Can Kids Get The Vaccine

What Kind Of Documentation Will Be Provided For The Pediatric Covid

Patients will receive a vaccination card after their initial appointment, which will be updated upon receipt of the second dose. Parents and guardians will also receive an email confirmation with full vaccination information for their child, sent to the email address provided when they registered for the appointment.

My Child Has A History Of Severe Allergies To Vaccines Should They Still Get The Covid

If your child has had an allergic reaction to a vaccine before, talk with your childs doctor first. You can also talk to a UVA Health allergy specialist.

If you do decide to schedule an appointment, well monitor your child for 30 minutes instead of 15. Our team is equipped to handle a severe allergic reaction if it happens.

If your child does have a severe allergic reaction to the first dose, you should talk to their doctor before the second one.

Where Can Kids Under 5 Get Vaccinated

Parents won’t be taking their kids to the mass vaccination clinics that existed when the COVID shots first became available for adults. Instead, vaccination will largely happen in pediatrician’s offices, according to Ashish Jha, M.D., MPH, the White House’s COVID-19 response coordinator, in an exclusive interview with Parents. Other distribution sites include pharmacies, retailers, community health centers, children’s hospitals, community organizations, and more.

Parents should visit vaccines.gov to find appointments available near them. The website is run by the HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and Boston Children’s Hospital.

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Concern: The Vaccine Isnt Very Effective

You many have heard people talking about their vaccinated children becoming infected with COVID-19. While its true that a child, or an adult, may still test positive for COVID after getting vaccinated, this isnt the most important measure of a vaccines effectiveness.

Vaccination offers strong protection against severe disease and complications. If your vaccinated child does get COVID-19, Adalja said, its unlikely theyre going to need to be hospitalized. That, he noted, is the true goal of vaccination.

What were really trying to prevent is severe disease, he said.

Side Effects Of Covid

Extensive research about the vaccine side effects for kids comes from the trial study data released by Pfizer. A total of 2,268 children participated in this trial, with 1,517 children receiving the vaccine, and 751 receiving a placebo. Children participating in the trial received 1/3 the dose that adults and teens have received. Your child will be receiving this smaller dose as well.

Among the children receiving the vaccine, there were no severe reactions or side effects, says José Mayorga, MD, Executive Director, UCI Health Family Health Center. There were also no severe reported allergic reactions, including no cases of anaphylaxis, he adds.

Importantly, there were no reports of myocarditis or pericarditis, a severe, but rare and manageable side effect that has been reported mainly among young men receiving mRNA vaccines like the Pfizer vaccine. Its reassuring for most parents to hear that there were no severe side effects among trial participants.

But if there are any side effects, parents want to know all the details so they can prepare themselves and their kids. Many parents wonder if the vaccine side effects may mean missed days of school or if their kids be uncomfortable or feel sick. Lets take a look at the possible side effects and what to know about them.

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We Want To Make Covid19 Vaccination Easy And Accessible To Everyone

COVIDâ19 vaccines are free and available to anyone who wants one. We work with partners such as clinics, pharmacies and health departments to provide accurate and up-to-date information about vaccination services in your area.

This page is brought to you by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and VaccineFinder from Boston Childrenâs Hospital.

We can do this.

Where Can I Get My Child Vaccinated

Federal health officials have encouraged Americans to check vaccines.gov to find locations near them with shots in stock. More locations will be added as supplies are distributed around the country.

Vaccines for kids are available at many pediatricians’ offices, as well as at children’s hospitals, rural health clinics, pharmacies, some school-based clinics and other community locations.

Almost two-thirds of parents surveyed by the CDC said they would prefer to get their child vaccinated at their regular doctor’s office.

Federal health officials sought to recruit more of these providers to become COVID-19 vaccinators in the weeks before the rollout began, though not all could be first in line to administer shots. Providers with smaller rosters of patients were being added as distribution increased.

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Your Child’s Vaccination Schedule

Vaccination schedules are carefully studied and designed to give the best possible protection for children against serious diseases.

Canadians should consult with their health care provider or public health authority to determine when they should visit, and learn about the measures that have been put in place to safely deliver immunization services during COVID-19.

Vaccination schedules can vary slightly, depending on the province or territory you live in. This means that some provinces or territories will vaccinate at a different age.

Typically, your child will be vaccinated:

• between birth to 2 months
• at 4 months
• between 12 months and 18 months
• between 4 to 6 years of age

For some of the vaccines, your child will require more than 1 dose at different times. This is needed because for some vaccines, the first dose does not provide as much immunity as possible.

More than 1 dose is needed to build more complete immunity. The DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type B, is an example.

In other cases, the initial series of shots that children receive as part of their infant immunizations helps them build immunity. After a while, however, that immunity begins to wear off.

At this point, a “booster” dose is needed to bring immunity levels back up. The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is a good example.

Children And Youth At Higher Risk

Children and youth with certain underlying medical conditions may have a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. It’s especially important for children at high risk to stay up to date with their vaccines.

These underlying medical conditions may include:

• obesity
• immunocompromising conditions
• conditions that require a lot of medical care

Children who have multiple long-lasting conditions are at also higher risk for severe COVID-19. If you don’t know if your child is at increased risk of severe outcomes because of an underlying medical condition, ask a health care provider.

Learn more about:

• Ask the experts COVID-19 vaccine questions: Benefits and effectiveness

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Additional Doses For People With A Weakened Immune System

If you got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, get the same vaccine type for your additional dose. If you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you must get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for your additional dose.

This shot is intended to help people who may not have had a strong response to the first two shots due to a medical condition or treatment. People ages 12 and older who receive this shot should also get at least one booster when eligible.

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Why Should My Child Get The Covid

Getting a COVID-19 vaccination can help protect your child from getting COVID-19 and spreading it to others. It can also keep your child from becoming seriously ill or needing hospitalization if they do contract COVID-19.

The restrictions on childrens activities, in-person learning and other socialization opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a mental health crisis in this age group. The COVID-19 vaccine may give families the peace of mind to safely return to activities more fully, which will benefit their kids mental health tremendously.

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When Should My Child Be Vaccinated

A good time to get routine vaccines is during a yearly health checkup.

Your preteen can also get these vaccines at a physical exam required for sports, school, or camp. Ask the doctor or nurse every year if there are any vaccines that your child may need.

Children who are 5 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccine. If your child has not gotten vaccinated yet, talk to their doctor about getting it as soon as possible.

Allergies: It is very important to tell the doctor or nurse if your child has any serious allergies, including allergies to yeast, latex, or chicken eggs, before they receive any shots.

Is There Any Reason My Child Should Not Get The Vaccine For Example If They Have A Certain Underlying Health Issue

Your childs pediatrician is always the best resource if you have questions about your child and the COVID-19 vaccine, so reach out to them if you have specific concerns.

But in general, almost every eligible child should get the vaccine. One exception is kids who have had a severe allergic reaction to a similar vaccine, but these cases are usually very rare.

If your child is 6 months or older, please make sure theyre fully vaccinated.

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Addressing Parents Lingering Concerns

Even if you hear reassuring information about side effects, you may still have lingering fears and doubts. This is common and understandable.

Many parents are particularly concerned about long-term vaccine effects, says Dr. Deeter. Most notably, they are concerned about questions surrounding future fertility as well as genetic modifications after the vaccine, Dr. Deeter explains.

Dr. Deeter wants to reassure parents that there have been no studies showing either infertility after vaccination or evidence that the vaccine causes genetic shifts or damage.

As pediatricians, we would absolutely never recommend a vaccine that we were concerned caused long-term side effects, especially something like infertility, Dr. Deeter says. Theres nothing about this vaccine that can make that modification in anyones body.

In fact, many pediatricians feel so comfortable with this vaccine that they have already started eagerly giving it to their own children. Dr. Mayorga shared his own familys story with us.

Unfortunately, my family knows how devastating this infection can be because we have lost several loved ones to COVID-19, Dr. Mayorga says. He decided to get his three daughters the vaccine because he was convinced it was safe and would protect his daughters against any serious effects of COVID-19.

As for his daughters side effects? All three of them did well his oldest daughter had some fatigue, but she was good as new within 24 hours.

For Parents With Children Age 12

• Children age 12-17 years should get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
• Your child will need two doses of this vaccinethis is called the primary vaccine series. Your provider will let you know what timing is recommended for your child and can help you schedule your second shot while getting your first. It is important to get both doses of vaccine for the best protection.
• Children with a weakened immune system may need an additional dose as part of their primary series. Talk to your childs health care provider.

• Vaccine safety is the most important. Scientists always want to be sure that the benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh any possible risk.
• The vaccines were carefully studied before they were recommended to be given to children and teens.
• This process is called a clinical trial and all authorized vaccines have gone through it. Only vaccines shown to be safe and effective are authorized to be used.
• In the clinical trials for children ages 6 months to 11 years:
• The vaccines for children and teens were found to be safe.
• Common mild side effects were found less in the 5-11 year-olds in the trial compared to 16-25 year-olds. For younger children, common side effects included injection site pain, tiredness, and fever.

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Myocarditis In Teens: Does The Covid Vaccine Cause Heart Problems

Since April 2021, there have been more than a thousand reports of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis happening after some COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Seek medical attention right away if, within a few days of receiving the second injection of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination , you or your child experiences chest pain, shortness of breath, or feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat.

Considering the hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administered, these reports are very rare. The problem occurs more often in adolescents and young adults, and in males. The myocarditis or pericarditis in almost all cases is mild and resolves quickly.

Dr. Messina notes that myocarditis is a much more common complication of having COVID-19 than from getting vaccinated.

Can Kids Get The Covid

Yes. Children ages 12 years and older are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and they can receive the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine simultaneously. They can also receive any other necessary vaccines at the same time too.

The physician will administer each vaccine in a different injection site, likely in the same arm, so its possible that your child will experience some soreness in the injection sites. If needing relief, give your child ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with the pain. You can also place a cold, wet washcloth over the tender area.

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If I Am Able To Draw An Extra Dose Out Of Covid

This will depend on which vaccine product you are using. The FDA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers states the following for each of the available vaccines:

Pfizer-BioNTech 6 months 4 years: This vaccine must be diluted vials contain ten 0.2mL doses. If the amount of vaccine remaining in the vial cannot provide a full dose of 0.2mL, discard the vial and content. Do NOT combine vaccine from multiple vials to obtain a dose

Pfizer-BioNTech 5 11 years: This vaccine must be diluted vials contain ten 0.2mL doses. If the amount of vaccine remaining in the vial cannot provide a full dose of 0.2mL, discard the vial and content. Do NOT combine vaccine from multiple vials to obtain a dose

Pfizer-BioNTech 12 years and older: There may be up to six 0.3mL doses in each vial. If the amount of vaccine remaining in the vial cannot provide a full dose of 0.3mL, discard the vial and content. Do NOT combine excess vaccine from multiple vials to obtain a dose.

Moderna 6 months 5 years: There may be up to ten 0.25mL-doses in each vial. If the amount of vaccine remaining in the vial cannot provide a full dose of 0.25mL, discard the vial and content. Do NOT combine excess vaccine from multiple vials to obtain a dose.

For more information, please see Administering COVID-19 Vaccine in Your Practice

What is the difference between COVID-19 mRNA, viral vector, and protein subunit vaccines?

Children And Youth Who Are Immunocompromised

Children ages 6 months to 5 years of age who are moderately to severely immunocompromised may be offered 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Children over the age of 5 years old who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should receive 3 doses. The recommended interval is 4 to 8 weeks between each dose.

After having COVID-19, it’s recommended to wait 4 to 8 weeks to receive the next dose in a primary series.

Parents and caregivers of moderately to severely immunocompromised children and youth are encouraged to speak with a health care provider to learn more about vaccination and other ways to protect them against COVID-19.

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Can I Administer A Covid

COVID-19 vaccination should be deferred for patients with a current SARS-CoV-2 infection until they recover from their acute illness and the criteria to discontinue isolation has been met. Patients who are asymptomatic should receive COVID-19 vaccine following their recommended isolation period. This also applies to people who become infected with COVID-19 between their first and second dose of vaccine, or those who are due for a booster.

Individuals who recently had SARS-CoV-2 infection and have concluded their isolation period may consider delaying a primary series dose or their first or second COVID-19 vaccine booster dose by 3 months from symptom onset or positive test . Studies have shown that increased time between infection and vaccination may result in an improved immune response to vaccination.

Side Effects Will Be Mild

For kids 6 months to 11 years old, the side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine will be like that of those who are 16 or older.

That means pain in the arm where they got the shot, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle aches and pains, said Dr. Loethen.

It is a very specially designed vaccine that helps your body build immunity to COVID, but you’re going to feel certain types of symptoms, said Dr. Seija. Your child could have a fever, they could have some body aches, or they can just feel overalljust icky.

The good news is the side effects onset is within 12 hours and usually resolve within 24 hours of getting the vaccine, Dr. Loethen said. Parents should always reach out to your family doctor or pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns following the vaccine.

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