VACCINE/IMMUNITY

As a parent everyone must have heard the word Immunity /Vaccine?

But what is it ?

What is immunity ?

Immunity Protects us From Disease.

Immunity is the body’s way of preventing disease.  Children are born with an immune system composed of cells, glands, organs, and fluids located throughout the body. The immune system recognizes germs that enter the body as "foreign invaders” (called antigens) and produces proteins called antibodies to fight them.

The first time a child is infected with a specific antigen (say measles virus), the immune system produces antibodies designed to fight it. This takes time. usually the immune system can’t work fast enough to prevent the antigen from causing disease, so the child still gets sick.  However, the immune system “remembers” that antigen. If it ever enters the body again, even after many years, the immune system can produce antibodies fast enough to keep it from causing disease a second time. This protection is called immunity.

What is vaccine?

Vaccines contain the same antigens that cause diseases. For example, measles vaccine contains measles virus. But the antigens in vaccines are either killed, or weakened to the point that they don’t cause disease. However, they are strong enough to make the immune system produce antibodies that lead to immunity. In other words, a vaccine is a safer substitute for a child’s first exposure to a disease. The child gets protection without having to get sick. Through vaccination, children can develop immunity without suffering from the actual diseases that vaccines prevent.

Simply put, vaccines save lives!

You have the power to protect your baby!

As a parent, you work hard to protect your baby, and vaccines are a valuable tool in your ongoing efforts to keep your child healthy and safe. Vaccines offer the best-known protection against a number of devastating illnesses, but they must be administered on a timely basis in order to protect your children at the earliest possible opportunity; protecting them when they are most vulnerable.

Here are the 14 diseases that can be prevented with routine childhood vaccination:

Diphtheria

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Hib ((Haemophilus influenza B)

Influenza (flu)

Measles

Mumps

Pertussis (Whooping cough)

Pneumococcal Disease

Polio

Rotavirus

Rubella

Tetanus

Varicella (chickenpox)

Maximum diseases are covered under the National immunisation programme of all countries but vaccines for the following diseases are optional and you can discuss with your doctor to protect your child from them

Hepatitis A

·         Caused by Hepatitis A virus

·         Spreads by Personal contact, Contaminated food or water

·         Signs &symptoms- Fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, jaundice, dark urine. 

·         Complications - Liver failure, death   
    From 1 yrs onwards   ,2 intramuscular shots second dose  within 6 to 18mnths.     

Influenza (flu)
·         caused by Influenza virus
·         Spread by Air, direct contact                   
·         Signs & symptoms Fever, muscle pain, running nose, cough
·         Complications Pneumonia,Reyesyndrome,myocarditis, death
 Recommended for high risk children with asthama and chronic lung infection,
  Every flu season when ever vaccine becomes available , intramuscular or nasal spray,2 shots ,second dose 28 days after the first dose

Rotavirus
§  caused by Rotavirus virus
§  Spread by Through the mouth
§  Signs &symptom  Diarrhoea, fever, vomiting   
§  Complications Severe diarrhoea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, kidney and liver disease, death.

From 2mnth onwards ,oral drops given in 3 doses at ages 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months.

Varicella (chickenpox) 

•  caused by  Varicella Zoster virus
•  Spread by Air, direct contact
• Signs &symptom Rash, fever
•  Complications Bacterial infections, meningitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, death. 
•     From 1 yr onwards,2 shots , subcutaneous ,second dose after 3 mnths of first dose in less than 12 yrs and within 1mnth in children  more than 12 yrs .

     HPV (Human Papilloma virus)

•          Certain human papillomavirus (HPV) types cause cancer, including: cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal (base of the tongue, tonsils and back of throat) cancers.
•          Spread by skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity with another person. It is possible to have HPV without knowing it, so it is possible to unknowingly spread HPV to another person.
•          HPV vaccine is a strong weapon in prevention.
•         Doctors  recommends that all 11 or 12 year old girls get the 3 doses (shots)  of HPV vaccine at 0,2 and 6 mths interval  to protect against cervical cancer.