Vaccines can keep your child, your family members, and you from developing contagious diseases. When your child is protected through vaccines, it helps prevent the spread of contagious diseases like flu, meningitis, and measles. Your pediatrician plays a vital role in keeping your child current with vaccinations. Dr. Gayatri Shanker and Dr. Lynnette Valentijn at Caring Pediatric Partners in Saginaw, MI, provide a wide range of pediatric medical services, including vaccinations.

What You Need To Know About Vaccinations and the Immunization Schedule

Your child’s pediatrician can ensure your child is current on vaccinations according to the immunization schedule administered by the CDC. Keeping your child current is important because:

• Children are more susceptible to contagious diseases because a child’s immune system isn’t fully developed
• Vaccines protect your child’s health and the health of those around your child
• Vaccinations are required for your child to attend daycare and school

These are the required vaccinations for children from birth through age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC:

• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
• Haemophilus influenza type B
• Polio
• Pneumococcal conjugate
• Rotavirus
• Measles, mumps, rubella
• Chickenpox
• Hepatitis A
• Human papillomavirus
• Meningococcal conjugate
• Flu

To view or print a list of the Centers for Disease Control recommended immunization schedule from birth through age 18, please click here:

Vaccinations offer many important benefits. Consider that vaccinations are:

• Safe because they are rigorously tested and approved by the FDA and CDC before being released for public use
• Effective because they have a success rate of 95% to 99%, according to healthychildren.org
• Easy because they can be administered during your child’s well-visit appointments

Want To Know More About Vaccinations and the Immunization Schedule?

To learn more about how pediatricians can help with vaccinations, call Dr. Gayatri Shanker and Dr. Lynnette Valentijn at Caring Pediatric Partners in Saginaw, MI. You can reach them in the office by calling (989) 793-1095, so call today.