Mack's 2 Month Check-Up

Today was Mack's 2 month check-up with is pediatrician.  He is right on schedule weighing at 10 pounds 6 ounces (in the 25% bracket), 23 inches long (50% bracket), and head circumference at 15 1/4 inches (25% bracket).  He had his first set of Immunizations which are designed to protect against serious illnesses ranging from polio and tetanus to measles, mumps, and the seasonal flu. 
Immunizations are vaccines made of either weakened or "killed" versions of the bacteria or virus that causes a particular disease. When these altered viruses and bacteria are injected or taken orally, the immune system mounts an attack that stimulates the body to produce antibodies.

Once produced, the antibodies remain active in the body, ready to fight off the real disease. For example, if whooping cough broke out in our area, an immunized child would be much less likely to contract the disease than one who wasn't immunized.

Today he got the following vaccines:

DTaP, to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)

Hepatitis B (HBV), to protect against hepatitis B, which can cause the liver disease hepatitis

Hib, to protect against Haemophilus influenza type B, which can lead tomeningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis

Pneumococcal (PCV), to protect against pneumococcal disease, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and ear infections

Polio (IPV), to protect against polio

Rotavirus, to protect against rotavirus, which can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration (given orally, not as an injection)

One cool thing that our Doctor uses is a numbing cream that helps the shots to not be so painful.  Most offices don't provide this because insurances don't cover it but our pediatrician offers it as a complimentary service because they know how hard it can be to see your child hurting.  Mack did cry but it wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Here he is at the Dr's.