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Keeping your children healthy: a look at vaccination safety 
When it comes to kids' health, parents are the biggest advocates of keeping their children safe. One important step you can take is to make sure your children are properly vaccinated. Vaccinations prevent children from catching diseases and can stop diseases from spreading. In a recent interview with Rachel Bye, MD, a pediatrician at HealthEast Maplewood Clinic, we set the facts straight on the importance of immunizations and clear up some common misconceptions about vaccines. The importance of vaccines According to Dr. Bye, vaccinations are so important because they stop the spread of serious illnesses. In the United States, we don't frequently see the diseases we are vaccinating against, so some people assume that vaccinations aren't necessary. But diseases such as measles and polio do exist and are common in other parts of the world. Outbreaks can happen anywhere and at any time. This past spring there was an outbreak of whooping cough in Ramsey County, which goes to show how critical the need for immunization are. People, especially young children, who are not vaccinated risk catching these diseases and spreading them to others, with results that can sometimes be fatal. Are vaccines really safe? With recent media attention on the debate about autism and vaccinations, some parents are questioning the safety of vaccines. One misconception is that the mercury found in certain vaccines causes autism. Called thimerosol, this mercury is a different form of mercury than that found in the environment. Thimerosol is used as a preservative in some vaccines. However, it has been removed from all pediatric vaccines because they now come in sterile, single dose vials and no longer need a preservative. There have been four large studies on autism and thimerosol in recent years and no scientific evidence has been found that links Questions to ask your clinician Dr. Bye says that doctors are more than happy to answer questions about vaccines. Talk to your child's clinician to find out:
For more information View HealthEast's pediatric immunization schedule. For more information on vaccinations, talk to your child's clinician. HealthEast Pediatric Care is available at:
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