5 Important Reasons Why Children Need To Be Vaccinated

Even if you may not like seeing your baby or child being given an injection as a parent, you definitely want the best for your child. It is important that you know that one of the best ways to protect your children is to make sure they have all of their vaccinations.

Below are 5 important reasons to vaccinate your child;

1. It Can Save Your Child’s Life

Immunizations can save your child’s life. Advances in medical science have put your child at an advantage against more diseases than ever before.

Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children, have been completely eliminated and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines.

Polio is one example of the great impact that vaccines have had in Nigeria. Polio used to be a leading cause of death and paralysis especially the northern part of the country, but today, thanks to vaccination, there are no close to zero reports of polio in the Nigeria.

2. Vaccination Is Very Safe And Effective

Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals.

Vaccines will involve some discomfort and may cause pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain, discomfort, and trauma of the diseases these vaccines prevent.

Serious side effects following vaccination, such as severe allergic reaction, are very rare. The disease-prevention benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.

3. Immunization Prevents The Spread Of Diseases

Children should generally get protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. In fact, there have been resurgences of measles and whooping cough (pertussis) over the past few years.

While some babies are too young to be protected by vaccination, others may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to severe allergies, weakened immune systems from conditions like leukemia, or other reasons.

To help keep them safe, it is important that you and your children who are able to get vaccinated are fully immunized. This not only protects your family, but also helps prevent the spread of these diseases to your friends and loved ones.

4. Immunizations Can Save Your Family Time And Money.

A child with a vaccine-preventable disease can be denied attendance at schools or child care facilities. Some vaccine-preventable diseases can result in prolonged disabilities and can take a financial toll because of lost time at work, medical bills or long-term disability care, take for example, Polio.

In contrast, getting vaccinated against these diseases is a good investment and is usually free. Vaccines for children is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children from low-income families.

5. Immunization Protects Future Generations.

Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago.

For example, smallpox vaccination eradicated that disease worldwide. Your children don’t have to get smallpox shots any more because the disease no longer exists.

By vaccinating children against rubella (German measles), the risk that pregnant women will pass this virus on to their fetus or newborn has been dramatically decreased, and birth defects associated with that virus for instance no longer are seen in the United States.

If we continue vaccinating now, and vaccinating completely, parents in the future may be able to trust that some diseases of today will no longer be around to harm their children in the future.