Female Speaker: 8-month old Della is happy and healthy. New parents Brad and Melissa Levine are taking every step to ensure she stays that way. Male Speaker: I know what you like. Melissa Levine: It's just incredible watching her growing me. You couldn't imagine that would have so much love for somebody else more than like what you've experienced before and it's just completely different than anything you've experienced. Female Speaker: Melissa is an obstetrician, so she's used to delivering babies. Watching her own baby grow up is a new adventure. But mom and dad don't enjoy seeing Della get vaccinated, although they know the pain of vaccination is worth it. Melissa Levine: You have the ability to prevent something that could be life threatening and I think that risks that from the vaccines themselves are pretty low. I'd much rather have her get vaccinated than think about even not vaccinating her. Female Speaker: Today's immunization schedule is designed to protect kids against the potentially deadly illnesses that still exist worldwide. These include measles, mumps, tetanus, polio and varicella better known as chickenpox. What's in a shot, today's vaccines contain either dead or weakened germs. These foreign particles injected into the body sometimes in combination are not strong enough to pose a real threat in most children but they do trigger an immune response. The body learns to recognize the invader and make antibodies to fend it off. Thus, if a vaccinated child is exposed to the actual disease, his body has a head start in fighting it. Pediatrician Dr. Leon Cohen is an advocate for vaccination. His advice, learn about the diseases and ask questions. Serious reactions to vaccines are rare. Reactions when they occur are usually mild. Dr. Leon Cohen: Most common reactions are low-grade fever, soreness at the sight of the vaccine, pain at the sight of the vaccine or a mild rash. Sometimes the side effects are more serious and parents need to be aware of that. Female Speaker: The timing of immunizations has fueled some fear. Most vaccines are given during the first several years of life. This is also when sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS can occur, and when some parents believe they notice early signs of autism in their children. While the timing may appear suspicious, numerous studies have shown no connection. Still, some parents wonder, why immunize at such an early age. The bottom line is that babies and toddlers are vulnerable. Before the Hib vaccine, many young children died of bacterial meningitis. There are ways to take some of the pain out of prevention. After vaccinations, Della is prescribed a child's dose of acetaminophen for a 24-hour period to alleviate soreness and prevent fevers. Melissa Levine: She's actually been great with the vaccines. I think that the day that she gets them she is a little grumpy. But, other than that she's been absolutely fine. She doesn't seem like she's sore or uncomfortable, she's never gotten a fever.