Childhood Immunization

Children routinely get vaccines that protect them from more than a dozen diseases such as measles, polio and tetanus. Most of these diseases are now at their lowest levels in history, thanks to years of immunization. Children must get at least some vaccines before they may attend school. Vaccines help make you immune to serious diseases without getting sick first. Without a vaccine, you must actually get a disease in order to become immune to the germ that causes it. Vaccines work best when they are given at certain ages. For example, children don't receive measles vaccine until they are at least one year old. If it is given earlier, it might not work as well. Although some of the vaccines you receive as a child provide protection for many years, adults need immunizations too.

Introduction

Childhood immunizations are vaccines that children routinely get. These vaccines protect children from more than a dozen diseases such as measles, polio and tetanus. Most of the diseases that children are vaccinated for are now at their lowest levels in history, thanks to years of immunization. Children must get at least some vaccines before they may attend school. This program reviews childhood immunizations. It explains what vaccinations are, why children need them, and when they typically get them. Information about the risks and complications associated with vaccines is also discussed.

Vaccines

A vaccine is a substance that prevents you from getting a disease. It is made from dead or weakened germs that cause diseases. The organs of your body that remember and combat germs are called the immune system. Without the immune system, a simple illness like the common cold could be deadly. Vaccines take advantage of your body’s natural ability to fight germs. Vaccines teach your immune system how to combat many disease-causing germs that attack it. A vaccine works like this:

1. A weakened or dead germ is injected into your body
2. Your body responds by making antibodies to fight off the invading germ
3. If the actual germ ever attacks your body, the antibodies will still be there to destroy them

In short, vaccines trick your immune system into teaching your body how to defeat its opponents. That way you don’t need to get a disease to become immune to it.

Childhood Immunizations

Immunizations help your body become resistant to specific diseases. Many immunizations are given to children to prevent the spread of diseases that used to be common. Many of these diseases caused serious illness or death. To be immunized against certain diseases, you must receive a vaccine. If you don’t receive a vaccine, you may become immune to a disease by getting the disease. However, some diseases are life-threatening. Vaccines work best when they are given at certain ages. The vaccine treatments that children receive are commonly known as childhood immunizations. There are ten routine childhood vaccines that protect children from diseases. The following will discuss the ten different vaccines a child should receive. The DTaP vaccine protects against the bacterial infections diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Diphtheria causes a sore throat, swollen glands, fever and chills. Tetanus causes painful and potentially deadly tightening of the muscles. Pertussis is better known as whooping cough and causes violent, uncontrollable coughing. The MMR vaccine protects against the measles, mumps and rubella viruses. Measles causes an itchy skin rash. Mumps leads to intense swelling of the salivary glands. Rubella causes flu-like symptoms followed by a rash. The HepA vaccine protects against the hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A causes inflammation of the liver and flu-like symptoms. The HepB vaccine protects against the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can cause flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, it can cause scarring of the liver, liver failure, or liver cancer. The Hib vaccine protects against the bacterial infection haemophilus influenzae type b. This infection can cause inflammation and swelling of the tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord or swelling of the epiglottis. The flu vaccine protects against the influenza virus, which is more commonly known as the flu. The flu vaccine must be received each year to be effective. The PCV13 vaccine protects against the bacterial infection pneumococcal disease. This infection causes ear infections, sinus infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. The Polio vaccine protects against the polio virus. Polio attacks the nervous system and, in rare cases, can cause paralysis. The RV vaccine protects against rotavirus. Rotavirus is the leading cause of diarrhea in infants and young children. It can also cause vomiting, fever, and dehydration. The Varicella vaccine protects against the virus that causes chickenpox. Chickenpox causes an itchy rash, blisters, fever, and headache. Many of the vaccines that children receive provide protection for many years. However, adults need immunizations too.

Why Get Immunized?

Once your immune system is trained to resist a disease, you are said to be immune to it. Before vaccines, the only way to become immune to a disease was to actually get the disease and survive. Vaccines are an easier and less risky way to become immune to certain diseases. Vaccines can prevent a disease from happening in the first place. Another reason to get immunized is to prevent the spread of a disease. During certain stages of an illness, you may be contagious and pass the disease to others who come into contact with you. Vaccines protect not only yourself but also others around you. If you receive a vaccine, your immune system may stop an illness before it starts. This also means that you will be contagious for a much shorter period of time, or perhaps not at all. Vaccines protect not only individuals but entire communities. That is why vaccines are very important to the public health goal of preventing diseases.

Vaccine Risks &Side Effects

Vaccines are generally safe. However, because they are made from weakened or dead germs they may cause some side effects. The side effects of vaccines rarely cause serious health problems. Typical side effects of vaccines include:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Soreness
• Temporary headache

Vaccines carry a very small risk of serious side effects. Serious side effects may include:

• Neurological side effects, like a seizure
• Severe allergic reaction

Vaccines have prevented many childhood diseases from developing. Most of these diseases have been nearly eliminated because of vaccines. The benefit of being immunized by vaccines far outweighs the small risk of side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any questions about vaccines and their potential side effects.

Summary

Children routinely get vaccines that protect them from more than a dozen diseases. The vaccines that children receive provide protection for many years. Most of these diseases are now at their lowest levels in history, thanks to years of immunization. Vaccines are made from dead or weakened germs that cause diseases. They help make you immune to serious diseases without getting sick first. Without a vaccine, you must actually get a disease in order to become immune to the germ that causes it. Vaccines are generally safe. There is a risk that they may cause some side effects. However, these side effects rarely cause serious health problems. The protection that vaccines provide far outweighs the small risks associated with vaccines. Vaccines work best when they are given at certain ages. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider to learn about his or her vaccination schedule.