Childhood Immunizations Facts
- Children should have 80 percent of their immunizations by age two.
- Infants are often more vulnerable to disease than older children and adults,
and often the effects of disease are more serious in infants than in older
children.
- Many diseases that can be prevented have no cure or treatment.
- A disease may not currently be present in a community, but disease outbreaks
can and do occur when populations are not protected. With frequent international
travel, diseases from other parts of the world are literally only a plane ride
away.
The following ten serious childhood diseases are preventable:
- Hepatitis B.
- Rotavirus.
- Diphtheria.
- Tetanus.
- Pertussis (whooping cough).
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
- Pneumococcal.
- Polio.
- Influenza.
- Measles.
- Mumps.
- Rubella.
- Hepatitis A.
- Meningococcal.
Immunizations save money. Diseases that can be prevented cost 16 times more
in medical-related expenses than the vaccine that prevents the disease. The
nationwide 1989-1991 measles outbreak caused 44,000 days of hospitalization
resulting in $100 million in direct medical costs. This does not include direct
costs to families, such as lost days of work, school, and child care.
Last Update:
07/01/2008 10:25 AM
