August brings awareness to Immunization and vaccines for people of all ages, especially children. Immunization is where the body becomes protected against or immune to sicknesses and disease. Vaccines are similar yet different from immunization, a vaccine is actually made of extremely small amount of dead or weak germ cells. For example, bacteria, toxins, and viruses. A vaccine gets your body ready to ward off sicknesses and diseases easily and more effectively. Vaccines and immunization are important in helping us stay healthy.
Children need vaccines. A child, especially a baby is prone to more illnesses than an adult, because their immune system is still developing. Thanks to vaccinations, diseases, and illnesses that killed children before, have been wiped away completely, although there are still some that linger. There are a few types of vaccines:
Live Vaccines - a weakened form of the germ that causes the sickness, used to protect against, measles, small pox, and chicken pox.
Inactivated Vaccines - the killed version of a germ, used to prevent, hepatitis A, Flu(shot only), Polio(shot only), and rabies.
Conjugate Vaccines - Use certain parts of the germ, protect against, HIB disease, Hepatitis B, HPV, Whooping Cough, and Shingles.
Toxoid Vaccines - use a toxin that is made by the germ- prevents Diphtheria, and Tetanus.
Vaccines are completely safe! A vaccine is only given to a child after a complete review and consultation between doctors, scientists and health care professionals. Most Insurances cover just about every vaccine making sure your child stays happy and healthy. Some schools may not accept your child if they do not have recent vaccines, in best regards to the other children’s safety. Immunization and vaccines protect future generations to come. They have reduced and eliminated many deaths caused by diseases around the world. The discomfort your child gets from a vaccination shot(redness, pain, tenderness) is better than the discomfort of a life taking disease. If parents and guardians keep vaccinating now, generations to come will have comfort that some diseases are no longer present to harm their children.