2 years ago
ShareToday's THV and Arkansas Children's Hospital are combining resources and launching a new partnership aimed at keeping your child healthy. Dr. Bryan Burke with children's hospital is a firm believer in getting your child immunized and tells us why, in our first Today's Healthy Child report.
Dr. Burke says during the first year of a child's life, it's important for parents to take them to the pediatrician for all of their regular exams.
Doctors evaluate their hearing, learning, eyesight, and motor skills. Kids don't enjoy some of the health promoting activities that take place during the exam - like having blood drawn and getting immunizations.
Some parents have reservations about having their child vaccinated. But Doctor Burke says there's simply no reason to be afraid. "Vaccines are extremely safe. We probably take a greater risk driving home from the clinic from this visit than we do in vaccinating our child."
Doctor Burke says there can be temporary side-effects to vaccines including aches, fever and in some cases, as with the measles vaccine, a skin rash.
A child's routine immunization schedule will slow down, in terms of the number of immunizations given, but will not be complete until their early junior high years. An exception is the flu vaccine, which every child and teenager needs at the beginning of every flu season.
Doctor Burke says "Some parents fear that immunizations will harm their children. Immunizations are extremely safe and the diseases that they prevent are potentially life threatening. A parent is wise when they choose to immunize their child.
