TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Fear is something many of us have felt over the last year, and that emotion seems to be creeping its way into the lives of some parents.
"The number of vaccinations that we would typically give have been much lower than usual because a lot of parents have been scared to come into the office," says Dr. Helene Felman, Pediatrician, Banner Health.
No, we’re not talking about the shot for coronavirus. We’re focusing on those preventable illnesses like…
"Chickenpox, things like measles, things like pertussis or whooping cough," says Felman.
And while some of those diseases may sound old-school, doctors say they’re still a real concern.
"More children are affected by things like pertussis and pneumococcal infections," says Felman. "More children die of those things, every year than they've been affected by coronavirus these past 12 months."
But when it comes to vaccinations, it’s not just fear of coming into a doctor’s office.
"Many parents have had to continue working throughout this pandemic and oftentimes children are left in the care of elderly grandparents or other family members who are at high risk of COVID," says Felman.
And if you’ve got questions, it never hurts to check in with the person who knows children’s health best.
"We can tell you which vaccines your child is missing, and whether or not we think those are really important. We can also address any other concerns you might have," says Felman.