Are vaccines safe?
Yes. Vaccines are very safe. The United States’ long-standing vaccine safety system ensures that vaccines are as safe as possible. Currently, the United States has the safest vaccine supply in its history. Millions of children safely receive vaccines each year. The most common side effects are very mild, such as pain or swelling at the injection site.

What are the risks and benefits of vaccines?
Vaccines can prevent infectious diseases that once killed or harmed many infants, children and adults. Without vaccines, your child is at risk for getting seriously ill and suffering pain, disability and even death from diseases like measles and whooping cough. The main risks associated with getting vaccines are side effects, which are almost always mild (redness and swelling at the injection site) and go away within a few days. Serious side effects after vaccination, such as a severe allergic reaction, are very rare and doctors and clinic staff are trained to deal with them.

The benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children. The only exceptions to this are cases in which a child has a serious chronic medical condition like cancer or a disease that weakens the immune system or has had a severe allergic reaction to a previous vaccine dose.

Is there a link between autism and vaccines?
No. Scientific studies and reviews continue to show no relationship between vaccines and autism. Please see the CDC vaccine safety website for more information on autism and vaccines.

Source: cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/autism

What are common side effects of vaccines?
Vaccines, like any medication, may cause some side effects. Most of these side effects are very minor, like soreness where the shot was given, fussiness or a low-grade fever. These side effects typically only last a couple of days and are treatable. For example, you can apply a cool, wet washcloth on the sore area to ease discomfort.

Can vaccines overload my baby’s immune system?
Vaccines don’t overload a baby’s immune system. Every day, a healthy baby’s body fights off many germs. Vaccines help by giving the body a small, safe part of the germ, called an antigen. These parts are not harmful because the germ is either weak or dead. Even if a baby gets several vaccines in one day, it’s still much less than the germs they face every day. Vaccines help protect babies from serious diseases.

Why do vaccines start so early?
The recommended schedule protects infants and children by providing protection early in life, before they come into contact with life-threatening diseases. Children receive vaccinations early because they are susceptible to diseases at a young age.

Should my child get shots if she is sick?
Talk with your child’s provider, but children can usually get vaccinated even if they have a mild illness like a cold, earache, mild fever or diarrhea. If the doctor says it is okay, your child can still get vaccinated.

Should I delay some vaccines or follow a non-standard schedule?
Children do not receive any known benefits from following schedules that delay vaccines. Infants and young children who follow immunization schedules that spread out or leave out shots are at risk of developing diseases during the time you delay their shots.

Why can’t I delay some vaccines if I’m planning to get them all eventually?
Young children have the highest risk of having a serious case of disease that could cause hospitalization or death. Delaying or spreading out vaccine doses leaves your child unprotected when they need vaccine protection the most. For example, diseases almost always occur in the first 2 years of a baby’s life. And some diseases, like hepatitis B and whooping cough (pertussis), are more serious when babies get them.

If I’m breastfeeding, do I vaccinate my baby on schedule?
Yes, even breastfed babies need to be protected with vaccines at the recommended ages. The immune system is not fully developed at birth, which puts newborns at greater risk for infections.

Breast milk provides important protection from some infections as your baby’s immune system is developing. For example, babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of ear infections, respiratory tract infections, and diarrhea. However, breast milk does not protect children against all diseases. Even in breastfed infants, vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many diseases. Your baby needs long-term protection that can only come from following CDC’s recommended schedule.

Can I wait to vaccinate my baby since he or she isn’t in childcare?
Even young children who are cared for at home can be exposed to diseases, so they need to get all their vaccines at the recommended ages. Children can catch these illnesses from any number of people or places, including from parents, brothers or sisters, visitors to their home, on playgrounds or even at the grocery store. Regardless of whether your baby is cared for outside the home, your baby comes in contact with people throughout the day, some of whom may have a vaccine-preventable disease.

Many of these diseases can be especially dangerous to young children, so it is safest to vaccinate your child at the recommended ages.

Can I wait until my child attends school to catch up on immunizations?
No. Before entering school, young children can be exposed to diseases. Children under age 5 are especially susceptible to diseases because their immune systems have not built up the necessary defenses to fight infection.

Why are multiple doses needed for each vaccine?
Getting every recommended dose of each vaccine provides your child with the best protection possible. Depending on the vaccine, your child will need more than one dose to build high enough immunity to help prevent disease or to boost immunity that fades over time. Your child may also receive more than one dose to make sure they are protected if they did not get immunity from a first dose, or to protect them against germs that change over time, like flu. Every dose is important because each protects against an infectious disease that can be especially serious for infants and very young children.

Do infants have natural immunity?
Babies may get some temporary protection from mom during the last few weeks of pregnancy, but only for diseases to which mom is immune. Breastfeeding may also protect your baby temporarily from minor infections, like colds. These antibodies do not last long, leaving your baby vulnerable to disease.

Haven’t we gotten rid of most of these diseases in this country?
Some vaccine-preventable diseases, like whopping cough (pertussis) and chickenpox, remain common in the United States. On the other hand, other diseases vaccines prevent are no longer common in this country because of vaccines. If we stopped vaccinating, the few cases we have in the United States could very quickly become tens or hundreds of thousands of cases. Even though many serious vaccine-preventable diseases are uncommon in the United States, some are common in other parts of the world. Even if your family does not travel internationally, you could come into contact with international travelers anywhere in your community. Children who don’t receive all vaccinations and are exposed to a disease can become seriously sick and spread it through a community.

Keep in mind: A mild illness is usually not a reason to reschedule a vaccination visit. Learn more about vaccines when your child is sick.

Before the visit

Read about the vaccines your child is getting

• Read vaccine materials you received from your child’s healthcare professional and write down any questions you may have. 
• Get a list of vaccines your child may need; use this quick vaccine assessment tool.
• Learn more about the benefits and risks of the vaccines that your child will receive by reviewing the Vaccine Information Statements. You can also request Vaccine Information Statements at the doctor’s office.

Be ready to support your child during the vaccine visit

Pack your child’s favorite toy, book, or blanket to comfort him or her during vaccinations.

At the doctor’s office

If you have questions about vaccination, ask your child’s doctor or healthcare professional. Your child’s doctor will give you Vaccine Information Statements for the vaccines that your child will be getting that day. Vaccine Information Statements include information about the risks and benefits of each vaccine. If your doctor doesn’t give you one, you can request one.

Make shots easier on your child

A comforting tone or touch can help make vaccines easier on babies.

For babies and younger children

• Distract and comfort your child by cuddling, singing, or talking softly.
• Smile and make eye contact with your child. Let your child know that everything is ok.
• Comfort your child with a favorite toy or book. A blanket that smells familiar will help your child feel more comfortable. 
• Hold your child firmly on your lap, whenever possible.

Once your child has received all of the shots, be especially supportive

Hold and cuddle your child. A soothing voice, combined with praise and hugs will help reassure the child that everything is okay.

Additionally, babies can be soothed through swaddling, skin-to-skin contact, and breastfeeding. If older than 6 months, babies can also be given a beverage.

After the shots

Sometimes children experience mild reactions from shots, such as pain at the injection site, a rash or a fever. These reactions are normal and will soon go away.

These tips will help you identify and minimize mild side effects:

• Read the Vaccine Information Statement your child’s doctor gave you to learn about side effects your child may experience. 
• Use a cool, damp cloth to help reduce redness, soreness and/or swelling at the place where the shot was given.
• Reduce fever with a lukewarm water sponge bath.
• Offer liquids more often. It is normal for some children to eat less during the 24 hours after getting vaccines.

Ask your child’s doctor if you can give your child a non-aspirin pain reliever.

• Pay extra attention to your child for a few days. If you see something that concerns you, call your child’s doctor.

Why you need your child’s vaccine records
It is important to know how to access your child’s vaccine records. Your doctor’s office keeps that information in their Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Ask your doctor’s office for a copy of their vaccination records or access them through the patient portal.. Without documentation, your child might not be allowed to attend school or daycare, play sports, or travel abroad. Your child may need their vaccination records later as adults for certain occupations.

Opting In to ImmTrac2
The state of Texas uses an immunization database called Immtrac2. Your doctor will ask for your permission to upload your child’s immunization records to the system to keep track of all your child’s immunizations. This is helpful if your vaccination record is misplaced, if you change doctors, or if you move to another state.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

As a Dell Children’s Health Plan member, you can get extra rewards, called value-added services, for getting Texas Health Steps or well child checkups for your child. Here are some examples:

Rewards for completing these checkups on time:

• $120 when your child ages 15 months and under has 6 well-child checkups
• $20 each visit when your child has checkups at ages 18, 24 and 30 months

Rewards for vaccinations:

• Members who complete 5 of the Combo 10 vaccines, will receive a $75 reward. Members who complete all of the Combo 10 vaccines, will receive an additional $125 reward one-time benefit.