Introduction
Being a parent all you do is to keep your baby sound healthy and happy. Vaccination is a part of creating defense line against various diseases in your baby.
In an infant, the antibodies are passed down from mother from breast milk which helps them to create the first line of defense. However, babies don’t feed breast after the duration of 6 months and in some cases a year. In that case, the immunity provided by the milk is worn off or weakened, here vaccine helps them and protect against various infections and diseases. Generally, the vaccine contains the inactivated form or strain of causing pathogen which helps the body to create the antibodies against it without getting infected or diseased. This function provides the immunity against that pathogen to the baby for the lifelong.
Why vaccinate your baby?
Here are the details about the functions of the vaccine.
1. BCG vaccine –
Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination is given to make your child immune against Tuberculosis and also prevent TB Meningitis. BCG vaccine is given in one shot only at birth.
2. Hep B
It protects against the disease hepatitis B which is an infection of the liver. The HepB vaccine is given in three doses to the baby in different intervals.
3. OPV
OPV stands for Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) are given to protect your baby from the polio disease. Your baby will need 4 doses of this vaccine first at the time of birth then rest in the different intervals of time.
4. IPV
IPV is Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) it is also given to protect your baby from polio disease. This vaccine is mandatory for all the children in India. This vaccine contains the wild strain of inactivated poliovirus.
5. DTaP
This vaccine is given to prevent the disease Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP). it is also known as a whooping cough, this vaccination is also mandatory. Total 3 doses of this vaccine are required by your baby followed by the booster doses the first will be given at the age of 6 weeks.
6. Rota V
This vaccination provides the shield against the Rotavirus infection which is responsible for causing diarrhea in children. This vaccine is composed of 5 strain of inactivated Rotavirus. Your baby will need 3 doses of this
vaccine among which the first one will be given at the age of 6 weeks.
7. PCV
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) is given to protect the baby against the Pneumococcal infections. The Pneumococcal bacteria is responsible for the pneumonia of the lungs, ear infections, brain meningitis and bacteremia of the blood. Total 4 number of doses are required by the baby. The first one will be given at the age of 6 weeks.
8. HiB
This vaccination is required to create the shield against Haemophilus Influenza type B (HiB). It is a bacterium which is responsible for the infections like Epiglottitis, Meningitis, and Pneumonia HiB is a conjugate vaccine. 3 doses will be required by the baby for the immunization against this bacterium. The first dose will be given at the age of 6 weeks.
9. MMR
This vaccine helps to prevent the disease like Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) in your baby. The baby will need 3 doses of which the first one will be given at the age of 9 months.
10. Typhoid
This vaccine contains the purified Vi polysaccharide from either TY2 S or typhi strain. It helps to prevent typhoid in your child. 2 doses of this vaccine are required by your child. The first one will be given at the age of 9 to 12 months.
11. Hep A
This vaccine protects against hepatitis A virus and chronic liver infections. The vaccine is given to your child in 3 doses to immunization against Hep A virus. The first one will be given at the age of 12 months.
12. Varicella
This vaccine creates the shield against chickenpox. The vaccine will be given to your baby in 2 doses.