Are Vaccinations Safe for My Child?

The majority of parents choose to vaccinate their children according to the standard doctor-recommend schedule; however, many parents still have questions about vaccination. If you are wondering whether vaccinating your child is safe, the answer is yes: the United States currently has the safest vaccine supply in history and millions of children safely receive their vaccines every year. A vaccine can prevent infections and diseases that would once kill or cause lasting harm to infants, children, and adults. An unvaccinated child is at risk for contracting diseases such as whooping cough and measles, which can cause severe illness, pain, disability, and even death. A vaccine uses extremely small amounts of antigens to help your child’s immune system learn to recognize and fight serious diseases. Antigens are parts of germs that activate the immune system. This allows your child to gain future protection from a disease without getting sick.

While some children do experience side effects from their vaccines, the main effects tend to be extremely mild and go away within a few days. Serious side effects, such as severe allergic reactions, are extremely rare and medical professionals are trained to handle them if they do occur. In addition, all legitimate scientific and medical studies into vaccinations have concluded that there is no link between vaccinations and autism.

The disease-prevention benefits of vaccinating your child far outweigh the possible side effects for the vast majority of children. The only exceptions are cases where a child has a strong allergic reaction to a previous vaccine dose, a serious chronic medical condition (such as cancer), or a disease that weakens the immune system.

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Media History

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Please check one answer for each question. If the question does not apply to your family (ie, you do not own a computer or mobile device), leave that section blank.

Child's Name __________

Date __________

Television (including on mobile screens)
Does your child watch more than 1 to 2 hours of TV per day? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you watch TV with your child or know what your child is watching? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you discuss TV shows with your child? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Does your child have a TV in his or her room? ? Yes ? No
Do you limit your child's watching of TV shows that often contain violence, sex, foul or explicit language, or images of tobacco or alcohol use? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you have rules about when TV can be watched? ? Yes ? No
Do you allow your child to eat meals or snacks while watching TV? ? Yes ? No
Does your child ask you to buy products he or she sees advertised on TV? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Movies and Videos
Do you allow your child to watch movies or videos that are R-rated? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you read movie reviews to know the content of PG-13 movies? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Does your child have nightmares or trouble sleeping after watching movies? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
How often does your child watch music videos on TV? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Music
Are you familiar with the type of music your child listens to? ? Yes ? No
Have you talked to your child about lyrics that you object to? ? Yes ? No
Do you set limits on the types of music your child listens to? ? Yes ? No
Video Games (including handheld)
Are you familiar with the types of games your child plays? ? Yes ? No
Do you check a game's rating before you rent or buy it? ? Yes ? No
Do you allow your child to own or download games with violent content? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you limit the number of hours your child plays these games? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Internet (Web sites, including social networking sites accessible by computer and handheld devices)
Do you monitor Internet use? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Does your child have a computer in his or her room? ? Yes ? No
Are you familiar with the types of Web sites your child visits? ? Yes ? No
Do you talk to your child about the best use of the Internet? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Have you purchased blocking software that prevents your child from visiting inappropriate/pornographic Web sites? ? Yes ? No
Books
Do you read to your child or does your child read at least once a day? ? Yes ? No
Do you provide your child with a variety of reading materials? ? Yes ? No
Do you talk to your child about the books that you read together or that your child is reading on his or her own? ? Frequently ? Sometimes ? Never
Do you have any specific concerns about:
Your child's use of tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs? ? Yes ? No
Your child's own sense of body image or sexuality? ? Yes ? No
Displays of aggressive behavior or use of foul language? ? Yes ? No

 

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