The Westview School Blog
Archives - November 2021
What Every Parent Should Know About Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccines
November 09, 2021
They’re here; they’re here! Whether you’ve been waiting for the children’s COVID-19 vaccines like your kid waits for their birthday or you’re interested but have questions, this is a great milestone in our battle against COVID-19. As fellow Westview parents, we know how important it is to be well-informed, so let’s go over some important points:
How are these vaccines different from the adult ones?
In short, it’s the same formula, just less of it. Children aged 5-11 years old are eligible for the 10 microgram dose, while people 12 years old and up (including adults) are eligible for the 30 microgram dose. We’re expecting that the youngest group of children will be eligible for an even smaller dose (and hopefully soon!). For children, these amounts were chosen at a point that maximizes immune response while minimizing side effects.
Speaking of side effects...
Children tend to have mild to moderate side effects to the vaccines, and like adults, tend to have more side effects with the second vaccine compared to their first one. Side effects include fatigue, fever, headache, pain, chills, and vomiting. It’s tempting, but do not give your child an over-the-counter pain reliever before the vaccine; instead, wait until after the vaccination if needed.
If your child doesn’t have any side effects, don’t worry! The clinical trials did find that children aged 5-11 years had fewer side effects than older children and adults did.
What about heart effects? And fertility effects?
The risk of myocarditis and pericarditis after the COVID-19 vaccine is quite low, and COVID-19 infection is more likely to trigger an inflammation of the heart. In fact, most heart effects, if they occur, are mild and resolve within a few days. If they do occur, it’s important to be seen by your physician.
There is no evidence showing that the COVID-19 vaccine has any effects on fertility. However, there is some concern that COVID-19 INFECTION may negatively affect fertility for males and females.
I got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine; should I wait for that version for my kids?
No, we recommend you don’t wait because the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine trials for children are still underway or in the planning stages. The timeline for the release of those specific vaccines is unclear, so it would be safer to prevent COVID-19 infection with the Pfizer vaccine right now.
My child had COVID-19 recently. Do they still need to be vaccinated?
Yes, they still need to be vaccinated because we don’t know how long immunity after COVID-19 infection lasts, but there have been many cases of people being infected with COVID-19 several times. After COVID-19 infection, kids can be vaccinated as soon as they have recovered and have finished their isolation period.
Sounds good, but WHY should I vaccinate my child?
In a word, TEAMWORK! We have maintained throughout the pandemic that we’re in this together, and it’s especially true now. We vaccinate our children to protect them from getting infected and from developing severe COVID-19 if they get infected. But we also vaccinate our kids to protect our immunocompromised neighbor who makes those amazing brownies, our baby nephew, who is SO CUTE but too young to be vaccinated yet, and everyone else in our circles who is especially vulnerable.
When we vaccinate, we are limiting the number of bodies that COVID-19 can spread to, which is how we can be done with this pandemic. Sure, everyone has a cute collection of masks by now, but we really miss seeing faces!
With the holidays just around the corner, it’s a great time to get those vaccines scheduled so the kids can be fully vaccinated before Santa even makes his list.
Speaking of holidays, travel during winter break may be a possibility if your children complete their COVID-19 vaccines 2 weeks before the trip and are not symptomatic when they get back.
Keep Westview’s COVID-19 protocol chart handy for easy reference and refer to the detailed protocols for additional information.
Where can I go to get my child vaccinated?
Glad you asked! So many places, including your pharmacy, your grocery store, your pediatrician, and most/all of the local hospital systems.
Anything else?
While you’re getting the kids vaccinated against COVID-19 anyway (way to go!!), ask about getting them a flu shot too! We’re expecting a much worse flu season this year, so it would be great to prevent it too. Conveniently, you can get the flu vaccine at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine. No one wants to be home with COVID-19 or the flu when there’s holiday fun to be had!
One last thing- sometimes, things aren’t so easy and maybe even a bit overwhelming. We’ve all been there. There are many resources to support you and your family at any time.
Wishing everyone an enjoyable holiday season.
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The Westview School COVID-19 Medical Advisory Board is comprised of Westview parents and former parents with experience on the front line during this pandemic. These highly-trained professionals work in many different fields of medicine, such as epidemiology, pulmonology, and critical care. This group of medical professionals continues to be an invaluable resource to The Westview School leadership team.
Four Things that Matter Most: Insights on Autism from a Westview Father
November 03, 2021
My initial feeling when asked to write about my experience as a Westview dad was, I was flattered. I am thankful to write and share our experience about what the school has done for our son. I wish a school like Westview had been an option for me when I was a young student. I would have fit right in. You see, like my son, I, too, am on the autism spectrum.
Being an autism dad who is also himself on the spectrum has given me some unique insights to share with all Westview parents, particularly with the dads and those with a more recent diagnosis.
My first bit of advice: don’t fear for your autistic child’s future. You will hear many negative-sounding symptoms: “flat affect,” “mind blind,” and the like. You will hear about people on the spectrum having difficulty building lifelong friendships and finding employment. But autism has many wonderful traits: Honesty. The ability to hyper-focus. An ability to retain knowledge on a variety of subjects. The ability to cut to the chase on essential things. I am a principal in an architecture firm, and these traits specific to an autism diagnosis have been indispensable to my professional success. Your child, too, can excel professionally.
Secondly, you might hear that people on the autism spectrum lack emotional intelligence and can’t be empathic. Don’t believe it. Your child on the autism spectrum loves you more than you can know. They may show it a little differently. Recent research says that people on the autism spectrum might feel emotions more intensely than others and that the lack of emotional awareness results from these more intense emotions. It is widely known that kids on the autism spectrum, and adults, can get overwhelmed and need to learn how to self-regulate. The Westview School does a tremendous job helping its students with this. Shout out to our Support Specialists, Mimi Le and Michael McKee!
Third, embrace your child’s “special interests.” This is not always easy in the world we live in today, with a significant focus on standardized tests and developmental benchmarks. Kids on the autism spectrum are often advanced in one area and behind in others. There’s always a temptation to focus on the weaknesses to bring them up to standard. “Special interests” are the key to happy and productive lives for kids on the autism spectrum. Architecture has always been my “special interest,” and it has become a lucrative career for me. At Westview, we have budding computer programmers, illustrators, TV producers, like my son. These are all potential careers and can start to be recognized in students at a young age.
Finally, finding a place where your child can grow and learn is an essential first step in helping your child be the best version of him or herself. Westview was that important first step for our family. The Westview School is amazing. Our son is in his sixth year at Westview and has shown so much growth since he started here in the Early Childhood Development program. He, and I, have learned a ton in these years. I am confident that you and your child will, too. Always stay positive and follow your child’s lead. You won’t be disappointed.
My only regret is that there wasn’t a place like Westview for me when I was a child!
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Adam J Weiss, AIA, has been a Westview Parent since 2016. He is a registered architect and principal in a mid-sized firm in Houston.
Our kids are amazingly talented indeed! Westview rocks!