Vaccination is the best defense parents can give their children to protect them from potentially harmful diseases. Many parents today haven't directly experienced the devastating consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine-preventable diseases can be very serious, and can cause complications including permanent disability, brain damage, and even death-- especially in young children and infants.

Immunizations have had an enormous impact on improving the health of children in the United States. However, we continue to have outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like pertussis, mumps, and measles, so protecting and keeping our children safe and healthy is important.

Our practice recommends that vaccines are administered to children according to the American College of Immunization Practices Schedule, which is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (See link). Providing immunizations at the recommended ages helps to give children the maximum benefit from these vaccines. Immunizations are provided to young infants and children because they are at the greatest risk of experiencing complications related to vaccine preventable diseases.

The childhood vaccines that your child will get include:

  • DTaP: This protects your child from Diptheria, Tetnus, and Pertussis (whooping cough).
  • Hepatitis B
  • HIB: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B, which causes meningitis and blood infections
  • Prevnar: Protects your child from pneumococcal infections, which cause pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections.
  • Rotavirus: A virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, often resulting in dehydration and hospitalization
  • MMR: Measles, Mumps and Rubella Varicella: Chicken Pox
  • Hepatitis A
  • IPV: Protects your child from Polio
  • Meningococcal Vaccine: Protects your child from meningitis
  • HPV: Protects your child from Human Papillomavirus, which can causs several different cancers, including cervical and anal cancers

Please ask your physician to address any concerns or questions you may have regarding vaccines. We also have several other resources for families to learn more about vaccines.