VIDEO--Safer Healthier Children: A Brief Introduction to Childhood Vaccines
Introduction
"Safer Healthier Children: A Brief Introduction to Childhood Vaccines" video provides a general introduction to childhood vaccines. It features interviews with a CDC vaccine safety expert, a pediatrician, and two mothers. It explains the benefits of vaccines, addresses concerns related to measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and highlights the importance of childhood vaccinations.
The story of one child, Parker, is told to show the important role vaccines play in preventing the spread of disease from one child to another, especially to children who have not yet been vaccinated, or who cannot be for medical reasons.
Children also give their personal views of vaccination.
The video can accompany the "ABCs of Childhood Vaccines" 
, a PowerPoint slide series. The five-part series covers the history of vaccines, vaccine safety, how vaccines work, and how vaccines protect children from disease. The five slide presentations can be viewed together or one at a time. The slides use lively graphics and animation to cover five topics:
- How Vaccines Work
- Vaccine Safety
- Natural Immunity
- Primary Vaccines (vaccines on the recommended childhood immunization schedule)
- Risks of Not Vaccinating
How to Use the Video and the Slides
The following lists suggestions for using the "Safer Healthier Children: A Brief Introduction to Childhood Vaccines" video and the "ABCs of Childhood Vaccines" slide presentation series as health education tools to inform parents and others about childhood vaccines.
Parents
Watch in your home or use with other parents. For example, view it at parent-teacher meetings to discuss childhood immunizations.
School Nurses
Use video and slide series to educate parents about the importance of childhood immunizations. Keep some copies in your office to lend to parents.
Pediatric, Family, OB/GYN Practices; Nurses; Emergency Room Physicians and Nurses
Show the video in waiting rooms. Lend the video and slide series to parents. Refer them to the www.cdc.gov/vaccines website for more information on childhood vaccines.
Health Educators
Use video in immunization education courses.
Teachers
Use as a resource for news reporters and others who want to know about childhood immunizations.
Health Communication Specialists
Use video and slide series to educate parents about the importance of childhood immunizations. Keep some copies in your office to lend to parents.
Policy Makers
Use as a resource to learn more about childhood immunizations.
How to Obtain the Video and Slides
You can download the "Safer Healthier Children: A Brief Introduction to Childhood Vaccines" video* and the "ABCs to Childhood Vaccines" slide series from this website.
All CDC items and products can be reprinted and reproduced for educational use and are free.
*Requires RealPlayer to view, click here to download (exit).
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Content last reviewed on June 10, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases