Why Are Vaccines So Important for Young Children?

As a parent, you want what is best for your children, particularly when it comes to their health. While you may have encountered conflicting information online or through the grapevine, vaccinations are the single most effective way to prevent disease and keep your children healthy. The following guide explains why bringing your child to the doctor for vaccinations is critical, so you can move forward with peace of mind. 

Vaccines induce the production of antibodies that lead to immunity or resistance against one or more diseases. Vaccines frequently contain an agent that mimics the microorganisms that cause the disease, allowing your child's body to produce antibodies to fight the toxins.

When your child receives a vaccine, his or her immune system is trained to resist the disease for which the vaccine was developed. Once they have fought the disease, they develop an immunity to it, which protects them in the event of an outbreak. Until the advent of vaccinations, the only way to develop immunity to a disease was to contract it and survive it. Additionally, vaccines are more cost-effective than treating disease once it has spread.

Young children often undergo a routine round of vaccinations designed to protect them against some of the most dangerous and contagious diseases. These include shots for measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough, polio, chickenpox, tetanus, influenza, hepatitis B, and diphtheria.

Vaccines undergo extensive testing and assessment prior to being administered to children to ensure they are safe and effective. Allergic reactions and health complications are extremely rare. In most cases, your child won't experience any side effects at all. If they do, the symptoms will likely be mild, such as tenderness or soreness at the vaccination site, a low-grade fever, or a headache.