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How Vaccines Strengthen Your Baby’s Immune System InfographicEspañol (Spanish)										Related Pages
										<< Back to Infant and Childhood Immunization Resources
How Vaccines Strengthen Your Baby’s Immune System
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How Vaccines Strengthen Your Baby’s Immune System (Text Version)
[Picture of a baby boy flexing his arm muscles]
Your child is exposed to thousands of germs every day in his environment.**
*This happens through the food he eats, air he breathes and things he puts in his mouth.*
[Image of baby holding up a barbell]
Babies are born with immune systems that can fight most germs, but there are some deadly diseases they can’t handle.**
*That’s why they need vaccines to strengthen their immune system.*
[Image of a droplet containing germs]
Vaccines use very small amounts of antigens to help your child’s immune system recognize and learn to fight serious diseases.**
*Antigens are parts of germs that cause the body’s immune system to go to work.*
[Image of viruses and bacteria]
30 YEARS AGO vaccines used 3,000 antigens to protect against 8 diseases by age two
TODAY vaccines use antigens 305 to protect against 14 diseases by age two
[Image of a vaccine vial]
Thanks to scientific advances, today’s vaccines can protect children from more diseases using fewer antigens.
*Vaccines contain only a tiny fraction of the antigens that babies encounter in their environment every day.***
*Vaccines help strengthen your baby’s immune system and keep him safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.*
**IMMUNIZATION. POWER TO PROTECT.**
[logo] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
NCIRDig603 | 07/10/2017
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents
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						Page last reviewed:  July 17, 2017					Content source: 	National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases homeParents
Why Vaccinateplus icon
Making the Vaccine Decision
Strengthening Your Baby’s Immune System
Combination Vaccines
Vaccine Scheduleplus icon
Child Schedule
Teen Schedule
Who sets the Vaccine Schedule
Reasons to Follow the Schedule
Vaccines by Ageplus icon
Pregnancy
Birth
1-2 Months
3-4 Months
5-6 Months
7-11 Months
12-23 Months
2-3 Years
4-6 Years
7-10 Years
11-12 Years
13-18 Years
Diseases that Vaccines Preventplus icon
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Diphtheria
Flu (Influenza)
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hib
HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
Measles
Meningococcal
Mumps
Pneumococcal
Polio
Rotavirus
RSV
Rubella
Tetanus
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Diseases You Almost Forgot About
Your Child’s Vaccine Visitplus icon
Catch Up on Recommended Vaccinations
Before, During, and After Shots
How to Hold Your Child
Make Shots Less Stressful
Vaccines When Your Child is Sick
Vaccine Ingredients
Questions About Vaccines
Vaccine Recordsplus icon
Keeping Track of Records
Adoption and Vaccines
Before you Travel
Resourcesplus icon
Infant and Childhood Immunization Resources
Preteen and Teen Vaccine Resources
Maternal Immunization Resources


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