5 Things You Should Know About Infant Immunization

Parents want to do everything that they can to protect their children. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to help make sure that your child stays safe and healthy. Following the recommended immunization schedule is one of the most important things you can do for your child. Here are five things you should know about infant immunization.

5 things you should know about infant immunization

1. Infant immunization helps keep children safe from preventable diseases. Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way to ensure the health and safety of your child, your family, and those around you.
2. The CDC estimates that vaccines will help prevent 381 million illnesses, 24.5 million hospitalizations, and 855,000 deaths for children born between 1994 and 2016.
3. Vaccines help protect your child from 14 different harmful diseases by the age of 2.
4. Infant immunization helps strengthen your baby’s immune system.
5. Vaccines are safer and more effective than ever before. Today’s vaccines protect children from more diseases using fewer antigens. Thirty years ago vaccines used 3,000 antigens and protected children against 8 disease by the age of two. Now, vaccines use 305 antigens to provide protection against 14 different diseases.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines use antigens – parts of germs that trigger a response from the immune system – which teach your body how to fight off potentially serious diseases.

Antigens cause your immune system to respond as if there were an infection without the infection occurring. This means that your body learns how to protect itself against future infections from these diseases.

Introducing these antigens in a safe, controlled way increases your child’s ability to fight off illnesses in the future. Infant immunization helps children develop immunity to diseases that could cause hospitalization or death.

Parents may not like the thought of their baby getting shots. However, it’s a quick and simple process, and the lifelong protective benefits far outweigh the seconds that it takes to administer the vaccines.

How do I schedule infant immunization?

Following the recommended immunization schedule provides greatest protection benefits for your child.

Contact Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics to schedule infant immunization in Northwest Arkansas!