Make sure you consider the following points when immunising your child. 

Communication with your doctor- 

• Parents tend to be confused at times as to what injections to take and which to leave.

• Especially when every other patent is opting for the expensive and fancy names, it is confusing to follow or give up.

• Many a time, various doctors may prescribe you expensive ones where there is not sufficient rationale for it. And you may end up spending thousands

• Paediatricians are required to communicate properly with clarity and appropriate information to help parents make their own decision in favour or against each of these vaccines.

Always ask your doctor about this below information before each vaccination.

What is the risk of developing the disease?

• Each disease has different risk rates. The more the risk, the more important is the vaccination.
• For example, in developed countries, the babies do not have vaccination for tuberculosis (BCG) as it’s less prevalent there.  

   

What is the Efficacy of vaccine?

• No vaccine provides 100% protection but generally a high degree of protection.

• Vaccines significantly decrease the chance of disease

Safety of vaccine—

• Vaccines are safe and serious side effects are extremely rare.

• Generally the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risk of side effects caused by vaccines.

   

What is the cost of the vaccine?

•  The decision of affordability should be left to parents.

• Vaccines from different manufacturers are equally effective

• Indigenously manufactured vaccines are usually as good as imported ones

   

Injection procedure

• Hands should be washed with soap and water or alcohol-based antiseptic hand rub

• Needles must be sterile and preferably disposable

• A separate needle and syringe should be used for each injection.

• Different vaccines should never be mixed in the same syringe

   

Document the following

•  The location of each injection 

•  Brand, name and date of administration, batch number of the vaccine

Dealing with the pain after the injection- 

• Vaccination can cause short-lived pain. Occasionally if the process of administration is wrong, it can cause longer pain.

Some of the helpful measures to help with pain are-

• Distraction-like playing music during injection

• Ingestion of sweet liquids (Sucrose drops)

• Breastfeeding while immunising

• Cooling of the injection site after the (Discuss with your doctor)

• Painkillers like Paracetamol (Discuss with the doctor)

Dealing with fever post injections. 

• Fever due to vaccination does not usually last for more than 48 hours

• Beyond 2 days, the fever should be evaluated.

Dealing with local reactions. 

• Post-vaccination, the site of injection can have redness with some inflamed area.

• The area can be painful to touch even

• You can apply Ice cubes locally to reduce the redness. Occasionally painkillers like Paracetamol can help(Talk to your doctor)

Dealing with allergic reactions. 

• Occasionally the child can present with signs of allergy.This can present as swelling of lips, or breathing difficulty or rashes over the skin, restlessness or in severe cases even low blood pressure.

•     If a child develops a severe reaction, then that vaccine should not be repeated again.

•     Mild cases, the vaccine should be given under observation preferable in a hospital set up where emergency measures can be taken.