Optional Vaccines for Infants in India

Vaccines are very critical during the growth of a child. You need to keep the child healthy free from infections. Become familiar with the importance of vaccination for a baby and the schedule during the growth in the previous article. Few are mandatory requirements for a baby in India and there are optional vaccinations recommended.

As a young mother understand the essentials for your baby. Consult with the doctor and take the necessary action.You may be worried to even visualize your baby going thru’ the pain of so many injections. With a little pain and healing your baby is going to enjoy a healthy tomorrow. In additional to the mandatory ones there are optional vaccines that has become a necessity in today’s world.

There are different diseases which can be deadly in children like polio, TB, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Measles, Hepatitis B. Giving vaccines for various  Vaccines are given to babies to protect them and create acquired immunity to the disease. As is said Prevention is better than cure. Administer the vaccines in advance and prevent the babies from deadly diseases.

Following are the list of vaccines to be administered for your child. Make a note of all vaccines completed in your tracking card.Usually the peadiatrician or consulting doctor will give a card which has the vaccination schedule and the purposes, weight chart ,first aid and other simple remedies to be done at home.

At Birth Time:

1. Mandatory             BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin)

Prevents: Tuberculosis

Important: Can cause slight swelling at the site of the injection, do not apply any medicine to the swollen area.

2. Mandatory             OPV vaccine(Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

3. Mandatory             Hepatitis B

Prevents: Liver infection caused by Hepatitis B virus

Important: Essential within 12 hours of birth to prevent transmission from mother.

4. Optional               HPV(Human Papila Virus)

Prevents: Cervical cancer and other Genital cancers.

Important: Only for girls

Read: How to handle the new born baby

At 6 weeks (1.5 months old):

1. Mandatory             DPT (Diphtheria, Pertrussis and Tetanus)

Prevents: Diphtheria(Upper respiratory illness), Pertrussis(whooping cough) and Tetanus

Important: There may be slight fever associated with pain and swelling at the injection site.

2. Mandatory             OPV vaccine (Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

3. Mandatory             Hepatitis B

Prevents: Liver infection caused by Hepatitis B virus

Important: The first and second dose of this medicine offer complete protection.

4. Optional                HiB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)

Prevents: Menagitis, which affects membranes surrounding the brain and the Spinal cord.

Important: There may be slight redness, swelling or pain at the site of the injection.

5. Optional    Pneumococcal

Prevents: Pneumococcal disease, caused by Streptococcous Pneumonia Bacteria

Important: Prevenar was the first vaccine against Pneumococcal disease in India.

At 10 weeks (2.5 months old):

1.Mandatory              DPT (Diphtheria, Pertrussis and Tetanus)

Prevents: Diphtheria(Upper respiratory illness), Pertrussis(whooping cough) and Tetanus

Important: There may be slight fever associated with pain and swelling at the injection site.

2. Mandatory             OPV vaccine (Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

3. Mandatory             Hepatitis B

Prevents: Liver infection caused by Hepatitis B virus

Important: The first and second dose of this medicine offer complete protection.

4. Optional               HiB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)

Prevents: Meningitis, which affects membranes surrounding the brain and the Spinal cord.

Important: There may be slight redness, swelling or pain at the site of the injection.

5. Optional               Pneumococcal

Prevents: Pneumococcal disease, caused by Streptococcous Pneumonia Bacteria

Important: Prevenar was the first vaccine against Pneumococcal disease in India.

6. Optional                IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: It eliminates the small risk of developing polio after receiving the live Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

At 14 weeks (3.5 months old):

1.Mandatory              DPT (Diphtheria, Pertrussis and Tetanus)

Prevents: Diphtheria(Upper respiratory illness), Pertrussis(whooping cough) and Tetanus

Important: There may be slight fever associated with pain and swelling at the injection site.

2. Mandatory             OPV vaccine (Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

3. Optional                Pneumococcal

Prevents: Pneumococcal disease, caused by Streptococcous Pneumonia Bacteria

Important: Prevenar was the first vaccine against Pneumococcal disease in India.

4. Optional    HiB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) / Meningitis vaccine MCV4  and MPSV4

Prevents: Meningitis, which affects membranes surrounding the brain and the Spinal cord.

Important: There may be slight redness, swelling or pain at the site of the injection.

5. Optional    IPV(Inactivated Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given in the form of injection.

At 6 months old:

1. Mandatory             Hepatitis B

Prevents: Liver infection caused by Hepatitis B virus

Important: The first and second dose of this medicine offer complete protection.

Note: Some babies might get 4 doses, for example, if a combination vaccine containing hepatitis B is used. (This is a single shot containing several vaccines.) The extra dose is not harmful.

• Anyone through 18 years of age who didn’t get the vaccine when they were younger should also be vaccinated.

2.Optional                 Rotavirus

Prevents: Rotavirus infection which causes severe Diarrhoea among infants.

Important: First dose is given before the completion of 6 months and the second dose after a gap of 1 month.

3.Optional                 Influenza

Prevents: Influenza infection which causes infection of the respiratory system.

Important: The most common vaccine is Trivalent Influenza Vaccine ( TIV).

At 9 months old:

1. Mandatory             Measles

Prevents: Measles, which causes infection of the respiratory system.

Important: Highly contagious disease. Hence it is very important to get the vaccination done on time.

At 12 months old (1 year) :

1. Mandatory             Varicella

Prevents: Chicken pox.

Important: Varicella is the primary vaccine for protection against Chicken pox.

At 15 months (1.3 years old):

1. Mandatory             MMR

Prevents: Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Important: There may be slight fever, joint pain or stiffness after the vaccination.

2. Optional                Pneumococcal  Booster

Prevents: Pneumococcal disease, caused by Streptococcous Pneumonia Bacteria

Important: Prevenar was the first vaccine against Pneumococcal disease in India.

3. Optional                IPV(Inactivated Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given in the form of injection.

At 18 months (1 .6 years old):

1.Mandatory              OPV vaccine(Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

2. Mandatory             DPT  Booster(Diphtheria, Pertrussis and Tetanus)

Prevents: Diphtheria(Upper respiratory illness), Pertrussis(whooping cough) and Tetanus

Important: There may be slight fever associated with pain and swelling at the injection site.

3. Mandatory             Hepatitis A

Prevents: Liver infection caused by HAV (Hepatitis A Virus)

Important: Since Hepatitis A is common in young Indian children, it is advisable to get this vaccination done.

4. Optional                HiB  Booster (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)

Prevents: Meningitis, which affects membranes surrounding the brain and the Spinal cord.

Important: There may be slight redness, swelling or pain at the site of the injection.

At 2 years old:

1.Mandatory              Typhoid

Prevents: Typhoid, a fever caused by Typhoid bacillus.

Important: There are 2 types of Typhoid vaccines: Inactivated vaccine (shot) and Weakened vaccine.

2. Mandatory             Hepatitis A

Prevents: Liver infection caused by HAV (Hepatitis A Virus)

Important: Since Hepatitis A is common in young Indian children, it is advisable to get this vaccination done.

At 4 years old:

1. Mandatory             MMR

Prevents: Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Important: There may be slight fever, joint pain or stiffness after the vaccination.

At 5 years old:

1. Mandatory             OPV Booster(Oral Polio Vaccine)

Prevents: Poliomyelitis (Polio) which damages nervous system, causes muscle weakness or paralysis.

Important: Given FREE in government centres upto the age of 5 years on Pulse Polio Immunization day

2. Mandatory             DPT  Booster(Diphtheria, Pertrussis and Tetanus)

Prevents: Diphtheria(Upper respiratory illness), Pertrussis(whooping cough) and Tetanus

Important: There may be slight fever associated with pain and swelling at the injection site.

Consult the doctor on a regular basis to understand any updations in the vaccination schedule. Keep your little one free from infections and let her enjoy a healthy life for a healthy tomorrow.

Related posts:

1. Vaccines for your Baby – Immunization Schedule