Ten Things Every Parent Should Know About Vaccines

The Washington State Childhood Vaccination Program provides vaccines to children 18 years old and younger at no cost, regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status.

When you take your child to a health clinic in Washington State, you might have to pay a small charge for the office visit, but you will not be charged for the vaccine itself. Find participating health care providers on the Department of Health’s Vaccine Provider Map.

Vaccines have saved more human lives than any other invention in history. Some sources say we began using them as early as 200 BCE. Researchers continue to advance vaccines year after year, making them even safer.

Learn more about how vaccines are developed and monitored.

Learn more about the history of vaccines.

Scientific data shows that giving a child several vaccines at the same time does not have negative effects on a healthy immune system. In fact, the immune system of a newborn can recognize and respond to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of different organisms. According to a study published in the January 2002 issue of Pediatrics, scientists estimate that a child could receive up to 10,000 vaccines in one day and still not “use up” their immune response.

Some additional things to consider:

• Combination vaccines (vaccines that protect against multiple diseases) can reduce the number of shots your child receives, while still providing the same protection.
• Some diseases are more serious for infants than older children, which is why it’s important to follow the recommended vaccine schedule.
• Adjusting the schedule may lead to more costs for more doctor visits and repeated discomfort for your child.

(Source: Plain Talk About Immunizations manual)

If unvaccinated children are exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases, there is a good chance they will become sick. How ill they get depends on the disease and the child. Diseases are unpredictable and affect people differently.

In some cases, illness may be mild, such as a rash that requires staying home from child care or school for a few days. In other cases, illness can be severe and lead to hospitalization, permanent disability, or even death.

If a child becomes infected, they can also spread the disease to others who are not protected. When enough people in a community are unvaccinated, outbreaks or epidemics can occur.

Some important reasons to get your child vaccinated:

• Prevent common but serious illnesses. Some diseases, like pertussis (whooping cough), flu, varicella (chickenpox), and rotavirus, are very common in the U.S. Choosing not to vaccinate is a choice to risk getting a serious and sometimes deadly disease. These diseases can also leave lasting health issues and long-term effects.
• Prevent diseases that still exist. Some diseases, like measles and mumps, still occur in the U.S. at low levels. If fewer people are vaccinated against these diseases, outbreaks can occur.
• Prevent diseases that are literally a plane ride away. Although some diseases, like polio, are rare or do not exist in the U.S., they are still common in other parts of the world. When you travel to other countries you can expose yourself to other diseases.
• Protect others in your family and community. By getting your child vaccinated, you also protect those who:
  • Have weakened immune systems.
  • Are not fully vaccinated.
  • Cannot get vaccines because of a medical condition, or because they are too young or too old.

Getting vaccinated is like learning how to read. Vaccines are like books our bodies use to practice reading and understanding viruses. Just as we remember how to read after we become literate, our bodies remember how to detect and respond to viruses after the vaccine has left our body.

Regardless of how healthy your child’s immune system is, if they’re not vaccinated, their body won’t be nearly as prepared if exposed to diseases. The benefits of vaccines outweigh the normal, short-term side effects vaccines may cause.

Vaccines, like medicine, can have some side effects. But most people who get vaccinated, including children, have only mild side effects or none at all.

The most common side effects include fever, tiredness, body aches, and redness, swelling, and tenderness where the shot was given. Mild reactions usually go away on their own within a few days. Serious, long-lasting side effects are extremely rare. We know this because the CDC investigates and reports serious side effects. Learn more about vaccine safety monitoring systems.

If you have questions or concerns about a vaccine, talk with your child’s health care provider.

HPV is an incredibly common virus that nearly all sexually active people will get at some point in their lives. HPV can cause cancer, most commonly cervical cancer in women and cancers of the mouth and throat in men. With the vaccine, you can protect your child from most high-risk types of HPV.

HPV vaccines are proven to be safe and most effective when given at younger ages, starting at age nine, producing the most infection-fighting cells, or antibodies, in preteens. While your child may not be sexually active now, they likely will be later in life, which is why it’s important to get them vaccinated.

Learn more about HPV and the HPV vaccine.

A long and thorough process of laboratory testing and multiphase clinical trials ensures that vaccines your child receives remain safe and effective for use. Health experts and organizations like the FDA and CDC regularly inspect and monitor vaccines for safety, efficacy, and quality.

Learn more about how vaccines are developed and monitored.