Health Professionals
First Nations and Inuit
A Parent's Guide to ImmunizationA Parent's Guide to Immunization
Immunization - the safest way to protect your baby's health
Your baby deserves the best health and that includes protection from 13 vaccine-preventable diseases. You help protect your child not just the first time, but every time you keep your child's immunizations up-to-date.
Immunization has saved the lives of more babies and children than any other medical intervention in the last 50 years.
It's safe, it's simple - and it works!
Immunization? Shots? Vaccines? Needles?
Many terms mean the same thing.
You may have heard people talk about ‘getting shots' for their baby, ‘having a vaccine' or ‘immunization'.
These words all mean the same thing.
It doesn't matter what term you use, the most important thing is that your child does get this protection.
How does immunization help my baby?
Your baby's immune system is the part of his body that protects him from germs. It's a special network that's always working to fight off diseases.
Every day, your baby is exposed to thousands of germs: at home, at daycare and at the grocery store. Even a sweet kiss from a brother or sister can be full of germs. Luckily, most of these germs can be easily handled by your baby's immune system and are harmless. Sometimes, though, your baby will meet up with a germ that can make him very sick.
Just as growing babies have to learn how to eat by themselves, their immune systems have to learn how to recognize and fight diseases. And just as your baby needs you to feed him, his immune system needs you to help him fight off serious diseases.
That's where your role in immunization comes in.
When you get your baby immunized, you help give him that extra immunity and protection to fight off vaccine-preventable diseases and stay healthy.
Did you know?
The word ‘immunization' comes from the word ‘immune' - which means protection from disease.
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