Vaccinating Your Baby Vaccines are truly a miracle of modern medicine that have saved billions of lives around the world. Through vaccinations, you are making your baby immune or resistant to a specific disease. With the advent of immunization against polio, this once deadly disease was wiped out by 1979. Most physicians educated since 1985 have never seen a case of measles, because the disease was successfully eradicated. The reason is clear: so many babies and children have been vaccinated.

In Great Britain, a drop in whopping cough (Pertussis) vaccine in 1974 was followed by an epidemic of the disease. By 1978, more than 100,000 cases had been reported and 36 people died.

At birth, your baby will have immunity from many diseases, particularly if the mother-breast feeds her child. But the immunity gradually wears off during a baby's first year of life. As a result, exposure to a disease could be too strong for your baby to fight, which is why children should vaccinated against certain diseases by the age of two years.

The role of vaccination is to stimulate the body's immune system into action without actually causing the disease. Some vaccinations last, while others do not. The vaccine for this year's strain of the flu, for example, won't be effective next year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says parents should be aware of the risks and benefits of immunization by talking with a trusted health care provider. Most immunizations must be given to children before the age of two, in order to protect them during their most vulnerable period.

Each state has immunization requirements that must be met before a child enters school. Parents must provide written proof of immunizations against diptheria, whopping cough, tetanus, hepatitis b, measles, mumps and other diseases. This protects the child, as well as teachers, volunteers and anyone else who provides services to the school.

How do vaccines work?

• Your baby will be given a vaccine either by a shot or by mouth. Vaccines contain a weak or dead disease germ. While your child may experience some brief discomfort, the benefits of vaccination will last years.
• Once your baby is given a vaccine, the body will make antibodies that "practice" on the weak germs, so if the body encounters stronger germs later, your child won't get sick.
• Even after fighting off the disease, the antibodies remain in your child's system to ward off future attacks.

Which diseases will your baby be vaccinated against?

• Hepatitus B: a potentially fatal virus that attacks the liver and carries a high risk of complications among infants.
  
  
• Hepatitus A: unlike the "B" variety, Hepatitus A does not cause chronic hepatitis, but can cause hepatic failure.
  
  
• Diptheria: causes breathing difficulties and can completely obstruct the throat.
  
  
• Tetanus: a bacterium that causes uncontrollable spasm of muscles.
  
  
• Whooping cough (Pertussis): prolonged coughing and vomiting that can last for weeks, particularly deadly for children before their first birthday.
  
  
• Polio: the immunization will prevent the disease, which can lead to permanent physical disability or even death.
  
  
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella: a single shot for these three diseases that were once common childhood diseases.
  
  
• Chicken pox: immunization against a virus of the herpes family, known in adults as "shingles".
  

In the future, vaccines may be given by aerosol or nasal spray, reducing the discomfort of an injection.

Immunization is an important step in the health and well being of your child.

If you have questions about vaccinations or immunizations, talk to your health care professional, or call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program toll-free at 1-800-232-2522 for help in English, or 1-800-232-0233 for help in Spanish.

All facts, data, and useful tips provided are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for medical advice.