Immunization Schedule And Meningitis
To protect your baby from fatal diseases is very much necessary therefore it is very important to follow the immunization schedule accurately. Consult your doctor immediately if an immunization date is missed by you for any reason for getting a new date. Sometimes your baby may be ill on the due date of immunization, then also consult your doctor and reschedule immunization but it should not be avoided for slight cold or cough. In case your baby has had an acute reaction to a dose of immunization consult your doctor before you give him the booster dose.
After giving immunization the baby is likely to have slight fever, give him the recommended dose of paracetamol as advised by your doctor and that will help your baby. If the injection sight is swollen do not worry, as this is normal. Consult with your doctor for the reactions that various injections may have on your baby. If your baby suffers from any of the following conditions then he is ill:
* Baby is not feeding normally for over 24 hours.
* Vomits continuously.
* Suddenly breathes noisily and rapidly.
* Presence of blood in stools or urine.
* Cries continuously and it sounds different from the normal way he cries.
* Lacks energy and is not alert.
* Has a skin rash.
Consult your doctor if you are concerned about the way the baby is behaving.
Given below is the ideal immunization schedule for babies:
|
At 1-1/2 months
|
B.C.G.(injection)* |
| D.P.T. – 1 (injection)and | |
| O.P.V. – 1 (dose) | |
|
At 2-1/2 months
|
D.P.T. – 2 (injection)and |
| O.P.V. – 2 (dose) | |
|
At 3-1/2 months
|
D.P.T. – 3 (injection) and |
| O.P.V. – 3 (dose) | |
|
At 9 months
|
Measles (injection) |
|
16 to 24 months
|
D.P.T. Booster (injection) and |
| O.P.V. Booster (dose) |
Another illness that is a cause of great concern among parents is meningitis. When this affects infants and small children, it can be fatal if not treated promptly. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Inflammation can be caused either by bacteria or viruses. Meningitis caused by bacterial infection is more fatal than the one caused by viral infection. Meningitis is contagious as it is airborne. It spreads when an infected person sneezes, coughs, laughs or talks and tiny droplets of fluid from his throat and nose become air borne. Infants are more susceptible to meningitis as their immune system is still developing. The number of cases of meningitis among infants has dropped greatly every since the Hib vaccine was introduced. A Hib vaccine safeguards the child against the attack of meningitis. But vaccines have not been developed for all the strains of meningitis. Hence parents continue to be worried about meningitis. Some symptoms of meningitis are:
* Stiffness in the neck.
* Swollen fontanel – swelling of the soft spot on the baby’s head.
* The baby is listless and is not his usual energetic self.
* The baby looks very pale.
* The baby is not alert.
* The baby has a purple rash.
* The baby cries in a high-pitched voice and seems to me moaning.
* The baby has very high temperature.
* The baby has suddenly become sensitive to light.
Though meningitis seems like a deadly disease, it can be cured, if diagnosed at the right time and treated promptly.
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