COVID-19 vaccine for kids: Benefits are many; here are answers to parental concerns [Ask the Pediatrician column] | Together

Question: The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children ages 12 to 15. I am hesitant to get this immunization for my 12-year-old because I feel like there may be side effects that we are unaware of, and kids do not get that sick from COVID. What should I be thinking about as I make this decision?

Answer: As parents, we have a responsibility to make medical decisions for our children based on facts, and then balance risks versus benefits. When you analyze the risk and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination for your child, it becomes an easier decision to immunize your child.

Let us start by talking about the concerns many parents have:

Safety of the vaccine and that it was developed too fast.

These vaccines have received a more comprehensive safety analysis than any vaccines ever previously approved in the United States. They have been tested in a wide range of ages, ethnicities and races. The trials in children began in October, and have been scrutinized for safety by independent organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices . They have been found to be very safe and amazingly effective.

Serious side effects.

Many parents express concern that there will be “surprise” side effects discovered down the road from these vaccines. It helps to look at historical data about vaccines and how they work. Any serious side effect to vaccines that has ever been reported and validated has occurred within six weeks of receiving the vaccine. Long-term surprise side effects simply do not occur. The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine in children are the same as in adults, with the most common being sore arm, muscle aches and fever. Side effects do not typically last more than 24 to 48 hours.

Fertility concerns.

I also have heard concerns about the vaccine’s potential to affect fertility in the future. This concern likely comes from European researchers who asked the question because the coronavirus shares some proteins similar to placental proteins. Dr. Paul Offit, vaccine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, compares this sharing of proteins to two people who both have a 5 in their Social Security number. There are millions of possible combinations, and they are not the same. Just like sharing a 5 does not mean they are the same person, sharing proteins does not mean the body will mix up antibodies to the virus with placental tissue. The body knows they are different. Supporting this are the multiple studies of vaccinated pregnant women that show that they have normal placentas, and normal pregnancies. And in the last three months, millions of women have received the vaccine yet there has been no significant drop in the pregnancy rate. It is not necessary to deny your child the vaccine because you want grandchildren!

All of this points to the vaccine being extremely low risk and safe for kids. So let us consider benefits:

Protection from serious COVID-19 disease.

It is true that children do not usually get extremely sick from SARS-COV-2 infection. However, children can get severe COVID-19 disease. Kids make up about 2% of hospitalizations for COVID-19, and around 300 children have died from the disease in this country. The vaccine offers 100% protection from death and hospitalization due to COVID-19. We are starting to see some children with evidence of long-haul COVID-19, and the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children remains associated with this virus. COVID-19 disease is not without risks for children, and vaccination prevents these negative outcomes.

Children can be spreaders of the disease.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, two weeks ago, children represented 22.4% of new cases; one year ago they made up 3%. Increasingly, outbreaks are being associated with school and after-school activities. If we intend to stop the spread of this virus, then it is critical that we vaccinate our children.

Children currently make up about 24% of the U.S. population, so vaccinating them could be our ticket to herd immunity. I am hopeful that we will continue to address concerns of vaccine-hesitant adults, and therefore the adult vaccination rate will rise, but the current climate suggests that we are not going to get where we need to be without vaccinating kids, too.

Our children need this.

The final benefit to the vaccine is the one that I think everyone forgets about but is what I currently spend most of my time helping children and parents navigate. COVID-19 isolation and fears have not been good for our mental health, especially that of our teenagers. The immunity that vaccination provides means that we can back to the things we miss. It means a healthy summer, full of happy kids at swimming pools, summer camps and on vacation. It means summer jobs. It means sleepovers, and birthday parties. And it means going back to school in the fall in person, every day, and maybe even without a mask. This pandemic has emphasized the critical need our kids have for their peers, teachers and coaches, and how important it is to their development and wellness to be together.

The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in children outweigh any of the side effects. You can be reassured that organizations that you trust such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend the vaccine for kids ages 12 and up.

Most importantly, if you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, please seek out your child’s health care provider. We all have your child’s health and well being as our number one priority, and we are always happy to address any concerns.

If you want to sign up your child for COVID-19 vaccine, please visit VaccinateLancaster.org or call your health care provider for other options.

Dr. Pia Fenimore, of Lancaster Pediatric Associates, answers questions about children’s health. You can submit questions at [email protected].