Thanks to vaccines, humans live longer and can prevent many diseases that once ran rampant. Smallpox, for example, was virtually wiped out thanks to vaccines, but there are still many diseases to prevent. If you would like to know more about vaccines and your child's health, keep reading.

When Should You Start Asking About Vaccines?

You may believe you have a few years before you need to worry about vaccinating your child. However, you need to start thinking about vaccines before you get pregnant. First, if you are planning on getting pregnant, make sure you are fully vaccinated with standard vaccinations like MMR.

Regardless of what vaccines you've gotten in the past, however, you should also consider a whooping cough vaccine. Most likely, you were vaccinated against whooping cough as a child, but as you age, the vaccine wears off, allowing you to pass it to your unvaccinated baby.

Once your baby is born, and before you leave the hospital, your baby will also be given doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine to prevent acute and chronic liver problems. As they age, they will need more and more vaccines to protect against disease.

What Are the Most Common Vaccines Kids Need?

Many vaccines need to be administered before your child starts school. This prevents them from spreading disease to younger kids and/or kids with health issues that prevent vaccination. By the time they start school, your child should have the following vaccines: tetanus, whooping cough, polio, pneumococcal, rotavirus, chicken pox, measles, mumps, and rubella.

As your child becomes a teenager, you may need to update their whooping cough vaccine as it may have worn off. You'll also want to talk to your child's pediatrician about the HPV vaccine and the meningococcal conjugate vaccine. As your child gets older, they may need to get boosters of tetanus, whooping cough, and the seasonal flu.

Are Vaccines Safe for Kids?

Thanks to misinformation, many people fear vaccines are unsafe for their children. They believe they may contain chemicals that can damage your child's overall health in the long run. However, forgoing vaccines can lead to many issues. Measles, for example, can cause brain swelling, brain damage, and death. Similarly, meningitis can also lead to brain damage, and both meningitis and mumps can cause deafness.

Some kids, however, simply can't get vaccines. They may have weakened immune systems or simply be too young to get a certain vaccine. Keeping your kids vaccinated helps protect these kids, reducing their risk of catching a dangerous disease.

Vaccines are safe and effective for preventing disease in both kids and adults. You should start thinking about vaccination before you even get pregnant. If you would like to know more, or if you want to schedule vaccine appointments, contact a pediatric care physician in your area today.