Vaccinations protect kids against life-threatening illnesses

All parents want to help their children grow up as healthy as possible. One of the best ways to do that is by making sure each child receives all the vital immunizations that protect against serious illnesses.

Because vaccines have been so successful over the decades in eradicating diseases, most of today’s parents have no personal experience with these illnesses. Grandparents might remember suffering from chicken pox, measles or mumps, but the days of U.S. polio outbreaks that left paralyzed victims in “iron lungs” are long gone — thanks to vaccines. As a result, many parents don’t realize how important it is to vaccinate their children, beginning at birth.

IMMUNIZATION SAVES LIVES

Vaccinations are one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect the health of a child, the child’s family and the entire community. 

■ Immunization can save a child’s life.

Diseases that used to injure or kill thousands of American children each year are no longer common in the United States, primarily due to the widespread delivery of safe and effective vaccines.

■ Immunization is safe for children.

Today’s vaccines are the safest in history. The most common side effect is minor, temporary redness or swelling at the injection site. Serious allergic reactions are rare and reports linking immunizations to autism have turned out to be false.

■ Immunization protects other family members and friends.

Some people cannot be immunized against certain diseases, such as newborn babies who are too young, or people with weak immune systems. By vaccinating all children who are eligible, we help prevent the spread of disease to those who cannot be vaccinated.

■ Immunization makes financial sense.

Measles, whooping cough and other diseases can keep children and a caretaking parent home for a week or more, all while adding to medical bills. Immunizations are usually covered by insurance or available at no charge to children not covered by insurance.

■ Immunization can eliminate disease.

The childhood immunization schedule used to include the smallpox vaccine, but that deadly disease was eradicated worldwide thanks to vaccination. Today, children do not need to be vaccinated against smallpox because the disease no longer exists.

LONG-TERM PROTECTION

Research shows that the earlier a child is immunized, the longer the immunity lasts. So, not only does delaying immunization increase the risk that an infant or child will contract a life-threatening disease, that delay also could decrease protection decades later in the child’s life.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have established a widely accepted schedule of childhood vaccinations, beginning with a hepatitis B vaccine at birth and continuing with various immunizations through age 18. View the current schedule at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.

Immunization to protect vulnerable infants actually begins before birth. Pregnant women should receive the whooping cough vaccine during the third trimester of each pregnancy so their babies will be protected until age 2 months, when they can receive their own vaccinations.

Many parents are diligent about keeping up with young children’s vaccinations, but that diligence can fade as scheduled doctor visits become less frequent. Among the immunizations recommended for older children and young adults are:

■ Human papillomavirus at age 11 to 12

HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, so many parents are reluctant to immunize a relatively young child. However, early vaccination gives longer-lasting protection against a disease that can lead to cancer.

■ Meningitis at college age

This bacterial infection spreads easily among young adults living in close quarters, such as residence halls. Some universities, including Penn State, require students to be immunized against meningitis.

■ Influenza every year, throughout adulthood

The immunization changes each year, depending on which strain of flu is expected to be most prevalent. An annual flu shot helps protect not just the person being vaccinated, but also other vulnerable family and community members for whom the flu can be life-threatening.

Parents who have concerns about their children receiving vaccines should discuss those concerns with their family doctor. Science has proven that vaccines work. Immunization protects babies, children and adults against severe illnesses. Vaccines save lives.

Dr. Joseph Wiedemer, program director, and Dr. Alka Sood, chief resident, are both part of the Penn State Health Family and Community Medicine Residency at Mount Nittany Medical Center.