Do you know if your child has received all of the immunizations recommended for his or her age? Immunizations protect your child from a variety of illnesses that can cause very serious health consequences. Your Kennesaw, GA, pediatrician, Dr. Kolo Ologunja, discusses the vaccines every child should receive.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines are designed to trick your child's body into producing antibodies against a disease that he or she never actually had. Very weak or killed germs are injected into the body when your child is immunized. Although these germs are so weak that they won't make your child sick, his or her immune system doesn't realize that. It treats the germs as a threat and makes antibodies to fight them. Should your child ever be exposed to the disease in the future, the immune system will recognize the germs and immediately produce antibodies that will protect your son or daughter from becoming ill.

Are all immunizations really needed today?

Most of us don't know anyone in Kennesaw who has actually had polio, yet just 65 years ago, people were dying or becoming permanently disabled as a result of contracting the disease. The polio vaccine quickly stopped the spread of the disease and made it virtually nonexistent today.

Unfortunately, if we don't continue to immunize children against common diseases, the illnesses can make a comeback. When some parents decided to forego whooping cough (pertussis) immunizations in the past few years, the incidence of the disease began to rise. Immunizations not only safeguard your son or daughter's health, but also help protect other children who can't get the vaccines because they're not old enough or have certain health conditions.

Which immunizations are needed?

Immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include:

• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella)
• DTaP (Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis)
• HiB (Haemophilus influenza type B
• Polio
• HBV (Hepatitis B
• Pneumococcal (Pneumonia, blood infections and meningitis)

The recommended schedule for each immunization varies based on your child's age, health and prior immunizations.

Help your child avoid childhood illnesses and diseases with immunizations. Call our Kennesaw, GA, pediatrician, Dr. Ologunja, at (770) 966-0778 to schedule your son or daughter's appointment.