Vaccines are known to be a very safe and effective way of keeping children healthy and reducing their chance for diseases. Common reactions to vaccines are minor, including redness and swelling where the shot was given, fever, and rash. Although in rare cases immunizations can trigger seizures or severe allergic reactions, the risk of this is much lower than that of catching the disease if a child is not immunized1. While a recent study has detected a slightly higher risk of seizures after receiving diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP), or measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), there does not appear to be any long-term harmful effects2.

It is important to mention that the form of DTP vaccine received during this study is no longer used in the United States. It has been replaced by DTaP, which has fewer side effects than DTP3. For further information or remaining questions about immunizing your child, please contact your personal care physician. Ensuring that your children are properly immunized is one of the best ways of keeping them healthy and happy.

1. Facts and Myths About Immunizations (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2001, from http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/
body/fact_myth_immunizations.html

2. Barlow, W. E., et al. (2001). The Risk of Seizures after Receipt of Whole-Cell Pertussis or Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine. New England Journal of Medicine. 345:656-661.

3. Hilts, P. J. (2001, August). Study Clears Two Vaccines of Any Long-Lasting Harm. New York Times. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com/2001/08/30/health/30VACC.html.