Vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in many childhood diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, and whooping cough.
Other diseases, such as polio and smallpox, have been eliminated in the United States due to effective vaccines. It is now rare for children in the United States to experience the devastating and often deadly effects of these illnesses that were once common. Infant deaths due to vaccine preventable childhood diseases have nearly disappeared.
Recently, parents have been reluctant to vaccinate their children, are there diseases that are "coming back" due to this trend?
Pediatrician Dr. Emily Edwards, MD, MPH explains the importance and benefits of vaccinations for children.
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The Importance of Vaccinating Children
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Organization: MemorialCare Medical Group
Dr. Edwards' Bio
Dr. Emily Edwards, MD, MPH
Dr. Emily Edwards completed her medical training at Children's Hospital of Orange County where she was chosen as a chief of residency. In her medical practice, Dr. Edwards partners with both the parents and the children to promote a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle, which includes emphasis on development, education nutrition, exercise and illness prevention. She says there is nothing more rewarding than making a positive difference in the health and life of a child.Organization: MemorialCare Medical Group
Dr. Edwards' Bio
Transcription:
The Importance of Vaccinating Children
Deborah Howell (Host): Hello, and welcome to the show. You're listening to Weekly Dose of Wellness brought to you by MemorialCare Health System. I'm Deborah Howell, and today's guest is Dr. Emily Edwards, a board certified pediatrician practicing at MemorialCare Medical Group in Irvine. Dr. Edwards completed her medical training at Children's Hospital of Orange County. In her medical practice, Dr. Edwards partners with both the parents and the children to promote a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle, which includes emphasis on development, education, nutrition, exercise, and illness prevention. She says there is nothing more rewarding than making a positive difference in the health and life of a child. We couldn't agree more. Welcome to you, Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Emily Edwards (Guest): Thank you. Thank you for having me this morning.
Deborah: It's a pleasure. Today we're going to be talking about the importance and benefits of vaccinations for children. So let's begin with the basics. What should parents know about vaccinating their children?
Dr. Edwards: Well, parents should know that vaccinations are one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century. Vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in many childhood diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, and whooping cough. Other diseases such as polio and small pox have been eliminated in the United States due to the effects of vaccine. Nowadays, it's very rare for children in the United States to experience the devastating and often deadly effects of these illnesses that were once really common.
Deborah: Right.
Dr. Edwards: Also, because immunization programs of the 20th century have been so successful, a lot of times, parents today haven't seen how badly these can actually affect children as they are infected with these diseases.
Deborah: Absolutely. We've read about them in old books, but face to face, it's a whole different story.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely. And a lot of times, parents haven't seen those that we doctors have.
Deborah: Well, we're in a new age now, and so, most common diseases are preventable. So let's talk about what are some of the most common diseases that are preventable.
Dr. Edwards: Well, whooping cough is a big one, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, the hepatitis infection, such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B, influenza, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, and the list goes on and on, really.
Deborah: Probably the most common one that you just mentioned is influenza.
Dr. Edwards: Mm-hmm.
Deborah: So, important to get vaccinated for that?
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely. You should talk with your physician about getting a flu shot every year. We see complications from influenza hospitalizing children every year with sometimes deadly complications, unfortunately.
Deborah: Yes. What's the youngest a child can get an influenza vaccination?
Dr. Edwards: Six months.
Deborah: Six months. Okay. There you go.
Dr. Edwards: Yes, especially for parents who have young babies who are under six months, those babies can't be vaccinated, so it's either more important for the parents to receive their vaccinations too.
Deborah: And the grandparents.
Dr. Edwards: Kind of create a halo around the child and protect their infants from getting them.
Deborah: And the babysitter and the grandparents.
Dr. Edwards: Exactly.
Deborah: Are there some diseases, doctor, that have been totally eradicated due to vaccinations?
Dr. Edwards: There are. There are a few. Diphtheria used to cause a lot of deaths, about 13,000 deaths per year in the 1920s from diphtheria. But now, in 2002, there was only one case that was reported nationwide. This is due to the vaccines.
Deborah: Can I just ask you to describe the symptoms of diphtheria?
Dr. Edwards: Fever, extreme throat swelling, shortness of breath, basically feeling like your throat is closing. This is something I've never seen in my practice, but it's something I've read about in the textbooks.
Deborah: Let's hope you never do.
Dr. Edwards: Yes, definitely.
Deborah: I think you know this and everybody knows this, but recently, parents have been reluctant to vaccinate their children. Are there diseases that are coming back due to this trend?
Dr. Edwards: Unfortunately, there are. The one that comes to the top of my mind is the measles infection. There have been a lot of parents that have been resistant to give their children the measles vaccine, and because of that, we have a low level of this infection in the community and we're seeing kids get measles. Once again, it can be a deadly infection, in babies, especially.
Deborah: So, can vaccines cause side effects? And if so, what are the most common ones?
Dr. Edwards: Sure. Vaccines, like any medicine, can cause side effects. The most common side effects are minor. You can get a sore arm, redness or swelling where the shot was put in, headache, fatigue, or low-grade fever. Those are the things that are most common. And then, of course, if your child ever get hives or swelling around the mouth or face or has a high fever with vaccines, you should notify your doctor right away.
Deborah: Okay, but not be too alarmed because these are common side effects.
Dr. Edwards: Correct.
Deborah: Okay. Now, we can't talk about immunization and vaccines without thinking about autism. Do vaccines cause autism in your opinion?
Dr. Edwards: No. Unfortunately, the problem with autism is that we don't exactly know what causes it. There's definitely a genetic component to autism. Unfortunately, vaccines have gotten in a bad rap, because right at the same time as you're vaccinating your child with vaccine, autism symptoms can start to develop. So there is this thought out there that there is a relationship. But study after study after studies have shown that vaccines do not cause autism.
Deborah: All right. So let's put that nasty rumor to rest.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely.
Deborah: Okay. It's good to hear it from your lips in such a positive, affirmative way, because really, the Internet, there are so many stories. People get hysterical. You need to talk to a real physician about these things if you have concerns.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely, absolutely. I can't imagine any pediatrician or physician who would say otherwise. Vaccines do not cause autism. And I think the strongest testimony I always give to my patients is that I have a 15-month-old daughter, and I vaccinated her on schedule. Right at 12 months, she got the MMR vaccines just like all the other kiddos. All parents worry about autism, I worry about autism, but vaccines do not cause autism.
Deborah: All right. Really, really, really good to hear. My husband got whooping cough last year, and we were all very surprised. Even the doctor took a minute or two to diagnose it.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: It seems to be really kind of rearing its ugly head again.
Dr. Edwards: It is. It's coming back. That goes back to the booster issue why it is so important for adults to get their whooping cough boosters, checking with their doctor on the schedules that they need it. But we have seen a resurgence of whooping cough, which is why we are recommending the booster. And the problem with the whooping cough is that it is causing the most problems in young babies, who cannot get vaccinated, babies who are less than six months old. You don't get your first whooping cough vaccine in general until you are a few months old, so there's that window there where they're getting infected, and they're usually getting infected from adults who got the booster as an infant or a child but their immunity has worn off. So for all the parents out there and grandparents, it's important to ask your physician if you need the whooping cough booster.
Deborah: And big brothers and sisters, you too.
Dr. Edwards: Exactly.
Deborah: Anyone in contact with that baby. All right, doctor. If our listeners want more information on vaccines and immunizations, where can they go?
Dr. Edwards: They can visit the Centers for Disease website at cdc.gov or the American Academy of Pediatrics site at healthychildren.org.
Deborah: That's healthychildren.org.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: A very, very easy one to remember.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: Any final thought? Because we got about 60 seconds left.
Dr. Edwards: No. Just vaccinate often and regularly.
Deborah: Perfect. Well, you can't get better advice than that. Just follow through, and we'll all be a lot healthier and more well as we go into the fall season. I want to thank you so much, Dr. Edwards, for finding the time to talk to us today about protecting our kids and our families and our friends, of course, through vaccinations. It's been a pleasure to have you on the show.
Dr. Edwards: Thank you.It's my pleasure.
Deborah: I'm Deborah Howell. Don't forget: get your vaccination timely and often and, of course, every family member. Please join us again next time as we explore another Weekly Dose of Wellness brought to you by MemorialCare Health System. Have a fantastic day.
The Importance of Vaccinating Children
Deborah Howell (Host): Hello, and welcome to the show. You're listening to Weekly Dose of Wellness brought to you by MemorialCare Health System. I'm Deborah Howell, and today's guest is Dr. Emily Edwards, a board certified pediatrician practicing at MemorialCare Medical Group in Irvine. Dr. Edwards completed her medical training at Children's Hospital of Orange County. In her medical practice, Dr. Edwards partners with both the parents and the children to promote a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle, which includes emphasis on development, education, nutrition, exercise, and illness prevention. She says there is nothing more rewarding than making a positive difference in the health and life of a child. We couldn't agree more. Welcome to you, Dr. Edwards.
Dr. Emily Edwards (Guest): Thank you. Thank you for having me this morning.
Deborah: It's a pleasure. Today we're going to be talking about the importance and benefits of vaccinations for children. So let's begin with the basics. What should parents know about vaccinating their children?
Dr. Edwards: Well, parents should know that vaccinations are one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century. Vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in many childhood diseases, such as diphtheria, measles, and whooping cough. Other diseases such as polio and small pox have been eliminated in the United States due to the effects of vaccine. Nowadays, it's very rare for children in the United States to experience the devastating and often deadly effects of these illnesses that were once really common.
Deborah: Right.
Dr. Edwards: Also, because immunization programs of the 20th century have been so successful, a lot of times, parents today haven't seen how badly these can actually affect children as they are infected with these diseases.
Deborah: Absolutely. We've read about them in old books, but face to face, it's a whole different story.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely. And a lot of times, parents haven't seen those that we doctors have.
Deborah: Well, we're in a new age now, and so, most common diseases are preventable. So let's talk about what are some of the most common diseases that are preventable.
Dr. Edwards: Well, whooping cough is a big one, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, the hepatitis infection, such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B, influenza, meningococcal disease, pneumococcal disease, and the list goes on and on, really.
Deborah: Probably the most common one that you just mentioned is influenza.
Dr. Edwards: Mm-hmm.
Deborah: So, important to get vaccinated for that?
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely. You should talk with your physician about getting a flu shot every year. We see complications from influenza hospitalizing children every year with sometimes deadly complications, unfortunately.
Deborah: Yes. What's the youngest a child can get an influenza vaccination?
Dr. Edwards: Six months.
Deborah: Six months. Okay. There you go.
Dr. Edwards: Yes, especially for parents who have young babies who are under six months, those babies can't be vaccinated, so it's either more important for the parents to receive their vaccinations too.
Deborah: And the grandparents.
Dr. Edwards: Kind of create a halo around the child and protect their infants from getting them.
Deborah: And the babysitter and the grandparents.
Dr. Edwards: Exactly.
Deborah: Are there some diseases, doctor, that have been totally eradicated due to vaccinations?
Dr. Edwards: There are. There are a few. Diphtheria used to cause a lot of deaths, about 13,000 deaths per year in the 1920s from diphtheria. But now, in 2002, there was only one case that was reported nationwide. This is due to the vaccines.
Deborah: Can I just ask you to describe the symptoms of diphtheria?
Dr. Edwards: Fever, extreme throat swelling, shortness of breath, basically feeling like your throat is closing. This is something I've never seen in my practice, but it's something I've read about in the textbooks.
Deborah: Let's hope you never do.
Dr. Edwards: Yes, definitely.
Deborah: I think you know this and everybody knows this, but recently, parents have been reluctant to vaccinate their children. Are there diseases that are coming back due to this trend?
Dr. Edwards: Unfortunately, there are. The one that comes to the top of my mind is the measles infection. There have been a lot of parents that have been resistant to give their children the measles vaccine, and because of that, we have a low level of this infection in the community and we're seeing kids get measles. Once again, it can be a deadly infection, in babies, especially.
Deborah: So, can vaccines cause side effects? And if so, what are the most common ones?
Dr. Edwards: Sure. Vaccines, like any medicine, can cause side effects. The most common side effects are minor. You can get a sore arm, redness or swelling where the shot was put in, headache, fatigue, or low-grade fever. Those are the things that are most common. And then, of course, if your child ever get hives or swelling around the mouth or face or has a high fever with vaccines, you should notify your doctor right away.
Deborah: Okay, but not be too alarmed because these are common side effects.
Dr. Edwards: Correct.
Deborah: Okay. Now, we can't talk about immunization and vaccines without thinking about autism. Do vaccines cause autism in your opinion?
Dr. Edwards: No. Unfortunately, the problem with autism is that we don't exactly know what causes it. There's definitely a genetic component to autism. Unfortunately, vaccines have gotten in a bad rap, because right at the same time as you're vaccinating your child with vaccine, autism symptoms can start to develop. So there is this thought out there that there is a relationship. But study after study after studies have shown that vaccines do not cause autism.
Deborah: All right. So let's put that nasty rumor to rest.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely.
Deborah: Okay. It's good to hear it from your lips in such a positive, affirmative way, because really, the Internet, there are so many stories. People get hysterical. You need to talk to a real physician about these things if you have concerns.
Dr. Edwards: Absolutely, absolutely. I can't imagine any pediatrician or physician who would say otherwise. Vaccines do not cause autism. And I think the strongest testimony I always give to my patients is that I have a 15-month-old daughter, and I vaccinated her on schedule. Right at 12 months, she got the MMR vaccines just like all the other kiddos. All parents worry about autism, I worry about autism, but vaccines do not cause autism.
Deborah: All right. Really, really, really good to hear. My husband got whooping cough last year, and we were all very surprised. Even the doctor took a minute or two to diagnose it.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: It seems to be really kind of rearing its ugly head again.
Dr. Edwards: It is. It's coming back. That goes back to the booster issue why it is so important for adults to get their whooping cough boosters, checking with their doctor on the schedules that they need it. But we have seen a resurgence of whooping cough, which is why we are recommending the booster. And the problem with the whooping cough is that it is causing the most problems in young babies, who cannot get vaccinated, babies who are less than six months old. You don't get your first whooping cough vaccine in general until you are a few months old, so there's that window there where they're getting infected, and they're usually getting infected from adults who got the booster as an infant or a child but their immunity has worn off. So for all the parents out there and grandparents, it's important to ask your physician if you need the whooping cough booster.
Deborah: And big brothers and sisters, you too.
Dr. Edwards: Exactly.
Deborah: Anyone in contact with that baby. All right, doctor. If our listeners want more information on vaccines and immunizations, where can they go?
Dr. Edwards: They can visit the Centers for Disease website at cdc.gov or the American Academy of Pediatrics site at healthychildren.org.
Deborah: That's healthychildren.org.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: A very, very easy one to remember.
Dr. Edwards: Yes.
Deborah: Any final thought? Because we got about 60 seconds left.
Dr. Edwards: No. Just vaccinate often and regularly.
Deborah: Perfect. Well, you can't get better advice than that. Just follow through, and we'll all be a lot healthier and more well as we go into the fall season. I want to thank you so much, Dr. Edwards, for finding the time to talk to us today about protecting our kids and our families and our friends, of course, through vaccinations. It's been a pleasure to have you on the show.
Dr. Edwards: Thank you.It's my pleasure.
Deborah: I'm Deborah Howell. Don't forget: get your vaccination timely and often and, of course, every family member. Please join us again next time as we explore another Weekly Dose of Wellness brought to you by MemorialCare Health System. Have a fantastic day.