The Vital Role of Childhood Immunizations
8/22/2023
Dr. Jason Chan, Aspirus Pediatrician
Childhood
immunizations stand as a cornerstone of modern medicine and public health.
According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), four million deaths worldwide
are prevented by childhood vaccinations every year.
Vaccines work to
protect children against serious diseases, shield community members and prevent
outbreaks and resurgences of disease.
Protecting Children from Serious Diseases
Childhood
immunizations are specifically designed to provide protection against a variety
of dangerous infectious diseases.
“By introducing
weakened or inactive versions of the pathogen into the child's system, vaccines
prime their immune response to recognize and fight off the actual disease if
encountered in the future”, says Jason Chan, MD, Aspirus Pediatrician.
“Diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and pertussis (whooping
cough) can have severe consequences for young children, leading to
complications, hospitalization, and can even sometimes be fatal.”
Herd Immunity: A Community Shield
Vaccines not only
safeguard individual children but also play a crucial role in protecting the
wider community.
When a significant
portion of a community is vaccinated against a disease, it creates a collective
shield that prevents the pathogen from spreading effectively.
As a result, even
individuals who cannot be vaccinated, such as infants, pregnant women, and
those with weakened immune systems, receive indirect protection.
“Achieving high
vaccination rates ensures that diseases have limited opportunities to spread,
making it less likely for outbreaks to occur and protecting vulnerable members
of the community,” says Dr. Chan.
Preventing Outbreaks and Resurgence of Diseases
History has shown that
when immunization rates drop, diseases once thought to be under control can
make a resurgence, according to the National Library of Medicine.
When a significant
proportion of the population is immunized, it becomes difficult for a disease
to find susceptible individuals to infect, effectively limiting its
transmission.
This collective
immunity prevents diseases from gaining a foothold and spreading rapidly,
ensuring that outbreaks remain rare and previously controlled diseases do not
make a comeback.
“Immunizing children
from an early age is crucial to providing them with the best defense against
potentially devastating illnesses,” says Dr. Chan. “Vaccines have been
rigorously tested and proven to be safe and effective, safeguarding not only
your child's health but also that of the entire community.”
By taking this
proactive step, you contribute to the collective effort of ensuring a healthier
future for your child and others.
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