Immunizations: What You Need to Know

In 3 weeks, Jacob is scheduled for his 5 in 1 vaccine. This one time shot can protect your children from 5 diseases by giving them 1 easy vaccine. The 5-in-1 vaccine protects against:

1. Diphtheria
2. Tetanus
3. Pertussis (whooping cough)
4. Polio
5. Hib disease

Although it pains me to see my baby wailing in pain from the shots, I see it as a necessity to protect him from diseases. Immunizations are designed to provide protection against serious diseases and it is important part of my child's routine checkups. Some of those diseases (such as polio and diphtheria) were common a hundred years ago, but are rarely seen now thanks to immunizations.

However, I read and heard from the show Doctors how Autism is linked to Vaccines. Is there some truth in this? Should I be worried? If you have seen the show Doctors, the Parents, represented by Jenny McCarthy noted that there have been obvious side effects to their kids after shots were administered. Health Organizations had some strong views against this saying that there is no relationship between vaccines and autism. Both sides had a point. And at this time, there is really no known correct and definite answer to that. You can read more about the vaccine-autism controversy and I won't go much into it since I don't have the facts. Still, as a parent it got me thinking. That's why I will ask my Doctor about it the next time we go in for a check-up.

If you want to know what shots are for, how many doses and when it is given you can check it out here.