Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Are you confused about the latest vaccination guidelines from the federal government? Well, you're not alone. Welcome to It's Your Health Radio with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. I'm Melanie Cole, and we're here today to discuss vaccinations for children, what to believe, and what trusted physicians recommend for your children.

Joining me is fan favorite, Dr. Neela Sethi. She's a pediatrician on the medical staff at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Dr. Sethi, always a pleasure. So the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a change in recommended vaccines for children. Tell us a little bit about some of these recommended changes.

Neela Sethi, MD: Yes. So the recommended changes nothing has drastically changed. It's just that some of the recommended vaccines have been removed. And what that means for parents is you basically have the choice as to whether you want to give those vaccines or not. That being said, pediatricians have discussed this phenomenon and as a group and as the AAP has chimed in as well, decided to keep the vaccine schedule and slash guidelines the same, and that's kind of what we're telling parents now and trying to empower parents as to why that is.

Host: Okay, so when we think of parents making these decisions. And thinking about their kids and getting their information from Doctor Facebook and Google. These changes have been criticized by medical experts, as you just said. They decided to kind of keep it the way it was and the AAP has come out pretty strongly and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an announcement with the headline, Public Health reaffirms no modifications to these immunization schedules or a vaccine availability in Los Angeles County.

So, what are parents to believe now, when they see these things and they hear the CDC saying one thing. I, I mean, it's very confusing.

Neela Sethi, MD: It's very confusing and I should start with saying, I absolutely empathize with parents, and I think that's the biggest sort of take-home message is we as pediatricians understand that you're fearful. We understand that you're questioning and we understand that you are confused. That being said, what we're here to say is the vaccines have continually done what they are shown to do for hundreds of years, meaning the biggest sort of take-home message is, what we are trying to say, and the biggest take-home message is that pediatricians are trying to prevent life-threatening illness. Hands down. This does not have to do with anything else. We are here to protect your child from your worst nightmare and these vaccines we have in our corner to prevent that. These vaccine guidelines don't change that phenomenon.

These vaccines still exist. They are safe. They have been around for many, many years and they are here to make sure that your child is as healthy as possible and wakes up every day ready for school and ready to start the day. So I think that if we can step back and remember that nothing has changed, these vaccines have existed.

They've done an amazing job. They've decreased these preventable illnesses in numbers that can be proven over and over again. And we want you to be supported and we're here to answer your questions. But the take-home message is that we are here to prevent something life-threatening happening to your child. That was true when we took our oath, and that is still true today.

Host: Well, this is certainly an interesting topic these days, and it can be quite emotional when you're talking to parents that truly don't understand, and they have all of these questions. What do you say to them, Dr. Sethi, when they ask them, well, you know, CDC says, I don't have to do these vaccines anymore, or I want to delay my vaccinations, or I don't like the combo of all these vaccinations.

How do you answer them? Do you show them the science? Because sometimes and this is not getting political, but sometimes people don't believe the facts that are presented to them.

Neela Sethi, MD: I agree. I think it's really important to, one, reassure parents too to have direct conversations without making them feel that they're paranoid or that they're wrong for their beliefs and really trying to meet them in the middle. And I've seen a lot of pediatricians come in very, very hot, which I get, like you said, this is an emotional issue.

That doesn't generally work for me. I think having a kind of holier than thou sort of mentality has not proven to work in my practice of over 20 years. What I try and do is put myself in their position and say, Hey, listen, I understand. I am here to reassure you. I am not getting any kickbacks from vaccine companies. That is some sort of phenomenon that's being thrown out by certain people.

That is absolutely not true. I am here to make sure that your child is as healthy as possible. Let's go through these vaccines that you're curious about and let's talk about one, why they work, two, how they work, and three, why they have longstanding effects. And also let's talk about the ingredients in the vaccines that you're worried about so that I can reassure you and make them feel seen and heard, and make their sort of confusion slash fear feel at least somewhat validated so that I can then make them understand what I feel and where my medical training comes in. And if you can believe it, there are a lot of people out there that don't really even understand how vaccines work. They don't even understand how we are tricking in the most beautiful way, the immune system into believing that you have actually been exposed to the virus slash bacteria when you haven't, and we've tricked your immune system into building antibodies, both short term and long-term, without you ever experiencing that disease. That phenomenon for me, I mean, I've been in this industry for a very long time.

That phenomenon to me is still absolutely just mind blowing and groundbreaking, and I need people to understand the whys. And really the safety profile behind the vaccines. So yeah, I, that was a long answer to your question, but that's really how I try to approach every room that comes in with vaccine hesitancy.

Host: Well, it really is the most amazing medical advancement of the last century for sure. These vaccines have saved millions and millions of lives, and so I, understand the confusion because it is so prevalent now on all of social media and all over the place. We are hearing this and one thing I find the most disturbing is that it is coming from the powers that be, but then the other powers that be the American Academy of Pediatrics; our gold standard, the people we have trusted to help us raise our kids for however many years are the ones telling us that these are safe. So what advice are you giving your parents now? Are you just going ahead and saying, okay, now new baby is going to get these, these, these, these, and then just going ahead with it. Are they stopping you? What are you seeing happen Dr. Sethi?

Neela Sethi, MD: I think I am very blessed to have a patient population that is trusting in me and my medical background. And, my heart goes out to the many of pediatricians out there that are receiving a lot of backlash. I have been blessed in that yes, I do have people asking questions, but our practice, as a whole, has decided to stick with the AAP guidelines. It's serviced us. I mean, we've been in private practice for coming on 60 years in our valley. And we have followed our vaccines. We have seen the effects they've had in our small community. We have the ability to follow vaccine side effects and we've been able to see just in our community how effective vaccines have been against very many diseases, but specifically whooping cough and measles.

We haven't had the numbers and rates in rise because we've had more of a pro-vaccine community. And I'm grateful for that. That being said, we are giving parents choices and I think that's important. I don't think that as a pediatrician, you can force anything on parents. I think that education and open communication, it should be the heart of what you do.

And I think that when parents have decided that they would like to split up or postpone, it's not my favorite thing. But I don't shame them. In my mind, I feel like, okay, well they trust me enough to do this specific vaccine, and the way we do it is we have vaccine only appointments and parents can come back just for the vaccine.

And I found that they have, and I think, is it more exhausting as a pediatrician? Absolutely. Does it hurt my heart as a pediatrician? For sure. Does it feel like it's us against them sometimes? Meaning the administration? Yes. Do I feel unseen and unheard? Absolutely. But am I going to ever stop my beliefs in vaccine? No. Am I ever going to just blindly, change what I've done for the past 25 years based on one person's opinion. No. Am I going to follow groups of scientists that have done hundreds of years of research and have dedicated their lives to saving other's? Yes. I am. Do I believe in research, and medical science?

I do. That's, the oath I gave. And that is what I'm going to continue to do and swear by moving forward. And, I hope that, the day that I retire from pediatrics, I can look back and say with a true heart that I really and truly gave my life to pediatrics to help and save lives.

Host: Well, you certainly can. That was beautifully said. You always choke me up. The way that you advocate for your littlest patients and for our little kiddos is nothing short of inspirational. You know, you pediatricians, and specifically you, Dr. Neela Sethi are the reason that most of us parents can sleep at night, and I swear to God, that is the truth.

Knowing you're there advocating, helping us and even in the face of criticism and defiance and misinformation, you guys are there to help us sort through these things. So I would love for your best advice, and I'd like this advice not to be to speak to your physician. We know this advice. This is absolutely true. But I would like this advice to be for the people out there that are really questioning all of this.

And you could even shove in some stuff about the vaccines that are important right now. I mean, the flu is cruising around everywhere and now this vaccination, this specific one is not disrecommended, but it's not recommended anymore. It's not part of the schedule. So I'd like you to speak to those parents.

Because you're speaking and preaching to the choir when you talk to us about believing the science and talking to our pediatricians, but speak to those that question this and some of the vaccinations that you specifically want them to say, this is really an important one. Please listen to what we're saying.

Neela Sethi, MD: Absolutely. So let's start with, what the baby's blood-brain barrier looks like at birth and most people believe that the blood brain barrier is closed, meaning what blood circulates through the peripheral body, does not make it to the brain. And that is true in adults, and that is true in older children.

Meaning, you know, your heart and lungs are pumping into a certain part of your body and then you have a blood brain barrier and that specific blood does not enter into your brain without going through a barrier. Well, low and behold, in newborns, their blood brain barrier is like Swiss cheese, so anything that is circulating through their body goes into their brain and they are at an extremely high-risk of meningitis.

You heard that right? They are an extremely high-risk of meningitis. First and foremost, meningitis is life-threatening. Second meningitis, if not life-threatening, can lead to severe brain damage and developmental delay that is incurable. We have vaccines that protect against those specific bacteria so that when you receive that vaccine and have antibodies against those specific types of bacteria, they cannot reach the brain and cause an infection.

That is crucial to a baby. That even goes for things that enter into their nose and mouth, meaning your grandparents or your parents kissing your baby. That means the bacteria that your preschool child is bringing home to your newborn that enters in through their eyes and nose and mouth, that goes into their brain and our vaccine, specifically the Pneumococcal vaccine and the Hemophilus Influenza B vaccine prevents that from happening, first. Second, the new vaccine quote unquote new, though it's been around for a very long time, the Beyfortus vaccine, which is actually a vaccine that is antibodies. It does not create antibodies. It is antibodies. It is giving antibodies to your baby for RSV.

It has been proven to work over and over, not just in research, but clinically, I cannot tell you babies that have received the Beyfortus vaccine or the RSV antibody vaccine do not get hospitalized or very rarely get hospitalized from RSV. It's absolutely mind blowing, and I think will be one of the biggest medical phenomenons in my time.

Let's then go to things like whooping cough. Well, whooping cough is a bacteria that causes babies to stop breathing. You heard me right? It's not just a cough. They can hold their breath. Get so much mucus in their body and hold their breath and stop breathing. And we have a vaccine against that. Let's talk about the diptheria.

Yes. You've probably not heard about diptheria. Well, I have, and I've studied it. Diptheria causes you to choke on your own mucus and pass away. Pass away. In the 1800s Diptheria took lives on lives on lives, and there was no treatment for it. And guess what? We have treatment for it. These are things that people in modern day don't understand and we do. Measles. Guess what? Measles? Yeah. It causes a rash and causes high fever. After a while, Measles causes a long-term illness that eats away at your brain cells. You heard me right? It eats away at your brain cells. It looks chewed up and can cause death. And can cause severe brain damage, severe developmental delay where your child will never lead a normal life.

Polio. Polio affects muscles. It infects muscles to the point where you get so sick and when you recover, you cannot walk. Do you know how many third world countries still battle polio? Where if you see a huge amount of people in a small area, in a third world country, limping. It's likely from polio. So I understand that parents say, well, we haven't seen those and, and those are gone.

Well, guess what? They're not gone. That's not how vaccines work. These bacteria and viruses still live in our environment. We didn't get them to go away. We made it so that as homosapiens, we have mounted an antibody response against them. It still lives and breathes. When I swab little kids for what's living in their nose, it's still pneumococcus. It's still Haemophilus influenza B. I still see that pulled up on cultures, but they're vaccinated against it, and that's what I want parents to understand. Now, listen, do they want to delay them? Yes. Is that my favorite thing? No, it's not. Do I understand why there's vaccine hesitancy? I do.

But you are saving your child's life by doing it. And if it means that you have to take them slowly, if that's what needs to happen versus you not doing them. Okay? Like I said, it's not my favorite thing, but I'll support you. I'll love on you. I will be heart led, and I will try and save your child.

But by no means am I here to cause harm. Why would I do that? Have you ever thought that? Do parents ever think to themselves, why am I getting the lowest paid medical subspecialty of all subspecialties? Why would I do that? Why am I still paying off my medical student loans? Why am I taking time away from my children at home to go cause harm?

Have you met pediatricians? We are the nicest, kindest, most heart led group of individuals on the planet. People make fun of us for driving the oldest cars. And having the oldest wardrobes and not being able to pay our loans off. Do you really think that we are getting paid by vaccine companies? And by the way, why are you not questioning what's being injected in your face?

Why are you not questioning as to all the supplements that you're on that are not FDA regulated? Why are you not worried about somebody who's untrained taking a needle to you and to your face for your looks, but you're going to question a pediatrician with years and years of experience that are literally blood, sweat, and tears trying to fight the flu right now. Trying to fight RSV right now. Why are you questioning us and not questioning everybody else out there that is putting literally toxin into your face. At hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a pop and you think somehow we are having secondary intentions somehow you think we are trying to hurt your child.

Make it make sense to me. Make it make sense to me, Melanie.

Host: Wow. And I hear the passion for what you do and the fact that you were able to vocalize how pediatricians are feeling. I am sure that they are cheering around the country for what you just said because it is so important that people hear these kind of things and that they understand that your intention is to save our babies. Not to do any harm. And that your profession specifically, as you say, the kindest, the nicest, I mean, this isn't shift work we're talking about. You guys are up at four o'clock in the morning taking calls from frantic parents because their kids' fever went up to 102. And it's a thankless job, but not really because you watch these babies grow up and when they're 21, 22, then you tearfully say goodbye and send them on their way.

But I must applaud everything you just said. I hope listeners, you will take what Dr. Neela Sethi just said so seriously and take it to heart. Understand that she's coming from a place of caring and medical science, and understanding that our pediatricians are there. Ask them the questions you need to ask them.

Go to them when you have these questions, but understand that they are following the science, and that is where the most important information lies. I can't thank you enough because you really have so much to say that is so needed right now. So I also want you listeners to spread this around, share this show with your friends and your family, on social media and your social channels, because then they can hear from somebody who is so smart and has dedicated her life to pediatrics at the expense of many other things.

Let them hear what she just said in her last statement, because I think that if somebody will hear this from somebody who has been down in the trenches with our babies and saved their lives countless times, maybe just, maybe it will make a little dent. And I, can't thank you enough for being willing to come on here, for being willing to confront the situation and just give us the best and clear scientific information.

And your review of all those vaccinations and why they're so important was just outstanding. So I hope listeners will listen to the last four minutes of this podcast and take it to heart. Thank you. Dr. Sethi, you're just such a breath of fresh air in everything that's going on. Thank you so much for joining us. And the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Online Health Library also has a wealth of information about vaccines, and you can find that@library.henrymayo.com. That concludes this episode of It's Your Health Radio with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review It's Your Health Radio on Apple Podcast, Spotify, iHeart and Pandora. This one should win lots of podcast awards.

Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Melanie Cole.