Gold Pediatrics keeps your whole family happy and healthy with immunizations in Rockville, MD. Keeping your children up to date on recommended vaccinations is important for their health, and often required for school. Read the frequent questions we get asked about immunizations, and contact Dr. Erroll Keith Douglas to discuss any other concerns you have.

What Is Immunization?

Immunization is the process by which your body becomes protected against a disease. This is achieved by injections of vaccines. Vaccines use a weakened form of the virus, which introduces the disease to the body in a safe way and kickstarts your natural immunity response. This way your body develops immunity before ever being exposed to the real disease.

Are Vaccines Safe?

When your child gets a vaccination, they may experience light symptoms for a few days. This is normal and not a reason to delay vaccination. The flu-like symptoms will be mild as the body builds up its immunity, helping you avoid severe symptoms that can lead to lifelong complications.

When the majority of a population is vaccinated against an illness, we achieve herd immunity which reduces the chance of spreading the illness and protects the people most vulnerable to disease -- immunocompromised patients and unvaccinated babies. It is normal to worry anytime your child needs to have a shot, but we are happy to talk to you about how safe and effective vaccines are for patients of all ages.

What Vaccines Does My Child Need?

Your pediatrician follows a schedule of vaccines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These start in the hospital with a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Your newborn will also receive shots for Tetanus, Polio, Rotavirus, diphtheria, Hib, and Pneumococcal vaccines. These require a second dose at four months and a third dose at six months. When the baby reaches six months, there will be a new round of recommended vaccinations.

Additional booster doses of some vaccines are needed into adolescence, and your whole family should be vaccinated for the flu each year. We make sure the children are up to date on all recommended vaccines at their annual physical and provide confirmation to your school when needed.

Get Your Family Vaccinated

Come to Gold Pediatrics when your family needs immunizations in Rockville, MD. Vaccinations help keep your children and the whole population healthy, so stay up to date on all recommended immunizations. To make an appointment with Dr. Erroll Keith Douglas, contact us at (301) 517-9710.