1. Always tell your doctor if you don’t understand what he or she says or what you need to do. Medical information is hard to understand—for everyone. 
2. Never be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions or talk about your concerns. Ask any questions you have. Tell your doctor if you don’t know or understand how to do something correctly, even if this isn’t your first child. Your doctor or healthcare provider won’t think any question or concern is silly—and has probably been asked and explained it many times before.
3. Ask for help. Your doctor can help you find resources if you’re feeling overwhelmed or are having a hard time with something (like Zero to Three parent resources or the 988 crisis line). Your doctor can also help you find community resources if you don’t have the things you need to take care of your child, enough food, a safe place to live, or health insurance (like 2-1-1). Your doctor or healthcare provider won’t judge you or think badly of you. Being a parent is hard. They want to help you be the best parent you can be.
4. Call your child’s doctor right away if you are worried about something— don’t wait until the next checkup.
5. Write down any questions you have or things you want to talk about with the doctor, so you don’t forget. Ask for a paper or emailed copy of any information you need.

Vaccines are available at healthcare provider offices, pharmacies, local health departments, and community health centers. Community vaccine clinics may also be held at worksites, schools, health clinics, and other locations. Not all locations may have each type of vaccine that’s recommended for you or your child. You can also search for COVID-19 vaccines near you at vaccines.gov. 

Call before you go to check vaccine availability and contact your health insurance or the vaccine provider about any costs before receiving a vaccine.

Vaccines can prevent common diseases that used to seriously harm or even kill infants, children, and adults. Without vaccines, your child is at risk of becoming seriously ill or even dying from childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough.

It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat one after it occurs.

• Vaccination is a safe, highly effective, and easy way to help keep your family healthy.
• The recommended vaccination schedule balances when a child is likely to be exposed to a disease and when a vaccine will be most effective.
• Vaccines are tested to make sure they can be given safely and effectively at the recommended ages.

Different vaccines work in different ways, but every vaccine helps the body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. It takes a few weeks for protection to develop after vaccination, but that protection can last a lifetime. A few vaccines, such as those for tetanus, seasonal flu, and COVID-19, require occasional booster doses to help keep our immune systems ready to fight disease.

Before a new vaccine is ever given to people, extensive lab testing is done. Once testing in people begins, it can still take years before clinical studies are complete and the vaccine is licensed. After a vaccine is licensed, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDC, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal agencies continue routine monitoring and investigate any potential safety concerns. Although COVID-19 vaccines were developed much quicker than other vaccines, no safety steps were skipped and we continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.