Pediatric Immunizations

How Immunizations
Work

Active vs. Passive Immunity

Both passive and active immunity have natural
and artificial ways to be obtained.
Passive natural immunity is when a mother
transfers antibodies to the fetus via the placenta
as well as through the milk when nursing.
Passive artificial immunity is given via injection
of serum from an individual that has previously
been immunized or had and recovered from the
disease.
Active natural immunity is when your body
produces antibodies on its own to respond to the
infection.
Active artificial immunity is when you receive
an inactivated virus received by vaccination. This
also helps the body produce antibodies having
the safe effect of exposure, without having to be
exposed.
How the Body Reacts
Our body has two forms of defense against

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Receiving a vaccine helps the immune

system develop the same response to a real
infection so the body is able to develop the
same response as if it were a real infection.
When bacteria or viruses invade the body,
they attack cells, take them over, and
multiply. When you start to experience
symptoms, which is the infection that is
caused by the invasion. By getting your
children vaccinated, you are reducing their
risk of a dangerous or deadly infection.
This happens because the vaccine works
with the bodys natural defenses to help
develop immunity.

Pediatric Immunizations
How the Pieces of the Immune
System Work Together
The two defenses of the body, innate and
adaptive, work together on two different levels.
The innate defense is general, whereas the
adaptive is specialized. Both of these defenses
need different parts of the body to work. They
need soluble substances from the blood and
other fluids found in the body such as proteins,
antibodies, and short amino acid chains. Both
parts use cellular and humoral defense
strategies.

Primary & Secondary Immune

Response
Primary immune response is the first
encounter of an antigen. Depending on the
severity or nature of the infection could take up
to fourteen days to resolve. This causes the
body to create memory cells, which would
trigger a response as soon as the body would
come into contact with the infection. The
response is mediated by B cells with the help of
T cells, for the body to generate large numbers
of antigen specific cells that could kill off
infected cells.
Secondary immune response has a more
rapid response leading to the activation of
previously generated memory cells.

Risks

&

Benefits

to

In my opinion, all children should

be immunized. These shots
protect children from deadly
diseases. Many of these diseases
have been eradicated. However,
now they have been coming back
due to the myth going around
about vaccines causing other
diseases. I dont believe the public
knows enough about this to make