How do vaccines help my child ?

Protects against tuberculosis, mainly severe forms of tuberculosis. TB causes over 3.5 lac deaths in India.

Protects against poliomyelitis, a dreaded childhood disease leading to permanent weakness or paralysis

of legs , arms or both , which can lead to permanent disability and even death . India is one of the few

countries where polio still exists .

Two types vaccines - Oral Polio vaccine (OPV) & Inactivated Polio vaccine (IPV) , which is available as an

injection . NEW

Protects against contagious liver disease that from infection with Hepatitis B virus . Disease can cause

lifelong infection , liver cancer , liver failure and even death . Hepatitis B virus spreads contaminated

blood & body fluids .

Protects against contagious liver disease that from infection with Hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A

mainly spreads through contaminated food & water . In India , Hepatitis A is common cause of

liver infection resulting in jaundice . Besides jaundice , other symptoms are vomiting , loss of

appetite & abdominal pain which may last upto 4 weeks . In some children this may progress

to liver failure , resulting in hospitalization & even death . Hepatitis A and B are two different

forms of viral hepatitis caused by different viruses . Vaccination against Hepatitis B dose not

protect against Hepatitis A and vice verse .

BCG Vaccine

Polio Vaccine

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Hepatitis A Vaccine

Oral Rotavirus Vaccine : NEW

Protects against Rotavirus , the most common cause of severe diarrhoea & dehydration ,

resulting in more then 5 lac hospitalizations and upto 1.5 lac deaths annually in India .The

disease is characterized by vomiting and explosive watery diarrhoea (upto 10 times a day )

for 3 - 8 days . In spits of good hygiene , Rotavirus infection is unavoidable as almost every

child is infected with Rotavirus by the age of 5 years .

DTP Vaccine :

DTP is combination vaccine that protects against Diphtheria , Tetanus and Pertussis . Diphtheria

causes a thick covering blocking the throat & respiration . It can lead to breathing problems , paralysis ,

heart failure and even death . Tetanus is a serious disease that causes painful tightening of the muscles ,

usually all over the body .

Pertussis is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract caused by bacteria . Many children who contract

pertussis have coughing spells that last four to eight weeks . The disease is most dangerous in infants .

Two types of vaccines

1 . Currently used DTP vaccines known as Whole - cell DTP vaccines .They are many decades old and are

often associated with a range of side effects .

2 . The latest and technologically advanced Acellular DTP vaccines (Gentle DTP) .They are as effective and

come with significantly lesser side effects . NEW

Tdap vaccine : Protects kids 10 years and above against Diphtheria , Tetanus and Pertussis as immunity

wanes following

Hib Vaccine

Protects against meningitis ( an infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord ) , pneumonia

( lung infection ) , epiglottits ( a severe throat infection ) and other serious infections caused by a

type of bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type b . The risk of disease is highest for children

between 6 months and 2 years of age .

Pneumococcal Vaccine : NEW

Protects against pneumonia and meningitis , leading to hospitalization and death caused by some
strains of Streptocooccus pneumoniae . Young children ( younger than age 5 years ) have the highest

incidence of serious disease .

Influenza (Flu) Vaccine

protects against contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses . It can cause mild to severe

illness , and can also lead to hospitalization & death .

Measles Vaccine

Protects against measles - a highly contagious and serious disease , with 20% of reported cases

experiencing one or more complications one or more complications (Ear infections , Pneumonia ) .

Complications from measles are more common among very young children ( younger then 5 year

of age ) . It is spread by droplets or direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons .

MMR Vaccine

Protects against 3 common childhood viral diseases namely Measles , Mumps & Rubella (German Measles).

Measles : See the Measles vaccine section

Mumps causes fever , muscle ache and loss of appetite ; followed by swelling of salivary glands . In some

children complications such as inflammation of the brain and / or tissue covering the brain spinal cord

( encephalitis / meningitis ) inflammation of the testicles ( orchitis ) , inflammation of the ovaries ( oophoritis)

and / or breasts (mastitis) , deafness (usually permanent) may be seen . Rubella is an acute viral disease that

causes fever and rashes. If a pregnant woman is infected , upto 85% of infants will be born with some type

of birth defect , including deafness , eye defects , heart defects and mental retardation .

Chickenpox Vaccine

Protects against disease caused by exposure to the Varicella Zoster Virus . A skin rash with blisters

(250-500) , covering the body but usually more concentrated on the face , scalp and trunk . The virus

can also lead to pneumonia or infection of the brain . These complications are rare , but serious .

Almost every one suffers from infection once in life . Vaccination is an effective way of preventing

suffering from Chickenpox and Herpes.

Typhoid Vaccine

Protects against Typhoid fever , a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi .

Patients suffering from typhoid fever usually have a sustained fever as 103ᴼ to 104ᴼ F , with stomach

pain , headache and loss of appetite .

Cervical Cancer (HPV) Vaccine :NEW

Protects against Cervical Cancer , the most common cancer amongst Indian women ; even more

common than Breast Cancer . Every year, 74,000 women in India die to Cervical Cancer . The new

HPV vaccine can be given affer the age of 10 year and is given in 3 doses . Vaccination along with

regular screening provides the best possible protection against Cervical Cancer .

(Ref-CDC & WHO)