When you think of serious diseases that require immunizations, polio and tetanus may come to mind. But don't forget that some more common diseases - for instance, chicken pox or measles - can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, even death.

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Hepatitis B can cause long-term problems like liver failure or liver cancer. Mumps can cause sterility in boys. Rubella can result in miscarriages or birth defects in pregnant women.


Although vaccines have drastically reduced the incidences of these diseases, an unvaccinated person is still vulnerable to the viruses and bacteria that cause the diseases. They're still in the air, the soil, and other places in our environment.

Many children, adolescents, and even adults have not been vaccinated against these diseases, or they may be behind in their immunization schedule.


Children are most vulnerable to infectious diseases during their first five or six years of life. The only way to keep children and adolescents protected is to make sure they continue to receive the recommended schedule of immunizations:

• A pertussis (whooping cough) booster shot for adolescents and teens and one for adolescents through adulthood has recently been approved by the FDA. Research found that the protection from infant vaccines against pertussis wears off over time.
  
  
• Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for children aged two years and older in certain communities. Talk to your doctor about the Hepatitis A vaccination.
  
  
• Meningitis vaccine is recommended as a routine vaccination for adolescents 11 - 12 years of age; older adolescents previously not vaccinated before high school entry; college freshmen living in dorms; other high-risk groups such as military recruits.
  
  

Meningococcal disease strikes quickly, with flu-like symptoms that can rapidly progress to severe complications and even death within a few hours. It is contagious and spreads through coughing, sneezing, shared drinking glasses, kissing, and other close contacts.

Vaccines work best when given at certain ages, but generally it is never too late to catch up.


Children aren't the only ones who need immunizations. Adults do, too.

Here's why:

• Booster shots are required for protection against some diseases, like tetanus and diphtheria.
  
  
• An annual flu vaccination helps prevent certain strains of influenza.
  
  
• Adults may need additional vaccinations because of their health history or lifestyle, such as pneumococcal vaccine or hepatitis B.
  
  
• Some adults weren't vaccinated as children or never contracted a disease (chickenpox, for example).
  
  
  

Getting the disease is much more dangerous than getting the shot. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, the risks of immunizations are usually minor or very rare. Make sure your doctor knows about any reactions any family members may have.

Don't know which immunizations your children should have or when they should receive them? Refer to the schedule of immunizations the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends for children through 18 years of age.

For more information, visit the CDC Website, www.cdc.gov/flu, and click on "Vaccines & Immunizations."