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It wasn't too long ago that potentially
life-threatening diseases attacked large numbers of Americans. During
the polio epidemic of 1952, nearly 20,000 people contracted the
paralytic disease. As recently as 1962, about 481,000 cases of measles
were diagnosed.
But, thanks to immunizations, these and other
diseases are rarely found in the U.S. In 1979, during what was to become
the last major outbreak of polio, there were only 10 paralytic cases of
the disease. Deadly diphtheria and tetanus have almost disappeared.
Smallpox has been declared eradicated by the World Health Organization,
thereby eliminating the need for vaccination. A new vaccine on the
block--the varicella vaccine--protects against chickenpox and can be
given after 1 year of age.
But even as vaccines have become readily available
and new ones are being created, some children are still not being
vaccinated. Contagious diseases, more frequent travel, and a shrinking
world can also increase the risk to your child.
Immunizations are made from minute amounts of the
virus or bacteria that causes certain diseases. Once in the body, the
altered virus or bacteria stimulates the body to produce the antibodies
that protect from the disease. There are two kinds of vaccines: the
killed vaccine (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis) and the live vaccine
(measles/mumps/rubella). Killed vaccines are made from inactive viruses
or bacteria and the live vaccine comes from active viruses or bacteria.
Some live vaccines need booster shots to keep immunity active.
Mothers can pass on more to their newborns than
hair color and an artistic temperament. Newborns usually have immunity
to certain diseases from antibodies passed to them through the placenta,
but it's temporary (around three months)--even in breast-fed babies. By
the second month, all infants need to be vaccinated to help prevent
common contagious diseases like diphtheria, polio and whooping cough. As
they get older they will need to be protected from measles, mumps and
rubella.
No immunization is 100 percent safe. After getting
the oral polio vaccine, for example, one person in three million will
get the disease from the vaccine. But overall, the possibilities of a
serious reaction are small. Children are most likely to experience
crankiness, mild swelling and redness at the injection site, or
low-grade fevers (up to 101degrees F). The risk of serious complication
from not giving your child a vaccine is 1,000 or more times
greater than the risk of serious side effects from the vaccine itself.
If you have concerns about the safety of
vaccinating your child, discuss them with your doctor. Physicians also
have pamphlets that provide further details. The National Childhood
Vaccine Injury Act requires the federal government to prepare written
materials that explain the risks and benefits of vaccines. As of 1992,
health care providers were required to provide these materials to
patients and their families.
Here are the risks and benefits associated with
the common vaccines:
Hepatitis
B (HBV)
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Benefits: Confers long-term immunity to
hepatitis B, a virus that affects the liver. Those infected with HBV
can have problems ranging from liver failure (cirrhosis) to liver
cancer.
Risks: Problems are usually minor, such
as redness or tenderness at injection site. Serious allergic reactions
are very rare.
Diphtheria,
Pertussis, Tetanus (DTaP)
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Benefits: Diphtheria is a serve throat
infection that can block breathing. Pertussis (whooping cough)
is a respiratory illness that can progress to severe coughing. Tetanus
(lockjaw) is a nerve disease that causes death in four of ten people
who have it. The DTP immunization has almost eliminated diphtheria and
pertussis and has drastically reduced the risk of tetanus.
Risks: The side effects from the new
acellular pertussis vaccine are much less than those with the original
DTP and may include low-grade fever (under 101 degrees F), crankiness,
and tenderness at the injection site. Severe complications are rare,
and may include high fever (over 105 degrees F), crying for more than
three hours, seizures, and shock.
Haemophilus
influenzae type b (Hib)
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Benefits: Haemophilus influenzae
type b is a bacteria that causes serious illnesses like pneumonia,
meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and
spinal cord) and epiglottitis (swelling of throat tissues). Hib was
the leading cause of childhood meningitis until the vaccine became
available.
Risks: No serious reactions have been
linked to this vaccine. Mild side effects may include soreness,
swelling, or redness at the site of injection, fussiness, and a mild
to moderate fever.
Polio
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Benefits: Polio is a viral infection of
the gastrointestinal tract that can lead to paralysis and death. The
polio vaccine protects 90 percent of those immunized.
There are two types of polio vaccines: the Salk
vaccine (IPV), a killed poliovirus which is injected, and the more
commonly used Sabin vaccine (OPV), a weakened live virus given by
mouth.
Risks: There are few side effects after
an IPV. With OPV, though, there is a one-in-three-million risk of the
recipient coming down with paralytic polio, which is why ACIP, CDC,
and AAP are now calling for IPV to be used exclusively as protection
against polio.
Measles,
Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
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Benefits: Measles, mumps and rubella
(German measles) used to be common diseases of childhood. Now 90
percent of children who receive the MMR vaccine are protected
throughout their lives from these serious illnesses.
Risks: Complications are rare. The
vaccine does produce one case of encephalitis or encephalopathy in
every one million people who get it. However, the risk of the same
complications is one in one thousand for an actual infection with
measles. Other more common vaccine side effects include rash and fever
(over 101degrees F) which may occur seven to 12 days after the
injection. The MMR vaccine should not be given to children with immune
disorders, or cancer.
| Q: |
My child frequently has colds. Do I have to
wait until he is well to receive a vaccination? |
| A: |
No. Colds, flu and ear infections shouldn't
prevent your child from being immunized. But first check with
your physician. |
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| Q: |
Do I need to schedule separate visits for
each immunization? |
| A: |
No. Several immunizations can be given at
one time. |
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| Q: |
Do I need to schedule a doctor's exam in
order for my child to receive an immunization? |
| A: |
Not usually. Call your doctor's office to
see if you can schedule an immunization visit only. |
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| Q: |
Is there a risk for my child to be
immunized? |
| A: |
Complications from vaccines are rare, while
the risks of complications from the diseases are far greater
than the risks of vaccination. |
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| Q: |
What can I do to ease my child's discomfort
after a shot? |
| A: |
Mild soreness and redness at the injection
site may be treated with pain relievers like Children's Tylenol. |
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