• Children's Immunizations
  • Why Immunize?
  • How Vaccines Work - What Is Immunity?
  • Immunity From Vaccines - How Vaccines Protect You
  • Why We Vaccinate - Purpose of Immunizations
  • 10 Vaccines Protect Us From 14 Diseases
  • Childhood Immunization Schedule
  • Disease Summary
  • Childrens Immunizations - Questions & Answers
  • Immunization Trivia
  • Immmunizations & Vaccine Glossary
• Adult Immunizations
• Flu Shot Clinics
• Pneumonia Immunizations
• Shingles Immunizations
• Travel Immunizations

Vaccines solve this problem. They help you develop immunity without getting sick first.

Vaccines are made from the same germs (or parts of them) that cause disease - measles vaccine is made from measles virus, for instance, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine is made from parts of the Hib bacteria. But the germs in vaccines are either killed or weakened so they won’t make you sick.

Vaccines containing these weakened or killed germs are introduced into your body, usually by injection. Your immune system reacts to the vaccine the same as it would if it were being invaded by the disease - by making antibodies. The antibodies destroy the vaccine germs just as they would the disease germs - like a training exercise. Then they stay in your body, giving you immunity. If you are ever exposed to the real disease, the antibodies are there to protect you.

Immunizations help your child’s immune system do its work. The child develops protection against future infections, the same as if he or she had been exposed to the natural disease. Except with vaccines your child doesn’t have to get sick first to get that protection.