Can A Vaccine Cause My Baby To Get Sick
Vaccines are extremely safe and serious side effects are rare. Almost all sickness or discomfort after vaccination is minor and temporary, such as a soreness at the injection site or mild fever. These can often be controlled by taking over-the-counter pain medication as advised by a doctor, or applying a cold cloth to the injection site. If parents are concerned, they should contact their doctor or health care provider.
Extensive studies and research show that there is no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
Procedures For Newborns Soon After Birth
Your newborn baby has just arrived. This first, precious, golden hour is upon you. What happens now? Many practitioners will allow you to have the baby placed directly on your abdomen or chest. Warm towels or blankets will be placed over both of you to help keep your baby warm. This time for bonding in many hospitals and birth centers is limited to the first hour, though this can vary.
Once you and your baby are ready, there are some standard tests that are done for nearly all babies, including those born at home. The following procedures are commonly done in the first few days of your baby’s life.
What Is The Hepatitis B Vaccine
Immunizations start at birth. The first immunization given is the hepatitis B vaccine. Listed below are some facts about hepatitis B:
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Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver caused by hepatitis B virus .
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Potentially, there may not be any symptoms present when first infected the likelihood of early symptoms decreases with the person’s age. If present, yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomachache, loss of appetite, nausea, or joint pain may occur.
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The younger the person is when infected with HBV, the greater the likelihood of staying infected and having life-long liver problems, such as scarring of the liver and liver cancer.
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The disease can be spread from an infected pregnant mother to her baby, through contact with the blood of an infected person, or by having sex with an infected person. It can also be spread by sharing objects, such as toothbrushes or razors.
The HBV vaccine will prevent this disease. This vaccine is given to nearly all newborns. Additional doses are given before age 18 months. If newborns are exposed to HBV before, during, or after birth, both the vaccine and a special HBV immune globulin dose are given within 12 hours of birth. The CDC recommends that all babies complete the HBV vaccine series between age 6 months and 18 months to be fully protected against HBV infection. This full series gives long-term protection against HBV and booster shots are typically not needed in people who have a healthy immune system.
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What Kinds Of Tests Show The Physical Condition Of Newborns In The Hospital
After your baby is born, a doctor or nurse will perform a series of tests to determine your baby’s physical condition. A routine evaluation, called the Apgar test, is used to identify whether your baby needs urgent medical care. After delivery, your baby will also be given a vitamin K shot, eye drops, and newborn screening tests. Your baby may also receive a hearing test and a hepatitis B vaccine.
What Are The Side Effects Of Vaccines
It is possible for any vaccine to cause side effects. Common side effects include a mild fever and pain or redness at the injection site. Most babies and children experience only mild side effects, if any.
Possible vaccine side effects include:
- Fever
- Soreness or redness at the injection site
- Swelling
- Headache
- Chills
Serious side effects are rare and must be treated right away. Seek emergency medical care if your child develops any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing
- High fever over 105 degrees Fahrenheit
- Nonstop crying for over three hours
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Do Vaccination Needles Hurt
Although generally quick, getting vaccinations can be painful for your child. The best way you can make it as painless as possible is to hold your child, and soothe and comfort them. Breastfeeding can also help reduce pain. You can use a number of other techniques to reduce the pain your child might experience.
Hearing Test For Newborns
Sometime in the first day after your baby is born, he or she will also have a hearing test done. Typically, this test will wait until at least six hours after birth, as it’s common that the process of birth leaves some residue in the baby’s ears that can interfere with the hearing screen. Waiting allows the ear canals to clear out a bit more.
This test is very simple and completely painless to your baby. the nurse places some special headphones on the baby’s ears that release sound and measure the baby’s response to the sounds. If the test detects a low response, the hearing screen will typically be repeated. If your baby fails the hearing screen again, another repeat will be scheduled for approximately one week after you leave the hospital and if your baby fails that repeat, you will be referred to a hearing specialist.
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Which Vaccines Do You Recommend During Pregnancy
I recommend two vaccines for pregnant parents: The first is the flu vaccine, and the second is pertussis .
The flu vaccine should be given to expecting parents as soon possible .
The antibodies generated by the flu shot will also circulate to the baby during pregnancy and protect the baby in early life. This is really important since the baby cant get the flu shot before they are 6 months old, and we dont have very effective treatments to care for those babies who become very ill with the flu.
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Measles Mumps And Rubella Vaccination
Routine vaccination
- 2-dose series at 1215 months, 46 years
- Dose 2 may be administered as early as 4 weeks after dose 1.
Catch-up vaccination
- Unvaccinated children and adolescents: 2-dose series at least 4 weeks apart
- The maximum age for use of MMRV is 12 years.
Special situations
International travel
- Infants age 611 months: 1 dose before departure revaccinate with 2-dose series at age 1215 months and dose 2 as early as 4 weeks later.
- Unvaccinated children age 12 months or older: 2-dose series at least 4 weeks apart before departure
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Newborn Treatments & Vaccines
Your newborn will be given medications and vaccines, some of which are required by law. Those that are not required by law are strongly recommended for your babys continued health. To learn more about required medications given after birth to babies .
Antibiotic Eye Ointment
Bacteria in the birth canal can cause newborns to develop eye infections that can result in blindness. To prevent eye infections, your baby will receive an antibiotic eye ointment, as required by New York State law.
Vitamin K Injection
When babies are born, they lack sufficient vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.
A vitamin K injection prevents vitamin K deficiency bleeding and is required by New York State law.
Hepatits B Vaccine
Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that damages the liver over time and has no cure. People with lifelong hepatitis B usually do not experience any outward symptoms and may not know that they have the disease.
All newborns should receive the first shot of the hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital. This reduces the risk of getting the disease from mom or family members who do not know that they are affected.
Three to four doses of the vaccine are required:
- The first dose at birth
- A second dose at 1 through 3 months
- A third dose at 6 through 18 months of age
We will ask for your consent to administer a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine. This vaccine is strongly recommended.
Newborn Vaccines Your Baby Needs
Is your baby protected from vaccine-preventable diseases? Here’s the newborn vaccine schedule recommended by the CDC and AAP for your baby’s first months of life.
Your baby will be given a handful of vaccines and supplements in the first months of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the carefully-planned childhood vaccine schedule. Following the schedule in the coming months and years will put your infant on track for life-long immunity to dangerous diseases.
The vaccines recommended for your young baby are closely monitored by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness. Here are the vaccines that your baby will receive from birth through two months.
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What Is Newborn Screening For Critical Congenital Heart Disease
Critical Congenital Heart Disease is a group of heart or vascular problems present at birth. Approximately 11 out of 10,000 babies are born with CCHD. CCHD may be life threatening and may require intervention in infancy. It is not always detected prenatally or upon exam in the nursery. To improve the early detection of CCHD, it is recommended the screening be added to the newborn screening before discharge to home. A pulse oximeter designed for newborns is used to screen for CCHD. A sensor is wrapped around the hand and another sensor is placed on either foot. Pulse oximetry newborn screening can identify some infants with CCHD before they show signs of the condition.
Children In Licensed Daycare Centres
If you want your child to attend daycare, and decide not to vaccinate them due to medical, religious or philosophical reasons, you will need to give your daycare a valid written exemption. If the disease appears in your childs daycare centre, your child may have to stay out of daycare until the disease is no longer present.
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Do You Recommend These Same Vaccines For Grandparents And Other Family Members Who Will Be In Close Contact With The Newborn
I do. All close contacts to the newborn should be vaccinated with the annual influenza vaccine at least 2 weeks before meeting the baby.
They should also have had Tdap in the last 10 years. If they have not received that vaccine, they should get a Tdap booster at least 2 weeks before meeting the baby.
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Importance Of Vaccines For Infant And Toddlers
For newborns, breast milk can help protect against many diseases. However, this immunity wears off after breastfeeding is over, and some children arent breastfed at all.
Whether or not children are breastfed, vaccines can help protect them from disease. Vaccines can also help prevent the spread of disease through the rest of the population through herd immunity.
Vaccines work by imitating infection of a certain disease in your childs body. This prompts your childs immune system to develop weapons called antibodies.
These antibodies fight the disease that the vaccine is meant to prevent. With their body now primed to make antibodies, your childs immune system can defeat future infection from the disease. Its an amazing feat.
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What Vaccines Should You Get Before Pregnancy
Certain preventable infections can be harmful during pregnancy. That’s why you should ask for a blood test during a pre-pregnancy checkup to find out if you’re immune to these diseases. If you’re not, you should get vaccinated before becoming pregnant. Just be sure to postpone pregnancy for one month because these shots are made from live viruses that can harm your baby.
What Else Should You Expect At Your Babys 4
Take your baby to all their regular pediatrician appointments. At your babys 4-month checkup, your doctor will weigh your baby and check their length to see how they are growing. All the measurements will be added to your babys growth and development chart.
Your pediatrician will also look for and ask about other signs of your babys development, like:
- holding up their head
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Watch Out For Meningitis And Septicaemia
Both meningitis and septicaemia are very serious. It is important that you recognise the signs and symptoms and know what to do if you see them. Early symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia may be similar to a cold or flu .
However, people with meningitis or septicaemia can become seriously ill within hours, so it is important to act fast.
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain. Meningitis can be caused by several types of bacteria including pneumococcus, meningococcus and Haemophilus influenzae or by viruses.
The bacteria that cause meningitis and septicaemia , can also cause pericarditis and arthritis and other serious infections.
In babies, the main symptoms of meningitis may include:
- a high-pitched, moaning cry
- being irritable when picked up
- a bulging fontanelle
- feeling drowsy and not responding to you, or being difficult to wake
- being floppy and having no energy
- stiff with jerky movements
- refusing feeds and vomiting
- having skin that is pale, blotchy or turning blue
- a fever
- a fever
- diarrhoea and stomach cramps
The glass test
Press the side of a clear drinking glass firmly against the rash so you can see if the rash fades and loses colour under pressure. If it doesnt change colour, contact your doctor immediately.
Further information
The following charities provide information, advice and support:
Meningitis Research Foundation
Are Some Babies Allergic To Vaccines
Very rarely, children can have an allergic reaction soon after immunisation. This reaction may be a rash or itching affecting part or all of the body. The doctor or nurse giving the vaccine will know how to treat this. It does not mean that your child should stop having immunisations.
Even more rarely, children can have a severe reaction, within a few minutes of the immunisation, which causes breathing difficulties and can cause the child to collapse. This is called an anaphylactic reaction. A recent study has shown that there is only 1 anaphylactic reaction in about a million immunisations.
An anaphylactic reaction is a severe and immediate allergic reaction that needs urgent medical attention.
The people who give immunisations are trained to deal with anaphylactic reactions and children recover completely with treatment.
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A Guide To Immunisations For Babies Born On Or After 1 January 2020
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