[Narrator Speaking] Hi there. I'm Dr. Kirk Leifso
and I'm a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist
and I want to help keep your family healthy.
You turn to doctors and other health care providers
because we use the most trusted and current medical
knowledge to care for our patients.
That's at the very core of how I provide care
and why I first became a physician;
to practice medicine and to keep people
as healthy as possible.
In the past decade or so celebrities and other
self-proclaimed health gurus have shared
their views against vaccines but their
positions are not backed up by credible research
and upon examination,
their positions have been refuted repeatedly
by medical science, the very same source
that you've trusted for your medical care.
It's hard to prove a negative.
It's like asking me to capture the boogeyman
to show you he doesn't exist, it's impossible.
Sometimes these skeptical positions they live on,
even in doctors offices where parents turn to us
when it comes to their family's health and well-being.
So why then are more parents questioning us
when it comes to routine vaccines?
It's a good question so that you understand
and can make an informed decision using
credible sources. Parents who hear these views
are often left confused and indecisive.
The result is that some children don't get routine
vaccinations and their health is put at risk.
Doctors and nurses have you and
your child's best interests at heart.
Today, I'll talk about some common
questions or concerns about vaccines
and encourage you to continue this
conversation with your doctor.
I hope that you'll make the best choice for
your entire family based on medical science.
Every year routine immunizations
protect Canadian families and children
from preventable illnesses and disease
and hey, needles aren't fun.
As a parent myself, I don't like to see my child
upset, but vaccines can only protect when
they're used and just like a car seat
or a seatbelt, if you delay or don't
vaccinate then your child misses out on that protection.
Vaccines have an excellent safety record and they're
continually monitored and tested around the world
and in Canada before they're approved for use.
You're the proud parents of a healthy baby Congratulations!
Among all the other new routines in your life like sleep
and feeding schedules, your doctor will give
you an immunization schedule.
This schedule outlines when to make an appointment
for your baby's first and follow-up vaccines.
They start around two months of age.
If you have already missed shots,
you can still catch up. Speak to your doctor or nurse
about getting them back on track.
With every vaccination you're helping
your baby's immune system fight off
diseases that could otherwise harm their
organs, limbs, thinking, and speaking abilities.
So how do vaccines work?
Well, they trigger a response from your baby's
immune system, which learns to recognize
and then attack and defend against the
infection in case of future exposure.
Some vaccines require several doses to offer
the most protection.
Timing matters.
Like farming or taking care of your car
getting the right vaccine at the
right time ensures that the process works.
Years ago it was not uncommon for children
in their first five years to die or suffer the long-term
consequences from vaccine preventable diseases.
Vaccines have helped change that.
Immunization programs have been one of
the single most effective public health interventions,
saving millions lives
around the world in the last century,
but even today cases of vaccine preventable
diseases do occur and can spread in daycares
and school settings and that puts other children at risk
of catching measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough,
and meningitis. Some children have to stay home,
some might go to the hospital and go on antibiotics
and even in the worst case suffer complications like
paralysis, disability, deafness,blindness and even death.
Vaccines can help protect against these diseases
and their complications.
In 2014, measles outbreaks in Southern Alberta
and British Columbia in under immunized communities
resulted in dozens of confirmed cases and hundreds of
scares before being declared over.
You and your family can help protect your child
by making sure everyone around them is up to date
with their vaccines. By doing this
it helps form a cocoon of disease protection.
Some parents are concerned that the
number of vaccines may
overburden baby's immune systems but
there really is no evidence to support this.
Our immune systems are constantly exposed
to new challenges in our everyday environment.
Exposure to vaccines is just a tiny part of what a
baby's immune system needs to face and
babies can handle them easily.
The side effects of vaccines like temporary pain
or mild flu-like symptoms are pretty
minor when compared to the worst-case
outcomes of not vaccinating.
Serious allergic reactions from vaccines are very rare
and are reported immediately
to Public Health Agency of Canada so
that any problems can be dealt with quickly.
So what else is in vaccines?
Well, vaccines also contain very small
amounts of other ingredients, and all of
which play necessary roles.
These ingredients help vaccines work better,
longer, and faster, stay sterile and help maintain
quality during storage at different temperatures.
By sticking to the vaccination schedule set up
by your doctor, your child's health is maintained
without interruption so they can grow,
learn new skills, and experience life.
I get my kids vaccinated because
I know the facts, and if you have doubts or questions
talk to your doctor or nurse.
Get the medical facts from your doctor,
ask questions, and understand what the research says.
