In each country, at the state level, a calendar has been established according to which children are vaccinated. Let's take a look at the vaccination calendar in Russia, especially since it has changed slightly since 2014.
Contraindications
Before learning about the timing of vaccination, parents need to familiarize themselves with the factors that are reasons not to vaccinate their baby at all or for a certain period.
- An obstacle to the introduction of any vaccine is an adverse reaction to the administration of this drug in the past (there was a strong adverse reaction or complications appeared).
- Also, no vaccines should be administered for immunodeficiencies, malignant tumors and a decrease in the function of the immune system under the influence of drugs.
- A contraindication for the introduction of BCG is a low birth weight (less than 2 kg).
- The DTP vaccine is not given in case of progressive diseases of the nervous system and the presence of a convulsive syndrome in the past.
- Vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella should not be administered if you are allergic to aminoglycosides.
- If a child is allergic to egg white, he should not be given medications against rubella, measles, flu, mumps.
- You cannot vaccinate against hepatitis B if you are allergic to baker's yeast.
Table
Additionally, children are vaccinated against rubella at the age of 13 and measles at the age of 15-17, if the children have not previously been vaccinated against these infections, have not had them or received only the first vaccination.
Types of vaccinations
The vaccine can be administered to a child in the following ways:
- Intramuscularly. This is one of the most common ways to ensure that the drug is absorbed quickly enough. Immunity after such an injection is formed quickly, and the risk of allergies is less, because the muscles are well supplied with blood and removed from the skin. For children under two years of age, intramuscular vaccination is given in the thigh. The injection is carried out in the anterolateral region, directing the needle perpendicular to the skin. For babies over two years old, the vaccine is injected into the deltoid muscle. The introduction into the gluteus muscle is not practiced due to the small length of the needle (the injection is obtained subcutaneously).
- Subcutaneously. A large number of drugs are administered in this way, such as the rubella, mumps and measles vaccine. Its differences are more accurate dosage than with the oral and intradermal route, as well as a lower rate of absorption and formation of immunity, which is valuable in the presence of problems with blood coagulation. However, rabies and hepatitis B vaccines cannot be injected under the skin. The injection sites for subcutaneous vaccination are the shoulder, front of the thigh, or under the scapula.
- Intradermal. An example of the use of this method of vaccination is the administration of BCG. A syringe with a thin needle is used for the injection. The injection is performed in the shoulder area. At the same time, to prevent complications, it is important not to inject the drug under the skin.
- Through the mouth. This method of drug administration is also called oral. An example of vaccination by this method is the oral vaccination against polio. The technique is very simple - the right amount of the drug is dripped into the child's mouth.
- Into the nose. In this way, vaccines are administered in the form of an aqueous solution, cream or ointment (for example, against rubella or influenza). The disadvantage of the method is the complexity of the dosage, since part of the drug enters the digestive tract.
Revaccination
Revaccination is a manipulation that maintains immunity to diseases for which the child was previously vaccinated. The baby is once again injected with the drug so that the re-production of antibodies increases the protection against a particular disease.
Depending on the vaccination, revaccinations can be carried out 1-7 times, and sometimes not. For example, revaccinations against hepatitis B are not performed, and against tuberculosis are carried out only if Mantoux results are negative. Against diseases such as rubella, whooping cough, mumps, pneumococcal infection and measles, revaccination is carried out only once, but maintaining immunity against tetanus and diphtheria requires regular revaccination until the end of life.
Vaccination calendar by age
Up to 1 year
The very first vaccine that a newborn baby encounters while still in the hospital is the hepatitis B vaccine. It is performed on the first day of the postpartum period. From the third to the seventh day of life, the baby is given BCG. The injection is performed in the maternity hospital intradermally into the baby's shoulder. Hepatitis B vaccination is repeated monthly.
Several vaccines are expected at once for a three-month-old baby. At this age, they are vaccinated against poliomyelitis, pneumococcal infection, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria. If the baby is at risk, he or she also receives the haemophilus influenza vaccine. The same list of vaccinations is typical for the age of 4.5 and 6 months, except for the pneumococcal vaccine, which is vaccinated only twice (at 3 months and at 4.5 months). In addition, the third time hepatitis B vaccine is given at 6 months of age.
Up to 3 years
A one-year-old baby is sent for vaccination against mumps, rubella, and measles. The vaccine that protects against these infections is complex, so there will be only one shot. Also at the age of 1 year children are vaccinated against hepatitis B who are at risk for this disease.
At 15 months, the child will receive a revaccination against pneumococcal infection. At the age of 1.5, revaccination against tetanus, poliomyelitis, diphtheria and whooping cough begins. Another revaccination against polio is given at the age of twenty months.
Up to 7 years
At the age of 6, the child will receive a revaccination against mumps, measles and rubella. A seven-year-old child is vaccinated again with BCG, if there is evidence for this. Also at this age, the child receives the ADS vaccine, which maintains his immunity against tetanus and diphtheria.
Up to 14 years old
At the age of 13, children are vaccinated selectively - if the child has not been vaccinated before or there is no information about previous vaccinations. The girls are additionally given rubella vaccine.
Under 18
At the age of 14, the time comes for the next revaccination against such infectious diseases as tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis and diphtheria. Also at this time, you can get vaccinated against measles and hepatitis B, if you have not previously been vaccinated against these viral infections.
Preparation for vaccination
Before vaccinating a child, you need to determine the state of his health. This will help the examination of specialists (it is often required to show the baby to a neurologist or allergist), as well as urine and blood tests. Before being vaccinated, it is important not to change the baby's diet and not to include new foods in it.
Also, parents are advised to purchase antipyretic drugs in advance, since a temperature reaction to vaccination appears in many children. If there is a risk of an allergic reaction, give your child an antihistamine a few days before vaccination and a few days after the injection. When vaccinating children under one year old, it is worth taking a clean diaper with you to the clinic, as well as a toy.
Tips
Vaccination is actively promoted and recommended by WHO and doctors, but parental consent is also required for vaccinations. There have always been parents who refused to give vaccines to their children for specific reasons. Frequent refusals have led to an increased incidence of infections such as whooping cough and diphtheria. In addition, because of the refusal to vaccinate, there is a high risk of outbreaks of polio and other dangerous infections. Of course, vaccinations cannot be classified as completely safe procedures, but the safety of vaccination is much higher than the disease that vaccination prevents.
Parents are advised not to interrupt the vaccination schedule. This is especially important for the diphtheria vaccine. You can only refuse or skip revaccination. If you are in doubt whether vaccinations will harm your child, contact an immunologist who, in the event of temporary contraindications (for example, diathesis), will develop an individual vaccination plan for the baby.
Before vaccination, it is important to make sure not only that the child is healthy, but also that the contraindications have expired. If the baby has an acute infection, the vaccine can be given only at least 2 weeks after recovery.
