The pediatric immunization schedule aims to protect children when they are most vulnerable to infections that can cause severe illness, hospitalization and even death. This is why it is safest to get your child immunized on time according to the recommended schedule.

Why does my child need so many immunizations when they are so young?

Certain diseases that are more likely to cause severe illness in the youngest infants. For example, infections with rotavirus can make infants so sick with diarrhea that they may become severely dehydrated and require hospitalization. It is for this reason that we recommend immunizing very young infants so that we can protect them from serious illness that can land them in the hospital. This helps infants to develop their immune systems so that they are primed and ready to go in case they are exposed later on to these diseases.

Why does my child need more than one of the same vaccine?

Infants often get multiple doses of the same vaccine because studies have shown that children need multiple doses to develop enough of an immune response to protect them from disease. This is why your child’s pediatrician or nurse practitioner will recommend multiple doses of the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine, for example. The good news is that we can combine multiple vaccines to decrease the number of injections that are needed.

Are vaccine side effects worse than getting sick with the diseases themselves?

Vaccine side effects are a sign that your child’s body is developing the expected immune response. The most common side effect is no side effects. Some children may develop redness, mild swelling or tenderness at the injection site or cold-like symptoms that will go away within a few days. While many children have mild illness due to the diseases themselves, some children develop life-altering or life-threatening complications from vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, Hib meningitis can lead to lifelong hearing loss.

These diseases are rare; does my child really need a vaccine to prevent them?

Vaccine-preventable diseases are rare because of immunization. If you talk to your parents or grandparents, they are likely to remember vaccine-preventable diseases that were commonly feared when they were young, such as polio, which can lead to paralysis. We have also seen modern-day outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and pertussis, in communities with low rates of immunization. Unimmunized children are particularly vulnerable to infections when outbreaks occur.

Does my child really need the influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccines?

The flu and COVID-19 vaccines are updated each year to reflect the types of these viruses that will cause infections. This is why your pediatrician or nurse practitioner will recommend an updated vaccine for your child each Fall. We know that these vaccines decrease the severity of these illnesses, which means that vaccinating your child will likely lead to fewer missed school and workdays due to illnesses with these viruses.

My child missed a vaccine dose; what do I do?

Talk to your pediatrician or nurse practitioner about getting catch-up vaccines to make sure that your child is up to date. Ask your pediatrician if you can schedule an immunizations-only appointment to get your child up to date quickly.

Where is the best place to read more about immunizations?

There are many trusted sources of information about immunizations, such as Immunize.org and the HealthyChildren.org. Some predatory websites spread false information about immunizations, and it is important to be able to spot those websites so that you can make fully informed decisions for your child’s health.