Immunization Specialist

What are immunizations?

Immunizations are a form of preventative care that help you avoid infection from certain bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. They come in the form of injectable vaccines, many of which are available at Nevada Pediatric Specialists. 

By immunizing your child with vaccines, you do more than protect your child from illness. When many people in a community receive a vaccine, it slows the spread of the illness. In some cases, it eliminates the illness from the population entirely. 

At Nevada Pediatric Specialists, the team helps you keep track of your child’s immunizations and when to get them. When your child gets a vaccine, they make sure your child is comfortable and that the shot happens quickly. For the safety of other patients, the clinic does not take children who do not get vaccines.

How do immunizations work?

Immunizations prime your immune system. More specifically, vaccines contain either an inactive form of the disease-causing virus or bacteria or a protein from the germ.

Your immune system defends you against the inactive germs in the vaccine as if they were actively harmful. It then learns to recognize the germ to prepare for future invasions. It does so by creating specific antibodies to fight the germs. 

Which immunizations does my child need?

Your child’s provider at Nevada Pediatric Specialists can walk you through all of the vaccines available and the recommended ages for getting them.

In the case of most immunizations, your child only needs one or two shots in their lifetime. You can vaccinate your child to protect them from the following diseases:

• Chickenpox
• Polio
• Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis 
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Measles, mumps, and rubella
• Rotavirus 
• Pneumococcal infections
• Meningococcal infections
• Haemophilus influenzae type B 
• Human papillomavirus

You should also get the yearly flu shot for your child. Unlike other immunizations, the flu vaccine changes from year to year according to which 3-4 strains of influenza experts project to be active in the coming year. It is important to get the vaccine for your child as soon as it becomes available, which is typically early in the fall season. 

It is easy to overlook the flu shot since many flu symptoms are similar to cough and cold symptoms. However, the flu can cause serious health complications for your child, like pneumonia, rapid respiratory failure, sepsis, or a weak immune system leading to other diseases. You can start getting the seasonal flu shot for your child as early as six months of age. 

For more information on immunizations and their schedule for children, call Nevada Pediatric Specialists, or set up an appointment online today.