FAQ.
We are all very concerned for the well being of our children, here are some Frequently Asked Questions I hear all the time.
Frequently asked questions
Why are immunizations important?
"Chickenpox is not a fatal disease, so that vaccine is not necessary."
This is not true. Each year, about 9,000 people are hospitalized for chickenpox. About 100 people die from the disease. The chickenpox vaccine will protect most children from getting chickenpox. Since the vaccine was licensed in 1995, millions of doses have been given to children in the United States. Many studies show the vaccine is safe and effective. Research is being done to see how long protection from the vaccine lasts and whether a person will need a booster shot in the future.
"I am breastfeeding so my child doesn't need immunizations."
Immunizations are still needed. While breastfeeding is the best nutrition for your baby, it does not prevent infections the way vaccines do. Your child may have fewer colds, but breastfeeding does not protect against many serious illnesses such as whooping cough, polio, and diphtheria like immunizations do.
"These diseases have been virtually eliminated from the United States, so my child doesn't need to be vaccinated."
Without immunizations at the right times, your child can still catch infectious diseases that may cause high fever, coughing, choking, breathing problems, and even brain injury. These illnesses may leave your child deaf or blind or cause paralysis. Immunizations have reduced most of these diseases to very low levels in the United States. However, some of these diseases are still common in other parts of the world. Travelers can bring these diseases into this country. Without immunizations, these infections could quickly spread here. Immunizations also help people who cannot be vaccinated or who do not respond to vaccines. They can only hope that people around them are immunized. Copyright 2000 American Academy of Pediatrics