Vaccinations and Immunizations

All you need to know about vaccinations and immunizations to make an informed decision on why you should get you and your children protected. 

Vaccines
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What's the difference between Vaccinations and Immunizations?

Vaccinations

Vaccination is the defined as the act of receiving a vaccine. Vaccines were created to stop diseases that use to be widespread and killed millions of people. A vaccine is a way to teach an immune system how to recognize and fight specific diseases. It does this by stimulating your immune system without actually exposing you to the disease. So, if your body is ever invaded by this disease again it knows how to fight it and can easily get rid of it. Usually, vaccines are made of a very small amount of already week or dead germs so that you don't get sick. For example, the Varicella Vaccine (Chicken Pox) has a live weakened form of Chicken Pox that your body can easily defeat and will remember how to defeat if you're ever exposed to again.

Immunizations

So, what is Immunization? Immunization is how a vaccination protects you from a disease. Some vaccines require multiple doses to make you immune. Immunity is important because if you aren't immune, you are still considered at risk of getting the disease you're trying to be protected against. With your immunity comes another type of protection, Herd Immunity. Which occurs when there are too many people immune for a disease to spread. This is why it is still important to become immune to these diseases even though they aren't widespread anymore and aren't as devastating. So, if you have one dose of a vaccine that requires four doses you are only partially protected and not considered immune so you can still be affected. Take Varicella (Chicken Pox) for example again, if you have both doses of the Varicella Vaccine you are considered immune to Chicken Pox but if not then you can still catch it.

Recommended Vaccination Ages

 The CDC recommends your child is vaccinated at birth, 1 month old, 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 months old, 9 months old, 12 months old, 15 months old, 18 months old, 19-23 months old, 2-3 years old, 4-6 years old, 11-12 years old, 13-15 years old, 16 years old, and 17-18 years old. 

The reason most vaccines are started so young is because that is when your child is most susetpible to infection. This may seem like a lot and you might not want to give your child this many shots but don't worry, a lot of vaccines that we give can protect your child against multiple diseases. This greatly reduces the number of shots your child will receive. 

If your child misses any of these shots at any age don't worry, our experts can help catch your child up with a new specially tailored vaccination schedule. 

Our Vaccines

These are the vaccinations that we have at all times in our office.

  • Required

    • DTaP
    • Hepatitis B (Engerix)
    • Hib
    • MMR
    • Polio

    • Meningococcal ACWY (Meningitis)
    • Rotavirus
    • TDaP (Adacel)
    • Varicella (Chickenpox)

  • Recommended

    • Flu (Seasonal)
    • COVID-19
    • RSV
    • HPV
    • Hepatitis A

What diseases do these Vaccines immunize against?

  • Chickenpox

    Chickenpox is a very contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Chickenpox starts with a blister-like rash and intense itching also accompied by tiredness and fever. Chickenpox used to be very common in the United States. Every year chickenpox had about 4 million cases which led to almost 11,000 hospitalizations of which ~150 died. There are two doses of the Chickenpox vaccine which will make you about 90% immune. Those that do get Chickenpox get a much milder version with few blisters and at most a low grade fever. 

    Found in two vaccines: Varivax (Chickenpox only) and Proquad(measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella(chickenpox))

  • Diphtheria

    Diphtheria is an infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. Diphtheria was a major cause of death among children. In the 1920s state record over 200,000 cases that resulted in almost 16,000 deaths. Once the vaccination was widely accepted the cases quickly dropped till now in the present day cases are unheard of in the United States. The Diphtheria vaccine offers nearly perfect immunity at 97%.

    Found in three vaccines: DTaP, Tdap, and Td

  • Hepatitis A

    Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver disease that spreads through close person-to-person contact or by eating contaminated food or drink. When you get Hepatitis A you feel sick for weeks or even months but eventually recover unfortunately sometimes with liver damage. Symptoms usually develop two weeks to two months after exposure and can last up to six months. Unfortuntaley Hepatitis A has returned to the United States in 2016, with 50% of cases being 30-49 year olds and 60% being non-hispanic white people. The Hepatitis A vaccine provides ~95% immunity.

    Only available in its own vaccine.

  • Hepatitis B 

    Hepatitis B is another liver disease that can cause lifelong infection, liver cancer, liver failure, liver scarring, and death. Hepatitis B infection can last from a few weeks to a chronic long-term infection. Usually symptoms occur some time with the first six months. The United States estimates currently 640,000 adults have long-term Hepatitis B. The Hepatitis B vaccine provides full immunity.

    Only available in its own vaccine

  • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

    Haemophilus influenzae type b, more commonly referred to as Hib, is a bacterial disease cause by the Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. Hib cause serious illness or in some cases death in babies and children under 5. Hib was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis for children under five causing about 20,000 infections that results in over 1,000 deaths every year. Today, through vaccination, we've brought that number down to less the 50. Most of which are in unvaccinated children. Fully vaccinated the Hib vaccine grants 95-100% immunity 

    Available in 3 vaccines: Hib only, b disease, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and polio, and Hib disease, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and hepatitis B.

  • Measles 

    Measles is an extremely contagious virus that can spread through the air. It normally starts with a cough, fever, runny nose, and red eyes. Then a rash of small, red dots breaks out on the head and spread down the body. Before vaccination began in the 1960s between 3 and 4 million americans were infected with measles. Of the 500,000 cases that were actually reported to the CDC about 50,000 were hospitalized, 1,00 developed dangerous brain swelling, and 450 died. The small number of reported cases leading to 10% hospitilaztion leads us to believe the disease is more dangerous than reported. Measles is about 99% eradicted in the United States but not abroad so if you ever travel its important to be protected. Fully vaccinated the vaccine is about 97% effective at preventing measles.

    Measles is included in the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine

  • Meningococcal 

    The Meningococcal vaccine prevents Meningococcal disease which is any type of illness caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. There are too many types of Meningococcal diseases to list each strain and the vaccines effect but since the vaccines release cases have dropped over 90%. proving the vaccines effectiveness. Each different vaccine protects against specific strains of Meningococcal diseases. Fully vaccinated they range from 85-94% effectiveness.

    There are three types of stand-alone Meningococcal Vaccines (MenACWY, MenB, and MenABCWY)

  • Mumps 

    Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. The symptoms usually start with loss of appetite, muscle aches, headache, fever and tiredness. Then progresses into the swelling of the salivary glands which usually causes a swollen jaw and puffy cheeks. Before mumps was vaccinated agianst was a common disease that resulted in permanent deafness and occasionally swelling of the brain which led to death. The mumps component of the MMR vaccine is about 88% effective.

    Mumps is included in the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine

  • Polio 

    Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a disabling, potentially deadly disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads and infects your spinal cord causing paralysis. There is no cure for polia but the Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) can give you 99% immunity if you receive all doses.

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