New parents tend to do a lot of research, especially when it comes to their baby’s health. That includes learning about vaccines, a topic that comes with no shortage of online information — some of it more reliable than others.
We at Children’s Minnesota, a health system devoted entirely to pediatric health, are here to help new parents feel educated, safe and confident that they’re making the right choice for their baby’s health — and the well-being of the wider community.
Resources for expectant parents
The kid experts at Children’s Minnesota are here to help support new parents.What are vaccines and how do they work?
Vaccines help prevent infections and can even prevent some types of cancer. Thanks to widespread vaccination in the United States, childhood illnesses that used to be common (like smallpox and diphtheria) are rarely seen anymore. Plus, rates of certain cancers (such as cervical cancer) have dropped greatly since the HPV vaccine became available.
How do vaccines work?
When someone gets a vaccine, their body learns how to fight the disease by making special proteins called antibodies. These antibodies stay in the body for a long time. So, if the person comes into contact with the disease later, the antibodies are ready to fight it, and the person doesn’t get as sick. This is called immunity. The way vaccines make us immune to diseases is called immunization.
It’s important to have your family vaccinated to keep them safe, but it also helps keep your community safe. That’s where community immunity comes in.
What is community immunity?
Community immunity is the idea that when many people are immune to (and protected from) a contagious infection, it’s harder for that infection to spread in a community.
Vaccinating your family helps protect those around you who may not be immune to the disease, for example, people who have a weak immune system, like the elderly, or newborns who haven’t had the vaccine yet, and more.
When 95% of your community is vaccinated against a certain disease, you have reached community immunity in most cases, depending on the disease.
It takes all of us to protect our communities. Vaccines are the best way to protect ourselves and people in our communities who need us to be immune so that they can be protected.
Find a pediatrician
Our team of expert pediatricians is dedicated to partnering with you to care for the health and well-being of your child for many years.How do I know when my child needs their vaccinations?
The recommended timing for vaccinations for your child starts when your baby is a newborn. Children’s Minnesota has put together a simple tracking sheet for families that outlines the recommended immunization schedule. It helps you know what to expect and prepare your child for at each age.
The schedule is broken out into immunizations by these age groups:
- Baby’s first 9 months
- Toddler and pre-school (years 1-4)
- School age years (years 5-10)
- Teen years (years 11-19)
Get our immunization schedule here.
Time of year for vaccines
You can get your children vaccinated during their well-child check-ups at their pediatrician’s clinic or office. In addition to vaccines, well-child check-ups are regular appointments with their pediatrician to check in on your child’s total health – mind, body and spirit.
It’s common for schools to require specific vaccines before your child starts school for the year. We recommend working with your school and making sure you are following their rules and timelines for vaccines.
Timing for seasonal vaccines, like the influenza vaccine, can differ depending on the vaccine. Generally, it’s recommended people get vaccines that protect against common respiratory illnesses, like influenza, RSV and COVID, during the months of September-October each year.
Although we recommend sticking to our recommended vaccine schedule for your family, we also partner with every family to understand vaccine concerns. Please reach out to your provider if you have more questions regarding vaccines.
How we help your children through the vaccine experience
We know that needles and shots can be scary for babies and kids – and even adults! But that’s why we work to make this experience less stressful for our patient families.
Our care teams use a variety of strategies including numbing cream, comfort positions and distractions to reduce the pain children feel at the doctor’s office or hospital.
Learn more strategies parents can use to help their children through needle procedures while at the pediatrician.
The kid experts at Children’s Minnesota are here for your family
We have nine pediatric primary care clinics conveniently located throughout the Twin Cities metro area so your family can access the best care, close to home.
