Keeping children healthy is at the top of every pediatrician and parent's priority list. Besides hand-washing and a healthy diet, one of the best ways to ensure your child's health is to follow the immunization schedule suggested by Dr. Karen Beckman, Dr. Alejandro Mones, and Dr. Beth Rosenberg of Riverside Pediatrics, LLC in Greenwich, CT. To learn more about the benefits of immunizations, read on!

Reducing, even eliminating diseases

There are diseases - such as smallpox and polio, to name a few - that have been eradicated from the United States thanks to the advent of immunizations. However, there is much more international travel than ever before, and it's important to be fully vaccinated to prevent them from reoccurring. On a more probable level, there are still diseases like whooping cough, influenza, and chicken pox that remain a threat to both children and adults. Measles has not been eradicated. It is an ongoing problem in unvaccinated people in our country. There have been outbreaks in NYC and California not too long ago because of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. Being vaccinated also helps create protection for those who physically cannot be immunized due to health issues such as cancer, and to protect those too young to vaccinate, (newborns and infants). Vaccinating adults and older children protects babies and young children who are most vulnerable to complications or death from these diseases.

Dispelling rumors

Parents are understandably concerned about what goes into their children's bodies, and there are many misconceptions and outdated rumors about immunizations that your Riverside pediatrician wants to address. One of the main concerns is a potentially dangerous reaction to immunizations. A very small number of children have severe reactions to vaccines - less than one in a million - and studies repeatedly show that developmental problems like autism are not related to vaccinations. Many people are also concerned about the ingredients of the vaccines themselves. Ingredients like formaldehyde are included in vaccines for sanitizing and stabilizing purposes, but they are incredibly minute amounts, with much larger concentrations naturally occurring in the body.

If you're unsure whether your child is up to date on his or her immunizations, contact Riverside Pediatrics, LLC serving the Riverside and Greenwich, CT areas, to schedule an appointment with one of our caring providers. We look forward to helping you keep your children healthy!