Immunization Policy
Required Immunizations
We strongly encourage all parents and guardians to fully immunize their child(ren) according to the recommended immunization schedule published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). As of June 1st, 2015, we now require for our patients to be fully immunized against the vaccine preventable diseases listed below within the timeframe listed below. Failure to immunize the patient as below will be considered a voluntary termination of the doctor patient relationship and result in the patient having to transfer to another practice.
We recognize that some parents wish to pursue an “alternative” or delayed immunization schedule. We do not recommend this approach as it needlessly delays important protection against serious disease. We strongly encourage all parents to fully immunize their child(ren) according to the recommended immunization schedule published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP.) However, we are willing to “work with” parents who intend to meet our requirements by the required age on a case-by-case basis.
| Immunization | Required Maximum
Age to Begin Immunizing |
Minimum Number of Doses |
Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTaP | 4 months | 5 | 3 doses required by 9m 4 doses required by 24m 5 doses required by 6yo |
| IPV/Polio | 4 months | 4 | 2 doses required by 9m 3 doses required by 24m 4 doses required by 6yo |
| HIB/Prevnar | 4 months | 4 of each | 3 doses required by 9m 4 doses required by 24m |
| MMR | 16 months | 2 | 1 dose required by 16m 2 doses required by 6yo |
| Varicella/Chickenpox | 16 months | 2 | 1 dose required by 16m 2 doses required by 6yo |
| Tdap | 13 years | 1 | 1 dose required by 13yo |
| Meningococcal ACYW | 13 years | 2 | 2 doses required by 19yo |
| Hepatitis B | 2 months | 3 | Must meet school requirements |
| Hepatitis A | 18 months | 2 | Must meet school requirements |
Children under five years and above one year of age who are not yet immunized are required to begin the MMR, Varicella, Polio, and DTaP immunization series within 60 days of receipt of this policy and be “up-to-date” with the recommended AAP “catch-up” schedule within one year of beginning these immunizations.
Children greater than five years of age and teens who are beginning to be immunized are required to begin MMR, Varicella, Polio, and appropriate Pertussis (Tdap or DTaP) immunizations within 60 days of receipt of this policy and complete the recommended AAP “catch-up” schedule within one year of beginning these immunizations.
Although we are not requiring the HPV, Rotavirus, or Meningococcal B vaccines at this time, we strongly encourage you to receive these vaccinations.
If we are unable to reach an understanding on appropriate immunization, we ask that you find a pediatrician whose values align with yours within the next 60 days.
Immunization Schedule
We are pro-vaccine, evidence practice. Please reference the AAP vaccination schedule. These are the minimum requirements for our patients.