Vaccines that have been developed so far are against
infections that are serious and contagious; the more
children are vaccinated the better protected our population
becomes. On the same token each time your child receives
a shot, it is no walk in the park for him/her.
What
the vaccine does..
A vaccine stimulates the immune system
into producing antibodies, which are proteins required
to combat infection. It is a virus or bacterium
derived from the disease, altered so that it can't
cause illness but instead trigger these proteins
into action to protect your child upon contact with
the disease. The immune system is therefore primed
into recognizing the disease and then gears up to
offer protection. In other words, exposure to the
weakened germs from the vaccine will prepare your
child's system when confronted by the real thing.
What
follows a jab..
• There will be a transient pain caused by
the needle so your child will cry for a short while;
with some pacifying this crying should cease.
• Soreness or slight redness is common at
the injection site.
• A small lump may form but this is painless
and harmless and usually goes away on its own.
• Your child may develop low grade fever,
be irritable for a few hours.
• It is advisable to give a small dose of
paracetamol for pain or fever; check with your doctor
on dosing instruction.
Can they be given together?
Combination vaccines prove to be confusing for some
parents; they fear that vaccines when combined are
not as safe or effective as a single vaccine. Much
research was done to ensure that the combined vaccines
are just as reliable before being introduced. In fact
the main advantage is that your baby receives only
one shot instead of a few in one sitting. Example
is the five-in-1 which include (diphtheria, tetanus,
whooping cough, polio and haemophilus influenza type
B). Meanwhile research continues to develop more combo
vaccines that will be introduced once approved.
Why you should be vaccinating
your child..
• With the advent of vaccines, certain diseases
have been successfully eradicated namely smallpox.
• Vaccines slow down or stop the outbreak of
diseases
• Although vaccines are not 100% effective,
they do offer a very high rate of protection; there
is a lower chance of being infected with that disease
once the child is vaccinated
• Immunity levels of 90 to 95% is provided through
a good vaccination
• For some diseases, booster shots are required
to top up the immunity to the disease while for others
like Hep B and MMR, the immunity is lifelong.
• If a large enough segment of the population
is immunized against a disease either through vaccination
or being naturally immune, the disease will be blocked
from reaching those who are susceptible
Routine immunizations
There are effective vaccines for the following infections
for your baby:
Polio: A virus that damages the
nervous system and can result in permanent paralysis
and death
Diphtheria: A bacterial disease
that starts as a throat infection and gradually
spreads to the heart and the nervous system
Tetanus: A potentially fatal bacterial
infection that can cause the muscles to paralyze
badly
Whooping cough or pertussis: Again
caused by bacteria, mild fever with violent coughing
spasms that can cause the child to vomit, have fits
and lung damage
Hib: A bacterial infection causing
a range of illness that include meningitis and pneumonia
Measles: A viral that can cause
chest infections, fits, meningitis and permanent
brain damage
Mumps: A viral that causes painful
swelling of the salivary glands. Also known to cause
meningitis and deafness
Rubella: A viral that can cause
serious birth defects in unborn babies
Tuberculosis or TB: Caused be bacteria,
the infection mainly affects the lungs
For all other vaccines, it is best to get your doctor's
advice. Some shots are necessary in certain parts
of the world such influenza vaccination is necessary
when you are traveling to colder climates like USA.
When
it is a good idea to delay immunization..
• If you are unsure about the vaccine, voice
your concerns with your pediatrician to gain better
understanding and advice
• If your child is unwell with temperature
above 38.5C - vaccination itself will cause low
grade fever so it is important to postpone the shot.
A child with a runny nose or mild cold can go ahead.
• If your child has a serious reaction to
a previous shot, has an allergy to eggs then you
should check on the influenza vaccine as it contains
traces of egg protein; if your child is allergic
to yeast found in breads and cakes then Hep B vaccine
becomes a question mark since it is yeast-based.
It is important to discuss allergies or reactions
to injections to your doctor before a shot is administered.
Helping
to ease the pain..
• For an older child, explain that the vaccination
is to help keep the nasty germs away
• Praise your child after the shot so he feels
more confident about the next one
• Comfort your crying baby with hugs and assurances;
offer baby the bottle. Suckling will provide comfort
• Bring along some treats such as chocolates
or candies
• Consider combination vaccines to reduce
the agony of many sittings
• Show your child that you are confident about
the procedure
