Q: Is it necessary to immunize my son?
A: Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world's most cost-effective health interventions. Did you know 14 diseases can be prevented by routine childhood vaccines? Those include tetanus, polio, measles, as well as pneumonia and rotavirus diarrhea - the biggest killers for children under the age of 5. Many of those diseases - which were more common before vaccines - are spread person to person through the air by coughing, sneezing or just breathing.
Immunization is a simple and effective way to protect yourself and your family. We know vaccinations greatly reduce the burden of infectious diseases, and we seek to share that understanding to all our patients. Since vaccines are designed to be given routinely during well-child visits with your pediatrician, they must be extraordinarily safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics works closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make appropriate, safe recommendations for vaccine use. Even after the public begins using a vaccine, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration closely monitor vaccine safety.
Protection prior to exposure is imperative for infants and children, which is why we seek to educate patients on the benefits of following the CDC's guidelines for child immunization. Babies are born with immune systems that can fight most germs, but there are diseases they cannot handle on their own, which is why they need vaccines to strengthen their immune systems. Vaccines contain only a tiny fraction of the antigens which activate the body's immune system. Learn more about the CDC's immunization schedule for children and contact your child's pediatrician with any questions you may have.
Dr. Ana Varela is a specialist in pediatrics at Galen East Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.