Does My Child Really Need Immunizations? The facts about immunizations.

Caring for your children takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment, and it seems there are not enough hours in the day to take care of everything. There is one precaution you must take to keep your kids healthy; get them immunized. Your pediatricians at 7 Days Pediatrics in Edison, New Jersey, are here to help protect your kids.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommended childhood immunizations from birth to 18 years old are:

• (Hep B) Hepatitis B
• (Dtap) Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
• (Hib) Haemophilus influenza type B
• (IPV) Polio
• (PCV13) Pneumococcal conjugate
• (RV) Rotavirus
• (MMR) Measles, mumps, rubella
• (Varicella) Chickenpox
• (HepA) Hepatitis A
• (HPV) Human papillomavirus
• (MCV4) Meningococcal conjugate
• (Influenza) Flu

For a handy, printable immunization schedule, please click on this link:http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/child/0-18yrs-child-combined-schedule.pdf

Immunizations are vital to protect your children and ensure that they grow up healthy. If you get behind on your child’s immunizations, your child may not be able to attend daycare or school; but that isn’t the biggest reason to immunize your child. You immunize your child to prevent serious diseases.

In the case of influenza, being sick with the flu has led to millions of illnesses, several hundred thousand hospitalizations and thousands of people have died in a single season worldwide. Young children are at greater risk of developing serious problems from the flu.

The meningococcal vaccine protects against meningitis, which is a bacterial or viral infection of the spinal cord and spinal fluid around the brain. Again, children are most affected, along with young adults.

These are just two examples of serious diseases you want to protect your child against, and when you protect your child, you are protecting yourself also, and others your child comes into contact with. Back in the not-too-distant past, there was little or no protection against serious diseases such as meningitis and influenza, but now you can do something. Call your pediatrician at 7 Days Pediatrics in Edison, New Jersey, and get your child protected today!