Why are vaccines given to children?
A vaccine is a dead or weakened germ (bacteria or virus), or part of the germ that causes a disease. Childhood vaccination or immunization is a preventive treatment administered to children for certain medical diseases such as measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, and diphtheria.
When children are vaccinated for a disease, their immune system builds up antibodies that protect them from getting the disease if they get exposed to the disease-causing germ.
These diseases are caused by infections that can spread from one person to another. Thus, by vaccinating your child, you not only protect them from the disease and keep them healthy but also minimize the risk of infection from that disease in the community (herd immunity).
Vaccinating your child also helps to prevent the spread of disease to those who cannot be vaccinated, including those newborns who are too young to be vaccinated and people with weak immunity who may not effectively develop antibodies to fight the disease.
What are the different types of vaccines for children?
Each vaccine for each disease will contain a tiny amount of the virus or bacteria, or parts of the germ that causes the disease. The following are a few different types of vaccines:
- Vaccines containing attenuated or weakened live viruses such as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine
- Vaccines containing killed or inactivated viruses or bacteria, such as the injectable polio vaccine (IPV)
- Toxoid vaccines that contain an inactivated toxin produced by the bacteria that causes the disease, for example, diphtheria and tetanus toxoid vaccines
- Conjugate vaccines containing parts of the disease-causing bacteria combined with certain proteins, for example, the Hib vaccine
What vaccines do children get?
The vaccines needed for your child may vary depending upon your child’s age, health, the type of vaccines available, and where you live.
In case you plan to travel, additional vaccines (travel vaccines) may be needed because the disease pattern varies across different regions. Some of the vaccines are given as part of a combination vaccine.
This gets easy for the child and parents because fewer shots and healthcare visits are needed this way. You may talk with your doctor about which vaccines your child needs.
The usual vaccines administered to children are as follows:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs)
- Varicella virus vaccine (VAR)
- Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine
- Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine
- Polio vaccines
- Diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTP) vaccines
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines
- Rotavirus vaccine
- Hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine
- Meningococcal vaccines
- Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine
- Cholera vaccine
- Typhoid vaccines
- Yellow fever (YF) vaccine
- Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine
- Rabies vaccine
- Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine
Are vaccines safe for my children?
Vaccines are important for your child. They are generally safe, and the protection they provide far outweighs the small risk of serious side effects.
Usually, the side effects are mild and temporary such as fever, pain, soreness, or a lump at the site where the vaccine shot was given. Your healthcare provider will guide you about the possible side effects of certain vaccines.
You must report to your doctor if your child had a serious reaction to a vaccine shot so that they may guide you on how future shots are to be given. Your doctor may ask you to avoid vaccines in some special situations; for example, children who have certain types of disease conditions or cancer may not receive certain vaccines.
Some vaccines may not be given to children who are taking drugs that lower the body’s immunity.
SLIDESHOW
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Symptoms, Vaccine Facts See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2500038-overview#a1
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/importance-childhood-vaccinations
Top What Vaccines Do Children Get? Related Articles
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Chickenpox (chicken pox) is a contagious childhood disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Symptoms have an incubation period of 14 to 16 days and include a couple days of mild fever, weakness, and red, raised rash that progresses to blisters that eventually burst and crust over. Complications include bacterial infection of the open sores, scarring, encephalitis, nerve palsies, and Reye's syndrome.
Chickenpox Quiz
How is chickenpox related to shingles? Take the Chickenpox Quiz to assess your IQ of this itchy, blistering childhood skin disease.
Children's Health
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health, and community health.
Kids' Illnesses Slideshow
Is your child at risk for these childhood diseases? Know when to call the doctor for conditions such as measles, mumps, ringworm, pink eye, strep throat, cough, ear aches, and more.
Hepatitis A Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
How many types of hepatitis are there, and what is different about hepatitis A? Take this quiz to find out!
Hepatitis B (HBV, Hep B)
The hepatitis B virus (HBV, hep B) is a unique, coated DNA virus belonging to the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses. The course of the virus is determined primarily by the age at which the infection is acquired and the interaction between the virus and the body's immune system. Successful treatment is associated with a reduction in liver injury and fibrosis (scarring), a decreased likelihood of developing cirrhosis and its complications, including liver cancer, and a prolonged survival.
What Is Viral Hepatitis? How You Catch Hepatitis A, B, and C
Hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B can make an infected person very sick and they are risk factors for liver cancer, liver disease, liver failure, and liver damage. Prior to 1992, blood transfusion was a risk for contracting hepatitis C infection. Hepatitis B and C are blood-borne infections, while hepatitis A is easier to catch, but less serious.
Vaccination Schedule for Adults and Adolescents
Immunizations can prevent many diseases nowadays. It's important to follow the vaccination guidelines recommended on the CDC's vaccination schedule for adults and adolescents in order to stay informed about new vaccines and to learn how often and when the vaccines should be administered.
Measles
Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious disease that's caused by a virus. Symptoms include a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Treatment focuses on symptom relief. The disease can be prevented with the measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox (varicella) vaccine (MMRV).
Measles Picture
Measles. Measles is an extremely contagious illness caused by a virus that replicates in the nose and throat of those infected. Although typically considered a childhood disease, anyone who is not vaccinated can get it. Symptoms such as a red itchy rash, fever, cough and runny nose usually begin appearing a week after exposure and progress in stages over a period of 2-3 weeks. It’s possible for you to be contagious to others for several days before you know you are sick and remain contagious even after the rash disappears.
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted via the bite of an infected animal. Symptoms include fever, headaches, and weakness. Treatment involves a series of injections: rabies immune globulin and four rabies vaccines administered over 2 weeks.
Rotavirus
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world. Almost all children have become infected with rotavirus by their third birthday. Repeat infections with different viral strains are possible, and most children have several episodes of rotavirus infection in the first years of life. Children between the ages of six and 24 months are at greatest risk for developing severe disease from rotavirus infection. Rotavirus symptoms include: fever, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Rotavirus infection can be associated with severe dehydration in infants and children.
Ticks (Tick Bites)
Ticks are known transmitters of disease to humans and animals. Tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, tularemia, babesiosis, and Southern tick-associated rash illness. Infected ticks spread disease once they've bitten a host, allowing the pathogens in their saliva and mouth get into the host's skin and blood. Tick bites are typically painless, but the site of the bite may later itch, burn, turn red, and feel painful. Individuals allergic to tick bites may develop a rash, swelling, shortness of breath, numbness, or paralysis. Tick bite treatment involves cleaning and applying antibiotic cream.
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever is an illness caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. The illness is contracted by ingesting the bacteria in contaminated water or food. Symptoms include headaches, fever, diarrhea, lethargy, aches and pains, and poor appetite. Treatment focuses on killing the Salmonella bacteria with antibiotics.
Hepatitis (Viral Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, G)
Hepatitis is most often viral, due to infection with one of the hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G) or another virus (such as those that cause infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus disease). The main nonviral causes of hepatitis are alcohol and drugs. Many patients infected with hepatitis A, B, and C have few or no symptoms of illness. For those who do develop symptoms of viral hepatitis, the most common are flu-like symptoms including: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, weakness, tiredness, and aching in the abdomen. Treatment of viral hepatitis is dependent on the type of hepatitis.