Immunizations and Vaccine Hesitancy
Vaccine hesitancy is one of the more common and genuinely difficult conversations in pediatric care. Parents who have questions or concerns about immunizations are not bad parents. They are parents who are paying attention, who have access to a lot of conflicting information, and who are trying to make the right call for their child. We respect that. At Pediatricz Now, our job is not to pressure or dismiss. It’s to give you accurate, complete information and to be honest about where we stand.
And we do stand somewhere. We follow the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC, and we believe vaccines are one of the most important tools we have for protecting children’s health. That’s not a corporate position. It’s what the evidence shows, and it’s what we’d want for our own children.
What the Evidence Actually Says
Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and respond to specific pathogens before a child is ever exposed to them. The immune response produced by vaccination is similar to the one produced by natural infection, but without the risks that come with the disease itself. That’s the core principle, and it’s been validated across decades of research and billions of doses administered worldwide.
The childhood immunization schedule is not arbitrary. Each vaccine is recommended at a specific age because that’s when it provides the most protection and when the risk of the disease it prevents is highest. The schedule is developed by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), reviewed by the AAP and the American Academy of Family Physicians, and updated as new evidence emerges. It is one of the most rigorously studied protocols in medicine.
Common concerns about vaccines, including links to autism, immune system overload, and harmful ingredients, have been studied extensively. The link between vaccines and autism originated from a 1998 study that was later retracted due to serious ethical violations and data manipulation. Subsequent research involving millions of children across multiple countries has found no connection. We understand that concern hasn’t gone away for many families, and we’re willing to talk through it directly.
What Texas Law Says
Texas is one of 16 states that allow a conscientious exemption from school vaccination requirements. Under Chapter 97.62 of the Texas Administrative Code, parents can claim an exemption for reasons of conscience, including religious belief. This requires completing a notarized affidavit on a form obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). As of September 2025, a new law allows parents to download the exemption form directly rather than requesting it by mail, though a notary signature is still required. The form is valid for two years before a new one must be filed.
Medical exemptions are also available when a vaccine would be medically contraindicated for a specific child. These require a physician’s written statement specifying the medical reason.
What the law does not permit is convenience-based exemptions. A lost or incomplete record is not a valid basis for exemption. And importantly, exemptions are suspended during declared public health emergencies, meaning an unvaccinated child can be excluded from school during an outbreak of the disease they were not vaccinated against.
Exemption rates in Texas have risen significantly over the past two decades. Requests for conscientious exemption forms more than doubled between 2018 and 2024, from approximately 45,900 to over 93,000. Texas currently leads the nation in the number of kindergartners who are not fully vaccinated against measles. That context matters because vaccine protection works at the community level: when enough individuals are vaccinated, diseases can’t spread easily even to those who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Where Pediatricz Now Stands
We will always have an honest conversation with parents who have vaccine questions. We won’t dismiss your concerns or make you feel judged for asking. But we also won’t tell you that vaccines and vaccine hesitancy are equally reasonable positions, because the evidence doesn’t support that, and it wouldn’t be honest.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is unequivocal: vaccines are safe, effective, and essential to children’s health. The AAP recommends that pediatric practices encourage on-time vaccination for all children and engage in open, evidence-based conversations with vaccine-hesitant families rather than simply accommodating delays or refusals without discussion.
At Pediatricz Now, we will continue to see your child whether or not they are vaccinated. We are not a practice that turns away families who choose to delay or decline vaccines. But we will continue to recommend the AAP schedule at every visit, explain our reasoning, and share updated information as it becomes available. We believe that ongoing, respectful conversation gives children the best chance of eventually being fully protected.
If your child is unvaccinated and you’re willing to discuss it, we’d welcome that conversation. If you’ve made a firm decision and simply want to continue care, we’ll continue to provide it. Either way, your child’s health matters to us.
When Professional Guidance May Be Helpful
If you have questions about the immunization schedule, specific vaccines, or your child’s individual health situation, a visit is the right place to have that conversation. We can review your child’s vaccination history, address concerns directly, and help you make an informed decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my child get vaccinated if they are mildly sick?
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What happens if my child is behind on vaccines due to delayed or missed appointments?
A catch-up schedule can be created based on your child’s age and vaccination history. Missing vaccines doesn’t mean starting over from scratch. We review what has already been given and determine the most appropriate next steps to get your child protected as efficiently as possible.
Are the ingredients in vaccines safe?
Vaccine ingredients are carefully tested for safety at the doses used in vaccines, which are very small. Common concerns involve adjuvants like aluminum salts (which boost immune response), preservatives like thimerosal (no longer used in childhood vaccines except some flu shots), and residual proteins from the manufacturing process. These have been studied extensively and are present in amounts well below any level of concern. Naturally occurring exposures to many of these substances in daily life exceed what’s in a vaccine.
Can my child receive vaccines if they have allergies?
Most children with allergies can be vaccinated safely. Severe allergic reactions to vaccines are rare, occurring in approximately one to two cases per million doses. If your child has a known severe allergy to a vaccine component, we can review that specifically. Children with egg allergies, for example, can generally receive flu vaccines safely with appropriate precautions.
What is herd immunity and why does it matter for my child?
Herd immunity occurs when enough of a population is immune to a disease that it can no longer spread easily, providing indirect protection to those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, such as newborns or immunocompromised children. Public health authorities generally consider 95% vaccination coverage necessary to maintain herd immunity for measles, one of the most contagious diseases. When exemption rates rise and coverage falls below that threshold, outbreaks become more likely, as seen in the 2025 West Texas measles outbreak that resulted in two deaths.