Questions And Answers About Childhood Vaccination

Preserving the health of our children as much as possible is one of the most important issues in the life of every parent. In this sense, effectively carrying out the entire childhood vaccination process is a determining point.

When our children arrive in the world they find all kinds of viruses and bacteria that they have to deal with.  That is precisely when vaccines play a fundamental role, because we cannot isolate them just so that they do not contract certain diseases.

“There are still people who contract contagious diseases that represent a great danger to the health of a child”

-pediatrician Paul Offit-

What are vaccines?

Vaccines are a biological preparation that helps the body fight infectious diseases. Once the product is in the body, it defends itself through the production of antibodies.

In most cases, this process creates an “immune memory” against the disease and allows that in the future, when in contact with this agent, the body can react appropriately, thus preventing the contraction of the disease. virus or severely affected.

How do vaccines work in the baby’s body?

The child’s body assimilates the vaccine that is produced from the dead or weakened causative agent. When the body detects the agents, it immediately proceeds to activate the immune system that produces the necessary antibodies to fight against this attack.

Once this process is carried out, the child is ready to be exposed to the disease without this posing an imminent danger to their health, because the antibodies will remain there to prevent their development.

That is, if there is a rotavirus epidemic at school, the child will have less chance of contracting the disease than one who has not received the vaccine.

The effect of vaccines remains for a lifetime in most cases.

Consequences of not vaccinating children

The decision not to comply with the childhood vaccination schedule will result in leaving your child exposed to a universe of viruses and diseases that can be contracted so powerfully that they can cause serious injury and even death.

Paul Offit, a pediatrician specializing in infectology, explained that there are still people who contract contagious diseases, which represent a great danger to the health of a child who has not been immunized.

Do vaccines cause side effects?

Vaccines can produce adverse effects depending on the organism of each child, however, these are moderate symptoms such as general malaise.

Also, there may be local reactions such as redness or swelling of the area of ​​the body where the injection was given. All of these are signs that the body has begun to generate the antibodies corresponding to the vaccine received.

In general, the pediatrician will recommend a specific medication in case the baby suffers from discomfort or fever, that will be enough.

How long do vaccines protect?

In most cases, just receiving the necessary doses of the vaccines gives a permanent effect. However, studies have shown that vaccinated people have contracted diseases such as measles or rubella during epidemics.

However, it is a relatively low rate so the best alternative is to be cautious and comply with the vaccination regimen.

What happens if the childhood vaccination schedule is not met?

You should go to the pediatrician and request that he adjust the schedule again based on the missing doses, in order to ensure that your child is fully protected.

It is very common not to be able to comply exactly with the dates, because the child must be healthy to receive the vaccines. If you have any symptoms such as cough, fever, allergies, influenza or any other, the doctor will prefer to postpone the vaccination date.

In conclusion, vaccines are one of the advances that has contributed significantly to health worldwide and therefore to the quality of life of the human being. Epidemics of serious diseases are practically a matter of the past thanks to the implementation of this system.