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Immunizations for your child: what you need to know

Posted at 9:36 AM, Apr 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-19 09:36:00-04

When it comes to keeping your child healthy, there are a lot of concerns and questions about immunizations.

National Infant Immunization Week runs from April 22-29th. The week encourages parents to get their children vaccinated for preventable diseases.

According to the Center for Disease Control, vaccines are the most cost-effective and successful way to prevent the spread of disease. The CDC says that an estimated 381 million illnesses have been prevented by children receiving vaccinations from 1994-2016.

In the United States, children are generally vaccinated against 14 preventable diseases during their childhood. Some of the most common vaccines include Polo, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), Hepatitis B, chicken pox (varicella) and DTP (diptheria, tetanus, pertussis).

Dr. Dennis Kuo, head of pediatrics at UBMD, says research and testing has created a culture of more understanding and helped create safer immunization schedules for children.

If you have questions about vaccinations, consult your pediatrician. A vaccine schedule is available from the CDC here.