Here at Rose Creek Pediatrics, we’re dedicated to giving your child the best chance at a healthy life. This begins with maintaining a consistent and up-to-date routine of vaccination. Children are born with some defense against certain diseases thanks to the antibodies they received from their mother in the womb. For those who decide to breastfeed, this defense continues as antibodies get passed through breastmilk. However, the protection provided by both these sources is temporary.
Your Child’s Journey To A Healthy Future With Vaccinations
Vaccination is accomplished by providing the body with a weakened or dead sample of the target disease. This exposure leads to the development of antibodies, typically without any form of symptoms from the illness. The body will remember this disease if it is ever exposed to it out in the world and be able to fight it off. There are a growing number of diseases that haven’t seen a case in decades, and it’s all thanks to vaccines. There are a few varieties of vaccines, including:
- Attenuated Vaccines – This form of vaccine uses a weakened sample of the disease, as mentioned above. The MMR and chickenpox vaccines are in this category.
- Inactivated Vaccines – This version uses a dead sample of the vaccine. Examples are the poliovirus and flu vaccines.
- Toxoid vaccines – These contain a sample of a toxin created by the target disease. Tetanus and diphtheria vaccines fall into this category.
- Conjugate Vaccines – A combination of germ fragments and proteins is used to develop antibodies with this vaccine. Whooping cough, HPV, Hepatitis B, and meningitis are all examples.
- mRNA Vaccines – This form of vaccine uses a fragment of a disease’s messenger RNA to generate antibodies. Some COVID-19 vaccines fall into this category.
Current guidelines provided by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) state that combination vaccines are current best practices. This means that your child will receive vaccines for multiple diseases during most of their vaccination visits. Your baby is exposed to an endless number of germs and viruses every day. The few provided during vaccination is no risk to their immune system.
The current recommended vaccinations by the AAP include:
- Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTaP)
- Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA)
- Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine
- Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB)
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
- Influenza vaccine
- Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR)
- Meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY, MenB)
- Pneumococcal vaccines (PCV13, PPSV23)
- Polio vaccine (IPV)
- Rotavirus vaccine (RV)
- COVID-19 vaccine
Keep Your Child Vaccinated For Lasting Good Health
There has been a recent growing number of parents and individuals who are hesitant to receive vaccines. Vaccines have been a powerful tool for humans to protect themselves from dangerous diseases. They have reduced infant and child mortality rates by a staggering amount. There is no reputable evidence showing any risk to your child’s health from vaccines. On the contrary, they represent their best chance at a future free of preventable diseases. If you have concerns schedule a visit to our clinic in Riverton, UT, for a consultation. We’ll work to set your mind at ease so you can get on track to a healthy future for your child.
