Few things are more disturbing to a parent than the thought of a seriously ill child. Fortunately, you can prevent many childhood diseases simply by making sure your kids receive their full slate of immunization shots.

Vaccinating children has resulted in a remarkable reduction of many health threats. Some illnesses – including polio, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) – have been virtually eliminated in the Western world thanks to immunizations.

However, outbreaks of these diseases could return if enough parents fail to immunize their children in the future. By vaccinating your children, you lower the overall incidence of illness in the community, which helps prevent all children from becoming sick. This protection is especially important for children who cannot receive vaccines due to health reasons.

Knowing some basic information about immunizations can help smooth the process for both you and your child.

The basics

Children receive vaccinations when they are very young and most vulnerable to certain viral or bacterial infections. Some vaccines provide a lifetime of protection against disease. Other immunizations have to be periodically updated.

Each vaccine protects your child from contracting a specific disease.  Tiny amounts of the pathogen that causes the disease  ( either in killed or weakened  form) are contained in the vaccines that   are injected into your child’s body.   Once these microorganisms enter your child’s body, the immune system perceives them as a threat and responds by creating antibodies to the disease. These antibodies help the body target pathogens to prevent them from causing disease. The body “remembers†the pathogen. If the body encounters the pathogen again it can quickly respond with antibodies specifically designed to protect against that disease. The process of establishing antibodies to a disease is known as immunity.