Your Child's First Vaccines: What You Need to Know

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Pediatric vaccination is essential for keeping your child safe and healthy. Vaccination teaches the immune system to prevent life-threatening diseases.

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Importance of vaccines for infant and toddlers

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For newborn babies, breast milk can help prevent many diseases. However, this immunity goes out within one year, and many children do not breastfeed to get started. Whether your children are breastfed or not, vaccines can protect them from many diseases.  They can also help limit the spread of infections from young children to older children and adults.

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Vaccinations work by imitating the infection of a particular disease in your child's body. This makes your child's immune system build up weapons called antibodies. These antibodies fight the disease the vaccine intends to prevent. In the presence of antibodies, the baby's body can overcome the next infection from the virus.

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Baby vaccination schedule

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Vaccination is not something that is given right after the baby is born. Each vaccination has a different timeline. Vaccination for newborn babies is spaced throughout the first 24 months of a child’s life. However, some children may need a different schedule, depending upon their health conditions. Your child’s doctor will explain you through the process of the pediatric immunization schedule

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Birth

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•       Hepatitis B vaccine

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1-2 months

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•       HepB

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2 months

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•       Hib
•       PCV
•       DTaP
•       RV
•       IPV

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4 months

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•       IPV
•       RV
•       DTaP
•       PCV
•       Hib

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6 months

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•       RV
•       Hib
•       DTaP
•       PCV

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6 months and annually

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•       Influenza (Flu)

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6-18 months

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•       IPV
•       HepB

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12-15 months

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•       Chickenpox (varicella)
•       Hib
•       PCV
•       MMR

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12-23 months

•       Hepatitis A vaccine (HepA)

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15-18 months

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•       DTaP

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4-6 years

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•       MMR
•       Varicella
•       DTaP
•       IPV

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11-12 years

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•       DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis)
•       HPV (Human Papillomavirus vaccine)
•       Meningococcal conjugate vaccine

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16-18 years

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•       Meningococcal B vaccine

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Baby vaccination chart

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Vaccination for newborn baby may vary depending upon where you live, the type of vaccine, your child’s health, and the vaccines available. And here are a few vaccinations and their purposes:

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•       RV protects your child against rotavirus which is a leading cause of diarrhoea. Depending on the vaccine used, the shots of the RV are given in two or three doses.

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•       Hib protects your child against Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), an infection which is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis. This vaccination is given in three or four doses. Children younger than 5 years of age are at higher risk for Hib disease.

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•       HepB protects your child against hepatitis B, an infection of the liver. This vaccination is given in three doses. The first dose is given at the time of the birth of a child.

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•       The DTaP vaccine protects your child against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis. This vaccination is given in five doses during infancy and childhood. Also, DTaP boosters are given to the child during adolescence and adulthood.

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•       IPV protects your child against polio. This vaccination is given in four doses.

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•       PCV protects your child against pneumococcal disease. This vaccination is given to your child in a series of four doses.

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•       MMR protects your child against measles, mumps, and rubella. This vaccination is given in two doses. The first dose is given when your child is between 12 and 15 months and the second dose is given when your child is between ages 4 and 6 years.

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•       Influenza vaccine protects your child against flu. It is a seasonal vaccination, which is given to the child each year, starting at age 6 months.

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•       HepA protects your child against hepatitis A. This vaccination is given in two doses between 1 and 2 years of age.

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•       Varicella protects your child against chickenpox. This vaccination is provided in two doses and is recommended for all healthy children.  

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Want to consult the Best Pediatricians in India? Please find the links below.

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1. ‍Best Pediatricians in Bangalore
2. Top Pediatricians in Chennai
3. Best Pediatric Doctor in Mumbai
4. Top Children’s Specialist near me in Pune
5. Best Child Specialist doctor in Chandigarh
6. Top Pediatrician near me in Gurgaon
7. Best Pediatrician doctors in Noida

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