The Importance of Childhood Immunizations

The Importance of Childhood Immunizations

Although there is a myriad of information at your fingertips regarding vaccines, all these sources can actually make them more difficult to understand. Some of the most important information regarding immunizations are explored below, but to learn more you can reach out directly to your local Kokomo, IN, pediatrician, Dr. Dana Stewart of Meadows Medical Center.

Boosting the Immune System

Your immune system alone is very capable of defending your body against intrusion by pathogens. But it can also be overwhelmed by these intruders, especially by those it doesn't yet recognize, and this is where vaccines come in.

The simplest way to describe how vaccines work is by thinking of them as helpers for your immune system. By introducing a weakened or dead version of a disease your body, in essence, learns how to protect itself against these pathogens in case it encounters them again in the future.

Benefits

While getting a shot is definitely not something any kid looks forward to, they are very important to keep them healthy and protected against serious and life-threatening diseases.

Vaccines follow an immunization schedule that spreads out these shots throughout their childhood to when they will be the most effective, some of these are given more than once.

You can always access the recommended immunization schedule through the CDC website, but of course, your child's pediatrician also has all of this information.

Protecting your child against disease complications is a very important reason to make sure they are vaccinated. But the other just as important benefit of vaccines is the worldwide impact they can have. The more people are protected against certain diseases the less likely they are to affect someone who is very susceptible to them. The widespread application of vaccines has greatly reduced the harmful impact of so many diseases that once threatened so many lives.

Immunizations in Kokomo, IN

To make sure your child is on track with their immunization schedule you can schedule a visit in Kokomo, IN, with Dr. Stewart of Meadows Medical Center by dialing (765) 252-4575.