SAN ANTONIO – School is underway and one of the best ways to keep children healthy is staying up-to-date on vaccines.
Vaccines have eliminated polio, diphtheria and tetanus, along with other serious diseases.
"Getting our kids vaccinated is one of the most important things we can do to ensure our kids have a successful school year," said Dr. Ryan Van Ramshorst, a pediatrician at University Children's Health.
Recently, more parents are opting out of getting their children vaccinated, and that can be life-threatening.
"As a pediatrician, vaccines are one of the things I can do to keep patients healthy, keeping their families healthy and our entire community healthy," Ramshorst said. "They (vaccines) are safe and effective."
Important vaccine facts to be aware of:
- Currently, over 57,000 school-aged children in Texas have not received one or more of the recommended vaccines
- Teenagers need vaccines just as recently born babies do to keep them healthy and to keep their immune systems strong, which will help them fight off diseases
- Some medically fragile children cannot get immunizations and are particularly vulnerable to diseases
- The measles disease is now active in more than 20 states, including Texas
Did you know that 80,000 Americans died from the flu last year?
"One of the best ways to stay safe from the flu is to receive that immunization," Ramshorst said. "It's recommended that everybody aged 6 months and older gets that life-protecting flu vaccine."
For more information, visit universitychildrenshealth.com or call 210-358-5437.
Information courtesy of University Children's Health.