Vaccinations are an easy and effective way to protect children from various illnesses and diseases that can cause serious health problems. Vaccines provide protection by helping the body build immunity. Dr. Funmi Salami, the board-certified pediatrician at Whole Care Pediatrics in Houston, TX, serving Tomball, TX, administers vaccinations in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to help kids stay healthy.
How Vaccines Work
When the body is exposed to infectious bacteria or viruses, the immune system responds by producing proteins called antibodies that fight the infection. Antibodies can remain in the body long after the infection, which helps build immunity. If the body is exposed to the same bacteria or virus again, the antibodies that are already there help prevent illness or reduce its severity.
Vaccines work similarly. Each vaccine contains an inactive form of the bacteria or viruses associated with a specific disease. Since the infectious material is inactive, it will not cause illness. However, the immune system still recognizes these inactive bacteria and viruses as foreign to the body and begins producing antibodies, which helps build immunity.
Importance of Vaccination
Vaccination is important for many reasons. Vaccines protect children from contracting a variety of serious diseases, some of which can be deadly. Vaccines also prevent certain illnesses and diseases from being spread from one individual to another. Additionally, vaccination can help eradicate certain diseases over time. Years of worldwide vaccination against smallpox, an extremely contagious disease, has eliminated it. There has not been an outbreak of the disease in the U.S. since 1949.
Vaccination and Immunization Schedules
The skilled pediatric team at our practice in Houston, TX, and serving Tomball, TX, believes vaccinations are a safe and effective way to protect kids and keep them healthy. We follow the vaccination and immunization schedules recommended by the AAP and the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC). The schedules indicate the ages of the vaccine and the doses of each vaccine that should be administered for the best results.
The AAP and the CDC have outlined three different vaccination and immunization schedules. The first provides guidelines for vaccination from birth through age 6 years, and the second schedule covers ages 7-18. The third schedule was created for kids who began the vaccination schedule late or who have fallen more than one month behind the regular schedule for their age.
Safety of Vaccines
Vaccines undergo many years of rigorous medical and scientific testing to ensure their safety and efficacy. All children’s vaccines recommended by the CDC and AAP are considered to be safe and highly effective for preventing various illnesses and diseases. Some kids might experience mild and temporary side effects at the injection site where the vaccine was administered. These side effects could include soreness, redness, or swelling.
Vaccinations help kids develop immunity against many serious diseases. Call Whole Care Pediatrics in Houston, TX, and serving Tomball, TX, at (281) 984-9480 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Funmi and learn more about the benefits of vaccinations.