Immunizations are a hot topic lately, especially during the month of April as its National Infant Immunization and World Immunization Week.
Both the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control provide an abundance of resources for parents about vaccinations for their children.
How do vaccines work?
A vaccine is a dead or weakened bacteria or virus of the illness it prevents. Your body is able to build antibodies against the disease or virus so if you do come in contact with the disease or virus your body will begin fighting it off so you won’t become ill. Sometimes you need multiple vaccines. For example, influenza vaccines contain a varied strand of the virus each year. Some vaccines require a booster shot to remind your body how to fight the illness off.
When should my child get vaccinated?
There are many vaccines that your child needs, especially from the time they are born up to one year of age. It is recommended to schedule pediatric appointments at certain ages. Elmwood Pediatric Group recommends following our well child visit schedule. At each of these visits, your pediatrician will review the immunizations your child needs. It is important to schedule your first pediatric visit within a few days of bringing your baby home from the hospital.
Are there serious side effects to vaccines?
Vaccines are very safe and common side effects such as a sore arm or mild fever are usually minor. Serious health reactions to vaccines are very rare. Any risks caused by vaccines are far outweighed by the benefits of preventing potential health problems. A good thing to keep in mind is there is no evidence of a link between immunization and other disorders.
If the disease isn’t circulating in Rochester, is the vaccine necessary?
Vaccine-preventable disease is largely uncommon in the United States, but the infectious agents that cause them continue to circulate. Outbreaks can occur from the spread of diseases in other areas. If you don’t vaccinate your child, they are vulnerable to these serious diseases.
How can I participate in the Immunization Weeks?
There are many resources regarding immunizations provided by the WHO and the CDC including:
• Download fact sheets for disease and corresponding diseases
• Share informational infographics and videos
• Use social media to spread awareness with hashtags like #vaccineswork
Text4Baby
Do you want to help yourself follow the immunization schedule and make sure your child is up-to-date with check-ups? Text4baby is a free* digital health information service for parents with infants under the age of 1. Text4baby delivers educational content and appointment reminders on a customized schedule that reflects the baby’s age. Parents can enroll in Text4baby in 3 ways:
- Download the Text4baby app
- Tell parents to text BABY (English) or BEBE (Spanish) to 511411.
- Sign up on www.text4baby.org
What does the app do?
- Accurate, reliable Information approved by national experts
- Reminders about well-visit and vaccination schedules.
- Information about baby’s growth and development, well visits, vaccinations, baby feeding, baby safety, parenting tips and baby care and community resources
If you have any questions or concerns about vaccinating your child, contact Elmwood Pediatric Group at (585) 244-9720.
View our immunization schedule and information on child vaccines
