Immunizations For Your Baby
The human body is amazing, did you know that once you contract a disease it is unlikely that you will get the same disease again. This is because are bodies produce antibodies to these illnesses, your body then recognizes these diseases and can then destroy them. This is what vaccinations do. They act in the body as if you had actually contracted the disease, thus saving lives. Doctors have actually almost altogether eliminated smallpox. Although vaccinations have saved many lives, there are some concerns when it comes to your child. I wondered as I'm sure many other concerned parents do, if there are any side effects.Here are the shots that doctors will most likely give your infant to protect them from many childhood diseases, and what side effects to look for after your child has gotten vaccinated:DTP is most likely the first shot that your Doctor will give your baby. This is the diphtheria and tetanus, and pertussis, or whopping cough vaccine. Doctors have also combined DTP and the Hib vaccinations into one shot called DTaP.Your child will also get a vaccine for chicken pox this vaccine is called the Varicella vaccine. Your child will get a Hepatitis B vaccine, the Hemophilus B vaccine, or Hib for short which can cause meningitis. The HbOC-DTP which is a combination of the DTP and HIB shots are available, this means there are less shots for your little one.A flu vaccine can be given every year for your child, the flu can hospitalize your baby and possible even kill them, so get your baby vaccinated with the flu vaccine every year. The flu makes us all sick but the elderly and babies are the ones most effected by the flu.The last shot your baby will be given is the MMR or the measles mumps and rubella shots. This shot isn't given until 1 year of age, given earlier this vaccination is ineffective. This shot causes some controversy. In the news the percentage of autism is up and some parents are concerned that this is because of the MMR shot. Doctors say this is not the case.There can be side effects to giving your baby immunizations so here are some things to watch out for, if baby is having a reaction to the shot you should definitely call your Doctor and not have your baby vaccinated until older.Watch your baby for 72 hours after the shot and call the doctor if your baby cry's for more than 3 hours, if baby has a fever of 104 degrees, and doesn't go down within an hour of administering Tylenol, or if your baby is hard to wake, or if your baby is having convulsions. These are signs of serious reactions and you should call the doctor right away.Some common side effects for immunizations are pain where the shot was given so be careful when handling your baby, a low fever, over 100 degrees, give baby Tylenol, fussiness, red and swollen where the shot was given, baby may loss his appetite for a couple of days, and drowsiness. You may notice your baby is more sleepy then usual. It is a good idea to give your baby Tylenol after shots and every 4-6 hours for the first 24 hours to help comfort your baby. Of course ask your Doctor if this is okay before doing so.It is your choice to give your baby immunizations. Your child has to have them before attending pre-school, but not until then so take your time and think about it. After a year your baby doesn't need a lot of these shots. Cheek with your doctor if you have any questions.
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