All About Childhood Vaccines

By Bonnie Owens on June 25th, 2009

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I am a mom who likes to be informed.  Especially when it comes to injecting viruses into my children.  Which is probably why my childrens’ well check visits take so long.  I want to know it all.  Does he need that this early?  What does it protect him from?  Is that a serious disease?  Do the benefits outweigh the risks?  Can we separate it?  Some of the pediatricians I have visited either don’t have the patience or the information to answer all of my questions.  If you have similar questions, here is a rundown of the 10 vaccinations on the standard childhood schedule for a healthy child and what they are all about.  I have included the CDC standard schedule and an alternative schedule by Dr Stephanie Cave.  As a natural-minded mommy I only dose my kids with what they need when they need it, so I follow Dr Cave’s advice.  But I believe that this choice should be left to informed parents to do what they feel is right for their child.

HepB Vaccine

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  Birth, 1-2 months, 6-18 months
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages:  If the mother is HepB positive administer at birth.  Otherwise start series 4-5 years or the year before entering pre-school.
• Protects Against:  Hepetitis B, an infectious disease that can lead to chronic HBV infection.  HBV can cause liver damage and death.
• How it is Spread:  It is mainly spread as an STD through unprotected intercourse and injection drug use.  However, it can be spread through broken skin where blood or saliva from an infected person can enter the body of a unifected person through a cut or bite.
• Who is Most at Risk:   Babies or children in contact with a person carrying the disease in their home or daycare environment.  
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-Soreness at the injection site, temperature of 99.9 degrees F or higher.  Severe possible reactions-a rare allergic reaction which would include difficulty breathing, hives, paleness, weakness and dizziness.

Pneumococcal Vaccine(Prevnar)

CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12-15 months
Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages:  One dose at 24 months
Protects Against:  Certain pneumococcal bacteria that can cause serious diseases such as meningitis, an infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord, and bacteremia, an infection of the blood.
How it is Spread:  The bacteria are spread through contact between persons who are ill or who carry the bacteria in their throat. Transmission is mostly through the spread of respiratory droplets from the nose or mouth of a person with a pneumococcal infection. It is common for people, especially children, to carry the bacteria in their throats without being ill from it.
Who is Most at Risk:  Children with immune system problems or illnesses and healthy Native American, Alaskan Native, and African American children. Children less than 60 months of age in out-of-home daycare.
Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions- Soreness at the injection site, mild fever, fussiness, and decreased appetite.

DTaP Vaccine

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, booster 4-6 years
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: 5 months, 7 months, 9 months, 18 months, booster-4-5 years
• Protects Against:  diphtheria, tetanus(lockjaw) and pertussis(whooping cough)
• How it is Spread:  Diphtheria and pertussis are spread through respiratory droplets (such as those produced by a cough or sneeze) of an infected person.  A tetanus infection begins when bacterial spores from the soil enter the body through an injury or wound.
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-Redness and soreness that injection site, fever, fussiness, tiredness and vomiting.  Severe possible reactions-allergic reaction, long-term seizures, coma and brain damage, all of which are extremely rare.

Hib Vaccine

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12-15 months
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: 4 months, 6 months, 8 months, 17 months
• Protects Against:  Haemophillus influenza type b bacteria which can cause cause for meningitis, pneumonia and other severe infections.
• How it is Spread:  through respiratory droplets (such as those produced by a cough or sneeze) of an infected person
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-soreness at the injection site and mild fever

Rotavirus Vaccine

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months, booster 4-6 years
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: 4 months, 6 months, 17 months, booster 4-5 years
• Protects Against:  Polio virus, 95% of infected people show no symptoms or complications.  4% have common viral symptoms like sore throat, fever, vomiting, etc., 1% of infected people experience paralysis or death.
• How it is Spread:  it is transferred from the stool of an infected person to the mouth of a healthy person.  ie: infected person not washing their hands after using the bathroom.
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-a sore spot at the injection site

MMR

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  12-15 months, booster 4-6 years
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: Separate each vaccine and start immunizing at 3+ years old, booster-at 4-5 years test titers for MMR and immunize only for vaccines found to be negative.
• Protects Against:  Measles-fever, rash, pink eye, runny nose, cough and in 2 in 1000 cases, death.  Mumps-low grade fever, headache and loss of appetite.  Rubella-rash and low grade fever.
• How it is Spread:  through the air, although measles are much more contagious than mumps or rubella.
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-mild rash, fever, pain or stiffness in joints.  Severe possible reactions-febrile seizures and encephalitis(inflammation of the brain).  Both of these complications are extremely rare.  Many parents of autistic children claim that the condition set in days, if not hours, within their child receiving an MMR shot.  The medical community as a whole has never confirmed or embraced this association.

Varicella

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  12-15 months, booster 4-6 years
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: 4 years if not already immune
• Protects Against:  Chickenpox, red bumps all over the body that eventually become blisters.  A child will often get 300 to 500 blisters during the infection, which crust over and fall off in one to two weeks.  Can be fatal for less than 1 out of 10,000 cases.  Almost all cases of fatality are in individuals with underlying health problems.
• How it is Spread:  from the fluid in the blisters or droplets from an infected person’s nose or throat.
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-redness or soreness at the injection site, fever or mild rash.  Severe possible reactions-febrile seizures and encephalitis(inflammation of the brain).  Both of these complications are extremely rare.

Hepatitis A

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  2 dose at least 6 months apart between 12-24 months
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: none
• Protects Against:  Hepatititis A which can cause fever, loss of appetite, intestinal discomfort, nausea and jaundice.  Although, 70% children younger than 6 years old have no symptom and the other 30% experience mild symptoms.  Incubation period is an average of 28 days ranging from 5-50 days.
• How it is Spread:  it is transferred from the stool of an infected person to the mouth of a healthy person.  ie: infected person not washing their hands after using the bathroom.
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-soreness, headaches and temporary weakness.

Flu

• CDC Recommended Vaccination Ages:  annually after 6 months of age
• Alternative Recommended Vaccination Ages: not recommended
• Protects Against:  influenza which can cause muscle aches, fever, chills, headache, cough, and runny nose.  It generally lasts for 3-7 days although cough can persist for about 2 weeks.  In rare case it can lead to bacterial pneumonia.  Most complications occur in people over 65 years old or with underlying health problems.
• How it is Spread:  through coughing and sneezing and is highly contagious
• Who is Most at Risk:  There is an equal risk for everyone.
• Risks of the Vaccination:  Mild possible reactions-soreness or tenderness at the injection site, fever, chills, or a general sense of feeling ill lasting up to 2 days.  Severe possible reactions-allergic reaction, especially in people who have sensitivity to eggs.

Regardless of the schedule you use, following these tips will help your child’s immunization visits go smoother: 

1. Do not vaccinate child if he/she:
   • is having fever (even low-grade), or runny nose/ diarrhea/constipation, or any other illness, or still recovering from an infection, or on antibiotics for other reasons.  Postpone vaccination to another day.
   • had any past history of immune system disorder, severe allergies, convulsions or neurological disorders, vaccine reactions.
2. Always have full information on the vaccine’s side effects.
3. Ask the doctor on how to identify a vaccine reaction.
4. Know the vaccine manufacturer’s name and lot number.
5. Report any side effect to the doctor, NVIC, and VAERS.
6. Ask for single dose vaccines
7. Give your child the following:  Vitamin A 1 tbsp for three days before and on the day of the shot. Vitamin C 100 mg twice daily for infants and 300mg twice daily for toddlers for three days before and on the day of the shot.
8. Alternatively, some parents give their child Tylenol about an hour before their appointment to minimize pain and swelling.
9. Do your homework.  Some immunizations may be offensive to you without you even knowing it.  It is not well known, if fact some doctors are unaware, that vaccines like varicella, HepA and rubella are developed using electively aborted fetuses.  If you have a religious or personal belief against this practice you may re-evaluate your child’s participation in these vaccines.