Immunizations Specialists

How do immunizations protect against disease?
Immunizations, also known as vaccines, use a small amount of a bacteria or virus that has been weakened or killed to trigger an immune response. This prepares your body to fight off the living form of the infection should you or your child become exposed to the disease.

Immunizations prevent or lessen the severity of many dangerous illnesses. They also protect the very young, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.

These groups are at risk for serious health complications that can arise from influenza, tetanus, hepatitis, diphtheria, measles, mumps, and other contagious diseases.

Which immunizations does my child need?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publishes a recommended schedule for childhood immunizations. According to this schedule, children should have the following vaccines by age 2:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Rotavirus
• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
• Hib (spinal meningitis)
• Pneumococcal vaccine (bacterial meningitis)
• Poliovirus
• MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)
• Varicella (chickenpox)

The vaccine against HPV (human papillomavirus, linked to cancer-causing infections) is typically given around age 11. Yearly flu vaccines are also recommended for all children over the age of 6 months.

Which immunizations does an adult need?
Yearly flu shots are recommended for adults over the age of 19. Initial immunizations are available for adults who have never been vaccinated, or who don’t know their immunization status.

Some vaccines like the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) require periodic boosters through adulthood to maintain immunity.

If you’re traveling to another country, or if you have a special situation as defined by the CDC, you may need a hepatitis A or B vaccine. Women and men age 26 or under should discuss the HPV vaccine with their medical provider if they were not vaccinated in adolescence.

Are immunizations safe?
Modern immunizations are FDA-cleared and rarely cause side effects or reactions. Most of the time, reactions are mild; they often occur right after the vaccination and are highly treatable.

Most researchers agree that the benefits of immunizations outweigh the risks of complications from a severe infectious illness.

If you have questions about immunizations, or you’re interested in discussing an alternate vaccination schedule and other options, don’t hesitate to call Access Wellness Healthcare to speak to the friendly office team.

You can also schedule a consultation with an expert provider at Access Wellness Healthcare by calling the office today, or requesting an appointment online.