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Vaccination refers to the process of providing immunization to the body in order to protect the person from bacterial and viral infections. In a vaccination, antigenic biological preparations are administered so as to immunize the body against various diseases. Infants and small babies are most prone to be affected by various diseases that can be fatal in certain cases. Therefore, vaccination for children is given strictly in accordance to a fixed, planned schedule. After the birth of your baby, your pediatrician will prepare an infant vaccination schedule chart for administering these vaccinations to your baby. Most of these diseases are contagious by nature, and you must be very careful about timely vaccination for your child. A list of vaccinations for children is given below:

• BCG injection: Administered at one and a half months of age, this is only a one-time vaccination.
• DPT injection: This vaccination is given three times. First, at one and a half months of age. Then, at two and a half months of age, and the last injection is given at three and a half months of age. DPT stands for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, respectively. So, the DPT vaccination is for the protection against these three diseases.
• OPV (oral polio vaccine): This vaccination is administered orally through drops. Like BCG, this vaccination for children is also given three times, first at one and a half months, then at two and a half months, and the last one at three and a half months. While polio has been mostly eradicated in the Western world, it is still prevalent in Eastern parts of the world. It is hoped that through vaccination, polio can be completely eradicated world over.
• Measles injection: This vaccination is administered when your baby is nine months of age. As the name suggests, this vaccination is given for protecting your child against measles.
• DPT booster and OPV booster vaccination: Boosters of these two vaccinations are scheduled to be given any time during 16 to 24 months.
• DT vaccination for children: This vaccination is given to children who are 5 years old. DT stands for diphtheria and tetanus.
• Tetanus toxoid vaccination: This is given at the age of 10 and 16 years for protection against tetanus.

Timely vaccination of the child is critical to ensure proper development and a life free from some of debilitating diseases. You need to discuss the details of the vaccinations and their schedules with your health care provider, and ensure that you take your child for each of the vaccination appointments.

All scheduled vaccinations are administered to protect your child from various diseases. Hence, in most cases, vaccinations only have advantages. However, in some rare cases, there may be adverse effects. Such effects are mostly due to oversensitivity towards some drugs as a result of some hereditary factors. While most children suffer from conditions like mild fever and diarrhea after a vaccination, and so there is no reason to worry if your child exhibits such symptoms after immunization, if the condition worsens, you should consult a doctor. You could also speak to your doctor about vaccinations for children and the pros and cons related to it. There are certain conditions in which your health care provider might reconsider the immunization of your baby. Some of these are as follows:

• The child reacted negatively to the previous vaccinations.
• The child is suffering from high fever.
• The child is allergic to certain foods.
• The child has been having convulsions in the recent past. However, with proper care and advice, immunization can be given to such children as well.
• The child is suffering from HIV.
• The child was administered certain medicines that can affect the immune system. Such types of medicines are usually given after some organ transplantation.

In general, vaccinations for children are safe. By following the immunization schedule and advice of your doctor, you can keep your child away from all sorts of diseases and ailments.

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