08/31/2010 - News
No Benefit in Delaying Childhood Vaccines
By: June Chen, MD
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Some parents may have heard that it’s not their children all their vaccines in the first year of life due to ‘immune overload’ or the risk of cognitive disorder from overexposure to vaccines. However, a new study published online in the journal Pediatrics suggests that delaying childhood vaccines, or avoiding them altogether, does not offer any neuropsychological benefits.
Researchers from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky and their colleagues examined information on 1,047 children who participated in Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), a study that provides safety information for many childhood vaccines and has been used to determine when vaccines should ideally be given. Children in VSD were administered 42 neuropsychological tests, including assessments of speech and language, memory, coordination, attention, behavior, and general intellectual functioning. Approximately 47 percent of the children studied received all of the recommended childhood vaccines during the first year of life. Interestingly, in the primary analysis, timely receipt of vaccines on the recommended schedule was associated with better performance on 12 of the 42 neuropsychological tests, though the differences were not statistically significant.
The researchers found that lower family household incomes and lower percentages of mothers with college degrees were linked to later receipt of childhood vaccines. However, higher socioeconomic status was more often associated with avoidance of childhood vaccines altogether, likely due to parental concerns about the safety of vaccines. It’s important to note that this study did not specifically examine major signs or symptoms associated with autism. However, the fact remains that vaccines prevent serious diseases, such as measles and polio, and until adverse effects are proven, guidelines still recommend that children ought to be protected with these vaccines.
Source: Pediatrics. Published online 24 May 2010.
Created on: 06/01/2010
Reviewed on: 08/31/2010
Reviewed on: 08/31/2010
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