Immunization programs are crucial for babies. After birth, infants inherit some immunity to infectious diseases from their mothers, but this immunity gradually weakens and disappears with age. To enhance children's resistance to infectious diseases and prevent their occurrence, it's essential to administer vaccinations on a planned and timely basis to protect their healthy growth.
Immunizations for Infants Under 6 Months Old
Infants aged 2-6 months require multiple vaccinations, including oral polio vaccine (OPV), DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, and Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Each vaccination has specific timing and requirements.
At 4 months of age, infants should receive their third oral polio vaccine, completing the basic immunization program and developing sufficient antibodies against polio, which can last for 2-3 years. Therefore, a booster dose should be given around age 4 to strengthen immunity against the disease.
The DPT vaccine is first administered at 3 months of age. To complete the basic immunization program, booster doses are given at 4 months and 5 months of age. This means that antibodies against pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus have been produced in the infant's body.
The third dose of the hepatitis B vaccine should be given when the infant is 6 months old. Because of the long interval between the second and third doses, some parents often forget. If the third dose is not given, antibody levels are low and the duration of protection is short.
Immunization for infants aged 7-9 months: Infants aged 7-9 months need to receive the measles live attenuated vaccine, which prevents them from contracting measles. It is recommended that all infants receive the measles vaccine by 8 months of age. The vaccine is administered subcutaneously on the outside of the infant's arm.
Vaccination should be postponed if the infant has a fever, is in the acute phase or recovery phase of another illness. Infants allergic to eggs should use the measles vaccine with caution. A one-month interval is required after administering gamma globulin or placental globulin before receiving the measles vaccine. Placental globulin or gamma globulin should only be administered two weeks after the measles vaccine to avoid affecting the effectiveness of the measles vaccine.
Immunization Schedule for Infants at 1 Year Old
Infants should receive the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine and Japanese encephalitis vaccine at 1 year old. The initial meningococcal vaccine is recommended between 10 and 12 months of age, requiring two doses to complete the primary immunization, with a 3-month interval between the two doses. There are two types of Japanese encephalitis vaccine: inactivated and live attenuated. The inactivated vaccine, usually provided free under the national immunization program, requires two initial doses, 7-10 days apart. The live attenuated vaccine requires only one initial dose. Comparing the two, the inactivated vaccine requires an extra dose but has a relatively milder reaction, while the live attenuated vaccine requires one less dose but has a relatively stronger reaction.
Both vaccines are generally administered subcutaneously at the deltoid muscle attachment site on the outer side of the upper arm. Post-vaccination reactions are mild; only a few children may experience redness or induration at the injection site, with only fever as a generalized reaction. Occasionally, allergic reactions may occur, but these reactions usually disappear on their own within 1-2 days without any treatment.