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Ten Things You Need to
Know
about Immunizations
- Why your child should be
immunized
Children need immunizations (shots) to
protect them from dangerous childhood diseases. These diseases can have serious complications and
even kill children. More...
- Diseases that childhood
vaccines prevent
Note: Text only version of the Vaccine
Information Sheets.
- Number of shots your child
needs
The following vaccinations are recommended by age two and can be given
over five visits to a doctor or clinic:
- 4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis vaccine
(DTaP)
- 4 doses of Hib vaccine
- 4 doses of pneumococcal vaccine
- 3 doses of polio vaccine
- 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine
- 1 dose of measles, mumps & rubella vaccine (MMR)
- 1 dose of varicella vaccine
Use this link to view the recommended
doses in chart form.
- Like any medicine,
there may be minor side effects
Side effects can occur with any medicine, including
vaccines. Depending on the vaccine, these can include: slight fever, rash, or
soreness at the site of injection. Slight discomfort is normal
and should not be a cause for alarm. Your health care provider
can give you additional information. More...
- It's extremely rare,
but vaccines can cause serious reactions -- weigh the risks!
Serious reactions to vaccines are extremely rare.
The risks of serious disease from
not vaccinating are far greater than the risks of serious
reaction to a vaccination. More...
- What to do if your child
has a serious reaction.
If you think your child is experiencing a
persistent or severe reaction, call your doctor or get the child
to a doctor right away. Write down what happened and the date and
time it happened. Ask your doctor, nurse or health department to
file a Vaccine Adverse Event Report form or call 1-800-338-2382 to file this
form yourself. More...
- Why you should not
wait to vaccinate
Children
under 5 are especially susceptible to disease because their
immune systems have not built up the necessary defenses to fight
infection. By immunizing on time (by age
2), you can protect your child from disease and also protect others at school or
daycare. More...
- Be sure to track your shots
via a health record
A vaccination health record helps you and
your health care provider keep your child's vaccinations on schedule. If you
move or change providers, having an accurate record might prevent your child
from repeating vaccinations he or she has already had. A shot record
should be started when your child receives his/her first vaccination and updated
with each vaccination visit.
- Some are eligible for
free vaccinations
A federal program called Vaccines for Children
provides free vaccines to eligible children, including those without health insurance coverage, all those who
are enrolled in Medicaid, American Indians and Alaskan Natives. More...
- More information is
available.
Call the National Immunization
Information Hotline. More...
- 1-800-232-2522 (English)
- 1-800-232-0233 (Spanish)
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