Vaccines

What are vaccines?

Vaccines, or vaccinations, are an important part of your child’s preventive health care plan. Depending on your child’s needs, they may receive medications via injections, by mouth, or nasal sprays. 

These vaccines enable your child to develop the important antibodies that help protect them when they come into contact with certain viruses, reducing their chance of becoming seriously ill. If your child does get sick after getting vaccinations, their symptoms will likely be less severe and more mild. 

What are vaccines made of?

Every parent wants the best for their children, and one of the topics of concern is the ingredients in vaccinations. Most common vaccines contain weakened or dead germs that introduce your child’s body to certain viruses so that it can create the protective antibodies to know how to fight against it. Other vaccinations contain mRNA materials that serve the same purpose. 

Which vaccines might my child need?

Some of the vaccinations your child may need include:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Chickenpox
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• COVID-19
• Flu
• Polio
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus 
• Rotavirus
• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Meningococcal disease
• Pneumococcal disease
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Whooping cough

The team at Pediatric Care of Chelsea lets you know which vaccines your child is eligible for based on their age, risk factors, medical history, and immunization history.

They also check your child’s vital signs, complete a head-to-toe physical exam, and may recommend diagnostic tests to determine which vaccinations are best for your child.

What should my child expect when getting vaccines?

As your child relaxes comfortably in a chair or the exam table, their provider gently injects the vaccine substance into their leg or arm. If they’re receiving vaccinations through nasal sprays, they provide you and your child with instructions on what to expect. For this method, your child will breathe in a nasal mist instead of receiving an injection. Your child may also receive a vaccination to take by mouth.

Your child may feel a tiny pinch and slight discomfort during vaccines via needle insertions, but the sensation lasts just a moment. 

What happens after vaccines?

After your child receives their vaccines, they can resume most normal activities. However, they might have a sore arm and experience some swelling and redness at the injection site. These side effects are normal and temporary.  

If your child develops fatigue, muscle aches, nasal congestion, or a low-grade fever, you should contact Pediatric Care of Chelsea. They can guide you through the steps of helping your child feel better faster. 

It’s important to note that some vaccinations require your child to have boosters (additional vaccines) spaced over time to achieve the most protection from a disease. 

Call Pediatric Care of Chelsea or schedule your child’s vaccine appointment online today.