CDC Publishes Updated Guide for Parents: “Your Child’s First Vaccines”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published an updated version of its guide for parents titled, Your Child’s First Vaccines: What You Need to Know. In addition to being posted on the CDC’s website, the guide is also available in .PDF format, and the CDC encourages doctors to provide parents with a copy of the guide when they bring their children in for their first immunizations.

Childhood Vaccine Information for New Parents

Your Child’s First Vaccines: What You Need to Know is a practical source of information about the vaccines that the CDC recommends children receive during their first months of life: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP); Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); hepatitis B; polio; and, pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13). It includes information such as:

  • Why each vaccine is important during early childhood
  • How many doses of each vaccine are required
  • What parents should discuss with their pediatricians prior to their children’s first vaccinations
  • The risks associated with the early childhood vaccines
  • What to do if your child exhibits symptoms of a severe allergic reaction or another vaccine-related illness or injury

Another good resource for new parents is the CDC’s Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. The CDC issues an updated schedule each year, and the 2020 version is currently available on the CDC’s website. In addition to listing the brand names of the vaccines that have been approved for use in the United States, the schedule also indicates at what age each dose of each CDC-recommended vaccine should be administered.

About the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)

In Your Child’s First Vaccines: What You Need to Know, the CDC also provides an introduction to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). While vaccination is generally considered safe for most children (and adults), getting vaccinated does carry certain risks. Recognizing these risks, Congress established the VICP in 1988 as a way to provide compensation to families that are impacted by vaccine-related injuries and illnesses.

Parents of children who are diagnosed with vaccine-related injuries and illnesses can file a claim under the VICP with the help of an experienced vaccine attorney. The compensation available includes coverage for families’ medical expenses and loss of income, as well as the child’s pain and suffering. Injuries and illnesses for which families can seek compensation under the VICP resulting from early childhood vaccinations include (but are not limited to):

  • Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)
  • Encephalopathy or encephalitis
  • Paralytic polio or vaccine-strain polio viral infection
  • Shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (SIRVA)
  • Vasovagal syncope

Filing a claim under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is a unique process. With the help of an experienced vaccine attorney, it may be possible to obtain a settlement in as little as a few months. For more information about what to expect when you file a VICP claim, you can read: 7 Key Facts about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

Discuss Your Family’s Legal Rights with Vaccine Attorney Leah V. Durant

If your child has been diagnosed with a vaccine-related injury or illness, vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant can help your family seek compensation under the VICP. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call 202-800-1711 or request an appointment online today.

Leah Durant Bio

Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.