Childhood Immunizations: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents

The expert pediatric doctors and skilled medical team at West Park Pediatrics, located in Manalapan, Ocean, and Lakewood, NJ are willing to explain what immunizations your child needs, and what the vaccinations are for during your child's next visit.

Children start receiving vaccines at birth and until the age of 18. You can obtain a comprehensive shot schedule from the CDC or the Centers for Disease Control and Infection website. 

What Are Vaccinations? 

Newborns are naturally immune to certain diseases, with the protection given by the mother through antibodies in their shared connection and if breastfeeding through her breast milk. This type of immunity is short-acting. 

Certain shots are given to raise immunity, provide permanent immunity from disease, and protect your child from specific childhood diseases. 

How Do Vaccinations Work?

When the doctor vaccinates your child, the child receives a weakened form of the virus contained within it; the child's body will fight off the weakened virus and remember the virus in the future in case of attempted re-infection. 

The West Park Pediatrics medical team in Manalapan, Ocean, and Lakewood, NJ states that several types of immunizations are currently available. 

• Live weakened (attenuated) virus - We use this vaccination in measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox vaccines.
• Inactivated or killed germs - We use this serum in flu shots or inactive polio vaccine.
• Toxoid Vaccines - These vaccines contain toxins that are inactivated. Tetanus and Diphtheria are both this type of vaccination. 
• Conjugate Vaccines - These vaccines contain a small amount of the germ in the serum. These germs are combined with proteins so that a strong immune response is seen. These vaccinations include Hep B, HPV, meningitis, and whooping cough. 
• mRNA Vaccines - A small piece of genetic material is present in the vaccine. A few COVID-19 vaccines use this delivery system.

Get Your Child Vaccinated

Call our professional medical team today at West Park Pediatrics in Manalapan, NJ Ocean, NJ Lakewood, NJ. We are ready to administer immunizations to your child during their well visit.  

• Ocean, NJ (732) 531-0010
• Manalapan, NJ (732) 577-0088
• Lakewood, NJ (732) 370-8500