Many parents today have never seen a child with measles, whooping cough or polio. That is a success story, and it is largely thanks to vaccines. But these diseases have not disappeared. Some still circulate in the United States, and others are a plane ride away. Knowing what each one does can help you understand why your pediatrician talks about vaccines at so many visits.
How vaccines protect your child
A vaccine teaches the immune system to recognize a germ without your child having to get sick first. If your child is later exposed to the real germ, the body is ready to fight it off quickly. When most people in a community are vaccinated, germs have a harder time spreading. That protects people who cannot be fully vaccinated yet, like newborns, and children whose immune systems are weakened by illness or treatment.
The MedlinePlus page on vaccines explains in more detail how vaccines work and how their safety is checked.
The diseases
Measles
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can linger in a room after that person leaves. It starts with high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that spreads from the face down the body.
Measles is not just a rash illness. It can lead to ear infections, pneumonia, swelling of the brain, and in some cases death. Babies and young children are at the highest risk of serious problems. Measles outbreaks have occurred in the United States in recent years, including in Texas. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine protects against it. Learn more from MedlinePlus on measles.
Whooping cough (pertussis)
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that causes long, violent coughing fits. Older kids may make a "whoop" sound when they gasp for air afterward. The cough can last for weeks, which is why it has been called the "100-day cough."
It is most dangerous for babies. Infants may not cough much at all. Instead, they may struggle to breathe, turn blue, or stop breathing for short periods. Many babies who catch it need hospital care. Young babies often catch it from an older child or adult who thinks they just have a bad cold. Vaccines for children, teens and adults, including during pregnancy, help protect babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated.
Polio
Polio is caused by a virus that spreads through contact with infected stool or droplets. Most people who catch it have no symptoms or a mild illness. But in a small number of cases, the virus attacks the nerves and causes weakness or paralysis, which can be permanent and can affect the muscles used to breathe. Thanks to vaccination, polio is no longer spreading in the U.S., but it still exists in other parts of the world and could return if vaccination rates drop.
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
Despite the name, Hib is a bacterium, not the flu. Before there was a vaccine, Hib was a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in young children in the U.S. Meningitis is an infection of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, and it can cause hearing loss, brain damage or death. Hib can also cause severe swelling in the throat that blocks breathing, along with pneumonia and blood infections. It mainly threatens children under 5.
Pneumococcal disease
Pneumococcus is a common bacterium that can cause anything from ear and sinus infections to serious illnesses like pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream infections. Young children, older adults and people with certain health conditions are most at risk for the serious kinds. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against the types that most often cause severe disease.
Rotavirus
Rotavirus causes severe vomiting and watery diarrhea, often with fever. In babies and toddlers, it can quickly lead to dehydration that needs IV fluids in the hospital. The rotavirus vaccine is given by mouth as drops, not a shot.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. It spreads through blood and body fluids, and a mother who carries the virus can pass it to her baby during birth, sometimes without knowing she has it. Adults who catch hepatitis B usually clear it. Babies and young children are much more likely to develop a lifelong infection, which can lead to liver scarring and liver cancer later in life. The hepatitis B vaccine helps prevent this.
Chickenpox (varicella)
Chickenpox causes an itchy rash of blisters and fever, and for most kids it is mild. But it can lead to serious skin infections, pneumonia, and brain swelling, and it can be dangerous for newborns, teens, adults, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems. The virus also stays in the body and can come back years later as painful shingles. The chickenpox vaccine has made this illness far less common.
Why vaccines still matter
When a disease becomes rare, it is easy to feel that the vaccine is no longer needed. But the germs are still out there. When vaccination rates fall in a community, outbreaks follow, as we have seen with measles and whooping cough. Babies, who are too young for some vaccines, are often the ones hurt most.
It is normal to have questions about vaccines, including about side effects, timing and ingredients. Most side effects are mild, like a sore arm or a low fever for a day or two. Serious reactions are rare. Bring them to your child's next visit. We can talk through your concerns and walk you through the schedule your pediatrician recommends for your child's age and health.
The AAP's immunizations section on HealthyChildren.org answers many common questions. For Texas school and child care requirements, check the Texas Department of State Health Services.
When to call us
Call your A thru Z Pediatrics office if you have questions about vaccines, think your child may have missed some, or your child has been exposed to measles, whooping cough or chickenpox. If you think your child has measles, call before coming in so we can keep other patients, especially babies, from being exposed.
Call 911 or go to the ER if your child has trouble breathing, turns blue or stops breathing during coughing spells, has a seizure, has a stiff neck with fever, is very hard to wake, or has signs of severe dehydration such as no urine for many hours.
To catch up on vaccines or ask questions in person, request a visit.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have concerns about your child's health, call your A thru Z Pediatrics office.