Why Immunize our children?
Responsibility to our communities
Ensuring the safety and health of our American Indian and Alaska Native
(AI/AN) communities is our responsibility. If enough people in our communities
are protected, vaccine-preventable diseases will not be passed to our children,
our families, and our communities.
Child Immunizations
It is especially important to ensure the health of our families. An infant's
immune system does not yet have the necessary defenses to fight off infectious
diseases. This makes our children more susceptible to these illnesses. Immunization
is one of the most important tools we have to protect our children from
disease.
Vaccines protect Natives
Immunization can protect Natives from vaccine-preventable diseases that
continue to threaten Native people at a much higher rate than other ethnicities.
Vaccines can prevent disease
Bacterial Meningitis
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (german measles)
Polio
Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough), Tetanus (lockjaw)
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B
Pneumococcal diseases
Influenza (flu)
Varicella (chickenpox)
But I've never even seen some of these diseases!
Today, we see fewer people getting sick from these diseases in the U.S.
The reason is that responsible health care providers and parents have given
millions of children vaccines over the past years.
But don't be fooled. Those diseases are still out there. If we stop giving
our children vaccines, the diseases that made people sick and even killed
them only a few years ago will return.
Respecting the Circle By taking preventive measures, such as getting immunizations
against disease...
By ensuring that our nations thrive mentally, spiritually, emotionally,
and physically...
By respecting the connection between our physical health and our environment
health. Learn more about immunization at the national immunization program.