InTouch with Southern Kentucky April 2020 | Page 21

The pain of a shot is minor com-
pared to the illnesses being immu-
nized against and their possible
ramifications, according to Dr. Gallo,
who added that giving Tylenol to a
child can help ease that pain a bit —
either before or after shots, depend-
ing on parental preference.
“Used to be, there were just a
handful,” Dr. Gallo added. “Now
there are several so they become
more complex in terms of numbers,
but the overall goal is still the same
— to keep our kids healthy.”
One such vaccine is known as
HiB, protecting against Haemophi-
lus influenzae type B. The infection
would cause swelling of the breath-
ing tube, suffocating children, but
Dr. Gallo has never seen a case
since he began practicing in 2008,
after training in both pediatrics and
internal medicine at the University
of Kentucky.
Another is RotaTeq, which is an
oral vaccine against rotavirus in
babies from six to 32 weeks. Accord-
ing to Dr. Gallo, the virus causes
severe diarrhea and used to be a
major cause of babies hospitalized
for dehydration.
“When I was in residency, I saw
significant complications,” he said.
“We now have an immunization that
is effective for that, and we hardly
ever see it anymore.”
While aware of a growing trend
against vaccination, the pediatrician
tells the parents of his patients that
he had “zero hesitation” in having
his two daughters immunized.
“That’s the best way I can try to put
people’s minds at ease,” he said.
“There is still misinformation out
there about connections between
immunizations and various illness-
es,” Dr. Gallo continued. “The major
one is autism. There is no connec-
tion; it has been studied.”
But the belief that the condition
is somehow caused by the MMR
vaccine — a vaccine against mea-
sles, mumps, and rubella (German
measles) — persists and has led
to the increased number of cases
mentioned above. The increase,
Dr. Gallo said, shouldn’t be taken
lightly because of the morbidity and
mortality rates involved. MMR’s first
dose is generally given to children
around 12 to 15 months of age, with
a second dose at 4 to 6 years of age,
with at least 4 weeks between the
doses.
The pediatrician attributes the
increased number of autism cases
to better diagnostic methods as well
as pre- and perinatal substance use
in mothers. He did acknowledge
that vaccines are not recommended
for some children in very special
circumstances — noting that it’s
all the more important for healthy
children to be immunized (and for
adults to be up-to-date) to reduce
the risk of spreading disease to
such children. If there are concerns,
Dr. Gallo encourages parents to talk
to their child’s pediatrician.
“Most clinicians are very well
versed in immunizations and their
protocols,” he said. “I’m sure they
would be happy to answer any
questions parents would have.”
Cumberland Nursing and Rehab
Short-Term Rehab to Home
200 Norfleet Drive
Somerset, KY 42501
phone [phone]
fax [phone]
facebook.com/
cumberlandnursingandrehabilitation
CumberlandNursingAnd
Rehabilitation.com
Features & Services
• Private room
• Planned discharge to home with our Social Worker
• IV Therapy
• Antibiotic Therapy
• Wound Care Management
• CPAP
• BiPAP
• Wound Vac
• Post-Op Recovery
• Extra-large Rehab Gym featuring Physical Therapy,
Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy
We also have a Sunroom for private private gatherings; birthdays, holidays, or just to enjoy the family.
M arch 2020
I n T ouch with S outhern K entucky • 21