Vaccines Specialist
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KID-DOC Pediatrics
Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine located in San Antonio, TX
Vaccines do more than just keep your child healthy –– they help to prevent the spread of serious diseases, which is a great service to the community at large. If your child is due for vaccines, schedule a visit at KID-DOC Pediatrics in San Antonio, Texas. The team is warm and compassionate, making the process of getting vaccines quick and easy. You can book your visit by speaking to a friendly team member on the phone or through the online portal.
Vaccines Q&A
What are vaccines?
Vaccines, or immunizations, are biological substances that prevent your child from contracting certain serious diseases. They work by priming the immune system and training its response to a specific pathogen.
Your child’s pediatrician administers the vaccine through a shot or syringe in a quick and easy in-office procedure.
Does my child really need vaccines?
Vaccines are a form of preventive care, which is a medical philosophy that aims to keep your child healthy by making them less likely to get sick.
Preventive care improves your child’s quality of life by promoting better overall health and reducing the need for more costly and complicated reactive treatments.
Vaccines are also good for public health. By promoting immunity, vaccinations have helped to significantly curtail widespread diseases that used to be common, like mumps, measles, and whooping cough, polio, and smallpox.
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines contain either attenuated (weakened) viruses or protein components from inactivated (killed) viruses. Both live and killed vaccines trigger a safe immune response when they are introduced into your child’s system.
Because the virus in the vaccine isn’t strong enough to make your child sick, their immune system easily wins the battle against it. In the process, your child’s immune system learns how to make antibodies to fight that particular pathogen.
When should my child get their vaccines?
At KID-DOC Pediatrics, most children get their vaccines (including flu shots) during well-child exams, which are routine checkup appointments also known as wellness visits. The team at KID-DOC Pediatrics recommends the following schedule for immunizations:
Birth and 1 month old
Hepatitis B
2 months old
Diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTaP), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), inactivated polio (IPV), pneumococcal (PCV), rotavirus
4 months old
DTap, Hib, IPV, PCV, rotavirus
6 months old
DTaP, Hib, PCV, rotavirus
9 months old
HPV9, HEP B/IPV (Polio)
12 months old
Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), varicella (chickenpox), PCV
15 months old
DTaP, Hib
18 months and 2 years old
Hepatitis A
4 years old
DTaP, IPV, MMR, varicella (chickenpox)
9 years old
Tetanus/diphtheria, HPV9 Optional
11 years old
Tdap, MCV4, HPV9
16 years old
MCV4
KID-DOC Pediatrics also recommends the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine when they’re 11 years old.
Schedule your visit with KID-DOC Pediatrics by calling the office or booking an appointment online and make sure that your child is up-to-date with their vaccines today.
