More adults put off kids’ vaccinations
Scientists say practice has no proven value, poses risks
By Nathan Seppa
Parents in Oregon are increasingly delaying their children’s standard immunizations, a new study finds. The practice, which runs counter to medical advice, creates gaps in protection and increases the risk that a child won’t complete multishot vaccination regimens, researchers report in the July Pediatrics.
“There is really no benefit in altering the vaccination schedule beyond what the CDC recommends,” says Amanda Dempsey, a physician and researcher at the University of Colorado Denver, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that babies get multiple vaccinations at ages 2, 4 and 6 months. “But there is a risk in prolonging the time that the child in question is at risk for contracting a preventable disease,” says Dempsey, who wasn’t part of this study.