Protecting Children From Preventable Illness
Learn how prevention, vaccines, and early care help keep your child healthy.
Chickenpox
Vaccine: Varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox.
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms:Rash, tiredness, headache, fever
Disease complications: Infected blisters, bleeding disorders, encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Diphtheria
Vaccine: DTaP* vaccine protects against diphtheria
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Sore throat, mild fever, weakness, swollen glands in neck
Disease complications: Swelling of the heart muscle, heart failure, coma, paralysis, death
Hib
Vaccine: Hib vaccine protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b.
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: May be no symptoms unless bacteria enter the blood.
Disease complications: Meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), intellectual disability, epiglottitis (life-threatening infection that can block the windpipe and lead to serious breathing problems), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death.
Hepatitis A
Vaccine: HepA vaccine protects against Hepatitis A.
Disease spread by: Direct contact, contaminated food or water
Disease symptoms: May be no symptoms, fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), dark urine
Disease complications: Liver failure, arthralgia (joint pain), kidney, pancreatic, and blood disorders
Hepatitis B
Vaccine: HepB vaccine protects against Hepatitis B.
Disease spread by: Contact with blood or body fluids
Disease symptoms: May be no symptoms, fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), joint pain
Disease complications: Chronic liver infection, liver failure, liver cancer
Influenza (Flu)
Vaccine: Flu vaccine protects against influenza
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Fever, muscle pain, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue
Disease complications: Pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Measles
Vaccine: MMR** vaccine protects against measles.
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Rash, fever, cough, runny nose, pinkeye
Disease complications: Encephalitis (brain swelling), pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death
Mumps
Vaccine: MMR** vaccine protects against mumps.
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Swollen salivary glands (under the jaw), fever, headache, tiredness, muscle pain
Disease complications: Meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (brain swelling), inflammation of testicles or ovaries, deafness
Pertussis
Vaccine: DTaP* vaccine protects against pertussis (whooping cough).
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Severe cough, runny nose, apnea (a pause in breathing in infants)
Disease complications: Pneumonia (infection in the lungs), death
Polio
Vaccine: IPV vaccine protects against polio.
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact, through the mouth
Disease symptoms: May be no symptoms, sore throat, fever, nausea, headache
Disease complications: Paralysis, death
Pneumococcal
Vaccine: PCV vaccine protects against pneumococcus
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: May be no symptoms, pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Disease complications: Bacteremia (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the covering around the brain and spinal cord), death
Rotavirus
Vaccine: RV vaccine protects against rotavirus.
Disease spread by: Through the mouth
Disease symptoms: Diarrhea, fever, vomiting
Disease complications: Severe diarrhea, dehydration
Rubella
Vaccine: MMR** vaccine protects against rubella
Disease spread by: Air, direct contact
Disease symptoms: Children infected with rubella virus sometimes have a rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes
Disease complications: Very serious in pregnant women—can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, birth defects
Tetanus
Vaccine: DTaP* vaccine protects against tetanus.
Disease spread by: Exposure through cuts in skin
Disease symptoms: Stiffness in neck and abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, fever
Disease complications: Broken bones, breathing difficulty, death
DTaP combines protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
MMR combines protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.