Immunizations protect your child from serious illnesses like chickenpox, tetanus, MMR, flu and polio. They also protect you and the people you love by helping to prevent deadly diseases from spreading.
Vaccines usually contain a small amount of the disease-causing germ in a weakened or dead form. Instead of giving your child the disease, the vaccination kick-starts the body’s immune system. Then, if your child is exposed to the live version of the disease, there is only a slight chance they’ll get it. In other words, your child becomes immune to the disease.
Pediatricians inject most vaccines with a needle, though sometimes they’ll give your child an immunization orally or as a mist to inhale.
Your Aurora pediatrician will make sure your child is getting the right vaccines at the right times during his or her annual physical exam. Immunizations start when your child is less than a month old. If you follow the recommended vaccine schedule, your child should be fully immunized against many illnesses by age 2.
After getting a vaccine, your child might have brief, mild side effects. Soreness, swelling at the injection site or a slight fever are common.
In rare cases, your doctor may not give your child certain vaccinations. This can happen if your child:
If you have questions about vaccines for children, mandatory vaccinations, immunization schedules or children’s health in general, you can talk with your existing pediatrician or search for a pediatrician here.
