Immunizations Needed For Your Child - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

We have record or near record low levels of vaccine preventable childhood diseases in the United States, but that does not mean these have disappeared. Many of the viruses and bacteria are still circulating in this country or are only a plane ride away. That’s why it’s important that children, especially infants and young children, receive recommended immunizations on time. In our mobile society, over a million people each day people travel to and from other countries, including countries where many vaccine preventable diseases remain relatively common. Without vaccines, epidemics of many preventable diseases could return, resulting in increased– and unnecessary– illness, disability, and death among children.

[Vaccination schedule for children]

The following vaccine-preventable diseases, not long ago, disabled and killed millions of American children. Thanks to our country’s high childhood immunization coverage levels, these diseases are now very uncommon.

Diphtheria

Description	A respiratory disease caused by bacteria
Symptoms	Gradual onset of a sore throat and low-grade fever
Complications	Airway obstruction, coma, and death if not treated
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing
Vaccine	Diphtheria toxoid (contained in DTP, DTaP, DT or Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.

 Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) 

Description	A severe bacterial infection, occurring primarily in infants
Symptoms	Skin and throat infections, meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, and arthritis (Can be serious in children under age 1, but there is little risk of getting the disease after age 5)
Complications	Hib meningitis (death in one out of 20 children, and permanent brain damage in 10% - 30% of the survivors)
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing
Vaccine	Hib vaccine can prevent this disease.

Hepatitis A

Description	A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis A virus
Symptoms	Potentially none (likelihood of symptoms increases with the person's age) If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, or nausea
Complications	Because young children might not have symptoms, the disease is often not recognized until the child's caregiver becomes ill with hepatitis A.
Transmission	Most often: spread by the fecal-oral route (An object contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A is put into another person's mouth.) Less often: spread by swallowing food or water that contains the virus
Vaccine	Hepatitis A vaccine will prevent this disease.

Hepatitis   B

Description	A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis B virus
Symptoms	Potentially none when first infected (likelihood of early symptoms increases with the person's age) If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea, or joint pain
Complications	The younger the person, the greater the likelihood of staying infected and having life-long liver problems, such as scarring of the liver and liver cancer
Transmission	Spread through contact with the blood of an infected person or by having sex with an infected person
Vaccine	Hepatitis B vaccine is will prevent this disease.

  Measles

Description	A respiratory disease caused by a virus
Symptoms	Measles virus causes rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, lasting about a week.
Complications	Diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and death
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)
Vaccine	Measles vaccine (contained in MMR, MR and measles vaccines) can prevent this disease.

  Mumps

Description	A disease of the lymph nodes caused by a virus
Symptoms	Fever, headache, muscle ache, and swelling of the lymph nodes close to the jaw
Complications	Meningitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, inflammation of the pancreas and deafness (usually permanent)
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing
Vaccine	Mumps vaccine (contained in MMR) can prevent this disease.

  Pertussis (whooping cough)

Description	A respiratory disease caused by bacteria
Symptoms	Severe spasms of coughing that can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing
Complications	Pneumonia, encephalitis (due to lack of oxygen), and death, especially in infants.
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)
Vaccine	Pertussis vaccine (contained in DTP and DTaP) can prevent this disease.

 Polio

Description	A disease of the lymphatic and nervous systems
Symptoms	Fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, and stiffness in the neck, back, and legs
Complications	Paralysis that can lead to permanent disability and death
Transmission	Contact with an infected person
Vaccine	Polio vaccine (IPV) can prevent this disease.

  Rubella (German measles)

Description	A respiratory disease caused by a virus
Symptoms	Rash and fever for two to three days ( mild disease in children and young adults)
Complications	Birth defects if acquired by a pregnant woman: deafness, cataracts, heart defects, mental retardation, and liver and spleen damage (at least a 20% chance of damage to the fetus if a woman is infected early in pregnancy)
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing
Vaccine	Rubella vaccine (contained in MMR vaccine) can prevent this disease.

  Tetanus (lockjaw)

Description	A disease of the nervous system caused by a bacteria
Symptoms	Early symptoms: lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing Later symptoms: fever, elevated blood pressure, and severe muscle spasms
Complications	Death in one third of the cases, especially people over age 50
Transmission	Enters the body through a break in the skin
Vaccine	Tetanus toxoid (contained in DTP, DT, DTaP & Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.

Varicella (chickenpox)

Description	A virus of the herpes family
Symptoms	A skin rash of blister-like lesions, usually on the face, scalp, or trunk
Complications	Bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain, and pneumonia (usually more severe in children 13 or older and adults)
Transmission	Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious)
Vaccine	Varicella vaccine can prevent this disease.

(Information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)