Vaccines: Questions Parents Ask

What are vaccinations (immunizations)?

Vaccinations (also called immunizations) help protect your child from getting certain diseases that are spread from person to person (infectious diseases). They also help reduce the spread of a disease to prevent a sudden outbreak of the disease, which is called an epidemic. Sometimes a vaccine doesn't completely prevent the disease. But it will make the disease much less serious if your child does get it.

Some vaccines are given only one time. Others are given in several doses over time. Most are given as shots.

Why is it important to get my child vaccinated?

Vaccines help save lives. They are the best way to help protect you or your child from getting certain diseases that are spread from person to person (infectious diseases).

They also help reduce the spread of a disease to prevent a sudden outbreak of the disease, which is called an epidemic. Preventing the spread of disease is very important for people with weak immune systems. These people may not be able to get vaccines, or vaccines don't work well for them. Their only protection is for others to get vaccinated so that infectious diseases are less common.

People sometimes ask if babies have natural protection from disease during pregnancy. And during the last few weeks of pregnancy, babies do get some protection against disease. But it is only for diseases that the person who is pregnant is protected against. The protection the baby gets doesn't last very long. Breast milk can give a baby antibodies that help fight infection.

There are many other reasons why vaccines are important:

• They cost less than getting treated for the disease.
• The risk of problems from getting a disease is much greater than the risk of having a serious reaction to the vaccine.
• They are often required to enroll in school or day care. And they may be required depending on your work or for travel to another country.
• They may help prevent days out of work or school due to illness or caring for a sick person.
• They may help stop preventable diseases from coming back.
• If a disease occurs in a community, there is less risk of an outbreak if people have gotten the vaccine.

When should my child be vaccinated?

Vaccinations start right after birth, and many vaccines are given throughout a baby's first 23 months. Booster shots occur throughout life. Booster shots are the later doses of any vaccines that are repeated over time.

Fewer vaccines are given after age 6. But older children and teens can get vaccines for bacterial meningitis and for tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. Some vaccines are also given during adulthood, such as the flu vaccine or a tetanus shot.

Talk to your doctor if you or your child plans to be in a group living situation, like a college dormitory or summer camp. The meningitis vaccine can protect against an outbreak of the disease.

Why should I use the CDC immunization schedule? Can't I use my own schedule?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) schedules are prepared so that vaccines work best with a child's immune system at certain ages and at certain times. They are set up so that your child gets the best protection possible at the earliest age possible from the fewest shots possible.

Why does my child need so many doses to protect against one disease?

You or your child gets as many shots as needed to give full protection from a disease. This may be just one shot. Or it may be several doses.

More than one dose may be needed because immunity may have to build up over time. You want the best mix of protection now and in the future. This means that you or your child needs a certain amount of vaccine spaced apart at different ages. This spacing builds the best protection.

Haven't we gotten rid of most diseases children are vaccinated for?

Vaccinations in the United States have led to a sharp decrease in certain diseases that are spread from person to person (infectious diseases). Better living conditions have also helped reduce the spread of disease.

A vaccine protects your child from the disease. A vaccine doesn't get rid of the disease. The disease still exists. And if fewer children get vaccinated for a disease, the disease could spread again.

Is it okay to skip a shot when my child is sick?

You may worry that vaccines may cause a problem if they're given when your child has a cold, an ear infection, or some other mild illness. But vaccines can usually still be given during a mild illness. They may also be given while the child is taking medicines, such as antibiotics, or if the child has other health conditions. There are very few reasons that doctors suggest that someone delay getting a vaccine.

Very rarely, your doctor may suggest not getting a vaccine according to schedule. For example, you may need to wait when your child has:

• A history of serious allergic reaction to a vaccine.
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea, when dehydration is a concern.
• A serious illness, such as pneumonia, or a severe asthma attack.

Talk to the doctor if you have concerns about giving your child a vaccine when your child doesn't feel well.