Colorado doctors will still recommend long-standing childhood vaccine schedule as opposed to new Trump guidelines

Colorado doctors will still be recommending the long-standing immunization schedule outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This decision in the state is being made after President Trump signed an executive order that reduces the vaccines recommended for kids, making the measles, mumps and rubella shot three separate vaccinations.

While the order suggests states update their laws to match these changes, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has already said the state won't be changing its recommendations.

Sterling Ranch mom Molly Whitehair made sure all three of her children received their routine vaccinations on advice of her pediatrician.

"I do remember when my son was born I was nervous about vaccines, and so I just remember I talked to the pediatrician, and from talking to several pediatricians, that's what they recommend, and so I've just always vaccinated my children," Whitehair told CBS Colordado. "Because it keeps them safe. I know there's you know some side effects for vaccines, like a fever or a rash, but in the long run, it's like saving their life."

But Trump wants to change that guidance, passing an executive order reducing the number of recommended vaccinations for children from 18 to 11, instead recommending "shared clinical decision-making."

A Colorado pediatrician CBS Colorado spoke to says, for now, she won't change her approach either.  

"I haven't seen any high quality evidence suggesting that we need to change what we're doing right now, and in fact I can see potential harm in moving to some of the recommendations from the administration," said Dr. Danielle Dhaliwal, medical director of the pediatric ICU at HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children's at Presbytirian St. Luke's.

Dhaliwal says the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC have not changed their guidance; although, the order advises all federal agencies to advance the new recommendations.

"We're still sort of waiting on some of the HHS guidance about more details on how they would like Trump's mandate would roll out, and it does allow states to take over some of the guidance as well," Dhaliwal said. "There's definitely some disagreement about not only shifting some of these vaccines to be routinely recommended to shared decision making, but also the other elements of the order."

The order also recommends splitting the combined MMR vaccine into three separate appointments.

"Spacing out vaccines provides makes kids more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, and it allows the opportunity for kids to fall through the cracks," Dhaliwal said.

"It's probably more expensive for parents because we pay a copay every time we go," Whitehair said.

Dhaliwal says she's noticed growing distrust in the medical profession and confusion over the changing guidance from her patients.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there. I think families are relying on social media and resources that aren't completely evidence-based, and that makes it really challenging to have a lot of these conversations," Dhaliwal said.

The doctor points to flu and measles as examples of diseases with increasing cases that children can be protected from with vaccines.

"When we see people choose not to give the flu vaccine, even in otherwise healthy children, it can have really extreme impacts. And we definitely saw this past year that those were the kids that were harmed the most," Dhaliwal said. "There's a high percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to control measles, and so when you have small dips in vaccine rates, you can see surges in the measles, but it's highly effective, and the consequences of having measles, especially at a young age, can be really severe."

Dhaliwal encourages families to seek out evidence-based sources they trust when making these decisions.

"It's confusing," said Whitehair. "You have to be vaccinated to go to the public school. So then I didn't know if that was going to affect that, and if my kids now are going to be exposed to like measles or other things that have been eradicated."

Whitehair says she'll continue to get her children vaccinated based on existing guidance.

"I am still definitely going to vaccinate my kids," Whitehair said. "There's a reason why vaccines have been invented, and that's to help keep us safe."

While signing the order, President Trump made references to autism, seeming to suggest a link between vaccines and the disorder. Medical experts have long agreed that there is no link between vaccines and autism.

In a statement to CBS Colorado CDPHE said, "The executive order does not change Colorado's school and child care immunization requirements. CDPHE continues to recommend that families and health care providers follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' immunization schedule, which is grounded in decades of scientific evidence and safety monitoring. Colorado families may continue to seek medical or nonmedical exemptions from school-required vaccines. CDPHE will continue to base its vaccine recommendations on the best available science and ensure Coloradans have access to safe and effective disease-prevention tools."