VACCINES

Vaccines protect us against deadly diseases like measles, mumps and whooping cough.

When you receive a vaccine it helps your bodies create antibodies. Antibodies are your body's defensive cells that fight off any foreign substance (GERMS).

This vaccine protects us from the Haemophilus Influenza (FLU) type b bacteria.

This bacteria causes meningitis, (an inflammation of the cover that surrounds the brain) and may cause brain damage. Also these bacteria can infect the blood, joints, bones, muscles, throat and the cover surrounding the heart. This is especially dangerous to babies.

Diphtheria is an infection that attacks the throat, mouth and nose. This is a very contagious disease (easy to get).

Tetanus is an infection caused by a bacteria found in dirt, gravel and rusty metal. It usually enters the body through a cut. Tetanus bacteria cause's the muscles to spasm (move suddenly). If tetanus attacks the jaw muscles it causes lockjaw, the inability to open and close your mouth.

Tetanus can also cause the breathing muscles to spasm. That can be deadly.

Pertussis, also called Whooping Cough, is a bacteria that clogs the lungs with mucus (a thick, slimy substance). This can cause a severe cough that sounds like a "whoop." The cough can last for 2 months and allows for other bacteria such as pneumonia and bronchitis to attack the body.

Polio can paralyze (can't move) the legs and chest making walking and breathing difficult or impossible.

The first symptoms of polio are fever, sore throat, headache and a stiff neck. Polio is very rare since the vaccine became available.

Measles is highly contagious (easy to get) disease that causes high fever, cough, and a spotty rash all over. It may also cause ear infections and pneumonia.

Mumps cause painful swollen salivary glands which are under the jaw, as well as a fever and a headache.

Mumps also may cause a serious problem called meningitis or hearing loss.

Rubella is also called German Measles. It is most dangerous for women who are pregnant. Rubella can cause a mother to have a miscarriage (lose a baby) or deliver a baby with heart disease, blindness, hearing loss or learning problems.

Rubella is a mild disease in kids.

Hepatitis B causes extreme tiredness and jaundice (all the white parts on your body, like your eyes, teeth and nails, turn yellow). It may cause the liver to stop working.

Chicken pox is a virus. It causes an itchy rash and a fever. You can catch it from someone who already has it if you tough an open blister on that person's skin or if that person sneezes or coughs around you. Not everyone gets the vaccine, so lots of kids still get chicken pox.