Childhood Vaccines: What They Are and Why Your Child Needs Them

What is a vaccine?

When germs enter the body, the immune system recognizes them as foreign substances (antigens). The immune system produces the right antibodies to fight the antigens.

Vaccines contain weakened versions of a virus or versions that look like a virus (called antigens). This means the antigens cannot produce the signs or symptoms of the disease, but they do stimulate the immune system to create antibodies. These antibodies help protect you if you are exposed to the virus in the future.

Vaccines not only help keep your child healthy, they help all children by stamping out serious childhood diseases.

Are vaccines safe?

Vaccines are generally safe. The protection provided by vaccines far outweighs the very small risk of serious problems. Vaccines have made many serious childhood diseases rare today. Talk to your family doctor if you have any questions.

Do vaccines have side effects?

Some vaccines may cause mild, temporary side effects, such as fever, soreness, or a lump under the skin where the shot was given. Your family doctor will talk to you about possible side effects with certain vaccines.

When should my child be vaccinated?

Recommendations about when to have your child vaccinated changes from time to time. You can get a copy of the most current child and adolescent vaccination schedules from an organization, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or you can ask your family doctor. Your child usually receives their first vaccine soon after they are born.

Are there any reasons my child should not be vaccinated?

In special situations, children shouldn't be vaccinated. For example, some vaccines shouldn't be given to children who have certain types of cancer or certain diseases, or who are taking drugs that lower the body's ability to resist infection.

If your child has had a serious reaction to the first shot in a series of shots, your family doctor will probably talk with you about the pros and cons of giving him or her the rest of the shots in the series.

Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about whether your child should receive a vaccine.
 

Cited from FamilyDoctor.org.