Pediatricians Share Heartfelt Stories to Highlight Vaccine Importance

As the government considers Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a key health role, pediatricians from across the U. S. are sharing their experiences with vaccine-preventable diseases. The American Academy of Pediatrics has collected nearly 200 stories that show the devastating impact of these diseases. These stories come from various types of pediatricians, ranging from those working in rural areas to those in large urban hospitals. One doctor from Raleigh, North Carolina, recalled a baby in the 1990s who died from Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. This disease is very serious and can cause death. The doctor remembered the baby's face clearly. But since the pneumococcal vaccine was introduced in the U. S. in 2000, this doctor has not seen another case like this.Another doctor in Portland, Maine, had to care for a young child who was not vaccinated and got very sick with the same disease. This child had to be in the intensive care unit on a ventilator, fighting for their life. It's important to note that vaccines have made this disease much less common. The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Susan Kressly, emphasized that vaccines help kids grow up healthy. As senators consider nominees for health roles, these stories aim to show how crucial vaccines are for kids' long-term health.