At Beach Kids Pediatrics, we follow the CDC recommended guidelines for vaccination schedules for your children. We know that many parents have questions about vaccinations, their safety and why they are needed. Our doctors share some questions and answers about vaccinations at Beach Kids Pediatrics.
What Are Vaccines?
Vaccines help make your child immune to serious diseases without getting sick first. Without a vaccine, your child must actually get a disease in order to become immune to the germ that causes it. These diseases include: measles, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
Vaccines work best when they are given at certain ages. For example, children do not receive the MMR or measles vaccine until they are at least one year old. If it were given earlier it might not work as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a schedule for childhood vaccines.
Are Vaccine Side Effects Dangerous?
Any vaccine can cause side effects. Usually, these side effects are minor and may include a low-grade fever, fussiness and soreness at the injection site. Some vaccines cause a temporary headache, fatigue or loss of appetite. Very rarely, a child may experience a severe allergic reaction or a neurological side effect, such as a seizure. Although these rare side effects are a concern, the risk of a vaccine causing serious harm or death is extremely small. The lifelong benefits of getting a vaccine greatly outweigh the possible side effects for almost all children.
Why Are Vaccines Given So Early?
The diseases that childhood vaccines are designed to prevent are most likely to occur when a child is very young and the risk of complications is greatest. That makes early vaccination, beginning shortly after birth, critical. If you postpone vaccines until a child is older, it might be too late to achieve full immunity.
What is Community Immunity?
Community immunity is a type of immunity that occurs when the vaccination of a significant portion of a population (also known as the herd) provides some degree of protection for individuals who have not developed immunity, or are unable to be vaccinated. Immuno suppressed people, such as those with cancer, some genetic disorders, and babies who are too young to receive certain vaccines, are protected from becoming critically ill by herd immunity.
Community immunity is created when a large percentage of the population is protected by having received vaccinations against a virus or bacterium. This vaccinated community makes it difficult for a disease to spread, as there are few susceptible people left to infect.
At Beach Kids Pediatrics, we recommend staying on track with the vaccination schedule offered by the CDC. A vaccination for a disease is the only way to protect the health of your child, as vaccination offers him/her immunity to disease rather than just protection from exposure.
Can Getting So Many Vaccines Harm My Baby?
Babies are born with strong immune systems, and they can handle more germs than what they receive from vaccines. The amount of germs in vaccines is a small percentage of the germs babies’ immune systems encounter every day.
At Beach Kids Pediatrics, we are happy to answer your questions about immunizations. Our team is dedicated to the health of your children, and to educating our Beach Kids families about the best options for their lifelong health. Contact us to schedule your child’s appointment at (757) 806-8880. We can’t wait to see you!
