We vaccinate a 0-2 year old child: vaccination according to the calendar and more

Table of contents:

• What is a vaccination calendar?
• What should a child be vaccinated and when?
• In what cases are test results required for admission to vaccination?
• Why do children need to be vaccinated so early? Is it possible to postpone vaccination?
• In what cases should vaccination not be carried out?
• How does a reaction to a vaccine differ from complications?
• Is it possible to get sick from a vaccine against the disease against which it is given?
• Why should I vaccinate my child if everyone around me is vaccinated?
• “I heard a story: a healthy child was vaccinated, and after that he became seriously ill and became disabled”
• Why get vaccinated against chickenpox? After all, this is a mild childhood illness.
• The meningococcal vaccine is very expensive. Is it really necessary?
• Why is it better to choose a vaccine with a component that protects against Haemophilus influenzae infection?
• Why is it necessary to vaccinate a child against pneumococcus?
• We have never heard of the rotavirus vaccine. Why is it needed?
• How many vaccines can be given at one time?
• What should be the intervals between vaccinations?

What is a vaccination calendar?

The national vaccination calendar is a list of all vaccinations that the state provides to people free of charge to the entire population. As a rule, this calendar includes vaccines from domestic manufacturers, although there are exceptions. It is important that the national calendar is not a “list of all necessary vaccinations.” This list itself is broader, and it may include completely different vaccines. If parents have the opportunity to get vaccinated for a fee, they can supplement the calendar with those vaccines that are not included in it and replace the free vaccine options with paid ones.

All about the vaccination calendar

Chickenpox vaccination

Chickenpox is a contagious childhood infection that manifests itself as itchy, profuse rashes. The optimal age for vaccination is one to two years. Local manifestations of the reaction are possible: swelling, redness, compaction. Also observed: an increase in temperature above 37.5 degrees, rash, itching, weakness.

The drug Varilrix is ​​used for vaccination. It does not protect 100%, but in case of illness it is mild. This injection is not mandatory and is not included in the Russian preventive vaccination calendar.

What should a child be vaccinated and when?

We have compiled for you our own extended list of infections against which your baby must be vaccinated.
In some places we also indicate specific vaccines, but at the time of writing this article there are significant difficulties with their supply in St. Petersburg. Most vaccines for a specific disease are interchangeable. When choosing a vaccine, remember that combination vaccines (those that include vaccines against several infections at once) are better than single vaccines. So, vaccinate your baby against the following diseases:

• tuberculosis - in the maternity hospital;
• hepatitis B - first vaccination in the maternity hospital, then at 1 and 6 months;
• rotavirus - from 6 weeks;
• whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hemophilus influenzae. There is a Pentaxim vaccine that protects against all these diseases at once, as well as Infanrix Hexa, which in addition to them also contains a vaccine against hepatitis B. The timing of administration varies depending on the vaccines available to you, but in any case, vaccination against these diseases must be completed by 6 months;
• pneumococcus - (Prevenar, from 2 months);
• influenza - (annually in the fall, from 6 months);
• meningitis - (Menactra, from 9 months);
• measles, rubella, mumps - (Priorix or analogues, from 12 months);
• hepatitis A - from 12 months;
• chickenpox - from 12 months.

Consult with your pediatrician to schedule vaccines and when to give them.

What vaccinations are given to children under one year of age?

The first procedure in the vaccination calendar for children under one year of age is scheduled almost immediately after birth - within the first 24 hours of life. As soon as the maternity hospital specialists dry, swaddle, weigh the child and carry out other necessary measures, he will be vaccinated against viral hepatitis B. This disease threatens severe liver damage and is especially dangerous in infancy, which explains such a rush.

Next on the schedule will be a vaccination against tuberculosis - it is done every 3-7 days. Then the frequency of preventive procedures decreases slightly. In total, the vaccination calendar for up to a year includes 13 vaccinations against the following infections (there are fewer positions in the list, because many vaccinations are repeated):

• viral hepatitis B;
• tuberculosis;
• pneumococcal infection;
• diphtheria;
• whooping cough;
• tetanus;
• polio;
• measles;
• rubella;
• mumps (mumps).

The vaccination schedule for some children may be expanded - up to 18 vaccinations. Children at risk for hepatitis B are prescribed additional vaccinations against this infection. Babies diagnosed with certain serious diseases are vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae.

Why do children need to be vaccinated so early? Is it possible to postpone vaccination?

Many people do this, but we don’t recommend it.

• Firstly, most vaccinated infections are deadly for young children. Deaths from whooping cough, pneumococcal pneumonia, and diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae are most often recorded precisely at the age of 2-3 years. At 9-24 months there is a peak incidence of meningococcal meningitis, especially its invasive (most dangerous) form.
• Secondly, parental concerns about “immature immunity” are completely unfounded. The child’s immune system is constantly experiencing some antigenic load, and vaccination does not interfere, but helps it mature. Vaccinations are designed specifically for children. Of course, infant immunity is imperfect, so some vaccines are repeated. But following the correct schedule guarantees reliable protection against infection.
• Thirdly, the older the child, the more pronounced the reactions to vaccinations are, precisely because of the “ripe” immunity. This in itself is not scary, but redness and pain at the injection site, high fever and other “joys” are much more common in children with delayed vaccinations, and are not typical for infants.

Many parents ask the doctor to give them a waiver, and pediatricians follow their lead. In fact, neither colic, nor an umbilical hernia, nor small residual cysts in the baby’s brain, nor even a runny nose without a rise in temperature will in any way affect the child’s condition after vaccination. Such challenges have no medical basis. Unfortunately, most cases of severe childhood infections are detected in children whose parents decided to “just wait six months or a year.”

Indications for canceling vaccinations for an infant

There is a certain list of absolute medical contraindications that do not allow giving vaccines to young children at all or in a specific case:

• with previous vaccinations, a strong general or local reaction was observed - large swelling at the injection site, fever above 39-40 degrees, other complications;
• immunosuppression, malignant tumors:
• in relation to BCG and BCG-M - they are not given to children less than 2 kg at birth and in the presence of a keloid scar;
• live vaccines are contraindicated in case of allergy to aminoglycosides, against mumps and measles - in case of reaction to egg white.

Relative contraindications:

• at the time of vaccination, the child has signs of exacerbation of a chronic or acute infectious disease (ARVI, intestinal infections, influenza);
• severe allergies.

There are also contraindications for certain types of vaccines, indicated in the instructions for them. It is important to remember that a slight runny nose, diathesis, “residual” cough and other conditions are not an indication for an exemption from vaccination and do not in any way increase the risk of complications.

In what cases should vaccination not be carried out?

• Acute febrile condition, for example, with ARVI. As soon as the temperature drops, you can wait 3-4 days and get vaccinated. A runny nose and cough without fever are not a contraindication to vaccination!
• Seizures (children with epilepsy who do not show seizures on medications can be vaccinated).
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases. At the same time, atopic dermatitis, anemia, benign neutropenia of childhood and other asymptomatic or easily removable conditions are not contraindications.
• Severe reaction to a previous administration of the same vaccine. At the same time, a vaccine against a specific infection can and should be replaced with an analogue.
• There is one more contraindication for live vaccines: immunodeficiency - primary (congenital), HIV infection or resulting from treatment with hormones or chemotherapy. All these conditions cannot be “accidentally overlooked.”
• It is important that vaccination should not be delayed due to “incorrect” test results. Moreover, the requirement to take tests before vaccination is unlawful, and you can refuse to do so.

What is vaccination?

Vaccination is the process of giving people vaccines, drugs that help build immunity against many infectious diseases.
Vaccine prevention begins at birth. In childhood, it is especially important for protection against infection with dangerous infections and for creating strong immunity for life. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers vaccination one of the main ways to combat infections. Thanks to vaccines, it was possible to eliminate some diseases (the last case of smallpox was registered in 1978) and significantly limit the spread of others (tetanus, measles, polio).

How does a reaction to a vaccine differ from complications?

A reaction to a vaccine is a variant of the norm. After all, vaccination is an accelerated, stimulated development of immunity. The reaction may be local (swelling, pain, redness at the injection site) or general (fever, poor sleep and appetite, headache, rash).

The reaction to the vaccine is not dangerous and goes away within 1-2 days. If the fever lasts longer or occurs later, the vaccine is not the cause.

Complications from vaccination, in contrast to post-vaccination reactions, occur extremely rarely and are severe. Thus, 1 out of 10,000,000 children vaccinated against measles develops post-vaccination measles encephalitis, and pneumococcal vaccines have not caused a single complication in the entire history of observation. Information on the frequency of complications can be easily found in open sources. WHO collects and analyzes all cases of complications and, based on this, adjusts its recommendations on vaccinations. Complications can be caused by improper administration or storage of the vaccine, or violation of vaccination rules (for example, if a child with an infectious disease was vaccinated).

In addition, (also very rarely) an allergic reaction to vaccine components occurs. This is why parents are often asked to wait in the hallway for half an hour after vaccination. An allergy to the vaccine, if any, manifests itself immediately, and doctors are prepared for such situations.

What vaccinations are not in the Calendar?

Today, in many developed countries, mass vaccination is carried out against a larger number of infections than in Russia. The Union of Pediatricians of Russia also advises children to have additional vaccinations against:

• rotavirus infection (three vaccinations at 2, 3 and 4.5 months),
• meningococcal infection (two vaccinations at 9 and 12 months),
• chickenpox (two vaccinations at 12-15 months and at 6 years),
• viral hepatitis A (two vaccinations at 20 months and 2-3 years),
• human papillomavirus infection (1 or 2 doses per 12-13 years).

Emergency vaccination

Sometimes children need emergency vaccinations.
If a child is bitten by a dog or other animal, he needs to receive a course of vaccinations against rabies (Fig. 3). If an unvaccinated child is scratched or injured, he should be vaccinated against tetanus. After exposure to people with hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps or chickenpox, immediate vaccination can help avoid complications. In any of these cases, contact the clinic as soon as possible.

Figure 3. What to do to eliminate the risk of rabies after a bite. Source

Why get vaccinated against chickenpox? It's a mild childhood illness.

Indeed, most often chickenpox passes quickly and without traces in a child, although a high fever and an itchy rash are also not a gift. But sometimes chickenpox can cause serious complications: encephalitis, pneumonia, epiglottitis.

The older the child, the more severe chickenpox tends to be. In addition, chickenpox is an extremely contagious disease. That’s why it’s called that, because the virus is literally carried by the wind over a distance of up to twenty meters.

And if we decide that our child can get over the disease, then we are also responsible for that pregnant woman who sits opposite us on the transport and whose plans do not include the disease.

Therefore, it is better not to get chickenpox - but to get vaccinated against it in advance!

What is revaccination?

In some cases, vaccine immunity lasts until the end of life after the first vaccination, but more often, in order to achieve the desired effect, you need to undergo revaccination (repeated administration of the vaccine) in time, sometimes more than one. Revaccination is carried out at strict intervals: a certain amount of time must pass between the first and subsequent applications of the vaccine, depending on the type of vaccination.

Important! Adults also need revaccination against some diseases: annually against influenza, every 10 years against diphtheria and tetanus. Young women planning a pregnancy may need to be vaccinated against rubella and measles if they have not had the disease, were not vaccinated, or received only one dose of the vaccine as a child.

The meningococcal vaccine is very expensive. Is it really necessary?

Vaccination against meningococcus is of great importance for both young children and adolescents. It is children under 5 years of age who most often become victims of the invasive form of the disease - meningococcemia (more than 30% of all cases). In fulminant forms, only a few hours may pass from the first symptoms to death. Meningococcemia and meningococcal meningitis have a high mortality rate - about 15%, even with timely treatment. It is not difficult to understand that meningococcal infection at the moment, although rare, is the most terrible of childhood diseases.

In the North-West region, the incidence of meningococcal infection caused by serogroup B (not included in the vaccine) has decreased in recent years at the expense of serogroup W (which is included). Therefore, if you have the opportunity, it is definitely worth vaccinating your child.

We have never heard of the rotavirus vaccine. Why is it needed?

The RotaTek vaccine is used for vaccination against rotavirus. These are drops in the mouth, not an injection. Rotavirus enteritis can be a very dangerous disease for infants and children under 5 years of age. The mortality rate with it is not so low - 3%, and in children under one year old, even a moderate course threatens with rapid dehydration. RotaTek reduces the likelihood of disease (protection efficiency is 98% in the first season, then 70%) and makes the course of the disease easier, protecting against dangerous complications. Therefore, it is better to vaccinate your child, especially since complications from this vaccination occur infrequently.

What are the benefits of vaccinations?

Vaccination plays a very important role; it performs a number of useful functions:

• Prevention of infection - the vaccine does not guarantee 100% protection; it only alleviates the symptoms of the disease and reduces the risk of infection. The injection forms acquired immunity in the human body. After vaccination, you can get sick, but the recovery process will be more painless, and there is a high probability of avoiding complications and, especially, death. For example, vaccination against tuberculosis reduces the risk of developing meningitis and a severe form of this infection by 5 times;
• Protection against incurable diseases - we are talking about infections that do not require specific treatment. For example, the only way to combat rabies is through vaccination. After a bite, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible so that he can give an injection and thereby prevent infection. The situation is approximately the same with the human papillomavirus. The disease cannot be eliminated, but infection can be prevented through vaccination. Because the virus is sexually transmitted, the vaccine should be received before sexual activity begins;
• The formation of collective immunity is an important aspect for humanity as a whole. Any virus will stop being transmitted if about 70% of the population is vaccinated against it. There are cases when, after effective vaccination, the disease disappeared in principle. Smallpox is proof of this; the last case of infection was recorded in 1979. Also, vaccinated people protect unvaccinated people, since they will form their immediate environment and act as a shield. Therefore, the presence of herd immunity is very important for people who cannot receive an injection due to contraindications. There are vaccinations that are given one at a time, and some of them are given together.

The main diseases for which there are no vaccines yet are HIV infection, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus infection and malaria.

There is a whole list of vaccinations for adults and children. There is a table of vaccinations by age especially for children. Injections are provided for vaccination against common diseases and other ailments. What vaccinations should children receive to protect them from dangerous diseases?

What should be the intervals between vaccinations?

It has been established that longer than recommended intervals between vaccine doses do not significantly reduce the antibody response. In this regard, interruption of the immunization schedule does not require the restoration of the full vaccination series or the addition of additional doses of the vaccine. However, administering doses of vaccines or toxoids at shorter than recommended intervals may reduce the antibody response and should therefore be avoided. This is especially important for primary immunization.

The minimum interval is 1 month; after the administration of some live vaccines, the next vaccination can be administered only after 2 months; the correct sequence and duration of intervals is determined by the doctor in each specific situation.

How to prepare a child for vaccination?

Proper preparation for vaccination will help reduce the risk of adverse reactions and complications. To do this you need:

• take blood and urine tests;
• reduce the likelihood of contact with infectious patients 2–3 weeks before immunization;
• do not change your diet dramatically, do not introduce new products, so as not to provoke an allergy;
• Monitor the child’s well-being several days before the procedure. Tell your doctor if there are changes in behavior, lethargy or drowsiness, problems with bowel movements or appetite, fever, skin rash, or other symptoms.

An allergy sufferer may need antihistamines a few days before vaccination. They are given to children only as prescribed by a pediatrician. If a child takes allergy medications or any other medications during the vaccination period, the doctor should be informed about this. On the day of vaccination, the child must undergo a general medical examination.

Psychological preparation is also important. The calmer parents perceive the upcoming vaccination, the easier it will be for the baby to endure it. Immediately after the injection, small children may cry, and at this moment it is better to quickly distract them and redirect their attention, including so that negative associations with the doctor’s office are not reinforced.