Proper parenting is quite a tough job that requires decision making, problem-solving and playing many roles and responsibilities, especially when you became a parent for the first time. Lots of questions come in our mind, regarding how to ensure proper care as well as the safety of our kids. We as a parent want to do what is best for our child. Being a mother, it was not an easy journey for me, I talked to many of my friends, generally doctors friends so as to take suggestion from them about what things I need to consider in order to take care of my kids.

To choose the right was not always clear as different people have different views, so I started searching on the internet and started to discuss with the doctors online. But one thing that I always ensured was that before taking any decision I try to gather as much information I can and then after I take any decision. 

Through baby gates and car seats, we try to protect our baby but there is another way through which we can keep our kids safe. This is where Vaccination has a role to play. From keeping the deadly diseases and wildly infections at bay to preventing yet another public health crisis, the role of vaccines is invaluable. So today I will discuss the need for vaccination for the kids, from my experience. With time to time, every type of Vaccination is necessary for our child’s life. It provides immunity against life-threatening diseases. Don’t choose any random vaccination for your child. But we must give them the required dose of vaccination. In fact, a newborn has to take a vaccination to be protected against some diseases and breast milk also offers many benefits to a newborn baby as it contains high concentration of secretory antibodies, mainly IgA. Thus making it the best medicine according to me. Also, newborn babies are too young to receive many vaccines, so the only protection they have from viruses to prevent diseases is from the people around them being vaccinated. Adults may also be at risk of diseases due to age, job, lifestyle, travel, or health conditions, which can be prevented if proper vaccinations are taken at the right time.

The benefits of Vaccination

* It protects the child’s from complications of diseases and serious disease too

* vaccination helps keep a child healthy.

* It prevents disease such as measles, mumps, and whooping cough

* It’s safe and effective, if a child is not vaccinated, they can spread the disease to other children 

* It prevents diseases which include paralysis of limbs, hearing loss, brain damage, death, amputation of an arm.

* Disease like polio or smallpox can be immunized by taking the vaccination.

* Immunizations/Vaccinations can help you to save your hard-earned money by preventing whopping and long medical bills and also saves your invaluable time and loss at work.

Which vaccination do children need?

Vaccination is an ongoing process that starts from birth to 60 years and above. It is important to follow the chart of vaccination from time to time for your children. It ensures that your child stays protected from diseases that cause them serious health problems. The vaccination which is needed for children are:

Hepatitis B, Rotavirus, Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Hemophilus, influenza type B, Pneumococcal, Poliovirus, Influenza, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis A, Meningococcal (for certain high-risk groups ) and more have included in the list

Though there is a mild side effect of vaccination that causes fever, headache, redness, swelling, and tenderness around the area where the needle been. The child may feel unsettled it sleepy.

Do ask the doctor about the vaccination before giving it to your child so that you are aware of the situation if the child may feel sick or not. 

Why the WHO prequalification of vaccines is gaining importance?

You may be thinking what does it actually mean for a vaccination to be prequalified? Prequalification ensures that the vaccines purchased met appropriate standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.

The full prequalification assessment process includes the following components:

·         Review of the production process and quality control procedures.

·         Laboratory testing.

·         WHO site audit of manufacturing facilities of the vaccines with the responsible National Regulatory Authority.

Started in 1987 as originally a service provided by WHO to UNICEF only, Prequalification continues today as an essential process to help ensure that vaccines used in immunization programs are safe, effective, and appropriate for countries’ needs.

Prequalification by WHO consists of a transparent and scientifically sound assessment that comprises many steps that include reviewing the evidence, testing and consistency of each lot of manufactured vaccines, therefore it is a key step in low-income countries’ ability to get access to the disease-preventing vaccines and use vaccines.

Which are the most used vaccines worldwide and which one is less painful relatively?

Most of the world’s children receive vaccines that protect them against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles. And the hepatitis B vaccine too.

Though some vaccines give temporary pain that doesn’t matter when these vaccines will protect our child from big diseases. In fact, there is also a less painful version of vaccines which are available in the market, that gives lesser side effect of pain as compared to another one, which you can take by consulting with your child’s doctor. 

The recent increase in the number of cases of measles and mumps is due to the reason that children are not being immunized properly. Immunization prevents children from becoming ill with unpleasant and serious infectious diseases. Furthermore, it is a way to try and help protect all children in the population. Vaccination is also a way to wipe out as many infectious diseases as we can everywhere in the world. Vaccines are necessary for our child’s safety as well it will also help not to spread the disease in others. So, we must give the vaccines to our children from time to time.