CDC: Childhood vaccination rates remain high

It looks like most parents in the United States are continuing to vaccinate their children against potentially serious diseases.

New data in the Annual National Immunization Survey, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, finds that vaccination rates among children ages 19 to 35 months remain high.

There are 14 potentially serious diseases that parents can protect their children from by making sure they receive all of their recommended vaccines by the time they are 2 years old, according to Dr. Jane Seward, deputy director in the CDC's Division of Viral Diseases.

"These diseases can strike at an early age and can be especially serious in babies and young children," she said. "We want to protect children as early as we can before they have any chance of being exposed."

Polio, diphtheria, various forms of hepatitis, and measles, mumps and rubella are some of the diseases that can be prevented with vaccines. For parents who are on the fence about immunizations, Seward recommends they speak to their provider and go to the CDC website for information.

"The website contains information and stories from parents whose children have had some of these diseases," she said.

It is never too late to be vaccinated. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov.