Newborn vaccines: compulsory vaccination coverage in the first year of life and vaccines recommended by the pediatrician
What are the vaccines to do to the newborn especially in the first year of life? This is the question that every parent asks. Having doubts, questions and perplexities is completely normal and understandable, especially when you are a parent for the first time. Even for the simplest gestures, it will take you some time to get carried away ... watch the video and find out how to wash a newborn without fear of making a mistake!
Why is it important to vaccinate newborns from the first months?
Since vaccines have existed, many serious diseases are practically just a memory. We vaccinate our newborns to protect their health when they have recently come into the world and they are very delicate: it is a gesture of responsibility and of great civilization as well as being a very important gesture for the health of children. Vaccines in fact owe their effectiveness to their ability to develop immunization of the different disease: there are some types that ensure immunization for a very long period, in fact they do not require any type of booster and others that require booster over time. If you are wondering if baby vaccines are effective, the answer is yes? You don't have to be afraid of vaccines: these are drugs with a very low risk of contraindication! If today we can vaccinate our newborns in peace, it is because the vaccines and the best sanitary conditions in our country have made us eradicate contagious and very serious diseases, such as polio. Today these diseases have almost existed but we cannot be sure that microorganisms responsible for these serious diseases will not reappear: only the vaccine will really protect the newborn! It should not be forgotten that there are some children in the world who cannot be vaccinated: let's think of those who cannot get the vaccine because they have severe allergies, for example: if all the children around him are vaccinated he too will be protected and the pathogen It is therefore essential for all children, and also for the good of the whole community. The concern of any new mother struggling with a baby is understandable: but stop and think. The data speak for themselves and it could not be otherwise: vaccines are good for the community and the risks of a vaccine are zero compared to the severity of the diseases from which it protects children!
With a baby, every day is an adventure: and now that Christmas is approaching, everything is more magical!
See also
Vaccines in pregnancy: which vaccinations are suitable for future mothers? Your baby is one year old First month of pregnancy: symptoms and advice on how to behave See also: What to give to a newborn for Christmas? Here are the best ideas! © iStock Christmas gifts for newbornsContraindications and doubts for infant vaccines in the first year of life
If a child has experienced particular allergies or unwanted effects to any drug, it is always better to consult the pediatrician carefully to understand whether or not he can have a given vaccine and if it is better not to proceed or if the calendar needs to be updated.Vaccines are not all the same and inquiring is always the best choice. If in doubt, always contact your pediatrician who will know how to calm you down and direct you to the best choice as well as giving you the right information. There are also types of vaccines such as that against Rotavirus that are averted in several cases, especially in the presence of children with immune deficiencies. In any case, it is better to postpone the appointment with the vaccines if the child has a fever, if he is particularly agitated or if he has some kind of discomfort (except of course if the doctor deems it appropriate to proceed!). Clearly vaccines are drugs for which sometimes (rarely) they can have undesirable effects even on the healthiest children. There are also some effects that could happen after a vaccine to which it is good to pay attention in order to intervene in a timely manner. The most common undesirable effects for which absolutely no need to be alarmed (but it is always good to notify the doctor) are the appearance of redness, fever, drowsiness or on the contrary lack of sleep, diarrhea and vomiting. In very rare cases it is possible to experience very high fever, convulsions and real allergic reactions: these such strong symptoms occur immediately after the vaccine and therefore in all likelihood when the genes are still in the doctor's office. symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as difficulty in breathing or pale face or severe itching, it is advisable to go to the hospital. Don't be scared: as always, we talk about very rare cases. Vaccines are generally safe and tested, have passed numerous security checks, and vaccination coverage will protect your child from far more serious illnesses.
In any case of vaccinations as of any other illness of the newborn or fear of parents it is good to speak without fear to the pediatrician: he will be happy to give you all the information you want and will give you valuable advice for the health of your little baby!
What are the vaccines of newborns in the first year of life?
Vaccines from 0 to 12 months are included in the national health service. A vaccine is a drug that is administered parenterally or orally that allows the recipient to immunize themselves against one or more pathogens, both viruses and bacteria. There are three types. Live attenuated vaccines that contain the microorganisms against which immunization is to be obtained in a live form, but clearly with a lower power. Inactivated vaccines that contain a dead and therefore non-active form of the pathogen against which immunization is to be obtained and finally the vaccines with purified antigens that contain proteins, toxins derived from the pathogen against which we want to obtain immunization. When a vaccine is administered, the infant's immune system is activated and starts to produce antibodies! This production of antibodies is not immediate, it takes a minimum of approximately 2 weeks to activate it from the administration of the first dose. The vaccines in the first year of a newborn's life are nine in number and must be done starting from the first months of age according to a precise calendar that also takes into account the relative calls year after year:
anti diphtheria
anti tetanus
anti whooping cough
anti poliomyelitis
anti hepatitis B
anti Haemophilus influenzae type B
anti pneumococcal conjugate
anti rotavirus
anti meningococcus B
Don't worry: your baby won't have to have 9 injections! The first 6 vaccines are grouped into a single dose by injection, called the hexavalent vaccine. So each newborn will do the hexavalent vaccine and then devote himself to the other 3 distinct vaccines! We also remind you that only the hexavalent vaccine is mandatory and that at the end of the three-dose cycle the pediatrician will provide you with the vaccination certificate of your newborn. While the other 3 vaccines (anti pneumococcal conjugate, anti rotavirus and anti meningococcus B) are recommended but no less important! Agree on your baby's vaccination schedule with your doctor!
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The hexavalent vaccine: six vaccines in one in the first year of life!
The hexavalent vaccine contains in a single pharmacological preparation 6 vaccines with purified antigens, which are anti diphtheria, anti tetanus, anti pertussis, anti hepatitis B and anti Haemophilus influenzae type B, and an inactivated vaccine , which is anti-poliomyelitis. How is the administration of the hexavalent vaccine carried out? This vaccine is given in three doses, with intramuscular injection, on the upper thigh. The three dosages are foreseen in three specific moments of the baby's first months: the first dosage at the beginning of the third month, the second dosage at the beginning of the fifth month of the newborn's life and the third and last dosage when the baby turns one year old ( between the 11th month of life and the 13th month). Some of these vaccines are then subject to boosters: vaccination for hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type B, after the year of life should not be repeated. But vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliomyelitis are subject to recalls even later, around 5 or 6 years of age of the child and again around 14 or 15 years of age as children become adolescents. As we have seen, the hexavalent vaccine manages to contrast as many as 6 different serious and contagious diseases. Diphtheria, a serious disease that causes inflammation of the respiratory tract and nervous system. Tetanus, a serious non-contagious infectious disease, which produces muscle spasms and can cause tending to death. Diphtheria Tetanus and poliomyelitis are practically eradicated diseases: cheers! Pertussis, a contagious infectious disease caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium, which triggers coughing fits so severe that, in newborns, it can be fatal. Polio, also called polio, is caused by the poliovirus, which can have important repercussions on the central nervous system. Hepatitis B, which damages the liver: the Hepatitis B vaccine, in this specific case, relies on the recombinant surface antigen capable of triggering the immune response in the newborn. Finally, on Haemophilus influenzae type B, a contagious infectious disease, which can cause pericarditis, pneumonia and meningitis and from which it is essential to protect younger subjects, a specific vaccine always administered in the hexavalent is opposed. At the end of the doses and therefore when the child is about one year old, the pediatrician will give you the vaccination certificate to allow your child social life in the community!
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The other 3 vaccines for infants recommended by pediatricians in the first year of life of children.
The pneumococcal vaccine protects against the serious consequences of this bacterium. It is a new and increasingly complete formulation. This vaccine is also administered parenterally, by injection into the thigh muscle. Anti pneumococcus is also divided into three dosages: the first dose in the third month, another dose in the fifth month and the last one in the first year of life. It can also be administered together with the hexavalent. The meningococcal B vaccine is administered by intramuscular injection in two or three doses, always in the upper part of the thigh. The meningococcal B vaccine is also subject to boosters. This vaccine cannot be administered together with other vaccines and the antigen cannot come into contact with other drugs for at least 15 days before and after the vaccine! In this case, in fact, it must be included in the vaccination calendar so that 2 weeks pass without other vaccines, both before and after. The last recommended vaccine is the Rotavirus vaccine. But what is rotavirus? This RNA virus is the main culprit of diarrhea and especially of gastroenteritis which in newborns can be particularly serious and dangerous because it causes severe complications and very high levels of dehydration in children of a few months and even several years, which can even be fatal.
The rotavirus vaccine is also administered divided into two or three dosages: it is administered with a plunger, via an applicator, then orally. The first dose is performed at two months of life usually between the sixth and twelfth week of the newborn, the second dose at 4 months or at least four weeks after the first dose. In the case of a formula with a number of dosages equal to three, the third dosage must be done at six months of age! There are also other vaccines typical of the early years of children such as measles or other exanthematous diseases. Each case and each child is relative but it is always better to consult with the pediatrician and with your doctor to understand if the child has already had exanthematous diseases, such as measles or if on the contrary it is better to vaccinate him: vaccination coverage prevents them from diseases occur and with them all possible complications.
There are many vaccines for children, measles, chicken pox, rubella or mumps ... Do not listen to advice and gossip (except those of the experts) and stick to true and verifiable data! And now that you know everything about vaccinations ... the attack of infants' diseases!