Pediatricians Power New Vaccine Resources for Families

A new series of fact sheets created by the AAP gives pediatricians a fresh tool for educating families about vaccines in a clear, approachable way.

The first seven sheets launched on AAP.org in September after a year of development, supported by a grassroots, pediatrician-led fundraising campaign. The resulting pages are an evidence-based resource designed to help families feel confident and supported when vaccinating their children.

Immediate Past President Susan J. Kressly, M.D., FAAP, who introduced the idea of the fact sheets, tapped her pediatrician network for funding support and got an immediate yes from everyone she asked. “Pediatricians want to be part of the solution and part of the work,” Kressly said. “That’s one of the things that sustains us in incredibly difficult times.”

Read on to learn about how the sheets were developed and ways pediatricians can use them.

Fall season first: The initial set of sheets cover the fall respiratory viruses, along with vaccines that have been a frequent focus of misleading claims, such as hepatitis B. By year end, the AAP plans to tackle every immunization on the childhood schedule.

Translating policy to practice: A multidisciplinary team adapted AAP vaccine policy for a general audience, ensuring the information was scientifically accurate but also easy to understand. The final product incorporated feedback from members of the FamilY Partnerships Network, public health professionals, clinicians, and caregivers to ensure it resonated with parents.

Strengthening conversations with families: Pediatricians wondering how to introduce the sheet can keep the message simple: “‘This is what your pediatrician wants you to know about vaccines,’” said Nita Mohanty, M.D., M.S., senior vice president, child health finance and quality at the AAP, who led the team that developed the sheets.

A welcoming design: Busy parents won’t be drawn to dense, highly technical materials, so the team took the opposite approach by using plain language, colorful graphics, and a simple format. “Our strategy was to make these much more visually appealing and compelling, with QR codes and pictures, so families will naturally gravitate toward them,” Mohanty said.

Intentional naming: The word “family” appears at the top for a reason: It reinforces that parents and pediatricians work in partnership, a common theme in the Academy’s broader vaccine confidence campaign.

Logos with a job: Beyond branding, the AAP logo at the bottom of the sheets telegraphs credibility, while the HealthyChildren logo directs families to another resource with trusted, easily digestible information.

Spreading the word: Anyone can download the sheets (in English and Spanish) on AAP.org, but the team is also sharing them broadly with pediatricians through webinars and partner health organizations, as well as at the National Conference and Exposition. The fact sheets can also be integrated into electronic health record platforms so parents can access them with their child’s other health information.

What’s next: With additional funding, the team hopes to translate the sheets into more languages, create short-form videos, launch a social media campaign, conduct pediatrician trainings, and more.

Playing the long game: The fact sheets, Kressly noted, are part of the Academy’s long-term strategy to fortify confidence in vaccines. “For my colleagues who feel like they’re not seeing the results of all their hard work in the time they wish, I know they’re planting seeds to build vaccine confidence and infrastructure every day,” Kressly said. “Those seeds are being watered, nurtured, and passed on, and they’re building the infrastructure for a better environment for the future.”