Why Childhood Immunisations Are Important?

As a new parent, you feel a kind of love towards your baby that you have never felt before. Along with that, a tremendous sense of responsibility and protectiveness also comes over you. Right from baby-proofing the house to buying the best products, you do everything possible to ensure maximum safety for the little one. But these measures don't guarantee protection against diseases and disorders. For that, you need to vaccinate your child. Vaccines protect your baby from many illnesses. They are safe and effective so never miss any vaccine. Read on to know more.

Is there a difference between immunisation & vaccination?

Vaccines are given to make the baby immune to certain diseases. This is called immunisation. It is done by introducing antibodies into the baby, which is done via vaccines. The process of administering the vaccines is called vaccination. Hence, even though if the two words have different meaning, they are two sides of the same coin, working towards the same end result.

Importance of immunisation

The importance of childhood vaccines is unparalleled. Here are some reasons that stress the childhood immunisation importance:

1. It builds up the immune system

The biggest reason for getting your baby vaccinated is to build up his/her immune system as they are born with a weak and developing immune system. The antibodies are given to help strengthen the system and to protect the baby from any dangerous disease that may strike. This is an important reason why you should not skip any of the childhood vaccines.

2. It is safe and effective

The modern-day vaccines are all made keeping in mind global safety standards. This is why it is very safe to administer the vaccines to your baby. Many parents fear that the vaccines would have adverse effects on their babies. But on the contrary, vaccines would make the baby strong and keep him safe.

3. It protects future generations

When you vaccinate your child, not only do you protect your own child, you protect an entire generation. Even one unvaccinated person can start an epidemic and cause widespread damage to everyone. This is why it is the duty of every parent to immunise their children so that no one is left unprotected.

4. It helps eradicate dangerous diseases

Serious and deadly ailments such as smallpox and polio have been eradicated from most parts of the world only because of vaccines. To help eradicate more of these dangerous diseases and make the world a safer place for everyone, go ahead and opt for childhood vaccines.

5. It saves time and trouble

When you vaccinate your child, you ensure your family saves a lot of money, time and trouble in the future as your child will surely be healthier and fall ill less frequently. This is another reason why every child needs to be immunised.

There is a list of vaccines that doctors recommend and in India they are available free of cost at government hospitals and health care centres. You can also get them at any private children’s hospital or at your paediatrician's clinic.

FAQs

1. How early does the immunisation process start?

The immunisation process starts as soon as your baby is born. In fact, after your delivery when you spend one or two days in the hospital, your baby will receive a number of vaccines. These vaccines will continue at fixed intervals till your child is about 18 years old.

2. Is there a list of vaccines to follow?

Yes, there is a fixed list of vaccines that most doctors prescribe. Some babies and children may require extra doses if they have any specific health conditions.

3. Is the importance of vaccination lifelong?

Most vaccines offer lifelong protection. Some vaccines come in parts and have to be taken over the course of many years. The doctor will hand you the schedule and you just have to take your child to the clinic on time to get him vaccinated.

4. Are there any side effects?

There are no long-term side effects of vaccines. However the baby can experience some common short-term side effects such as fever, pain and nausea. Follow doctor’s instructions to soothe your baby after he gets vaccinated.