In the 1950s, parents were traumatized by the devastating illness that was paralyzing thousands of children. It steals movement from one in 200 of its victims. More than 20,000 annual cases resulted in 1,000 deaths before the vaccine’s introduction in 1954. Today, polio is one of the last things on a concerned parent’s mind, thanks to the inactivated polio-virus vaccine. In fact, between 1979 and 2005, there wasn’t a single case reported. However, in 2005, there was an outbreak amongst four Amish children, likely due to the Amish practice of refusing vaccinations. Four doses are recommended in shot form at the 2, 4, and 6-18 month marks, as well as the 4-6 year mark. Children should be at least two months old before receiving this vaccine, and if they’ve ever had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics neomycin, strep¬tomycin, or polymyxin B, you should let the doctor know.
For more on the statuts of childhood vaccinations and which immunizations are recommended, see these articles below:
What Shots Does My Child Need?
Hepatitis B
HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)
DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)
Rotavirus
Hepatitis A
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Flu
