Description

Why do kids need shots? And what shots should they get? Are some shots dangerous? The DadLabs guys answer these and other immunization questions with the help of pediatrician and "Baby 411" author, Dr. Ari Brown. Ep 397 brought to you by Baby Bjorn. Distributed by TubeMogul.

Transcript

This week we have only got one question for you. Are you going to be brave? Are you a big boy? It is just going to pinch a little bit. It will be over in a flash. So, drop your chores and grit your teeth. You are back in the DadLab. This week is all about shots. And this episode is brought to you by Baby Bjorn and their cool new bouncy seat, the Baby Sitter Balance,. It is the perfect place for baby to play, rest or sleep, the Baby Sitter Balance. Daddy Brad: Daddy Clay, immunizations because that is a topic that’s creating lots of controversy, different opinions all over the place and some parents are feeling anxiety about this. Daddy Clay: It is true but if you are going to make a decision about these immunizations. The first thing you have to do is ask your pediatrician, that is exactly what we did, we went to our favorite pediatrician and Baby 411 and Toddler 411 author, Dr. Ari Brown. Dr. Brown: Well, your immune system is your body’s defense against germs, viruses, bacteria, parasites and so what vaccines do is they give your body basically smart bombs with memory. So, you can recognize that germ even though you have never been exposed to it and when you see that real germ coming, your body knows how to fight it off. There is no question that parents have more questions about vaccines these days, you hear it everywhere on the news, you see it on the internet, you talk to friends and play group. But the truth is that I can explain everything with a lot of science and a lot of common sense and what parents need to know at the end of the day is pediatricians treat our patients like our own kids and what we do for her own kids at home is what we do for years and I can tell you I vaccinated my kids in a heartbeat. You know, you hear all this stuff you think well nobody’s vaccinating their kids anymore, that’s absolutely untrue. The parents have more questions, you bet. Do I get more questions in exam room number one? Yes but at the end of the day, my patient in exam room 1 is still getting a shots. In fact, what you need to know is 99% of parents are still choosing to vaccinate their kids. Well, vaccines are like any medication and so we have medications, there are certain side effects. What we commonly see with vaccines is kids neighbor and a fever for a day or two because their amounting in a mean response to the vaccination. Sometimes they will get a little redness at the injection site, maybe even a little lump under the skin which goes away over a few weeks. Those are typical and very minor side effects. Are there some adverse effects that are quite serious? Yes there are , in fact there is a chance of a child having anaphylactic reaction to a vaccination or a vaccine component. For instance, kids who have AV allergies cannot get the flu vaccine because there is egg in that vaccine. So, there is some serious risks with vaccinations but for the most part, if we ask the right questions before a child is getting vaccinated, we can avoid most of the serious side effects from vaccinations, there are some kids who can’t get certain shots for a particular reasons. You know, it is hard to predict how a child is going t respond to getting their shots. I tell people that you know, you might feel like you have the flu and some kids just want to sleep and not interact very much for a day or two, they do not feel so good. Some kids want to tell you how they feel and those kids are crying and they are cranky and they do not want to eat, they do not want to sleep and you know what, that is just part of your immune response. You are mounting a defense and for your body to actively make that defense, that is the small price that you pay. But it is a day or two, I feel a little crammy and that is not everybody by the way but that price is very small for the huge benefit that you get with protecting your child. I sometimes get questions about whether there is mercury in the shots and in 1999, mercury as a preservative was required to be eliminated from the child that immunization series. Sometimes there is a mercury that i