Immunizations in Oak Park serving Elmwood Park & Elmhurst, IL
As a parent, you want to ensure your child is as healthy as possible. That is why vaccines are necessary. Your child should be given the first vaccination shortly after birth. When it’s time to protect your child from harmful diseases, visit Pediatrics Unlimited. Dr. Jeffrey Cabotaje and Dr. Elizabeth Wollensak are your resident pediatricians who provide immunizations in Oak Park, IL.
The Importance of Immunizations
Vaccines matter to everyone’s health. Thanks to regular vaccinations, people are protected from harmful diseases circulating in the environment. When your child is born, their immune system is vulnerable to such diseases, and immunizations can help continue their disease resistance. That is why vaccinations begin immediately after birth. You should bring your newborn to the pediatrician within a few days after birth to continue the process.
Thanks to the use of vaccinations, diseases like polio are no longer common in the United States. Diseases such as COVID-19 can have far less devastating symptoms with protection by the vaccine. Vaccines protect you from diseases like malaria or yellow fever when traveling to foreign countries. Your liver is vital to overall health, and you can protect it from devastating infections like hepatitis A and B.
Some vaccinations are powerful enough to protect the child before birth. An unborn child develops some antibodies in pregnancy from the measles vaccine protection the mother has. However, the protection wears off in about six months. Therefore, the child will need their own measles immunization between 12 and 15 months.
Standard Vaccines Children Need
There is a 90% chance of developing severe chronic conditions like liver cancer later without a Hepatitis B shot as a baby. That is why your child receives this vaccine within 24 hours of birth.
DTap vaccine protects you from breathing problems, heart failure, lock “lockjaw” tightening in the jaw muscle, and whooping cough. The polio (IPV) vaccine is vital to protect children from paralysis and possible death. Children should have their first COVID-19 vaccine by six months.
At this point, babies should also start receiving the influenza (flu) vaccine. The RSV vaccine protects children from serious respiratory illnesses, and the rotavirus vaccine helps children avoid severe diarrhea.
To remain fully informed about vaccines and the diseases and infections that they prevent, please review: Vaccines & Diseases
When your child needs immunizations look no further than the team at Pediatrics Unlimited. Our caring pediatricians know how to give your child the proper vaccine to protect them. They will always answer your questions about vaccines and the expected vaccination schedule.
Our Vaccine Philosophy
Pediatrics Unlimited provides immunizations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to protect your child from serious diseases. The number of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases have been reduced by over 90% because of vaccinations!
For information about these vaccines and the diseases they protect against, please click HERE.
To remain fully informed about vaccines and the diseases and infections that they prevent, please review: Vaccines & Diseases
Our practice believes that all children should receive the recommended vaccines according to the guidelines provided by the AAP. Vaccines are safe and effective in preventing diseases and health complications in children and young adults. Regular vaccinations help children ward off infections, and are administered as one of the safest and best methods of disease prevention.
We are happy to discuss your concerns about vaccines at your child's visit.
Vaccine Policy Statement
Pediatrics Unlimited firmly believes in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives. We firmly believe in the safety of our vaccines. We firmly believe that all children and young adults should receive all of the recommended vaccines according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
We firmly believe, based on all available literature, evidence, and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. We firmly believe that thimerosal does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as health care providers, and that you can perform as parents/caregivers. The recommended vaccines and their schedule given are the results of years and years of scientific study and data gathering on millions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.
We recognize that the choice may be a very emotional one for some parents. We will do everything we can to advise you that vaccinating according to the schedule is the right thing to do. However, should you have doubts, please discuss these with your health care provider in advance of your visit. In rare cases, we may alter the schedule to accommodate a patient’s medical condition. Please be advised, however, that delaying or “breaking up the vaccines” to give one or two at a time over two or more visits goes against expert recommendations, and can put your child at risk for serious illness (or even death) and goes against our medical advice as providers at Pediatrics Unlimited. Furthermore, please realize that you will be required to sign a “Refusal to Vaccinate” acknowledgement in the event of lengthy delays.
As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating children on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do for all children and young adults. Thank you for your time in reading this policy, and please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about vaccines with any one of us.
Call Pediatrics Unlimited in our Oak Park, IL office today at (708) 383-3010 to schedule an appointment! We proudly serve Elmwood Park, Elmhurst, and surrounding areas.
Our Preventive Health Care Schedule
CLICK HERE to view our appointment and immunization schedule, starting from birth. From 2-5 years of age, we recommend a well-child visit every 6 months. After 5 years of age, we recommend yearly visits.
Resources
Vaccine Safety: The Facts Safety facts on vaccines from the AAP