Live Weakened Viral Vaccines: Mmr And Varicella
Four of the five vaccines given at this age are live, weakened viral vaccines, including measles, mumps and rubella in the MMR vaccine, and varicella, more commonly known as chickenpox. This means that immunity is the result of the vaccine virus replicating after the vaccine is given. Because the vaccine virus has been grown in the laboratory, it does not replicate as efficiently. The result is development of a robust immune response without actually being ill.
Because these vaccines rely on viral replication, the timing for their receipt has been carefully determined. Like threading a needle, public health officials have to, on one hand, protect babies before they are likely to be exposed, while on the other hand, delay vaccination until maternal antibodies are less likely to interfere with the development of immunity. This balance is one of the reasons healthcare providers were so scared during the recent measles outbreaks. They understand just how vulnerable their patients less than 1 year old are. Measles is one of if not the most contagious of infectious diseases, making it very adept at finding the non-immune among us.
Experience has also shown that people who received the chickenpox vaccine are less likely to develop shingles as adults. And if they do, their cases are less severe because the virus that is reactivating is the vaccine strain, which is less damaging.
Diphtheria Tetanus And Pertussis
These vaccines have been given in combination since the late 1940s. The version used for babies is referred to as DTaP. It made sense to put these vaccines together, reducing three shots to one, because they are made in the same way, and they protect against these diseases in a similar way.
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are each caused by bacteria that make people sick by producing harmful proteins, called toxins. These toxins act like poisons, causing illness. By using inactivated toxins, called toxoids, as the vaccine, people develop antibodies that protect them if they are infected.
Of these three diseases, a baby is most likely to be exposed to pertussis, and pertussis is also the most dangerous because it causes a narrowing of the windpipes that makes it difficult for babies to get enough oxygen when they experience repeated bouts of coughing. Pertussis tends to be under-diagnosed in older children and adults, who frequently transmit it to babies. Unfortunately, of these three vaccines, pertussis is also the one that is least effective. Nonetheless, those immunized with pertussis vaccine are seven times less likely to be infected during an outbreak than those who arent immunized.
If People Hardly Ever Get These Diseases Why Does My Child Need To Be Vaccinated
Diseases that were once common in childhood are now rare in Canada because of vaccines. But they still exist. Even one case of measles can spread quickly when people are not vaccinated. You can still catch measles one hour after an infected person has left the same room. It is not easy to tell who is carrying the germ, or if your child has been exposed.
Many vaccine-preventable diseases have no treatment or cure. In some cases, children can die from complications of a disease.
The best protection is to keep vaccinating.
To better explain the importance of vaccination, here is an analogy: It’s just like when we started bailing out a boat that had a slow leak the boat was full of water . We have been bailing fast and hard, and now the boat is almost dry. If we stop bailing the water will continue to come in as there is still a leak .
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When Do Babies Get The Polio Vaccine
The polio vaccine is a combination of three doses of immunisation, each protecting against the three types of polio.
Childhood immunisation schedule starts at eight weeks old, where babies are given two injections and drops into the mouth.
This protects against eight known illnesses, one of which is polio along with hepatitis B, tetanus and others.
At 12 weeks, the baby will go for their second injections and drops to boost the existing immunisation.
Finally at 16 weeks they will get their third polio injection as part of the six in one jab, which provides up to 99% immunity from the virus.
Why Are Vaccines Given At Such A Young Age Why So Many At One Visit
Babies will need several vaccinations starting at birth. They need immunizations early and often get several shots at one visit. This is because a baby’s immune system is like an eggshell–strong, yet fragile. It’s strong because it can handle many immunizations at the same time. It’s fragile because when babies get a vaccine-preventable disease they can have serious side effects.
Remember:
- Infants and toddlers are more likely than older kids to become very ill from diseases that vaccines prevent.
- The sooner babies are protected by immunization, the better.
- Only a very small part of a baby’s immune system is “used” to make antibodies.
- A baby’s immune system can easily handle many vaccines at one visit without being overloaded.
- Vaccines make the immune system stronger.
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I Am A Parent Looking For Information About
Vaccines for babies and children
Babies ages 0-24 months need vaccines to protect against illnesses such as hepatitis B, chickenpox, whooping cough, measles, and many more. Older children also need vaccines to help protect them from getting sick at school. Every year in the early fall, everyone 6 months of age and older needs an annual influenza vaccination.
How can I make my baby more comfortable while they are getting vaccinated? You can learn about simple ways to make vaccines less stressful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of tips called 9 tips to make shots less stressful.
What is the vaccine schedule? The recommended vaccine schedule is designed to keep infants and young children healthy. The CDC has created a schedule specifically for parents in English and Spanish. There is also a childhood vaccine assessment tool that will tell you which vaccines are needed based on your childs age. A more detailed schedule can be found on the CDC website.
Moms-to-be can sign up for Text4Baby, a free mobile texting service that can help keep track of information, including vaccine schedules, and appointments to help care for themselves and their babies.
What is community immunity ? Community Immunityis when an entire group or community is protected from a disease. The more people who are immune from a disease, the less chance there is for the disease spread, thereby protecting the whole group or community.
Vaccines for preteens
Where And When Should You Get Your Child Vaccinated
You can get your child vaccinated for free at any CLSC. Some doctors offices also offer vaccinations.
It is recommended that all children, including premature babies, start being vaccinated at the age of 2 months. This ensures them the best protection when they need it most and prevents them from falling behind in their vaccination schedule.
It is recommended that your child get his first vaccinations at the age of 2 months, in order to follow the regular schedule. Premature babies should also receive their first vaccine 2 months after birth.
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What To Do If Baby Has Side Effects
If your baby experiences mild side effects or reactions, you can use the following techniques at home to help them:
- Place a cool cloth at the shot site to reduce redness, tenderness, or swelling
- Give them a room temperature sponge bath for low-grade fevers
- Try feeding your baby more often to increase their fluids
- Give Tylenol or Motrin/Advil
Alternate Names For Vaccinations
Vaccinations may also be referred to as:
- Innoculation
During the appointment, you can help your baby by:
- Holding them
- Distracting them with toys or singing
- Smiling and whispering reassuring words
After the appointment, you can comfort your baby by:
- Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding
- Swaddling with their favorite blanket
- Giving them Tylenol as needed for pain
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Final Tips On Vaccines
Keep this information in mind to help your childs immunizations go more smoothly:
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Common side effects of vaccines include swelling at the site of the injection, soreness, and fever. Discuss these side effects with your healthcare provider and ask what symptoms deserve an office call.
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Ask your healthcare provider’s office if it participates in an immunization registry. This is a source you can go to if your vaccine records get lost.
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Ask your healthcare provider’s office if it has an immunization reminder or recall system. This type of system will call to remind you when vaccines are due. It will also warn you if an immunization has been missed.
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Always bring your immunizations record with you to all of your child’s office visits. Make sure the healthcare provider signs and dates every immunization.
Vaccines are some of the safest and most effective medicines we have. They have made many dangerous childhood diseases rare today.
What Is The Link Between Vaccines And Sids
Recommendations were developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related deaths in infants up to 12 months old. AAP says that making sure your child is fully immunized can help reduce the risk for SIDS. No evidence has been found linking vaccines as a cause of SIDS.
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How Do I Keep Track Of My Child’s Vaccination
You will be given a vaccination record with your child’s recommended schedule at your first clinic visit. If your healthcare provider forgets, be sure to ask for one. It is important to bring this record with you every time you visit a healthcare provider. This is to make sure that it can be updated each time your child receives a vaccine.
You might find it helpful to use the checklist at the back of this guide, or download the CANImmunize mobile app to help you keep track of your family’s vaccinations.
When Should My Child Be Vaccinated
Your child needs to be vaccinated at several stages in order to be fully protected. Some vaccines need to be given more than once to build up your child’s immune system.
Immunization schedules could be different depending in which province or territory you live in. This means that some provinces or territories will give the same vaccine at different ages. But don’t worry, your healthcare provider will give you a vaccination schedule that will tell you which vaccines are needed and at what age. Another way to find your child’s immunization schedule is to check Canada.ca/vaccines where the schedule for each province and territory is listed.
Hereâs an example of a typical schedule to be fully protected, your child will be vaccinated starting at birth or age two months, then at four months, six months, between 12 months and 18 months-and also between ages four to six years. Additional vaccinations are needed for school age children.
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Will My Child Get Sick If I Dont Immunize Him
Maybe. If kids are never exposed to any of these diseases, they wont get sick. If unimmunized kids are exposed to any of these diseases, theres a good chance theyll get the disease. What happens then depends on the child and the disease. At the least, kids could get a mild rash and have to stay home from child care or school for a few days. On the other hand, they may become sick enough to be hospitalized, suffer a permanent disability, or die.
If kids gets one of these diseases, they could also spread it to other kids who arent protected. If there are enough unprotected kids in your community, it could lead to an epidemic, with many kids getting sick.
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Side Effects After Immunisation
Immunisations are effective and safe, although all medication can have unwanted side effects. Some children may experience a reaction to a vaccine. In virtually all cases, immunisation side effects are not as serious as the symptoms a child would experience if they were to contract the disease.
The mild side effects can include a mild fever and pain at the injection site. For specific information about side effects from different doses of vaccine, ask your doctor or healthcare professional.
The meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero, commonly causes a fever in children aged less than two years. Paracetamol must be given in the 30 minutes before vaccination or as soon as practicable after vaccination for children less than two years. This should be followed by two more doses given six hours apart regardless of whether the child has a fever.
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Can I Delay Vaccines For My Child If I Want To
It’s never a good idea to delay vaccines for your baby. It is especially important to follow the recommended vaccine schedule during the pandemic, since delayed vaccinations could result in children catching preventable illnesses at a time when hospitals are already overwhelmed.
Another reason to keep up with the vaccine schedule is that children who fall behind on their shots are less likely to be fully vaccinated later on .
If you missed one or more of your child’s routine vaccinations during the pandemic, make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician right away to get back on track.
Your Child’s Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination schedules are carefully studied and designed to give the best possible protection for children against serious diseases.
Canadians should consult with their health care provider or public health authority to determine when they should visit, and learn about the measures that have been put in place to safely deliver immunization services during COVID-19.
Vaccination schedules can vary slightly, depending on the province or territory you live in. This means that some provinces or territories will vaccinate at a different age.
Typically, your child will be vaccinated:
- between birth to 2 months
- at 4 months
- between 12 months and 18 months
- between 4 to 6 years of age
For some of the vaccines, your child will require more than 1 dose at different times. This is needed because for some vaccines, the first dose does not provide as much immunity as possible.
More than 1 dose is needed to build more complete immunity. The DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type B, is an example.
In other cases, the initial series of shots that children receive as part of their infant immunizations helps them build immunity. After a while, however, that immunity begins to wear off.
At this point, a “booster” dose is needed to bring immunity levels back up. The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is a good example.
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Your Babys First Shot
Shortly after birth, your baby should receive the first dose of the vaccine to help protect against the following disease:
All babies should get the first shot of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth.
This shot reduces the risk of your baby getting the disease from you or family members who may not know they are infected with hepatitis B.
If you have hepatitis B, your baby should get the first shot of hepatitis vaccine within 12 hours of birth. Theres additional medicine that can help protect your newborn against hepatitis B its called hepatitis B immune globin . HBIG gives your babys body extra help to fight the virus as soon as your baby is born.
Why Should I Vaccinate My Child At Such A Young Age
The vaccination schedule is designed to protect your child before they are exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases. Children are vaccinated early in life because they are vulnerable to diseases and the consequences can be very serious. But if vaccinated on time, your child has the most protection as early as possible.
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List Of Pediatric Vaccines Available In The Us And Globally
Hepatitis B vaccine
- Routine childhood immunization to prevent chronic HBV infection
- Usually given as a 3-dose immunization series, although some are given in 2-dose or 4-dose series
- Also recommended for certain high-risk populations and for travel health
- Hepatitis B vaccines available in the U.S.: Engerix-B and Recombivax HB
- Hepatitis B vaccines available globally: Amvax B, Engerix-B, Fendrix, HB-Vax, H-B-Vax II, HBvaxPRO, Hepavax Gene, Recombivax HB, Shanvac-B, Temrevac-HB
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines
- Available as 7-valent, 10-valent, and 13-valent vaccines
- In the U.S., only the pneumococcal 13-valent vaccine is available
- Both the 10-valent and 13-valent vaccines are available in Canada
- Countries may follow a 3-dose primary series or a 2-dose primary series plus a booster
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines available in the U.S.: Prevnar-13 and Prevenar-13
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines available globally: Prevnar, Prevenar, Prevnar-13, Prevenar-13, Synflorix
Varicella Virus Vaccine
- A live attenuated vaccine that protects against varicella-zoster virus
- Given as a 2-dose series in children
- In the U.S., VAR is recommended in all children younger than 13 years who have not had varicella virus infection, and in adolescents and adults without evidence of immunity
- Varicella virus vaccine available in the U.S.: Varivax
- Varicella virus vaccines available globally: Okavax, Vaccin Varilrix, Varicela Biken, Varcelvax, Varilrix, Varipox, Varivax, Varivax III, V-Z Vax
Polio Vaccines
Are The Ingredients That Are Used To Make Vaccines Safe
Yes. Each ingredient in a vaccine is included for a reason. Before FDA determines that a vaccine is safe and effective and licenses it for use by the public in the United States, the vaccine is carefully evaluated by FDA scientists and doctors, taking into account the ingredients that make up the entire vaccine.
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