Vaccines are not only for your protection.
“With the flu shot, for example, a lot of people will say, ‘I don’t really get sick. I’m usually healthy – I don’t get the flu, so I’m not going to get the flu shot.’ One really important thing to keep in mind about the flu shot and so many other shots is that they’re there not only to protect you from infectious diseases, but to protect other people as well. There are some people with weak immune systems or with medical problems that make them particularly vulnerable to certain conditions. It’s important for all of us to get vaccinated to protect everyone. And that goes for all shots.”
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
“My biggest thing is when parents have questions about vaccines, such as, “Doctor, what are the side effects?” and “Could this potentially harm my child?” it’s important to not make assumptions, but to actually go into the office and have a frank conversation with your doctor.”
There are potential side effects.
“Some of the more common side effects of vaccines can be a little pain at the sight where the child received the injection. It can be painful for a couple days – they may need a little Tylenol to help relieve some of that pain. You want to check with your doctor to see what can be given to your child to help them. That’s not the only potential side effect, but it’s certainly the most common. Again, vaccines for the most part are very safe.
There are some people that shouldn’t get certain vaccines, so when you take your child to the doctor, he or she will be able to look at your child and his or her medical condition and then really match up which vaccines are important and which ones are not. If your child has a weakened immune system, if your child is really ill – say they have a fever – at the time they’re supposed to get a shot, or if your child has other medical conditions, this may change what shots we give them. Those are the three main things that would make a doctor say, ‘Maybe we should hold off this shot today.’”
If your child misses a vaccine, it’s not the end of the world.
“Let’s say your child misses a vaccine. Not all hope is lost because we can what we call ‘catch your child up.’ So, we want to make sure that children get their vaccines on time – that’s the most important thing because that really is what helps children and everyone else stay as healthy as possible. Put in on your calendar and give yourself a reminder, but if your child did miss a vaccine or you weren’t able to make an appointment, your child can get caught up so not all hope is lost.”
Before Vaccinating Your Child, Here’s What You Should Know was originally published on blackdoctor.org
