Childhood Immunizations

Unvaccinated Children At Higher Risk Of Illnesses
by eNotAlone.com
Children whose parents do not want to immunize them are 23 times more likely to develop the whooping cough, or pertussis, compared to those kids who have all their vaccinations done on time, U.S. researchers reported last week.

Flu Vaccine Doesn't Work For All Children
by eNotAlone.com
Flu vaccine can triple the risk of hospitalization for children, and especially the ones with asthma, when compared with kids who have not received the shot, according to a new study by the U.S. scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Change In Vaccine Order Affects Infants' Response To Pain
by eNotAlone.com
Canadian doctors say that the certain order in which vaccine injections are being administered to infants, affects their response to pain. According to scientists, infants who receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) following the combination

Mercury-Based Vaccine Is Not Linked To Autism
by eNotAlone.com
A new study from Italy adds to a mountain of evidence that a mercury-based preservative thimerosal, once used in many vaccines does not hurt children, offering more reassurance to parents. In the early 90s, thousands of healthy Italian children

Biotech Revolution: Vaccines
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
'Vaccines are among our most important and cost-effective medical interventions, preventing disease in those who receive them and reducing the spread and risk of infections through our communities,' says CBER Director Jesse Goodman, M.D., M.P.H.

Vaccines and Immunization Schedules
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Here's a look at vaccines that have been recently licensed by the FDA, along with the latest recommendations from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for young children, adolescents, and adults.

Why Immunize?
by CDC
Why immunize our children? Sometimes we are confused by the messages in the media. First we are assured that, thanks to vaccines, some diseases are almost gone from the U.S. But we are also warned to immunize our children, ourselves as adults

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Vaccination
by CDC
The age at which infants begin their primary course of vaccinations (2 to 4 months old) is also the peak age for the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The similar timing of these two events has led some people to believe that the events

Vaccines and Hair Loss
by CDC
A recent study suggests that hair loss may occur in a few persons who have received vaccinations. This side effect, if confirmed by other studies, would be considered very rare. Other studies to further investigate these findings are underway.

Thimerosal-free Vaccines
by CDC
Today, with the exception of some influenza vaccine, none of the vaccines used to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative.

Mercury and Vaccines (Thimerosal)
by CDC
Thimerosal is used as a preservative in some multi-dose vials of vaccines to prevent contamination. Preservatives are not required for vaccines in single-dose vials. As a preservative, thimerosal is added at the end of the production process to the bulk

Mercury and Thimerosal
by CDC
Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and exists in several forms. These forms can be organized under three headings: metallic mercury (also known as elemental mercury), inorganic mercury, and organic mercury.

GBS and Menactra Meningococcal Vaccine
by CDC
The CDC and FDA, in partnership with state health departments, are investigating cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) among adolescents who have recently received tetravalent (A, C, Y, W135) meningococcal conjugate vaccine

Multiple Vaccines and the Immune System
by CDC
Currently, CDC recommends vaccination against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. Because some of these vaccines have to be administered more than once, a child may receive up to 23 shots by the time he or she is 2 years of age.

Vaccine Safety: Six Common Misconceptions
by CDC
Most parents today have never seen a case of diphtheria, measles, or other once-common diseases now preventable by vaccines. As a result, some parents wonder why their children must receive shots for diseases that don't seem to exist.

MMR Vaccine and Autism
by CDC
At a glance: The weight of currently available scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that vaccines cause autism. We recognize there is considerable public interest in this issue, and therefore support additional research regarding

Is there a connection between vaccines and ASD?
by CDC
At a glance: The weight of currently available scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that vaccines cause autism. We recognize there is considerable public interest in this issue, and therefore support additional research regarding

Childhood Immunization Benefits and Risks
by Health Canada
Vaccines are a safe and effective way to give children immunity against a number of potentially serious diseases. Babies are born with a certain amount of natural protection against disease, which comes in the form of antibodies they get from their mother

Pneumococcal Vaccine
by Health Canada
A new pneumococcal vaccine has been licensed for use in Canada for children. Pneumococcal disease is caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are more than 90 different types of pneumococcal bacteria; however, only a few types account

Vaccines and Autism Link?
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
There is no link between autism and the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or the vaccine preservative thimerosal, according to a report released by the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Immunization Safety Review Committee.