Your child’s healthiest, happiest life begins with prevention – and immunizations play a critical role in protecting people from illness and disease. Learn more about why you need to make sure your child gets their vaccinations, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended immunization schedule you should follow.
Why Your Child Needs Immunizations
Though there are many myths and misconceptions surrounding immunizations, all healthcare authorities are united behind the truth: vaccines play an important role in keeping our children and communities safe and are a reliable, simple way to bolster the immune system. By injecting small amounts of weak or dead antigens of a disease into the body, immunizations help build up the antibodies needed to fight off dangerous diseases without contracting them – which can be life-saving for young children who may not have the strength to survive serious illnesses. Vaccinations also protect our communities by virtually eliminating certain diseases within the population. This keeps those who are too young to be vaccinated or those with weakened immune systems from being exposed to a potentially deadly illness. It only takes a few unvaccinated children to reintroduce a disease though, jeopardizing the health of both the child and those who are in contact with them.
When Your Child Needs Immunizations
In order for immunizations to be as effective as possible, you should follow the pediatric vaccine schedule outlined by the CDC. Find your child’s immunization records and compare to the list of vaccines for children by age below to ensure they are up-to-date on their vaccinations.
Birth to 15 Months Immunization Schedule
[Birth to 15 months Graph – https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html]
18 Months to 18 Years Immunization Schedule
[18 Months to 18 Years Graph – https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html]
Immunizations play a crucial role in protecting your children and your community, and we at Baptist Health are committed to offering the resources and providers you need to keep your child right on schedule. If your child isn’t up-to-date on their vaccinations or is due for their next one, schedule an appointment with their pediatrician as soon as possible, or request an appointment with one of the experts at Baptist Health. You can also learn more about your child’s healthcare or the preventive measures you should take against illness and disease by reading more on the BHealthy blog.