Why Immunizations Are Important

Immunizations provided by the pediatricians at Tri-Valley Pediatrics in San Ramon and Pleasanton, CA, offer important benefits for your child's health. Vaccines prevent diseases that could serious, long-lasting health complications for your son or daughter.

Immunizations protect your child from serious illness

Have you been wondering if your child really needs to receive immunizations for chickenpox, whooping cough, measles and other childhood illnesses? Unfortunately, even illnesses that may seem minor can cause severe health problems or even death in some children. For example, measles complications can include brain infections, pneumonia and blindness. Whooping cough can also lead to pneumonia, in addition to seizures and brain inflammation.

It's impossible to tell which children will develop serious complications and which will only develop a minor illness. Even a "minor" illness can be quite uncomfortable for your child. Fortunately, immunizations prevent your child from developing illnesses or reduce the severity of the infection.

Immunizations for these illnesses are offered at the San Ramon and Pleasanton, CA, pediatric offices:

• Rotavirus
• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
• Measles, mumps and rubella
• Polio
• Haemophilus influenza type B
• Pneumococcal conjugate
• Varicella
• Hepatitis A and B
• Meningococcal conjugate
• Meninogococcal B
• Human papillomavirus
• Influenza

Immunizations benefit the entire community

Immunizations not only help your child but also benefit other people who live around you. In recent years, whooping cough and measles cases increased in several areas of the country when parents decided not to immunize their children. When the majority of the population is immunized, diseases no longer spread throughout the school or community.

Immunizing as many people as possible also offers protection for people who can't receive vaccinations. Babies who aren't old enough to receive vaccines and people who can't be immunized due to health reasons benefit when everyone else is immunized.

Although some parents are understandably concerned about a link between autism and immunizations, numerous studies have shown no link between the two, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection. Immunizations offer a safe, effective way to help your child avoid potentially devastating illnesses.

Protect your child's health with immunizations provided by your San Ramon and Pleasanton, CA, pediatricians at Tri-Valley Pediatrics. Call (925) 460-8444 to schedule a visit with the Pleasanton office, or (925) 380-6230 for the San Ramon office.