Infant Immunizations:

Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions in history. It has saved millions of lives over the years and prevented hundreds of millions of cases of disease.

Infants and young children need to be vaccinated because the diseases prevented by vaccination can strike at an early age. Also, these diseases can be far more serious or common among infants or young children. For example, of the children under 6 months of age who get whooping cough (pertussis), 72% must be hospitalized, and about 84% of all deaths from pertussis are among children younger than 6 months of age.

Immunization is one of the most important things a parent can do to protect their children’s health. Today, we can protect children younger than two years old from 14 serious diseases including: Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Measles, Mumps, Pertussus (whooping cough), Pneumococcal disease, Polio, Rubella (German measles), Tetanus (lockjaw), Rotavirus, Varicella (chickenpox). Many vaccines can now be combined, resulting in fewer shots being given.

Adult Immunizations:

Some adults incorrectly assume that the vaccines they received as children will protect them for the rest of their lives. Generally this is true, except that:

• Some adults were never vaccinated as children
• Newer vaccines were not available when some adults were children
• Immunity can begin to fade over time
• As we age, we become more susceptible to serious disease caused by common infections (e.g., flu, pneumococcus)

Adult Immunizations - Age 65 and older:

Several vaccines are recommended specifically for adults age 65 and older. They include:

• Diphtheria
• Herpes Zoster (shingles)
• Influenza (flu)
• Pneumococcus
• Tetanus (lockjaw)

For more information or questions relating to immunizations please call (435) 657-3307