Egg Allergy, Vaccinations, and Your Child
Last updated: Sep 10, 2009
By Joy Pierce Mathews for Summit Medical Group
Now that vaccination season is here, it is important to know if your child is a candidate for certain vaccinations. Some people, including those with an allergy to eggs, should not have certain vaccinations. For example, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices suggests that people with a history of hypersensitivity to eggs should not receive the influenza vaccine without first consulting their physician. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Disease recommends not vaccinating anyone with known sensitivity or allergy to chicken and egg proteins.
Despite these recommendations, recent research shows that even some people with sensitivity to chicken or egg protein can be vaccinated safely when they are under the care of an allergist.
The amount of egg protein contained in an influenza vaccination varies by product, manufacturer, and production lots. For this reason, some patients who are sensitive to chicken or egg proteins can safely receive the influenza vaccination. Summit Medical Group allergists are now providing a unique service that includes skin testing and careful in-office patient monitoring so that the influenza vaccine can be safely administered to certain egg-allergic pediatric patients.
If you are unsure whether your child should be vaccinated for influenza, be sure to tell your Summit Medical Group pediatrician about all of your child’s allergies. He or she will tell you whether your child should be vaccinated or referred to our allergists for further evaluation.
For more information,
please call your Summit Medical Group pediatrician:
Berkeley Heights 908-277-8601
Summit Medical Arts Center 908-219-3055
Short Hills 973-379-2488
Warren 908-769-0100
Westfield 908-228-3600
Click here for more information about vaccinations for the H1N1 and seasonal influenza viruses.
