St. Francis Hospital | Life & Health | Fall 2018

here are many ways to express your love as a parent, from wiping away tears to reading a book at bedtime. But keeping your child safe counts too. And one of the best ways to do that is to make sure your child’s im- munizations are up-to-date. Here’s why: Vaccines can protect your child from 16 dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases, including measles, polio, whooping cough and diphtheria. What’s more, most vaccines are 90 to 99 percent effective. And if a vaccinated child does get sick, the symptoms are usually less severe than in an unvaccinated child. Vaccines work so well, and immuniza- tion is so widespread in this country, that vaccine-preventable diseases only occur here in very low numbers. But don’t let that lull you into complacency: Your child still needs every recommended shot. That’s because even if a disease has almost disappeared from the U.S., the germs that cause it still exist, especially in other parts of the world. Unvaccinated travelers can spread them, as was the case during recent measles outbreaks. And if an unvaccinated child is exposed to those germs, he or she could get seri- ously sick with an avoidable disease. Vaccine safety: The facts If you’re concerned about the possible side effects of vaccines, know this: Vaccines are extremely safe. There may be mild side effects, such as swelling and tenderness at the injection site. Your child might also run a slight fever and be fussy for a short time. But serious side effects are rare. Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scien- tists, doctors and health care profession- als. If you have any worries about your child’s response to a vaccine, call their doctor right away. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Vaccines.gov Vaccines can protect your child from 16 dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases, including measles, polio, whooping cough and diphtheria. Protect your child: Get their shots Is your child up-to-date To learn which vaccines your child needs and when, check out this government website for immunization schedules: cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/child.html . Schedules are available in both English and Spanish. ? Life and HEALTH Fall 2018 7