Today’s
parents face a myriad of challenges in raising children. There is
much information online about vaccines. Some parents question the
need to vaccinate or the number of vaccines that their infants and
small children need to be adequately protected.
About this page
This webpage is designed to answer parents’ questions about
vaccinating their children.
The
resources on this page include: current news and views on vaccines, blogs,
videos, tips and tools, and more. They'll help you keep up with vaccinations and
make vaccinating your child less stressful.
The importance of evidence-based information
With so much information about health and wellness on the Internet,
it’s not always easy to determine what is really true. The term
“evidence-based” is used in public health and medicine today. It
refers to practices, policies and interventions that have been
rigorously reviewed and determined by scientific studies to produce
the best outcomes for patients and populations.
Vaccine-preventable diseases are still with us
Most parents today have never seen first-hand the devastating
consequences that vaccine-preventable diseases can have on a child,
a family, or community. Thanks to vaccines, many of these diseases
are not common in the U.S. However, they persist around the world
and with global travel can reach our community overnight.
Measles, Whooping Cough, and more - they
are still out there
In fact, outbreaks of measles and whooping cough (pertussis) have
been reported in the news especially during the last few years.
Measles and outbreaks of whooping cough (pertussis) have occurred
in Sarasota County and have been linked to individuals who
were not vaccinated or updated on their vaccines.
The
2009 outbreak in Sarasota County resulted in 20 individuals coming
down with whooping cough, which can be fatal in children who
are too young to get vaccinated. This compares to four people in
2010 and seven in 2011.
Examples of recent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases:
Immunizations are still the best way to protect your children
from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases. Click here to learn about
these vaccine-preventable diseases:
Missing or Delaying Vaccines can put your child at risk
Vaccine-preventable diseases are a very real threat to children
who are not properly protected. Children in day care and school
settings are required to get vaccinations because outbreaks of
disease can happen very quickly, leaving children who live with
asthma, diabetes and other chronic health conditions vulnerable to
serious complications.
Victims of Vaccine-Preventable Disease[Every Child by Two]
Each year children do get sick, and some of them die, from
illnesses such as influenza (flu), pertussis and meningitis.
Parents who have lost children to these devastating, avoidable
diseases share their stories on the linked webpage.
Why so many vaccines?
It is true that children today are protected against more diseases
than they were 20 years ago. There are now vaccines available that are proven effective
in protecting against 14 different diseases. The DOH-Sarasota follows the
CDC vaccination schedule because it is carefully designed to protect
children at the time when they are most vulnerable to diseases.
Too Many Vaccines?[Every Child By Two]
For parents who may worry that vaccination schedules
recommend "too many" vaccines "too soon", the linked webpage
gives evidence showing that children’s immune systems can
accommodate the recommended schedule.
The CDC works closely with public health agencies and private
organizations to monitor the safety of vaccines. DOH-Sarasota's staff
regularly receives information and training on the latest in vaccine
technology and learns about the rationale for the current vaccine
schedule. With continued advances in
technology, it takes a smaller dose of vaccine to generate immunity
from the diseases they are designed to protect.
As with all medication, there is always a slight risk of side
effects; however, the CDC works closely with public health agencies
and private partners to maximize immunization coverage while
monitoring the safety of vaccines. The most common side
effects are redness at the site of the shot and a low-grade fever.
Read more about vaccine safety:
Vaccine Safety[Every Child By Two]
Discusses how vaccines are made and tested and how they are
approved and recommended, plus additional resources
The number of children affected by autism has been on the rise
and is a great concern. Over two dozen scientific studies have been
conducted over many years to determine if there is a cause and
effect relationship between vaccines and autism. To date,
the science does not show a causal
link.
Thimerosal
Since 2002, a preservative known as thimerosal which contains minute
quantities of mercury (the equivalent is less mercury than is in a
can of tuna) has been removed or reduced to trace amounts from most
childhood vaccines. Autism has continued to increase even though thimerosal
has been removed from vaccines.
Studies are underway to find the cause of autism. The
Autism Science
Foundation is examining a number of genetic factors that may be
implicated in the increase in autism.
Vaccines are critical to maintaining health and wellbeing.
Choosing not to vaccinate does not protect infants and children
against autism but it does leave them vulnerable to diseases. These
diseases can result in expensive hospitalization, permanent
disabilities and even death.
Choose immunizations:
safe, proven protection against 14+ diseases
The CDC recently launched a new
website designed with input from parents of babies and toddlers.
This site features easy-to-find vaccine information, including:
Today’s
parents face a myriad of challenges in raising children. There is
much information online about vaccines. Some parents question the
need to vaccinate or the number of vaccines that their infants and
small children need to be adequately protected.
