Pregnancy Center

Immunization: A Safeguard For Your Child's Health

Immunization: A Safeguard For Your Child's Health
At birth, babies have protection against certain diseases as antibodies have passed through the placenta from the mother to the unborn child. Breast milk provides additional antibodies to the baby after birth. But this protection is temporary. The vaccination schedule is announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and it is mandatory to follow this schedule for a healthy baby and healthy society.
Immunization (or vaccination) is a way of creating immunity to certain infections by using small amounts of a killed or weakened micro-organism that causes the particular infection. These microorganisms can be viruses like the polio virus, or they can be bacteria like Corynebacterium diphtheria. Vaccines stimulate the immune system to react as if there were a real infection and create antibodies to that infection. This will protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.

AGEVACCINEBirthBCG and OPV-16 weeksDPT-1, OPV-2 + IPV, HIB, PCV*, Hep B**, Rotavirus***10 weeksDPT-2, OPV-3 + IPV, HIB, PCV, Hep B, Rotavirus14 weeksDPT-3, OPV-4 + IPV, HIB, PCV, Hep B, Rotavirus9 monthsMeasles Vaccine, Vit A (1st Dose), OPV-51 yearHep A (1st Dose)15 monthsMMR, PCV Booster, Chicken pox****16 monthsHep A (2nd Dose), HIB Booster18 monthsDTP Booster, OPV+IPV Booster, Vit A (2nd Dose)2 years ( 24 months)Typhoid, Vit A (3rd Dose)2.5 year (30 months)Vit A (4th Dose)3 years (36 months)Vit A (5th Dose)5 yearsDT Booster, OPV Booster, Typhoid10 yearsTdap, HPV, Chicken pox, HPV*****16 yearsTdap

* The PCV dose for new born: 1st dose- 6 wks, 2nd dose - 10 wks, 3rd Dose- 14 weeks and a booster dose - 12-15 months. For infants of more than 6 months of age who have previously not received PVR, there should be a gap of 1 - 1.5 months between the 1st and 2nd dose and the 3rd dose after the age of 1 year. If the baby has crossed 9 months then only 2 doses are required- 1st and 2nd dose should be 2 months apart. And if the child is of 2 years or older than that then only 1 dose is required (stat)
**Hep B vaccine, if not taken in childhood, can be taken at any age with the two months gap between the first and the second dose and the third dose will be given six months after the second dose.
*** Rotavirus vaccination schedule varies depending on brand but is usually finished by the age of 6 months. Rotavirus vaccination should not be started in infants older than 12 weeks and should not be given after age 32 weeks.
**** Chicken Pox Vaccine (Varicella Vaccine) is recommended at 10 years if vaccine has not been administered earlier / no past history of chicken-pox.
***** The new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine should be given in a 3-dose schedule with the second and third doses given 2 and 6 months after the first dose. Girls aged 11 to 12 years should be routinely immunized with HPV vaccine but this vaccination series can be started in girls as young as age 9 years. A catch-up vaccination is recommended for females aged 13 to 26 years who have not been vaccinated previously or who have not completed the full vaccine series.

ABBREVIATIONS:
BCG - Bacille Calmette-Guerin, DPT - Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus, OPV - Oral Polio Vaccine, IPV- Injectable Polio Vaccine, DT- Diphtheria and Tetanus Vaccine, Hep A- Hepatitis A, Hep B- Hepatitis B, Vit A- Vitamin A, Tdap , HIB- Haemophilus Influenza type B , PCV- Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Tdap- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis, HPV- Human Papilloma Virus.
The risks of vaccinations are small when compared with the health risks caused by the infections they are intended to prevent. The components of the vaccines are either weakened or killed and therefore they are unlikely to cause any serious illness. Some vaccines may cause mild reactions such as soreness at the injection site or fever but serious reactions are rare.
Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases. It is estimated to prevent over 2 million deaths each year. The one time terror- small pox- is eradicated today through vaccinations. Immunization forms one of the most important and cost effective strategies for the prevention of childhood sicknesses and disabilities, and therefore, is a basic need for all the children.

NOTE:

• After revision, many vaccinations have be introduced in 2008 in the National Immunization Schedule.
• The above mentioned schedule may vary and therefore your paediatrician should be your guide on immunizations and schedules for them.
• Always keep a clear and complete record of your children's immunizations for future use if in case of any emergency.