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Why Vaccines Matter

• Protecting Your Child's Health: potentially life-threatening diseases.

Vaccines help prevent serious,

• Community Protection: also help protect others in the community, especially those who can't be vaccinated due to medical reasons.

Vaccines not only protect your child but

The CDC recommends a set

• CDC Recommendation: vaccination schedule to ensure timely protection from a variety of preventable diseases.

Common Myths About Vaccines

• Myth: Vaccines Cause

Autism

Extensive scientiﬁc research has shown no link

o Fact: between vaccines and autism. The CDC and other major health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have conducted numerous studies that found no connection between vaccines (including the MMR vaccine) and autism.

The original study that falsely

o Addressing Concerns: linked vaccines to autism was retracted, and its ﬁndings have been widely discredited.

Vaccines are safe, and protecting your child

o Message: from preventable diseases is far more important than any unfounded concerns.

VACCINE

How Vaccines Work

Vaccines stimulate the body's immune

• Immunity Explained: system to produce immunity to a disease without causing the disease itself.

• Long-Lasting Protection: immunity, while others require booster shots to maintain protection.

Some vaccines provide lifelong

Diseases That Have Been Eradicated or Controlled by Vaccines

Eradicated globally thanks to a worldwide

• Smallpox: vaccination effort. No cases have been reported since 1980.

• Polio: was declared polio-free in 1979, with only a few cases remaining worldwide.

Signiﬁcant progress in reducing polio globally. The U.S.

• Measles: have drastically declined in countries with high vaccination rates. In the U.S., measles was eliminated in 2000, but recent outbreaks have occurred due to unvaccinated populations.

While still a concern in some regions, measles cases

Protecting Your Child from Serious Diseases

Vaccines protect children

• Vaccines Prevent Severe Illness: from diseases like whooping cough, chickenpox, diphtheria, and meningitis, which can cause long-term health problems or even death.

• Herd Immunity: High vaccination rates help protect those who cannot be vaccinated, such as babies, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems, by reducing the spread of disease.

The CDC Vaccine Schedule: What You Need to Know

The CDC has a

• Recommended Vaccines by Age: recommended vaccination schedule for infants, children, and adolescents. This includes vaccines for diseases like polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis, chickenpox, and more.

• Timing Is Key: best possible protection against preventable diseases.

Getting vaccinated on schedule ensures the

• Routine Check-Ups: Keep up with your child's doctor visits to stay on top of vaccines and any necessary boosters.

The Safety of Vaccines

All vaccines are thoroughly tested for safety

• Rigorous Testing: and effectiveness before they are approved for use by the FDA. The CDC and FDA continue to monitor vaccine safety once they are on the market.

• Mild Side Effects:

Most side effects are mild and temporary

(e.g., soreness at the injection site or low fever). Serious side effects are extremely rare.

Why Delaying Vaccination Is Risky

• Vaccine Delays Increase Risk: child vulnerable to preventable diseases.

Delaying vaccines leaves your

Diseases like

• Outbreaks in Unvaccinated Communities: measles have resurged in areas where vaccine rates have dropped, leading to outbreaks that could have been prevented.

Take Action for Your Child's Health

• Vaccinate on Time: to keep your child healthy and safe.

Vaccines are one of the most effective ways

• Trust Science, Trust the CDC: CDC for up-to-date, evidence-based information about vaccines and your child's health.

Rely on trusted sources like the

If you have concerns or

• Talk to Your Healthcare Provider: questions about vaccines, talk to your child's doctor. They can provide guidance based on the latest research and

Resources

and References

• For More Information: vaccine schedules, safety information, and more:

Visit the CDC website for up-to-date

.www.cdc.gov/vaccines

• Contact Your Pediatrician: the best source of personalized information about vaccines.

Your child's healthcare provider is

To schedule an appointment: