Immunizations & Your Baby: What You Need To Know

Date: 04/23/18

As a parent, you already know that it is important to keep your baby safe. Part of keeping your baby safe – and healthy – is making sure he or she gets the right vaccinations at the right time. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says the most important reason to get your child vaccinated is to protect him or her from diseases.

Because it is National Infant Immunization Week, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is sharing information with parents about child immunizations. Here’s what you need to know:

Vaccines Work

Most childhood vaccines are up to 99 percent effective in preventing disease. And if a vaccinated child does get the disease, the symptoms are usually less serious than in a child who has not been vaccinated.

Vaccines Are Safe

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, carefully studies all vaccines before they can be used. Many other agencies and organizations also study vaccines for safety, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.

Vaccines Help Stop The Spread Of Disease

In the U.S., vaccines have helped stop the spread of many serious illnesses, like polio. In other countries, like Pakistan and Nigeria, there are many children who are paralyzed by polio because this immunization has not been readily available in those countries. Immunizations help stop diseases from spreading.

More Resources For Parents

• You can find a complete list of child immunizations here. This list tells you what the vaccinations do and when your child should have them.
• Click here to read what your child’s pediatrician wants you to know about vaccine safety from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Reminder: Don’t forget that as a Louisiana Healthcare Connections member, your child earns rewards for completing their well-child visits! At each of these visits, your child’s pediatrician will talk to you about the immunizations your child needs.