See also

Immunization project Education efforts Information for parents Immunization resources Information for providers Reactions Reasons to immunize Vaccine safety

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.