Most Important Vaccines for Indian Babies: Here's the Complete Chart

Introduction

Parenthood is merely an extension of the family tree, wherein two people willingly take it upon themselves to bring a life into this world and nurture it to the best of their abilities. The journey that begins with announcing a pregnancy is a lifelong learning journey to raising a tiny human. Vaccination is one of the life events that parents struggle with due to lack of knowledge or the fear of pain. Baby Vaccination is one life event that scares parents more than babies. The thought of babies crying after vaccination is a nightmare for parents, but immunising them is the best way of protecting them against diseases and external infections.

Nevertheless, vaccination is extremely crucial for babies as the antigen present in the vaccine helps the body to produce antibodies to fight against the diseases. Thus, babies develop immunity and strong response mechanisms. It is important to administer timely vaccines for baby’s growth and keep a record of the same. Often, vaccines may cause a few adverse effects like fever, body ache or swelling on the vaccinated area; however, these are mild side-effects against the protection that these vaccines offer.

The benefits of vaccinating a baby can be summarised in a nutshell-

• Strengthens the immune system against external attacks.
• The safest way of ensuring your child’s well-being.
• The timely administration of vaccines can save your time and money and you do not have to worry about children contracting deadly diseases.
• Helps safeguard future generations from contagious diseases.

List of Vaccines for Babies

You can download a complete list of baby vaccines from http://www.nrhmhp.gov.in/content/immunisation, or you can ask for a Government Baby Vaccination Chart from any Government hospital, which is available for free. The chart specifies the details of the vaccines to be administered to the babies at different ages, with their costs.

Here are a few of the most commonly administered vaccines in babies and the diseases they protect against.

1. BCG

BCG vaccine is administered to protect the babies from tuberculosis (TB). This infection mostly appears in the lungs and brain. Tuberculosis, if severe, can also lead to the death of the patient.

2. Hep B

Hepatitis B protects babies from deadly liver infections. In most cases, Hep B reveals no symptoms, and by the time it is diagnosed, half the damage is done. The vaccine works as a shield against the deadly virus.

3. Polio

Polio is one of the deadliest viruses that attacks the baby’s immune system. According to previous studies, 1 out of every 200 people contract this virus. The best way to protect against this virus is to administer a vaccine up to the age of 5 years. Once the virus sets in, there is no known cure to fix it.

4. DTP

Diphtheria attacks the throat and tonsil glands, and tonsillitis is one of the most common childhood problems among kids. It becomes difficult for these people to eat or swallow properly.

5. HiB

Haemophilus influenzae type b (HiB) is a bacteria that causes pneumonia, brain fever and other deadly infections among infants.

6. Rotavirus

According to the World Health Organisation, Rotavirus poses serious threats to the child’s immunity and causes diarrhoea among children.

7. MMR

Measles are known to be a highly contagious disease. Its common symptoms are fever, wheezing, runny nose and rash. In rare cases, it can also cause brain fever and death. Mumps is a virus that attacks the glands and causes headaches, malaise and fever. Hence, it is important to vaccinate your child on time.

Baby Vaccination Chart in India

A quick and handy vaccination chart for babies in India helps parents prepare in advance so they do not miss out on baby vaccination schedules.

Costing of the Baby Vaccination

The newborn vaccination chart enlists the vaccines that are mandatory for the baby after birth. The cost of the vaccines ranges from INR 230-12000 for the set of vaccines given at specified age. The complete list of pricing and schedule can be downloaded from any Government website or from a Government hospital.

Vaccination Schedule for Babies in India

The Universal Immunisation Program was introduced in 1978 to safeguard babies from life-threatening diseases and to strengthen their immune systems. There have been significant changes in the vaccination program in India and it has successfully eradicated diseases like polio and smallpox. Immunising a child is the only way to shield them from deadly diseases.

References

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare .(2017). Vaccintions.www.main.mohfw.gov.in
• Ministry of Health Family Welfare.(2017). Vaccinations. www.nhm.gov.in