(RxWiki News) A group of US pediatricians has called for parents to get their children vaccinated for measles in response to an outbreak that began in Disneyland in California last December.
That outbreak has spread to infect more than 50 people in the US, reports Reuters. In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement urging parents to get their children vaccinated.
"Vaccines are one of the most important ways parents can protect their children from very real diseases that exist in our world," said AAP CEO Errol R. Alden, MD, in a press release. "We are fortunate to have an incredibly effective tool that can prevent our children from suffering. That is so rare in medicine."
This vaccine is thought to be both safe and effective for preventing measles in children, the AAP says. Measles is a very contagious respiratory disease. It can spread through the air or on infected surfaces.
When infected, patients display symptoms like rash, high fever, cough and runny nose. In some cases, measles can be life-threatening.
According to the AAP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Family Physicians both echo the AAP's suggestion that children be vaccinated for measles. The vaccine is usually given to children between the ages of 12 to 15 months and again when they are between 4 and 6.
Parents should speak to a doctor about the safety of the measles vaccine for children.
