Immunizations protect your child against serious infections such as tetanus, diphtheria, polio, whooping cough (pertussis), H. influenzae, rubella (German measles), measles, mumps, hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), and pneumococcal disease. Some of these diseases can cause blindness, deafness, brain damage, and even death. Immunizations should be given at specific times in your child’s life. When you take your baby home, the hospital or birthing center will give you an immunization card. Bring this card with you to every visit to your baby’s provider and be sure to have it filled out each time your baby receives an immunization. Keep the immunization record in a safe place. You will need it for day-care or school registration, the WIC program, and even college and job applications when your child is grown. Whenever your child gets an immunization, a report is sent to the Citywide Immunization Registry. For a free copy of your child’s immunization record, call 311. At every health-care visit, ask your child’s doctor which immunizations your child should have. Every visit is an opportunity to keep your child on schedule!
Childhood lead poisoning remains a problem in New York City, largely because most of the city’s housing was built before 1960, the year that lead-based paint was outlawed for residential use. Lead is found in many places, especially in dust and peeling paint in older homes. Lead poisoning can impair children’s health, learning, and behavior. Children younger than 6 years are the most vulnerable.
You can help prevent lead poisoning:
- Keep children away from peeling paint and renovation work.
- Wash children’s hands, toys, and areas where they play regularly. (It’s natural for young children to put their hands and toys in their mouth.)
- Tell your building owner that a child under 6 years of age lives in your apartment, and alert the owner if there is peeling paint.
