Vaccines Have the Power to Protect
At EverThrive Illinois, we understand it can be challenging and overwhelming to choose what’s best for your children’s health, especially at a time when there is a lot of inaccurate vaccine-related information circulating. At EverThrive IL, we follow science, and the science tells us that vaccines are the best and safest tool we have at preventing illness and ensuring better health.
Today, we invite you to join us on a journey of discovery and learning. Together, we’ll explore the importance of vaccinations and how they can protect the little ones you love and care for. Our goal is to offer parents, pregnant individuals, caregivers, and health care providers the necessary tools to make informed decisions about children’s health.
From vaccination schedules to important questions to ask your child’s doctor, we share helpful resources to support the well-being of the children in your life. We also offer tips for health care providers to ensure they can be Champions for Health too.
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Parents &
Caregivers
What Vaccines Does
Your Child Need?
Providers
Resources
You Have The Power to Become Your
Child’s Champion For Health
As a parent or caregiver, sometimes, not knowing and having more questions than answers can be scary. At EverThrive Illinois, we understand that those feelings are a natural part of parenting and pregnancy. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back! We have found the best science-based information behind the power of vaccines that are also backed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). And, like doctors, we agree that vaccines are the best way to protect your little ones’ health and well-being.
We’re committed to raising awareness about the importance of keeping your children up to date on their vaccinations. We believe that with the correct information and resources, parents, caregivers, and pregnant people can confidently decide what is best for their children’s well-being. We want to support you as you fulfill your mission of loving, caring for, and protecting your children. Click the text below for more information.
Questions To Ask Your Child’s Health Care Provider
As a parent or caregiver, you have the power to protect your child's health and well-being. You are their ultimate Champion for Health.
- Making sure your children grow up healthy and successful is a top priority. Staying informed is important. By reading accurate sources written by health experts, and connecting with doctors to ask questions and address your concerns, you can learn more about vaccinations and make informed decisions about your child’s vaccination status.
- If you’re concerned about vaccinating your children, have an open conversation with their doctor, pediatrician, or primary care physician.
Remember that it’s your right to ask questions and seek answers until you feel confident with your decision. Here are a few questions to start the conversation with your child’s health care provider:
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- How are vaccines safe?
- What is in my baby’s/child’s vaccines?
- What is the immune system?
- Will vaccines damage my baby/child’s immune system?
- Why should I get my baby/child vaccinated?
- Can vaccines cause the disease that they are supposed to prevent?
- What are the possible side effects of vaccines?
- What are the risks of not vaccinating?
- What accurate sources should I seek to learn more about vaccines?
- Is it safe to give my baby multiple vaccines at once?
- Can we go through the vaccines that my child should get?
More information for Parents
Vaccines have a positive impact on the lives of the little ones you love.
- Vaccines prevent serious diseases by working with your body’s immune system.
- Vaccines are safe and have been used successfully for over 200 years to eradicate diseases like Smallpox.
- To make sure all vaccines are safe and effective before they are given to any child, they undergo many tests, clinical trials, and safety measures.
- Vaccines are universally recommended for all infants and children ages 0 to 5 and beyond.
- Making sure your child is vaccinated on time can help to protect them against 14 diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, before the age of 2.
- Common side effects from vaccines can include pain, swelling, tiredness, headaches, chills, and muscle aches. These are usually mild and are typical signs that the vaccine is working and their body is building protection. These mild and common side effects usually go away within 1-2 days.
Stay up-to-date and schedule your children's vaccines now.
- Diseases like measles and whooping cough are highly contagious and can be very serious and expensive to treat. Vaccines are the best way for you to shield your children from getting seriously ill, hospitalized, and even dying.
- Consult your child’s doctor to identify necessary vaccines, payment options, and associated costs.
Not getting your baby or child vaccinated has its own costs.
- Vaccinating your child late puts them at risk of getting serious illnesses, which can be harmful to their long-term health and can be expensive. You can find information about free or low-cost vaccines at https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
- Most vaccines are covered by health insurance. Children can also receive vaccines at no cost through the Vaccine for Children (VFC) Program if they are 18 or younger and meet one of the following criteria:
- They are enrolled or eligible for Medicaid.
- They do not have health insurance.
- They are underinsured (their insurance does not cover all vaccines).
- They identify as American Indian or Alaska Native.
- Your family may also qualify for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers many childhood vaccines.
- Local health departments and community health centers may also offer low to no cost vaccinations.
Recommended Immunizations
- Pregnancy
- Birth
- 1 Month
- 2 Months
- 4 Months
- 6 Months
- 12 Months
- 15 Months
- 18 Months
- 19-23 Months
- 2-3 Years
- 4-6 Years
Health Care Providers Have a
Shared Responsibility in Ensuring
Children Stay Healthy
As a doctor, primary care physician, or health care provider, you are a Champion for Health. To effectively share vaccine information with diverse communities, providers must prioritize cultural competence and build trust with their patients.
Understanding cultural nuances involves listening and using easy-to-understand terms. It also implies using simple/simplified explanations that can help educate, empower, and encourage parents and caregivers about preventive care methods, like vaccines. We invite health care providers to reference the following information to better connect with the patients they see.
Encourage Open Dialogue with Your Patients
Be a Champion for Health by being welcoming and serving as a guide in your patients' journey to better understand vaccinations and their role in their children's care.
- Communicate respectfully and empathetically with parents and caregivers about vaccines and their protective powers. Use clear, current, and digestible communication to establish trust with parents and caregivers.
- Make sure that communication with your patients is clear, and the terms you use are not overly medical and distant from people’s experiences. Poor communication can lead to serious consequences for the health and well-being of children, as well as perpetuate disparities. That’s why making vaccine-related explanations relatable, easy to understand, and digestible is essential to help families understand the benefits of vaccinating their children.
- When parents or caregivers express their concerns about vaccinations, it’s important to share your recommendation and emphasize the importance of vaccinating their child. Be clear and specific about which vaccines their child needs to receive. For instance:
- “I strongly recommend your child get these vaccines today.”
- “These shots are very important to protect your child from serious diseases.”
- “I believe in vaccines so strongly that I vaccinate my own children on time.”
- Instead of saying, “What do you want to do about shots?” Say, “Your child needs three shots today. Do you have any questions about that?”
- Instead of saying, “Have you thought about the shots your child needs today?” Say, “Your child needs DTaP, Hib, and Hepatitis B shots today. Do you have any questions I can answer?”
More Information for Providers
Engage in open and honest conversations so you can learn about the cultural nuances of the diverse patients in your care.
- As a trusted source of information on vaccines, you have the opportunity and privilege to provide a safe space for parents and caregivers to ask questions and share concerns, helping them make informed decisions for their children.
- When explaining vaccine benefits, ask parents and caregivers if they understand the language being used and listen attentively.
- Use real-world examples and simple analogies when explaining how vaccines work and the importance of getting vaccinated. This makes the information easier to comprehend and helps families better understand why vaccination is important.
- Encourage parents and caregivers to learn about the significance of vaccinations, well-child visits, and ways to promote healthy and thriving lives for their children by using accessible language.
- Apply evidence-based communication approaches, such as Motivational Interviewing techniques, to build trust, understand parent priorities, share information through collaborative knowledge-building, and support families in their decision-making.
- You can start conversations with parents and caregivers by asking what concerns they may have about vaccines; this patient-centered approach helps create more trust and openness to having a conversation about vaccinations.
- Start vaccine conversations early on so that parents and caregivers have time to address concerns, ask questions, and digest information you have shared with them before it is time for them to decide about their child’s vaccination status.
- When appropriate, share your own trust in vaccines. Sharing that your own family has been vaccinated can help parents and caregivers feel more confident and at ease.
Be a Champion for children's health during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).
- Doctors, nurses, health care professionals, and office staff are crucial in promoting effective communication about vaccines and ensuring high vaccination rates in practices.
- In times of changing guidance and public confusion, your consistent and evidence-based guidance helps families navigate confusion and make informed decisions. Remind parents and caregivers that the vaccine recommendations you provide are based on the best available science and long-standing studies.
- Emphasize the importance of staying on time with infant and childhood immunizations to parents, caregivers, and pregnant people.
- Reach out to any parents or caregivers who may have missed or delayed their child’s routine visits and vaccinations. Urge them to schedule these critical appointments as soon as possible.
- Share reliable and science-backed vaccine resources with parents and caregivers that they can trust, especially at a time when it can be confusing to know whom to trust.
General Resources
