Keeping Up with Immunizations for Kids

By Christina Elston

Immunization guidelines change yearly. Here’s how, and why it’s so important to keep up with immunizations for kids:

From high-resolution ultrasounds in utero, to UV-coated sunglasses and calcium-fortified orange juice, a host of new high-tech measures factor in to how we protect our children’s health these days. They make one of the most common tools – childhood immunizations – seem almost old-fashioned.

And they are. The first vaccine, against smallpox, was introduced in 1798. Still, new recommendations are added to the schedule each year, and the list of preventable illnesses continues to grow.

Lots of Shots

By the time kids are 18 years old, federal guidelines call for them to be vaccinated against 16 different illnesses. While needle-shy kids might not welcome the recommendations, health experts are enthusiastic.

“I look at it as great news,” says Gary Marshall, M.D., author of The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians. “Every time they add another vaccination to the schedule, that’s another disease that will not harm children.”

Aware that all those jabs can take their toll, researchers are working on new combination vaccines to pack the same amount of protection into fewer shots. FDA is considering licensing Pentacel, a new vaccine that includes DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), Hib (haemophilius influenzae type b), and IPV (inactivated polio) vaccines, taking the place of three separate shots. A Hib and meningococcal conjugate combination vaccine is currently also being studied.

Why We Need Them

Even with experts doing all they can to minimize the pincushion effect, it can be tough for parents to understand why vaccines are worth it.
“When kids get their vaccines, nothing happens,” Marshall says. “Kids don’t get sick. This is the essence of preventive medicine.”