IMMUNIZATION PROJECT
1. Immunizations keep
children safe.
Diseases such as polio, measles, chickenpox and pertussis (whooping
cough) still pose serious threats to children’s health, though the
frequency of these diseases has been greatly reduced in the United
States. “Immunizations protect children against diseases that can
have severe complications including death,” explains Dr. Julie Boom,
director of the Immunization Project at Texas Children’s Hospital.
“When children get diseases that vaccines could have prevented, they
can suffer brain damage, hearing loss, heart problems and lung
damage. In fact, children can even die from complications of
chickenpox.”
2. Immunizations keep
our communities safe.
Make sure your child is current on his or her immunizations not only
keeps them healthy, but helps to keep other children safe too.
“Vaccines help children develop immunity to deadly or disabling
childhood diseases and reduce the risk of spreading disease to
others,” says Boom.
Young children are
especially susceptible to vaccine preventable diseases, and
therefore should receive most of their vaccines between 2 months and
18 months of age. A few additional doses will be given between 4 to
6 years and at 11 to 12 years of age. For instance, a child will
receive the first dose of varicella vaccine between 12 months to 15
months, and the second dose will be administered between 4 to 6
years to ensure the best protection against chicken pox. In
addition, booster doses against tetanus and whooping cough, and new
vaccines protecting against meningitis and human papillomavirus are
recommended at the 11-to 12-year-old preventative-care visit.
Download the
2006 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule
(pdf).
3. Vaccines are safe.
Vaccines are very safe and effective. Severe reactions are rare.
Your doctor or nurse can discuss the risks with you before your
child gets his or her shots. The most common reaction to vaccines
given by shot is mild pain or tenderness at the injection site.
Apply ice wrapped in a cloth or a cold compress to the area for 20
minutes. Some children may run a fever. For fever above 100.4°F,
give an age-appropriate fever-reducing medicine.
More information on
vaccine safety is available from the
National Network for Immunization Information (pdf).
4. Vaccinations are
easy and inexpensive to obtain.
Children can be immunized in the office of their primary care
physician. Families who do not have health insurance or who cannot
afford to visit a private doctor may get their child immunized free
by contacting a state or local health department. Parents can also
call the Texas Children’s Immunization Help Line at 832-824-2061 for
information in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. It features a
calendar of special immunization events around Houston, information
about local providers offering free or low-cost immunizations and
immunization information for your child identified by birth date.
5. It’s easy to keep
track of your child’s immunizations.
Your child’s primary care physician should be entering his or her
shots into an immunization registry, such as the Houston-Harris
County Immunization Registry, which is a confidential, computerized
information system that collects immunization histories. Your
child’s primary care physician can easily print an official
immunization record using the registry.
In addition, copies of the
Texas Children’s Shot Pocket™ are available for you to keep an
accurate record of each child’s vaccinations. This pocket-sized
booklet outlines when your child may need immunizations and also
provides some practical tips about vaccines. For more information
about an immunization registry or where you can get copies of the
Shot Pocket™ contact the Immunization Project at 832-824-2064.
 |
