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Why Vaccinate?
Vaccines are an important part of your child's health. Prior to universal vaccination, thousands of children each year contracted illnesses; many of those children died. Some people may still remember swimming areas quarantined due to risk of polio, or spending weeks in a darkened room suffering from measles. Thanks to vaccination, the number of cases of infectious diseases has substantially decreased. In fact, diligent vaccination has eradicated smallpox, and will soon eradicate polio and measles. In the meantime, regular vaccinations boost your child's resistance to infectious diseases, keeping your child healthy.When to Vaccinate?
There are several different vaccines administered, each tailored to protect against a specific illness. These vaccines are administered at certain ages to ensure the best protection. The immunization schedule below shows what ages the vaccines should be administered. The schedule is occasionally revised; check with your child's healthcare provider to keep your child properly immunized.If you do not recognize the name of a vaccine, or wish to learn more about a vaccine and the illness it prevents, click on the name in the left-hand column of the schedule, or scroll down the page.
The Future of Vaccines
Currently, research is being done on new vaccines and new ways to administer vaccines. Soon, the flu vaccine will be available as a nasal spray. Some childhood vaccines may be given in food, such as bananas or potatoes.New vaccines are also being researched and developed. Vaccines offering protection against diabetes and cavities are currently being researched. Unfortunately, a vaccine against the common cold is unlikely.
Vaccine Descriptions
Below is a list of descriptions for the vaccines offered. Included in the descriptions is information concerning the symptoms of the prevented illnesses and ways the illnesses may be caught or spread.For more information concerning vaccines in general, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's site on vaccines.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a serious disease, with possible symptoms including
- loss of appetite
- tiredness
- diarrhea and vomiting
- jaundice (yellow coloring to skin or eyes)
- pain in muscles, joints, stomach
- liver damage
- liver cancer
- possibly death
- during birth when the virus passes from an infected mother to her baby
- by having sex with an infected person
- by injecting illegal drugs
- by being stuck with an infected needle
- by sharing personal items
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
Diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat. Diphtheria may have several symptoms, including
- breathing problems
- paralysis
- heart failure
- possibly even death
Tetanus, also known as "lockjaw", causes a person's muscles to painfully tighten. This may lead to
- the tightening of the jaw
- difficulty to open the jaw or swallow
- possibly even death
Pertussis, also known as "whooping cough", causes coughing spells bad enough to make it difficult to eat, drink or breathe for weeks. Pertussis may lead to
- pneumonia
- seizures
- brain damage
- possibly even death.
H. Influenzae Type B
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease is a serious disease caused by a bacteria. It usually strikes children under 5 years old. Before Hib vaccine, Hib disease was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis among children under age 5 in the United States. Hib disease can also cause
- pneumonia
- severe swelling of the throat
- infection of the blood
- death
Polio
Polio is a disease caused by a virus. It enters a child's (or adult's) body through the mouth. Sometimes it does not cause serious illness. But sometimes it causes paralysis. It can kill people who get it, usually by paralyzing the muscles that help them breathe. Polio used to be very common in the United States. It paralyzed and killed thousands of people a year before we had a vaccine for it.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Measles may cause several symptoms, including
- rash
- cough
- runny nose
- eye irritation
- fever
- ear infection
- pneumonia
- seizures
- brain damage
- possibly even death
Mumps may cause several symptoms, including
- fever
- headache
- swollen glands
- deafness
- meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord covering)
- painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries
- possibly even death
Rubella (German Measles) may cause several symptoms, including
- rash
- mild fever
- arthritis (mostly in women)
Varicella
Varicella, also known as Chickenpox, is most well known for the itchy rash it causes. Varicella may also cause
- fever
- tiredness
- severe skin damage and scars
- pneumonia
- possibly even brain damage or death
- later in life, a painful rash known as "shingles"
- through the air
- contact with fluid from chickenpox blisters
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