A Handy Guide of Vaccination

As parents, we want lifelong protection for our children and “vaccination” is the first step for this. Read on for some information about vaccines from Doctors, and a recommended pediatrician.

What is Vaccine?

A vaccine is a preparation that, when inserted into the body, stimulates and trains the immune system to recognize and deal with specific infections.

What is vaccination and why is it important?

Vaccination means putting a vaccine into a child’s body so that his body can learn to fight infection. This way, the child will be protected from that infection even if someone around him has the germs for that infection. Therefore, it is very important to get children vaccinated on time. Vaccinations are usually given as an injection or sometimes as an oral drop.

Is it okay to give 7-10 days before or after the due date?

We should not give vaccines earlier than the recommended date; However, we may choose to give it on that date or after that date (as soon as possible).

Is there any minimum gap required between 2 vaccines?

Such restrictions apply only for injectable live viral vaccines such as MMR, chickenpox, live hepatitis A. These vaccines are preferred to be injected on the same day, but if they are not injected together, a gap of at least one month is recommended.

Here is a vaccination calendar that needs to be referred at the time of vaccination. Here, this is what is recommended by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), which should be followed for children in India.

age	vaccines	Stoppage
Birth	BCG opv 0 hep-b1	TB (tuberculosis) polio Hepatitis B Virus (Liver Damage)
6 weeks	DT wP 1 ipv1 help-b2 Hibs 1 rotavirus 1 PCV 1	Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis polio Hepatitis B Virus (Liver Damage) epiglottitis, pneumonia, meningitis severe diarrhea pneumococcal disease
10 weeks	dt wp 2 ipv2 rotavirus 2 pcv 2	Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis polio severe diarrhea pneumococcal disease
14 weeks	dt wp 3 ipv3 Hibs 3 rotavirus 3 pcv 3	Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis polio epiglottitis, pneumonia, meningitis severe diarrhea pneumococcal disease
6 months	opv 1 hep-b3	polio Hepatitis B Virus (Liver Damage)
9 months	opv 2 MMR-1	polio Measles
9-12 months	typhoid conjugate vaccine	typhoid
12 months	hep-a1	hepatitis A
15 months	MMR 2 Vairikala 1 pcv booster	Measles chicken pox or zoster virus pneumococcal disease
16 to 18 months	DT wP B1 ipv b1 hib b1	Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis polio Epiglottitis, Pneumonia, Meningitis
18 months- 2 years	hep-a2	hepatitis A
4 to 6 years	DT WP B2 opv 3 Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine Booster	Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis polio Typhoid
10 to 12 years	Tdap / Td HPV	Mumps/Tetanus/Pertussis human papillomavirus or cancer

What is the difference between painless and normal vaccinations? How to decide which one to choose and what are the side effects?

This distinction is made only in DPT vaccines; No other vaccine has this classification.

DPT Vaccine Classification:

Initially, there was a DPwT vaccine, which had side effects such as pain, swelling, fever. Later, a modified DPaT vaccine was developed which had much less reactogenicity.

Recent data suggest that regular DPwT provides greater protection than the painless DPaT vaccine. Therefore, the Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommends the routine DPwT vaccine over the painless DPaT vaccine.

There are some side effects of the DPwT vaccine that you may notice after vaccination:

1. Fever: usually mild with most vaccines

2. redness, pain, or swelling at the injection site

3. vomiting or dizziness

4. Diarrhea

If a vaccine has significant side effects, your doctor will tell you in advance. Otherwise, if a child has an allergic reaction to a vaccination, it usually appears within 15-20 minutes after the shot.

Can we delay vaccination if the child is sick with the flu?

If the baby has a fever higher than 101 degrees or is really uncomfortable due to a health issue, it is always better to do it on another day. Otherwise, delaying vaccination due to mild flu is not recommended or, at all, not necessary.

Tips for getting in before or after shots:

Before the shot:

1. you need to be confident and calm

2. Give baby a cleansing bath and do not apply any oils, creams or lotions

3. Try to lure the child with his favorite toy

4. Always tell the child that he will feel a little pain like an ant bite, but it will make him stronger

During the shot:

1. Try to distract the child or talk to him.

2. Hold the baby tightly.

After the shot:

1. Wait for 15 minutes to see any side effects.

2. Use ice packs for pain relief.

3. Acknowledge the child, but behave as if nothing major has happened.

How important is it to check brands of vaccines?

There is no significant difference between different brands of a given vaccine. Therefore, your doctor will advise you of your preferred and selected vaccine as per your personal experience. You can always ask your doctor for the brand name of the vaccine, batch number and expiry date.