National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), April 20 – 27, 2013, is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and celebrate the achievements of immunization programs and their partners in promoting healthy communities. Since 1994, NIIW has served as a call to action for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to ensure that infants are fully immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Atlantic Medical Center is celebrating NIIW by providing $5 gift cards to Treasure Cove Gift Shop to the first 20 parents who bring their children ages 2 and under in for immunizations during the week of April 20 – 27. Babies under the age of 6 months are more likely to develop certain infectious diseases than older children, and are not yet protected by vaccines. Babies less than 6 months of age are too young to have received all the doses of vaccine that are needed to protect them from pertussis (whooping cough), flu (influenza) and other dangerous diseases that infants die from every year.
Health officials say it is important for children to receive ALL of the doses required in a vaccine series to be FULLY protected. Normal vaccines a baby/toddler receives in the first two years of life are as follows: Dtap (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis); HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B); Polio; Hepatitis B; Pneumococcal; Rotavirus; Hepatitis A; MMR (measles, mumps, reubella) and Varicella (chickenpox).
Babies and children can receive up to 6 vaccinations at one time. For more information about infant immunizations, contact Jeri at Atlantic Medical Center, 712-243-3850.