Immunization Awareness Month is observed in flu season by learning why immunizations are so important to your health.
What Is It? 4p1w4n
Immunizations, or vaccinations, make you immune to certain diseases. They prepare your body to fight health at risk of serious illnesses.
Why Is It Important? 62h27
Immunizations protect you, your family, your friends and everyone else you care about from deadly diseases. In fact, they save thousands of lives each year! Formerly common diseases like measles and smallpox have declined or been wiped out in North America because of vaccinations.
Who Should Be Immunized? 82u2g
Everyone from babies to grandparents need to get immunized. Since kids are more vulnerable to infections than adults are, most vaccines are given soon after you're born until you're about six years old.
Which Immunizations Do You Need? 5q4i5k
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids get the following vaccinations:
- Influenza
- PCV (pneumonia, blood infections)
- Measles, mumps and rubella
- Chicken pox
- Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
- Polio
- Meningitis
- Bacterial meningitis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
What Are the Risks? m243n
In addition to pain and soreness from the vaccine, the most common risks linked to immunizations are fever, rashes, autism, which is a brain development disorder that affects your ability to communicate and interact with people. While some parents of autistic children believe immunizations are to blame, studies have not been able to prove that the two are linked.
