While getting your children vaccinated continues to be debated, what is important to remember is what serious illnesses your child won't get because they were vaccinated. Your children's doctor offers vaccinations to prevent them from suffering through illnesses that many children in the past had to face. Review the following list of potential illnesses that your children will avoid when they are fully vaccinated to learn what the vaccines are really doing for their health.
Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis
Diphtheria is a bacterial disease that attacks the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Severe cases affect the heart tissue. Tetanus is a bacteria that attacks the nervous system causing severe muscle spasms and even death. Pertussis, or whooping cough, starts as a persistent cough with difficulty breathing, and can result in pneumonia and convulsions.
The childhood DTaP vaccine protects your child from these three serious bacterial infections.
Rotavirus
This virus attacks the infant's intestinal tract causing severe diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Children can become severely dehydrated with this illness and deaths have occurred in children with inadequate immune systems.
The rotavirus vaccine protects your child from this viral infection.
Poliomyelitis
Polio is a debilitating viral illness that affects the child's nervous system. It can result in partial or full paralysis of the muscles in the arms and legs, and in the chest and throat, making it difficult to swallow or breathe.
The inactivated poliovirus vaccine, or IPV, prevents this viral infection in your child.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Measles is a viral infection most noticeable by the rash produced on the chest. It can also cause a fever, cough, runny nose, ear infection and sometimes pneumonia. The mumps virus causes fever, headaches and swelling of the salivary glands near the child's jaw. Rubella, also called German measles, causes a rash and swelling of glands in the child's neck.
The MMR vaccine protects your child from these three viral diseases.
Varicella
Better known as chickenpox, this viral disease causes small, red blisters over your child's body. If your child develops chickenpox, they are at risk of developing shingles when they are adults.
The varicella vaccine reduces your child's risk of getting this viral illness.
Ear Infections
A form of streptococcus bacteria causes ear infections in young children. Serious cases may result in meningitis and a bloodstream infection.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, or PCV, protects your child from this bacterial infection.
Meningitis
Several forms of bacteria can cause meningitis, which results in an infection of the fluid in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include high fever, headaches, a stiff neck and periods of being disoriented. Blindness, hearing loss and brain damage can occur in untreated cases.
The meningococcal conjugate vaccine prevents this bacterial infection in your child.
These are some of the illnesses that your child will avoid when you get them vaccinated at a place like Pediatric Associates of Alexandria. As a parent, you try to give your child as many experiences in life as possible. These illnesses are experiences that your child will be happy to go without.
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