Childhood vaccines: The immunization checklist I Mundo Hispanico

Do you know all of the required childhood vaccines? From birth to 12 years of age, children require several shots or immunizations to protect them from diseases such as chickenpox, influenza and measles. Thanks to vaccines, it has been possible to save the lives of millions of children around the world, and they are mandatory in many countries. In the United States, the CDC recommends a series of immunizations that range from the first months of your child’s birth to adulthood.

Hepatitis B

According to the experts, the first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine should be given in the first few days after birth. The second should be given between the first and fourth month, and the third dose between six and fifteen months. It is estimated that about 850,000 people in the United States are living with Hepatitis B and more than half of them have not yet been diagnosed with the virus.

Rotavirus vaccine

According to information provided by the CDC, five vaccine doses are recommended for the Rotavirus, a virus that causes more than 200,000 emergency room visits each year. For this virus, there are two types of vaccines: RV1 and RV5, one and three doses respectively. The first dose should be given in the first year of life, while the last dose is recommended for children 6 years of age.

Childhood vaccines: Influenza

Each year, there are more than 700,000 hospitalizations caused by influenza. One way to reduce the risks is by getting the different vaccines available for this virus. These include the live attenuated vaccine (LAIV4), the quadrivalent (IIV4), and the influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, which are recommended for patients up to 6 years of age.

Pneumococcus

Pneumococcal pneumonia results in approximately 150,000 hospitalizations per year, and although the mortality rate is usually low, it is on the childhood vaccines checklist because it provides protection against the most adverse effects of this disease. For this immunization, four shots are required: The first dose at two months, the second at four and the third at six, while dose number four is given when the child is one year old.

Mumps, Measles and Rubella

The MMR vaccine protects against mumps, measles and rubella. These are diseases that mainly affect children. In recent years, very rare cases of diseases such as rubella have been documented. This is due, in part, to the fact that more than 90% of the population is vaccinated against this virus. The first dose of immunization is recommended in the first year of life and a second dose between 4 and 6 years.

Chickenpox

An infant in the process of administering a vaccine — Shutterstock

Chickenpox is a disease that is becoming less prevalent in the US. A mortality rate of 1 in 100,000 cases has been recorded in people aged 1 to 14 years. On the recommendation of the health authorities, the first dose of the varicella vaccine is given between the first 12 and 15 months of life and is followed with a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age.

Polio vaccine

Poliomyelitis is a disease that had more than 15,000 cases per year in the United States alone. After the creation of the IPV vaccine, this number has been reduced to only 140 cases. Doctors say that the best age for the first dose of the IPV vaccine is 12 months, while the third and last dose is suitable for children between 6 and 15 months.

Diphtheria and tetanus

Between 2004 and 2017, only two cases of diphtheria were reported in the United States. This contrasts with the record number of 15,000 annual deaths caused by this disease before the development of vaccines. This immunization schedule is made up of five doses, which are given between two months and six years of age. In all cases, it is necessary to go to the doctor to have an adequate follow-up of the care before and after receiving these vaccines.

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