Preventing illness with immunizations

By simply making sure your child receives a series of immunizations, you can protect your child from a number of illnesses.

Immunizations can protect your child from:

• Mumps.
• Measles.
• Chickenpox.
• Polio.
• Rubella (German measles).
• Diphtheria.
• Tetanus (lockjaw).
• Pertussis (whooping cough).
• Hepatitis B.
• H. influenza type b, which is a major cause of meningitis.

Guidelines for when a child should be immunized for different diseases change from time to time. Talk to your pediatrician about an immunization schedule for your child. Or, take your child to an immunization clinic, often offered by local health departments.

It is important to keep a record of the immunizations your child has received. If you change doctors as your child grows, you can share these records with the new doctor.