If you're a parent, you know how much it hurts to see your little one getting sick. Not only does it break your heart, but it also means that you'll be up all night with a crying child who is suffering from fever, chills and body aches. Fortunately, vaccination can help prevent such situations because they strengthen the immune system of the child.
At four years old, children have already received several vaccinations within their first few months of life. However, there are still vaccines that need to be given around this age to provide complete protection against certain illnesses.
Staying Ahead Of The Game
When it comes to protecting your child's health, prevention is key . And while healthy habits like washing hands and eating nutritious foods are important for overall health maintenance and disease prevention, childhood vaccines play an essential role in providing additional protection against infectious diseases.
Getting Ready For Kindergarten: Meet The School Requirements
As children prepare for kindergarten, schools require them to have completed specific vaccinations before admission. Therefore its best if the necessary schedules are followed on time so that when required dosage should not be pending for administration along with increased risk of potential illness due to lack of immunization .
Some common vaccines required by kindergarten include:
1.MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella)
2.Varicella
3.DTaP (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis)
4.Polio
5.Hepatitis B
These vaccines must be given either alone or as part of combination formulations depending on various unique factors about each vaccine type.The question then begs; what other vaccinations should my 4-year-old child get?
Keeping Your Ear To The Ground
We often hear about outbreaks happening here and there as informed through our various media sources telecasted globally through TV stations , newspapers and online platforms.This is because the viruses causing these illnesses are highly contagious, so even just one case means that there's a high possibility for it to spread to others who have not been vaccinated.
Here are some of the vaccinations that your child needs, which can protect them against illnesses:
Influenza ( Flu Vaccine):
Influenza or flu season hits during cold climate months but its rare incidence appearing in full swing as part of an outbreak.Its thus strongly recommended twice yearly up until age five then annually thereafter The influenza vaccine will help protect your child from getting sick with this viral infection, which can cause fever and other symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
IPV( Inactivated Poliovirus vaccine)
Polio is becoming increasingly rare through successful vaccination campaigns on a global scale.The OPV version was dropped by most countries in favor of this two-stage administered injection called IPV.
The first dose was usually given at 2 weeks after birth and additional dosages were given between four to six years old.To make sure your child's polio coverage is complete they should have had their first dosage started earlier on
The tOPV (trivalent oral poliovirus) vaccine given before 2016 was replaced by bOPV(bivalent oral poliovirus) post-2016 due to higher efficacy percentages experienced with administering bDNA test measures .
Therefore if you’re looking into keeping up efficacy benchmarks its best if each shot maintains consistency either way according skin testing abilities available within specific healthcare centers tasked with administration thereof.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination(PCV)
Pneumonia often leads toddlers feeling shortness of breath hence intensely grapple for oxygen whilst coughing thereby enduring mental distress .Unfortunately pneumonia based illness do exist therefore prevention must top priority.Accordingly pneumococcal conjugate vaccines(PCVs) also commonly known as Prevnar(r) based vaccines,shall help protect your below five-year-old child safeguarding their respiratory system against pneumococcus by negative of bacterial origins.
MMRV Vaccine
The combined vaccine with components targeting four viruses which also vaccinates inform of an injection since the highly infectious airborne varicella (chickenpox) and measles are targeted here as well.An advantage in giving this vaccination to our children is that it helps saves time since combining two jabs into one save us a lot of hassle than having to administer both at separate times two weeks apart.
DTaP (Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis)
DTap (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) is typically administered from before seven years old.Although initial administrations are usually given during infancy age groups agewise.For instance at older ages there can be reappearance or increase in Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria proportions causing upper respiratory infections such as whooping cough so new immunisation injections must be re-done shots effect.
To conclude, vaccinations do not only provide protection against serious diseases but allows parents peace of mind that they have contributed towards the health and wellbeing development within their progeniture's healthy growth milestones for complete overall safety .A safe kid means happy parents which translates to better social harmony thereby fostering broader community safety measures making every vaccinated child positively contributex towards 'herd immunity' meaning unvaccinated individuals experience lesser chances for contracting illnesses .
In short, ensuring timely vaccinations happen; check thoroughly all school-based requirements before starting off on administration procedures.Otherwise untimely response increases risk exposure levels resulting in unnecessary vulnerability from preventable illness occurrences.Use available resources when need arises ,including parenting friends some family members contacts like other medical professionals specialised experts including doctors/hospital consultants.