National Immunization Awareness Month
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is taking a stand on the protection offered by vaccines to prevent deadly diseases as part of National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) in August. Throughout the month, AAP will be sharing messages from pediatricians about vaccines, and is asking pediatrician bloggers to write about the importance of vaccination #WhyIVax.
Pediatricians and members of the AAP from across the country share why they vaccinate in their practices and why they trust vaccines with their own families.
In a series of AAP Voices blog posts, about the importance of vaccines for child health:

NIAM Blog Toolkit
The AAP is offering tips for pediatricians in a NIAM Blogger Kit to encourage our spokespeople and pediatricians with blogs to get involved in NIAM this year and promote immunization for everyone during August.
AAP NIAM Resources
Child Vaccination Across America infographic
In this
interactive infographic, the AAP presents the most recent data on immunization rates for DTaP, MMR, Varicella, HPV, Influenza, and the 7-vaccine series. Recent disease outbreaks are highlighted. You can click on individual states to compare vaccination rates and laws regarding vaccine exemptions across the country.

AAP Vaccine Timeline
The AAP recognizes the advancements in research and vaccine development that have saved millions of lives from death and disability from now-preventable diseases like polio, measles, and chickenpox. This timeline traces some of the important milestones in the history of vaccines.
AAP Voices blog posts
A series of
AAP Voices blog posts from individual pediatricians highlight the importance of immunizing against vaccine-preventable diseases and acknowledge the various ways consider their decision to vaccinate. Drs. Nusheen Ameenuddin and Kristin Oliver will write new NIAM blog
posts on a measles outbreak in Minessota and the real impacts of misinformation
about vaccines, and HPV vaccine, respectively. Other blogs to promote during
this month include:
- Immunization in the Era of Fake News - What do Pediatricians Need to Do?, Claire McCarthy, MD, FAAP
- We Can't Let Our Guard Down Against Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Don L. Wilber, MD, FAAP
Immunization is a Simple, Proven Tool to Protect Our Children, Hansa Bhargava , MD, FAAP -
It Takes a Herd , Rhea Boyd, MD, FAAP
-
Your Baby and Your Pediatrician (and the Internet), Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
-
Building a Foundation for Lifelong Health , Ivor B. Horn, MD, MPH, FAAP
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It's Time to Defend the Truth about Vaccines, Natasha Burgert, MD, FAAP
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Vaccines: One of Pediatricians' "Super Powers" to Protect Kids, Ari Brown, MD, FAAP·
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Protecting the Most Vulnerable: Immunize for Children Who Can't, Timothy Jacks, MD, FAAP
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HPV Vaccine Misunderstood Despite Decade of Safety and Effectiveness,
Margaret Stager, MD, FAAP
#VaccinesWork Social Media
The AAP will be pushing out a comprehensive social media campaign during
August to promote its messaging and resources to parents. Take part and support
the campaign.
You can find us on Facebook and Twitter:
Visit the AAP on
YouTube for sharable videos that reinforce the importance of vaccines:
AAP will continue to post messages during World Immunization Week, April 24-30.
Learn more about how the AAP promotes global immunization.
HealthyChildren.org Parent Testimonials
In an effort to transform statistics into real conversations about how children and families benefit from immunizations, we asked parents to share their stories about why they vaccinate their children. Readers of
HealthyChildren.org wrote to tell us how they made the decision to immunize their children, and what an important decision it was for them. AAP and HealthyChildren.org will share many of their stories in social media throughout the week:

HealthyChildren.org Resources
HealthyChildren.org is the premier source of pediatric information for parents and offers numerous articles related to immunizations. These make excellent articles to share during NIAM using the hashtag #WhyIVax:
You can find us on Facebook and Twitter here:
National Infant Immunization Week
Observed annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health organizations since 1994, NIIW has celebrated the successes of immunization programs around the country and highlights the importance of immunizing. The AAP joins the CDC in urging parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to ensure that infants are fully immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza.
Visit the CDC website to learn more.