Are Immunizations Safe?

Immunizations

Immunizations are really quite safe. There are very small risks of serious problems from immunizations but the protection that they provide far outweigh the risks and temporary discomforts your child may experience. There are some minor side effects of immunizations. Some may cause mild fever, soreness or a lump under the skin where the shot was given. If you have question about immunizations, speak with your family doctor.

Immunization Facts

• A choice not to get the vaccine is a choice to get the disease.
• The most important thing is that we keep our children safe and healthy.
• Lower rater of immunizations results in increased numbers of outbreaks of infectious diseases.
• Diseases that have been eliminated from the U.S. haven’t necessarily been eliminated from the rest of the world. International travel can bring infectious disease germs to the U.S.
• Vaccine safety is continually studied and monitored.
• Vaccines help keep healthy children healthy.
• More vaccines mean fewer diseases.
• Getting a vaccination is far safer than natural infection of a disease.
• The vaccination MMR does not cause autism.

Links About Safety of Immunizations

Childhood Vaccines: What They Are and Why Your Child Needs Them
http://www.familydoctor.org/028.xml

Concerns About Vaccine Safety
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/concerns.htm

Guide to Contraindications to Vaccinations
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/vac-admin/contraindications.htm

How FDA Works to Ensure Vaccine Safety
U.S. Food and Drug Administaration
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/095_vacc.html

Misconceptions About Immunizations
Quackwatch
http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/immu/immu00.html

Responding to Parental Refusals of Immunization of Children
American Academy of Pediatrics
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/5/1428

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
The Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.vaers.hhs.gov/

U.S. Food and Drug Administaration
http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaers/articles.htm

What Would Happen if we Stopped Immunizations?
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/fs/gen/WhatIfStop.htm

Community Resources for Immunizations:

Community Resources:

• Utah County Immunization Clinics
• Utah Vaccines for Children (VFC)