Understand Vaccines

by KYW's medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough

All of the questions raised about the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine have put the entire concept of vaccinations in the limelight.

Remember, there are numerous vaccines that children are given each and every year. One of the biggest obstacles to a successful vaccination program is whether or not a person really buys into it as a parent, and that's a big issue. 

If your children are going to get vaccinated, you have to understand what the purpose of the vaccines are.  I think a lot of this has to do with physicians explaining the reasons for vaccinations. For instance what is the disease that is being prevented and why is it important to prevent it. It's very important that you can talk to your doctor and talk about the pros and cons of the wide variety of the vaccinations that your child will get as he or she grows.