There’s no two ways about it, immunization is one of the most important preventative methods to protecting the young and vulnerable from becoming ill. Through advancements in technology and science, we’ve managed to drastically lower mortality rates in the youngest members of our communities compared to decades prior.
You might still be on the fence when it comes to the safety and practicality of vaccinations though, so if you are, it’s important you read the following information, as it could help save your children from falling ill.
Vaccines in a Nutshell
Vaccinations are a simple, safe and effective way of protecting both children and adults from dangerous diseases before they come into contact with them. It uses the body’s immune system to build resistances to specific viral infections. After the vaccination, the body’s immune system will be able to respond to that specific infection and stop it before it manages to make you sick in any way.
Through the widespread use of vaccinations, it’s possible to completely halt the spread of the disease from person to person, given enough people in a community are vaccinated. This is the other goal of vaccination, not just to prevent people contracting the disease, but to prevent the disease from spreading altogether, especially to those too young to be vaccinated for that specific virus.
Isn’t it dangerous though?
There are many rumors from various sources that claim that vaccinations are either dangerous, or may cause other conditions to arise in a child, such as autism. To say that these rumors are unsubstantiated would be an understatement. There has never been a credible report made that makes this claim, and this idea is beyond harmful to the goal of immunization, which is to prevent strains of viruses from spreading altogether.
As for complications with the vaccinations itself, the chances of that happening are astronomically low, much lower than the chances of your child contracting any of the diseases they might receive without the vaccination.
How often should my child be vaccinated?
There are a variety of strains that your child needs vaccinations for at various ages, the times you should ask your doctor in regards to vaccinations are:
- At Birth
- 2 Months
- 4 Months
- 6 Months
- 12 Months
- 18 Months
- 4 Years
At these ages are when vaccinations are able to prevent various strains of viruses ranging from Hepatitis B, Tatanus, Whooping Cough, Measles, and many others.
I sincerely hope you take this advice and make sure your child is properly protected against these dangerous strains through vaccinations.
