery in San Diego.
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Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco DNP, PNP-BC, CPNP
Coordinator, Child Health Suffolk County Department of Health Services, NY (retired)
Dr. Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco is coordinator for child health at Suffolk County Department of Health Service in New York, a primary care provider and preceptor for graduate and undergraduate students, and an assistant professor at Long Island University Post in Greenvale, New York.
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Alison Singer
Co-Founder & President Autism Science Foundation
Alison Singer is Co-Founder and President of the Autism Science Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative autism research and supporting the needs of people with autism.
Read More about Ms. Singer
