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Vaccines teach our bodies to protect against harmful germs. This prevents us from getting very sick and lowers the chances of needing medicines or going to the hospital. Every year, illnesses that vaccines help to prevent can still affect kids who haven't had those vaccines.

Learn more here: upcoming blog post Why do babies need vaccines?

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Children do best with vaccines when parents are honest with them about what to expect. Parents should let their children know that shots can be scary and painful, but that they are safe and will be okay. It can help to hold them in a comfortable position, like a hug. You can request using a pain blocking tool like a Buzzy Bee or Shot Blocker to reduce the pain.

Yes. Vaccines greatly reduce the risk of getting sick and having severe illness from the diseases they target. But, no vaccine is perfect. For example, wearing a seat belt doesn’t guarantee you won’t get injured in a car crash. But, seat belts are the best way to keep us safe from getting very injured in a crash. In the same way, getting a vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick. It is the best tool we have to keep us from catching and getting very sick from serious diseases.

Yes. Babies are exposed to far more antigens in a single day than over the course of the entire immunization schedule.

Yes. Parental antibodies from the placenta protect newborns from germs but disappear after about 6 months of age. Vaccines allow children to create their own natural antibodies to continue protecting them from germs as they grow. Delaying vaccines leaves children at risk for infection after parental antibodies disappear.

No. The CDC vaccine schedule shows the safest time for children to receive vaccines. Spacing out vaccines does not reduce side effects; it increases the time that children remain at risk for a disease. Changing the schedule often leads to more shots and more trips to the doctor’s office.

Learn more here: When Individual Doctors Make Their Own Immunization Schedules: What You Should Know | | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (chop.edu),

Yes. Vaccines provide important protection for every child, no matter their health. No amount of healthy diet, exercise, sleep, or mental wellness will stop a germ from causing an infection. Vaccines are one of many important steps we can take to keep our children healthy.

Yes. The CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule is recommended for all children. Rarely, a child’s specific situation requires a different plan. Diseases that we vaccinate against are dangerous for everyone. Vaccines are the best protection we have.

Yes. Children with chronic medical conditions may be at higher risk for serious illness from diseases that vaccines prevent. It is important that they and everyone around them are fully vaccinated. Children who have immune systems that are very weak, like those with HIV or on chemotherapy, cannot receive live virus vaccines, like MMR and Varicella. For those children, all of their friends and family must be fully vaccinated to provide community immunity.

Yes. There is no harm in receiving a vaccine after having the disease it protects against. Some vaccines are not necessary if you've had the infection already. This is the case if an infection can provide lifelong immunity. In other cases, it is still recommended to get a vaccine even if you’ve had the disease. This may be because the infection does not provide long-term immunity. Or, there are other subtypes of the disease that could still cause future infection. If you are unsure whether your child had a disease before, it is always safer and recommended to get them vaccinated. (The Vaccine Handbook. A Practical Guide for Clinicians. 11th edition. Gary S. Marshall, MD.)

Yes. Childhood vaccines can safely be given numerous times. It is always preferable to avoid unnecessary shots. But, if you aren’t sure whether your child has gotten a vaccine before, it is safer to get the vaccine again. Another vaccine is better than risking them remaining unprotected.