Live Life Team
Majority of the vaccinations or immunisations are administered in the childhood in the form of injections.
The immunisation starts right form the birth of a baby and spreads for five years. A child receives most of his immunisations before one year.
The vaccinations are usually administered as protection against:
- Polio
- Infections caused by the pneumococcal viruses
- tetanus
- diphtheria
- whooping cough pertussis
- meningitis c
- Mumps
- measles
- rubella
Booster doses of the vaccinations are usually administered to continue the protection in children. The booster doses are given before he child is five years as well as between thirteen and eighteen.
Necessity of immunisation
Immunisation must be administered to the children for protection against diseases that can pose dangers like disabilities or even death.
Immunisation helps in the prevention of various diseases like:
tetanus which is an infection that can result in severe contraction of the muscle and difficulties while breathing
poliomyelitis or polio as it is commonly known, that results in the partial or complete paralysis of the body.
Pneumococcal infections that can result in fatal conditions like Meningitis.
Diphtheria caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae that result in severe chest and throat infections.
Meningitis C that occurs due to meningococcus group c bacterium resulting in severe kinds of meningitis as well as blood poisoning.
Hi B or haemophilus influenzae type b that causes meningitis and pneumonia
Pertussis or whooping cough that can even result in damage to the brain.
Measles resulting in severe fever as well as rashes.
Mumps that can cause the selling and inflammation of the salivary glands. It can even lead to deafness.
Rubella or German measles
How do immunisations function
The newly born babies have passive immunity to diseases like rubella and measles, which is due to the presence of antibodies, which they had received from their mother. But since this lasts for only a few months, active immunisation is a must.
A very small dosage of inactive disease is present in the vaccine which is used for immunisation purposes. Since it is present in an inactive condition, the child will not develop the disease.
Once administered with the vaccine, the body of the child starts the production of the antibodies or the white blood corpuscles, which will provide immunity against the specific disease. So in the future, if the body comes into acquaintance with the particular virus or bacteria that cause infection, the antibodies will start attacking those foreign bodies.
When should vaccinations be administered,
Children of two months
DPT – for Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus
IPV – for polio
Hib – for Hepatitis B
PCV – for Pneumococcal infections separately
Children of three months
DPT – for Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus
IPV – for polio
Hib – for Hepatitis B
Meningitis C vaccination separately
Four month old children
DPT – for Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus
IPV – for polio
Hib – for Hepatitis B
Meningitis C vaccination separately
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine separately
One year old children
Hib – for Hepatitis B and Meningitis C combined vaccination
13 to 15 month old children
PCV and MMR separately
Children form three to five years
DPT and IPV together
MMR separately
Children between thirteen to eighteen years old
Diphtheria, tetanus, polio – Td/IPV combined
