Baby vaccination is a critical topic for anyone who’s expecting. Vaccination is important, even though some vaccinations are optional – there are ones that are mandatory in India.
There is no doubt that vaccination is a boon for humanity. It helps save millions of lives and has kept critical medical conditions at bay. However, there is a catch with vaccination – they must be administered with a precise schedule. Vaccination does bring many questions, and the immunization schedule is one of them. In this article, we will talk everything about baby vaccination that you need to know.
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Contents
Things to Remember During Vaccination
What is Immunization?
It is a process of protecting from a certain disease. There are two ways to provide immunization – vaccination or naturally contracting a disease and then recovering from it. A vaccine when administered provides immunity against a disease. It can either be given through an injection or orally.
There are some vaccines which The Indian Government gives to everyone throughout the country in Immunization clinics.( BCG, Hepatitis B, OPV, IPV, DPT, Hib, Japanese Encephalitis, MR vaccine)
There are some which are yet to be implemented by The Government throughout the country but recommended by Indian Academy of Pediatrics as desirable vaccines for every child( Rotavirus vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccine, Typhoid vaccine, Hepatitis A vaccine, Chicken pox vaccine, MMR vaccine, Flu vaccine).
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List of all Vaccines
- BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin)
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is used against tuberculosis. It also prevents TB meningitis in children. Just like other vaccines, BCG contains a live attenuated culture of the Tuberculosis causing bacterium. It is in a weakened form. This means the disease-causing power of the bacteria is removed, but the antigenic property helps in triggering the immune system to get ready.This help protect the child from serious Tuberculosis infection in the future, but not from some of the manifestations of the disease.
Dosage – One dose through injection at birth
- IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine)
IPV vaccine is administered to prevent polio in the child, and it is a mandatory vaccine for all babies. An inactivated wild strain of poliovirus is given to children which leads to the production of antibodies. It is typically given with the DTP vaccine.
Dosage – Four doses of polio vaccine (IPV) intramuscular injection, though presently Government gives two doses of intradermal injections
- OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine)
Oral Polio Vaccine is given orally (OPV). It is made up of an activated non-wild strain of the virus that produces antibodies within the body.
Dosage – Three doses of OPV
- Hepatitis A
It protects against the Hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A virus causes viral hepatitis and liver failure in children.Since this is easily spread through water and food ,protection is much needed.
Dosage – Two or one doses (depending on the type of vaccine).
- Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B vaccine helps prevent liver diseases caused by the virus of the same name. The virus can cause liver diseases such as liver cancer, liver failure, and even death.
Dosage – Three or four doses of vaccine depending on schedule
Prevents baby against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (whooping cough). It is a mandatory vaccine.
Dosage – Three doses, followed by 2 booster doses
This baby vaccination protects children against rotavirus that can cause severe diarrhoea.
Dosage – Three or 2 doses of vaccine depending on the type.
- HiB (Hemophilus Influenza type B)
Protects children against a bacteria called Hemophilus influenza type B – that causes diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, and epiglottitis.
Dosage – Three doses and a booster dose
- PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)
Prevents against bacteria that cause pneumonia of lungs, brain meningitis, infection of blood, and ear infections.
Dosage – Three doses and a booster dose.
It protects children against measles, mumps, and rubella.
Dosage – Two doses of vaccine
- TCV (Typhoid)
Prevents typhoid which is a very common infection in India
Dosage – One dose of the conjugate vaccine of every 3 yearly dose of polysaccharide vaccine.
Why is Vaccination Mandatory?
Vaccination is mandatory because it is the best available method to prevent a deadly disease. It may hurt mothers to see their newborn undergo pain and it surely can ache their heart – however, vaccination is of critical importance to the baby’s health. It’s also important for long term protection against several conditions with very high mortality and life long disability.
Things to Remember During Vaccination
- Always follow the recommended schedule and get your child vaccinated as due. Set up a reminder and try not to miss the date prescribed by the pediatrician.
- Communicate with the pediatrician and be informed about what to do in situations such as fever diarrhea and cough. Vaccinations are typically not administered if a child has temperature or
- After a dose of vaccine, your child may get a fever that can last for two days. If the fever doesn’t go in two days, see the pediatrician
- Involving a couple of family members during vaccination can help distract the child and make the process easier.
- Be informed about painless vs painful vaccine.
Conclusion
Vaccination is a boon and a marvel of medical sciences. It protects us from critical illnesses and increases life expectancy. Today, vaccination is mandatory across the world. If you are pregnant, it is essential to know all that you can about vaccination and its impact on your child. There are some optional vaccinations too that one should consider – especially in today’s world when infections are so prevalent.
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More about Vaccines & Immunity
Disclaimer: This article is meant to help create awareness and spread knowledge. All decisions regarding your health and child’s health should be done after consultation with your doctor. Read my full disclosure here .while all efforts are made to keep articles updated the speed of research in these fields means the information often may change when more research knowledge is available. Healthwealthbridge or the authors should be in no way held responsible in that case.
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Very informative post Amrita. Thanks for sharing
Glad you found this helpful.
Informative post for parents. One stop to check for vaccination schedule. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for this ready reference for vaccinations. bookmarking it for future reference,
I am very much thankful to you for the fact that you actually wrote this post. very helpful, especially for moms like me. Very much appreciated.
Vaccination is very essential in keeping our babies safe from certain life threatening diseases. And yes, following the immunization schedule is even more important since the vaccines have to be administered at the right time for them to work effectively. Very helpful post, Dr. Amrita!
Baby vaccination keeps them away from deadly diseases and this descriptive blog post shows it all.
This is a very useful and exhaustive list. Thanks for sharing it!
An very informative list of vaccinations that are a must for a new born. And the explanation about maintaining the vaccination schedule is also much sought after knowledge. Great post.
vaccinesare so important. when people say i dont want to vaccinate my baby of have pox parties its the dumbest thing to do!
It is quite overwhelming when different doctors give new list of vaccines each time. This post would be helpful for every new parent
This is such an informative and important post for all parents to know the importance of vaccination..thanks for sharing
I took all these for my son even the yearly flu vaccine as well. I have done EBF for 6 months but I dont know why my son becomes sick in every alternate month. Everytime doctor is giving strong antibiotics and I think you can feel the pain of a working mom! Can you please suggest me a good pediatric in Kolkata? It would be really great if you can write something on child’s immunity.
This is such a helpful post for all new parents as they are so confused about vaccination
wonderful post for new parents. i will forward this to my friend who has a 5 months old, will be really helpful.
There is a percentage of population that believes In not vaccinating their children. There are myths if vaccination linked to autism. Vaccinating children should be compulsory over the world. Fab and informative post
Amazing and insightful post. Baby vaccination is very essential and helpful for the mommies. Great thought.
This is a very informative and helpful post. Everyone should read this
This post is so vital for all parents. Thank you so much for the list doc.
This is very Informational Post Dr Amrita, We have always insured we get all mandatory and non mandatory ones for Tuggu on time.
Rightly said, vaccinations are very crucial and thank heavens our parents also believed in that. I have made note of giving all the mandatory and optional vaccines to daughter right on time. Thanks for sharing.
I remember having to memorize the entire immunization schedule for pediatrics vivas during medical school. It was not until internship that I realized were unaware of this responsibility towards their child, thus exposing them to the risk of infections.
Even those who were repeatedly educated about it tended to miss a dose or two.
Educating every mother about these vaccinations is a must! Thanks for selecting this topic to blog about…
Very informative post. I have done a small blunder wrt to vaccine as a first time mom. This is gonna help new mommies be informed.
Informative post. I was surprised to find out that there are people in some Western countries who don’t believe in vaccination.
They don’t face the infectious diseases which we face and may be unaware about many ground realities.
Very very informative post and will be so helpful for new parents. We also got all of Karma’s vaccinations done. Mandatory and non mandatory ones.
Vaccinations not only protects the child from deadly diseases, such as polio, tetanus, and diphtheria, but they also keep other children safe by eliminating or greatly decreasing dangerous diseases that used to spread from child to child.
True that
very informative post for moms regarding vaccinating their child. they can keep track of immunization schedule with it.
This is so good
Thanks for the post
I just got to know that I missed 1 vaccination for my daughter and planning to complete it this week.
This is informative and details post. Wl share with my friends who have become new moms
Many parents missed vaccination for their kids out of no reason. This post will definitely help them guide
That’s a great source of information about vaccination. Every parent should compulsorily administer vaccination to their child.
Normally people follow the doctors blindly when it comes to health of the new born but you have shared what is essential for the new born baby and why it is essential. Now I have some knowledge about it.
That’s a very informative post on vaccination for babies. I am sure it will help many parents.
Even the educated behave like uneducated ones at times! This is during the vaccination phase! They think things are not needed but when someone is against a vaccine I show them the proof of polio eradication which happened just because of vaccine! Such a brief list !
Being a first time Mum this is helpful information. Will bookmark this for myself.
Very helpful & informative post for all Parents out there. It will make things easy for them & follow accordingly.
I still remember getting these vaccinations done for my child. .though some of them brought him pain and fever but we knew it is for his betterment…
Correct vaccination at the right time is a must for all babies this blog post is a must read for every parent is specially with toddlers .
I remember all the hurdles my mom used to face while I was in vaccination period. This blog post is very informative and beneficial for moms and other individuals too.
That’s very informative read every parent should be aware of immunisation schedule and it’s importance.
This is a very helpful and informative post for all parents for their kids. Can you also share a post on vaccination for adults.
That’s a good idea
Vaccination is a must for every child… But proper knowledge about the vaccines is also important! Love the post! Got to know so much in details!
This post is absolutely necessary because for new moms. When I was new mom I remember I wasn’t well informed and one vaccine IPV got skipped. Baby was born in a semi govt hospital and they didn’t inform me about the vaccines as they followed govt pattern.
Right time vaccination and proper way vaccination is very important.. This is an informative post and helpful for the parents.
Quite an in-depth information about infant vaccination and all the vaccinations detailed out adeptly. It also cleared few misconceptions that I had in mind. Shared it for spreading the information.
A topic pf paramount importance. Knowing and adhering to the immunization schedule is mandatory for the long term health of the child and should be top priority for every mother.
I just took out my son’s health record book to make sure he got all required immunizations.. BCG is not provided to every child in England. It has to be requested separately and is provided in a different medical facility upon request. We got it done for our son when he was a baby. The request is approved if child’s parents are not from England..
This is a useful post for new moms. They are worried and have queries about vaccines. This should help.
Recently a friend of mine wanted list of vaccination for her infant Thanks to you my work is reduced as am forwarding this to her.
Vaccination is so crucial. Some seconds of pain and a lifetime of immunity. I am totally in favour of these,
Thanks for this detailed guide on vaccination. Baby vaccination is really important and I believe not a single vaccine (as recommended) must be missed out.
The only one thing I struggle during vaccinations is with respect to immunization charts prepared by doctors..they are all different with respect to various vaccines .Like for typhoid where one doctor suggested to get 2 typhoid vaccinations and the other doctor said once every 3 years..I wish that we have standard immunization template which can be referred to for avoiding any confusion
Kudos to you for such detailed post… this is surely gonna very helpful for all new parents out there.. vaccinations are very important so is knowledge about them
This is a great article indeed…the points that you have shared to remember while getting a vasination to kids will be really helpful…I shall share this blog with my friends and family !
Thanks for this important list. I’m happy that I have completed all these vaccinations for my kids.
On time immunization is very important. Here,we have submit a copy of our child’s immunization record while school admission. Parents need to understand that immunization is not just for their child”s health but for 10 oterokida who your child with come in contact with.
I feel that vaccines are helpful when it comes to life threatening diseases but some diseases can be prevented by simple hygiene measures and may not need vaccination like Typhoid,Rotavirus,Influenza etc .
Yup! Vaccinations are important and beneficial. Our pediatrician was always helpful and made us understand all about the vaccine before every schedule. It certainly helped Ally our fears.
Very nice.