Parents can agree that feeding and sleeping schedules are important to help keep their children healthy. The same goes for childhood immunizations.
Vaccinating children on time is the best way to protect them against serious diseases before their second birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended immunization schedules are designed to offer protection early in life when babies are vulnerable and before it's likely they will be exposed to diseases.
”Public health and medical experts base their vaccine recommendations on many factors,” said Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Director Susan Buckley. “They study information about diseases and vaccines very carefully to decide which vaccines kids should get and when they should get them for best protection.”
According to the CDC, when parents choose not to vaccinate or to follow a delayed schedule, children are left unprotected against diseases like measles and whooping cough. In 2012, there were 651 cases of whooping cough reported in California and 55 cases of measles reported in the United States, causing four different measles outbreaks in U.S. communities, according to the CDC.