Paediatric Immunisation - CK Birla Hospital

Immunisation are essential and need to be administered at the right time so that the body can build its immunity accordingly. Paediatric vaccinations are vital even if your child has a mild illness. If any doses have been missed or your child hasn’t been vaccinated yet, it’s crucial to catch up on the missed vaccines as soon as possible.

Highlights of paediatric Immunisation are:

Focus is on protecting against diseases that are most harmful in early childhood, such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and pertussis.
They help build better immunity in young children as their immune systems are still developing.
Every child has an age-wise immunisation schedule from the time they are born till their adolescence.
Children, unlike adults, can be given combination vaccines, which include multiple immunisations in one shot, and are often preferred to reduce the number of injections.

Here is a table summarising the essential child Immunisation:

Age of Child	Name of Vaccine	Purpose of the Vaccine
At birth	BCG	Protects from Tuberculosis (TB)
At birth	OPV(0)	Protects from Polio
At birth	Hepatitis B (1st dose)	Protects from Hepatitis B (viral liver infection)
6 weeks old	OPV(1)	Protects from Polio
6 weeks old	Hepatitis B (2nd dose)	Protects from Hepatitis B
6 weeks old	HiB (1st dose)	Protects from Pneumonia, Meningitis (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
6 weeks old	DPT (1st dose)	Protects from Diphtheria, Whooping Cough (Pertussis), and Tetanus
10 weeks old	OPV(2)	Protects from Polio
10 weeks old	Hepatitis B (3rd dose)	Protects from Hepatitis B
10 weeks old	HiB (2nd dose)	Protects from Pneumonia, Meningitis
10 weeks old	DPT (2nd dose)	Protects from Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus
14 weeks old	OPV(3)	Protects from Polio
14 weeks old	Hepatitis B (4th dose)	Protects from Hepatitis B
14 weeks old	HiB (3rd dose)	Protects from Pneumonia, Meningitis
14 weeks old	DPT (3rd dose)	Protects from Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus
14 weeks old	IPV	Protects from Polio (Injectable Polio Vaccine)
9 months old	MMR1/MR/Measles	Protects from Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
9 months old	JE vaccine-1	Protects from Japanese Encephalitis
16-24 months old	OPV Booster	Protects from Polio
16-24 months old	DPT Booster	Protects from Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus
16-24 months old	MMR1/MR/Measles Booster	Protects from Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
16-24 months old	JE vaccine-2	Protects from Japanese Encephalitis
16-24 months old	DPT Second Booster	Protects from Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus

Note to Parents:

Multiple vaccines when scheduled together should be done within 24 hours of the first vaccine.
If necessary, two vaccines can be safely administered in the same limb during a single visit.
Before any vaccination, always inform your doctor if your child had any unusual reactions to previous doses.
If any side effects occur after vaccination, such as fever or pain/redness at the injection site, it can be managed with Paracetamol, as advised by the doctor, and repeated after 4-6 hours if needed.
Remember to stay at the clinic for 15 to 20 minutes post-vaccination to monitor any potential allergic reactions.
In supplemental immunisation days, ensure that your child receives extra doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).