The Importance of Childhood Vaccinations

Your Costa Mesa medical care center wants to make childhood vaccinations an integral part of your family’s healthcare regimen. The benefits of vaccinating your child against various diseases cannot be over-emphasized. Vaccinations protect your child from contracting a contagious disease and also prevent him (or her) from spreading that disease to vulnerable members of the community.
Some parents, concerned with possible side effects, have refused to vaccinate their children. Authorities say that a recent outbreak of measles, introduced by a foreign visitor to Disneyland, was able to spread to other visitors of the theme park because they had not received the measles vaccination.

Read on to find answers to some of your questions about vaccinations and what your Orange County care center can provide.
Why Not Rely on Natural Immunity?
It is true that allowing the body to fight an infection on its own often results in a more complete immunity compared to vaccinations. However, you might recover from Polio but be left with paralysis. Similarly, allowing the body to fight mumps could result in deafness. Battling simple chicken pox could lead to pneumonia. A vaccination can help prevent the disease and possibly dangerous complications.
What Is the Connection between Vaccines and Autism?

In 2010, The Lancet, the respected British medical journal, retracted the original 1998 study connecting vaccinations to incidents of autism in children. The discredited study had erroneously linked the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccination to incidents of autism. More thorough studies have not found any link between autism and the MMR vaccination.
Do Vaccines Have Dangerous Side Effects?
Side effects from vaccines are possible, but almost always minor in nature. Your child might experience a low-grade fever and possibly have some soreness and reddening or swelling where the vaccine was injected. Other symptoms could include loss of appetite, fatigue, vertigo, and headache. It is possible, though rare, that they might have a more serious allergic reaction or possible seizures. It is important to be sure your child does not have allergies to specific ingredients in the vaccine.
When Should Your Child Receive Vaccinations?
The vaccinations your child should receive depends on his (or her) health, which vaccine he (or she) needs and what is available. Some vaccinations are combined to reduce the number of shots your child receives.
Ideally, your child will begin to receive most of his (or her) vaccinations from birth through six months of age, followed by some annual vaccines starting at one year of age. Vaccinations continue through the first 18 months, then pick up again between four and six years of age. Other vaccinations are recommended for preteens at 11 and 12 years, and college-bound students.
Getting Vaccination Information from Your Costa Mesa Urgent Care Center
If your child needs vaccinations, or he (or she) has other medical issues you would like to have treated, your walk-in Costa Mesa care center is here to help. At Xpress Urgent Care, we’ll take care of your child promptly.
If you would like to learn more about childhood vaccinations and when they should be administered, give us a call at 949-548-8400.