American Academy of Pediatrics, Alaska Chapter

11/03/2025

While rare, Polio is caused by a virus that affects infants and young children more often than other age groups. Paralytic polio causes muscles to be paralyzed—leaving some people physically impaired for the rest of their lives.
Polio can spread to other people through contact with stool (p**p) from an infected person or droplets from a sneeze or cough. It is transmitted from contact with f***l matter (stool or p**p) within one to two weeks after a person is infected with polio. A person who gets stool or droplets from an infected person on their hands will get infected if they touch their mouth. Children who are not vaccinated can get infected if they put toys or other objects that have stool or droplets on them into their mouth.
Learn more: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/vaccine-preventable-diseases/Pages/Polio.aspx?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=69654055&gbraid=0AAAAADyMpZFRXyK8GqIaw2A_VKL4VB7v2&gclid=CjwKCAiAwqHIBhAEEiwAx9cTeUIwZ7LbSbLRVhH1EWmGxjJ_rVKvFkE9SWykkKJJNU1Amkc7FSOc-xoClXYQAvD_BwE

Polio is caused by a virus that affects infants and young children more often than other age groups. Most cases of polio are mild. Rarely, polio infection also can be much more severe and can cause paralysis. Paralytic polio causes muscles to be paralyzed—leaving some people physically impaired fo...

11/03/2025

10/29/2025

About 70% of oral cancers are caused by HPV in the U.S. The virus spreads to the mouth by oral s*x, and possibly can spread in other ways. The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that can cause oral cancers.
Learn more at : https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/does-the-HPV-vaccine-prevent-oral-cancer.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE3X_iJbd7Y

Pediatrician Dr. Rebekah Fenton explains that getting the HPV vaccine long before becoming s*xually active provides the best protection. She also debunks sev...

10/29/2025

Did you know that about 70% of oral cancers are caused by HPV in the U.S. The HPV vaccine protects boys and girls against the types of HPV that can cause oral cancers.
Learn more here;

​Many people associate human papillomavirus (HPV) with cervical cancer. And it's true that almost all cervical cancer is caused by HPV. But the HPV vaccine also prevents many other HPV-related cancers, including cancers of the throat, tongue and tonsils. This article includes a Parent-to-Parent es...

10/29/2025

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Chronic infection over the course of a lifetime can lead to liver damage, liver failure, liver cancer, or even death.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood or body fluids, and perinatal exposure typically occurs during labor and delivery.

Newborns can acquire hepatitis B at birth (perinatal hepatitis B) if the mother is infected with the hepatitis B virus. Administering a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, known as a birth dose, is highly effective in preventing infection in newborns.

Newborns infected with hepatitis B at birth and infants infected in the first year of life have a 90% chance of developing chronic hepatitis B, and 25% of those who develop chronic hepatitis B will die from the disease.

Children infected between one and five years of age have a 25-50% chance of becoming chronically infected. Twenty-five percent of children who develop a chronic hepatitis B infection will die from the disease.
For more information- https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/hepatitis-b-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know.aspx?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=69654055&gbraid=0AAAAADyMpZF8Kltd2S4F8aseUp2tOAQhM&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9obIBhCAARIsAGHm1mTB8zrFneAgtQIHc5Jxby_L08yYvTlrJ6OU3g2sRb4nyYhMmjQlK8MaApo8EALw_wcB

10/27/2025

People are exposed to aluminum through food, air, water, infant formula, medicine, cosmetics, deodorants and other consumer products. Experts estimate that people ingest about 7-9 mg of aluminum every day (equivalent in size to about 7-9 grains of sand).

Aluminum salts are used as an immune-boosting ingredient in the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV, pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines. Most of these vaccines contain less than 0.5 mg of aluminum per dose.

The human body processes aluminum salts the same way regardless of whether they are injected in the body as part of a vaccine or ingested as part of food or water. Most aluminum is processed in the kidneys and eliminated in urine. While some aluminum remains in the body, the amounts are very low. There is ample evidence that the low levels of aluminum in vaccines are safe.
Aluminum toxicity is rare and unrelated to vaccines. People with aluminum toxicity usually have kidney failure (and therefore cannot properly process aluminum) and have been exposed to high amounts of aluminum over months or years. The amount of aluminum salts contained in vaccines is too small to cause a toxic effect.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccine-Ingredients-Frequently-Asked-Questions.aspx

10/27/2025

All vaccines contain antigens, which are small molecules that trigger an immune response in the body. These substances are found on bacteria and viruses and help teach the body to create an immune response to protect against infections and diseases.

Babies and young children are exposed to about 2,000 to 6,000 immune-triggering substances, also called antigens, every day. The current entire pediatric immunization schedule exposes a child to about 165 antigens.

All vaccines contain antigens. Antigens make vaccines work. They prompt the body to create the immune response needed to protect against infection. Antigens come in several forms. The form used in a vaccine is chosen because studies show it is the best way to protect against a particular infection.....

10/20/2025

10/16/2025

10/16/2025