3 Things You Need To Know About Immunizing Your Child
There has been a lot of hype around immunizing your child, and although there are some children who benefit from not getting immunized, they are the minority and it is important that parents do the responsible thing for their child and immunize them to protect them and others from dangerous diseases. Usually the nurse at your child's pediatrician's office, such as Kitsap Children's Clinic LLP, will do the immunizations. Here are some things you should know.
1. Don't Give The Child Tylenol Before The Shots
Because the shots have been known to cause a slight fever, many parents give their child some sort of fever reducing medicine before the shot. Studies have shown that you shouldn't do this. You want the immune system to jump start with an immunization, and you want the child's body to actually have a reaction. Not a serious reaction, but just a mild one, it means that the immunization is working. If you give them a medication the suppresses the immune system the who thing may not work as well. This is why it is best to give the child some Tylenol only after the shots, and only if they are having a more serious reaction.
2. Make Sure The Child Is Healthy
For the best results you need to make sure that the child is healthy before they get their shots. If the child's immune system is already suppressed because of a cold, the croup, an infection or so forth, it could mean that the immunizations aren't as effective. This is why the doctor will usually do the immunizations during a well child check up. This will allow them to determine if the child is healthy enough for the shots. If they are not, they will have you make an appointment for a later time to come in and get the shots done.
3. Stay On Schedule
There is a very specific schedule that the child should stick to when it comes to shots. You should be sure to stick to this schedule seeing as it is for your own child's protection. The shots help to protect your child during any lapse in time when the initial shot might have started to wear off. For instance, during the first couple years of the child's life they need multiple boosts to help get the immunization to take full effect. Thus, don't put it off.
By understanding these things you can make sure your child is fully immunized.