Childhood vaccines
Tags: Babies, childhood vaccines, children, influenza type, polio, vaccination, vaccinations
Vaccines are the most effective means to prevent infectious diseases and thus their complications. In Italy some vaccinations are compulsory for all children by specific laws (polio, diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis B virus), others are recommended (pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella, Hemophiliac influenza type b).
For diseases for which vaccination is compulsory and has reached a widespread diffusion of the epidemiological situation is excellent, diphtheria has virtually disappeared, cases of tetanus have been gradually decreasing and those that still occur for persons not vaccinated, polio was reduced to a minimum in the 70s, since 1983 there has been no case of infection contracted in Italy, cases of hepatitis B are decreasing.
The situation is less satisfactory for diseases for which vaccination is not mandatory but only recommended: pertussis, measles, rubella, mumps, and Hemophilia influenza, the spread of this vaccine is still insufficient, but has been increasing in recent years thanks to the campaigns vaccine promoted by the Ministry of Health and implemented by the Regions and Health Authorities, plays a key role in health information made by physicians.
We often hear “we have all made the diseases of children, so can my son.” It is true that a childhood disease can also be quite mild, but often not the case, is seriously and most importantly it is possible the onset of complications, so if an effective vaccine is best used.
Vaccines are made from viruses or bacteria with special treatment to which she was taken out the ability to produce disease, or from products derived from these organisms, some vaccines are synthetic.
Administering vaccines will stimulate the body to produce an active immune response, making it ready to defend itself quickly and effectively if it were to come into contact with this microorganism.
The childhood vaccines may be administered simultaneously in the same visit, without reducing the effectiveness and without that there is an increase in side effects.
Another vaccine recently released is the pneumococcal vaccine “heptavalent” that is directed towards the 7 types of peumococco that, more frequently, causing serious infections in children. At present a ministerial circular provides that ASL proceed to the free offer of the vaccine in the following situations:
children under 5 years with diseases which have a very high risk of invasive pneumococcal infections:
- Sickle cell anemia and thalassemia
- Functional and anatomic asplenia
- Chronic, except asthma
- Conditions associated with immunosuppression (such as organ transplantation, or antineoplastic therapy, including systemic corticosteroid therapy at high doses)
- Some congenital immunodeficiencies such as:
- Immunodeficiencies dependent B lymphocyte or T
- Complement deficiency, especially of type c1, c2, c3, and c4
- Disorders of phagocytosis, with the exception of chronic granulomatous disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Renal failure and nephrotic syndrome
- HIV infection
- Chronic cardiovascular diseases
- Chronic liver disease
- Loss of cerebrospinal fluid
Where parents wish to vaccinate your child even without the risk factors described, it is possible to vaccination with economic burden borne by the citizen.
WHEN unvaccinated – CONTRAINDICATIONS TO VACCINATION
There are some situations that may contraindicate temporarily or permanently, vaccination. These situations must always be reported to your doctor so that he can evaluate them before practice the vaccine.
a) temporary Contraindications:
- Acute with high grade fever (above 38.5 °).
- Vaccination with live viruses (such as measles – rubella – mumps, and oral polio) can be performed simultaneously, otherwise they shall be spaced at least 30 days.
- Member of depression of the immune system from disease or therapy.
b) Contraindications final
Should not be administered to the child when some vaccines:
- He expressed serious reactions to previous vaccinations
- Is suffering from neurological diseases in evolution.
- You suffer from congenital diseases of the immune system.
- Are you allergic to vaccine components.
If your child is suffering from diseases such as leukemia, cancer, AIDS, the situation must be assessed case by case basis.
Other situations are not true contraindications but require some precautions in administering the vaccine.
- Febrile reactions important to a previous dose of the same vaccine
- Prolonged crying and inconsolable after previous vaccination
- History of febrile seizures
- Use recent gamma globulin.
FALSE CONTRAINDICATIONS TO VACCINATION
- Fever or mild diarrhea in children in good health.
- Antibiotic therapy in the course of an illness or convalescence.
- Premature babies, including low birth weight (vaccinations might begin by age.)
- Malnutrition, diarrhea.
- Eczema and dermatitis.
- Not serious neurological diseases and Down syndrome.
- Tuberculosis.
- Modeste local or general reactions after a previous vaccine.
- Presence in the child and his family have allergies to substances that are not contained in vaccines.
SIDE EFFECTS OF VACCINES
Vaccines are usually well tolerated and not cause any reaction, but like all medications can sometimes cause side effects in most cases are mild.
Only in very rare cases can be severe.
Are described in the schedule for individual vaccines.
Any disorder that occurs after the recruitment of vaccines should be reported to your doctor or medical vaccinators who reported to have such a situation up to date on their side effects.
The Italian government provides with the Law No 25 February 1992 210 the possibility of compensation for those harmed by the complications of irreversible due to vaccination.