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Vaccines

Lapeer Pediatrics

Board Certified Pediatricians located in Lapeer, MI & Flint, MI

Immunizations are a key part of your child’s preventive health care, to protect your child against serious infectious and life-threatening diseases. Protecting your children from disease is one of the most important things that you can do as a parent. At Lapeer Pediatrics in Lapeer and Harastani Pediatrics in Flint/Grand Blanc, Michigan, the team led by Mohammad Al-Harastani, MD, FAAP, and Sami Al-Harastani, MD, offers quality immunizations against various serious infectious diseases. The team believes that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of care. If you’d like to schedule immunizations or if you have questions, call us or schedule an appointment here on the website.

Vaccines Q & A

What are vaccinations?

A number of serious diseases have caused widespread health problems in the world throughout history. Today, vaccines serve the important role of preventing these diseases, helping to ensure everyone’s health.

Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting your child against harmful diseases before he or she comes into contact with them. It uses the body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes the immune system stronger.

Vaccines train the immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it’s exposed to a disease. However, because vaccines contain only killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put your child at risk of its complications.Most vaccines are given by an injection, but some are given orally (by mouth) or sprayed into the nose.

Who should get immunized?

The proper time for someone to get immunized is when they are a child. Many vaccines are given as a series. The team at Lapeer Pediatrics will work with you to plan a safe and effective schedule for your child’s immunizations.

List of available vaccines at Lapeer Pediatrics include:

  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis A
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella
  • Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough) and Diphtheria
  • Poliovirus
  • Pneumococcal (PCV)
  • Human Papillomavirus
  • Meningitis
  • H influenzae type B (HIB)
  • Rotavirus
  • Varicella(chicken Pox)
  • Influenza

 

Speak with the team at Lapeer Pediatrics about which vaccinations are recommended for your child.

What are the common misconceptions or myths about vaccinations?

While vaccines have served to virtually eliminate many serious diseases, some common myths surrounding their use and safety have led some to skip vaccinations.

These myths include:

Myth: Vaccines are not necessary since the diseases they protect against are not common anymore

FACT: The diseases are uncommon because vaccination has been so successful. However, the viruses that cause the diseases are still out there in the world. An unvaccinated person will most certainly be at risk of contracting one or more of those many life-threatening illnesses.

Myth: My child will achieve better immunized by actually getting the disease

Fact: While a person that survives an infection with a serious disease does have protection from that disease in the future, the risks of having the disease far outweigh any benefits should they survive.

Myth: Vaccines cause autism

Fact: No current evidence suggests that vaccines cause autism. This has been shown by over 500 scientific articles.

Myth: Multiple vaccines given at one time can be harmful to my child

Fact: The schedule of vaccine administration is designed with strict safety requirements, and no evidence suggests that the current methods are harmful.

Myth: Since other children are vaccinated, my child doesn’t need to be

Fact: The term “herd immunity” refers to the immunity that comes along with a large portion of society being immunized. For this to be effective, at least 95% of people need to be vaccinated, which might not be the case as more and more parents skip vaccines for their children. It’s much safer to vaccinate your child than to rely on herd immunity.

Myth: Disease rates have dropped because of better hygiene, not vaccinations

Fact: While living conditions have improved, the only real decreases in vaccine-preventable diseases have occurred after the introduction of a vaccine that prevents the disease.

Myth: Vaccines are safer when given one at a time

Facts: Some parents decide to “spread out” the time during which their child receives vaccinations, because they are unsure of the consequences of doing them all at once. There is no scientific evidence to support this approach, and has actually been demonstrated to put your child at risk of contracting a preventable disease.

I protect. I defend. I vaccinate.

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) -- For CDC Link Click Here

For Each Vaccine VIS Click Below

 

To learn more about immunizations, call Lapeer Pediatrics or go online today to schedule your appointment.

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