This is written from my experience with vaccines, it is not meant to be a medical document. If you want to know further, ask your health provider and get that information.

Through the years I have heard of different mothers not wanting to have their children immunized because of the risks. In the last 25 years I have heard all of the horror stories but they have remained just that, stories. I have never seen any child with any problems due to having immunizations. I have felt that the immunizations were well worth the risk, because the risk is so small compared to the diseases that they help to prevent. These diseases that we have vaccines for today have, in the past, killed thousands and possibly millions of people. I spoke with my health care provider and was told that only 1 in 100 will have any real complications. These complications were usually a higher fever, about 103 instead of the normal 99 to 101. I was also told that the vaccines are now so refined that the risks will go down from the previous number. With new vaccines and fewer problems, there should be no reason for not immunizing your children. When I was a child we had the "shot day" at school and everyone was immunized. After I had my small pox shot I got very sick with a fever and lighter symptoms of the disease. I still remember how sick I was. A few years ago though, there was a report on the news about the small pox disease. Because of immunizations it has been almost totally wiped from the earth. The report was that there had, at that time, been no cases of small pox reported throughout the world for three years. That is a pretty impressive fact about a disease that at one time killed millions of people.

With all of my children, a total of 12 immunizations ( we didn't have Alison immunized because she was sick), none have had any problems with side effects due to immunizations. I've had a lot of friends through the years with children also and have not seen any side effects with them either. Unless you have a specific concern, I wouldn't be concerned with immunization problems. I think your child has just as great a risk walking out of the door and being struck by a car or getting in an accident as having any real problems with vaccines. The side effects that I have seen have been redness and maybe a little swelling in the areas that the shot was received. This usually only lasts for a day or two. I have applied a warm compress to the area or just put them into a warm bath. That is usually very relaxing for a child and also fun. Fever is another of the side effects. Usually it is just a low grade fever. If you give your child an aspirin free pain reliever BEFORE the shot is given it will help with fever and possibly some of the pain. This is not medical advice. This is what I have done. Check with your own doctor or health care provider and they will most likely give you the same advice. Another thing that I have done to help the child, when it is a child that I am still nursing, is to nurse right after the shot is given. This will calm the crying and make the child feel warm and loved. Uncontrollable crying is another of the problems that some children have with an immunization. By nursing this can be avoided. When your 4 or 5 year old is given immunizations so that they can go to kindergarten, have the shots a while before school starts. You don't want him associating the shots with school. Also, if he gets feeling a little sick he won't miss the first day of school.

I guess now you can see where I stand on the subject of immunizations and the reactions to vaccines. If you have any concerns, call you own doctor and voice them to him. Good luck, and may we all have healthy children!