So what vaccinations are required? It can be kind of confusing with the different kinds of vaccines and the number of doses in to complete a full series, but your primary care provider can help you know which ones are the right ones for your child and when to get them. Vaccine doses in a series need to have a certain amount of time between them in order to let your body optimally develop its protection; so it is best to get started early and stay on schedule.
The required vaccines includes:
|
Disease(s) Protected Against |
Vaccine Name |
Number of Doses Needed |
|
Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) |
DTP, DTaP, or DT (note: DT does NOT protect against pertussis) |
5 (4 doses if 4th dose was given on/after the 4th birthday) |
|
Polio |
Polio |
4 (3 doses if 3rd dose was given on/after the 4th birthday) |
|
Measles, Mumps, Rubella |
MMR |
2 |
|
Hepatitis A |
Hepatitis A |
2 |
|
Hepatitis B |
Hepatitis B |
3 |
|
Chickenpox |
Varicella |
2 |
You might think that we never hear of these diseases anymore. That is a testament to the fact that vaccination WORKS! Unfortunately, as some people start to feel that vaccination isn’t worth the effort to protect against diseases we don’t hear about. Because of this, some of these diseases are making a comeback. Just last year we heard about measles from Disneyland, but there have also been outbreaks of mumps, chickenpox, and whooping cough. These can be life threatening diseases to anyone, but especially individuals at risk.
Even if you don’t feel your own child is threatened, you should consider others around you as well. Some individuals either can’t be immunized or don’t respond as well to vaccination. Infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals rely on the immunity of others to protect them.
If you look back in history, polio or measles were once very common. They not only killed many, they left others with lifelong, often debilitating issues. Paralysis, blindness, weakened immune system, compromised health – these are just some of the long-term side effects of childhood disease that we rarely see in First World countries. Childhood deaths have greatly decreased as a direct benefit of vaccination.
If you have questions – either about vaccination schedules or vaccines themselves –talk with your primary care provider. Internet searches may provide good information, but you never quite know how good the sources are for these pages. You know your provider, on the other hand, has had years of study and training to know how to help you live the healthiest life possible.
Other Links:
Utah Department of Health, School & Early Childhood Program Immunization Requirements
4 Diseases Making a Comeback Thanks to Anti-Vaxxers
Previous blog posts:
Vaccines: Now is the Time to Get Protected:
Prevention is the Best Medicine