|
Most parents today have never seen first-hand the devastating consequences that vaccine-preventable diseases can have on a child, a family, or a community. Thanks to vaccines, many of these diseases are not common in the U.S., but they persist around the world. That's why we need to remind parents that immunizations are still the best way to protect their children from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases and to encourage parents to follow CDC's recommended immunization schedule. We also need to provide parents with resources to meet their information needs about diseases and vaccines.
Resources for Parents
The CDC's vaccine website for parents was designed for parents with input from parents of babies and toddlers. This site features easy-to-find vaccine information, including:
 Vaccine safety-related issues
Descriptions of vaccine-preventable diseases
How to Hold Children during Vaccinations (156KB PDF; get Adobe Reader)
Tips for a Less Stressful Shot Visit (168KB PDF; get Adobe Reader)
Immunization Schedules (444KB PDF; get Adobe Reader)
Resources for Health Care Professionals
Health care professionals are consistently cited as parents' most trusted source of information about vaccines. While immunization rates for young children are at or near record levels, many parents have questions and some have concerns about their child's vaccines. To meet parents' need for information about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, the CDC partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians to create Provider Resources for Vaccine Conversation with Parents. Established to provide health care professionals with the tools they need to help parents make informed decisions about their child's health, the Provider Resources suite of materials includes:
Tips for talking to parents about vaccines
Multimedia tools for sharing information
Materials for parents to help them understand vaccines and vaccine safety
|
