Why is Childhood Immunization Important?

Dr.Rakesh Pandit, 5 mins read

Becoming a new mom and dad is an unexplained feeling. The sensation of the new baby, the touch, the small cute face, and the fingers all greatly touch our hearts. Carrying your baby for the first time in your hands and hugging him/her gently are forever memories. But with this, one more thing comes, i.e., responsibility.

You need to be extra cautious with your newborn baby. Everything from massaging to purchasing baby gates and other safety equipment is important for your baby's care. But on top of this, immunization is very important to salvage your beloved baby from various diseases.

This is very critical as newborn babies have relatively weak defense systems and are more prone to various virulent diseases. That's where immunization plays its role.

Vaccines protect your child from dreadful diseases like polio, diphtheria, and tetanus, and it also keeps your child away from diseases that spread from child to child. But what exactly do these vaccines do, and how safe are they for your child? Let's dive deep into it to find the answers.

What are Vaccines, and Why are They Important?

Babies are born with protection against diseases as they get antibodies from their mom. Additionally, they get antibodies from breast milk. But both provide a temporary shield to the baby's body.

On the other hand, vaccines are made to create immunity for some diseases. In other words, they are a safe, effective, and simple way to protect your kids from debilitating diseases before they come into contact with them.

Vaccines squarely train the immune system to create antibodies for specific infections. But how do they do this? 

So, vaccines are either made up of small amounts of weakened or killed germs that are the seeds for various diseases or a piece of germ, like a protein or a piece of its genetic material. Once these vaccines are injected, the immune system fends off the infection and memorizes the germ. So, when the same germ attacks you again, your immune system efficiently fights against the infection.

Childhood vaccines come in various forms - injections (shots), nasal sprays, liquids, and pills.

Are Childhood Vaccines Safe?

Any immunization vaccine that comes to market passes a rigorous protocol to prove its safety and efficacy and is approved by regulatory bodies. So, there is a very low chance that your baby will get any side effects. 

What are the Compulsory Vaccines for Newborn Babies in India?

Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) Vaccine

• Given to prevent: Tuberculosis
• Age: As soon as after birth
• Dosage: 0.1 ml
• Vaccination site: Upper left arm
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience swelling at the site of administration

Polio Vaccine

• Given to prevent: Polio
• Age: Within 15 days of birth or at the time of birth. Follow it up with the second dose after 6 months and the third dose after 9 months.
• Dosage: Two drops
• Vaccination site: Mouth
• Vaccination form: Liquid
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience symptoms like the common cold and muscle pain.

Hepatitis B (Hep B)

• Given to prevent: Hepatitis B
• Age: At birth. Followed by a second dose after six to eight weeks and a third dose after six months.
• Dosage: Ten mcg does 0.5 ml suspension
• Vaccination site: Intramuscularly in the anterolateral thigh
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience symptoms like swelling in the face or throat.

DTP Vaccine

• Given to prevent: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis
• Age: At the sixth week.
• Dosage: 0.5 ml
• Vaccination site: anterolateral mid-thigh left
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience pain, headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, etc.

Haemophilus Influenza B Virus (HIB)

• Given to prevent: HIB bacteria
• Age: At the sixth week, followed by the 2nd dose after 10-16 weeks and the third dose after 14 to 24 weeks.
• Dosage: 0.5 ml
• Vaccination site: vastus lateralis muscle of the thigh
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience headaches, loss of consciousness, and difficulty breathing.

Rotavirus

• Given to prevent: Rotavirus
• Age: At six weeks. Followed by a second dose after 10 weeks and a third dose after 14 weeks.
• Dosage: 1 ml
• Vaccination site: Mouth
• Vaccination form: Liquid
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience fussiness, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine

• Given to prevent: Typhoid
• Age: Between the age of 3 and 6 months
• Vaccination site: For children below 2 years, it is administered in the thigh, and for children above 2 years, it is administered in the deltoid muscle.
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience redness and swelling at the administration site.

MMR Vaccine

• Given to prevent: Measles, mumps, and rubella
• Age: At nine months and the second dose at 4 to 6 years.
• Vaccination site: For small children, it is administered in the anterolateral part of the thigh, and for older children, it is administered in the posterior triceps of the upper arm.
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience fever and redness at the administration site.

Hepatitis A

• Given to prevent: Hepatitis A
• Age: Between the age of 12 and 23 months. Followed by the second dose after six months after the first dose.
• Vaccination site: Upper arm or upper thigh
• Vaccination form: Injection
• Symptoms after vaccination: Some experience mild fever or redness at the administration site.

In addition, there are 6 more optional immunization vaccines for babies in India, which are as follows:

• Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
• Chickenpox Varicella
• Influenza
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Meningococcal Meningitis
• Cholera

Also, Read: Importance of Kids Vaccination