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James had his first appointment with the pediatrician this morning. Fortunately, the doc is at the same hospital where James was in the NICU so we didn’t have to spend hours (or an entire day) going over everything about James. He was aware that James was in the NICU and kept tabs on him.
He examined James, took some notes, and wanted to get James started with his vaccinations. James did not get any vaccinations when he was in the NICU so he was a little bit behind schedule. There are six vaccinations that are recommended during the first two months of life, but instead of giving James all six at the same time, he decided to split them up.
Today James got the three vaccinations described below and he will get the other three in a few weeks. The information about each vaccine was taken from the US Centers for Disease Control website. I have linked each vaccine to their website if you would like further information.
- Hepatitis B (HepB) – Hepatitis B is a liver disease that can cause mild illness lasting a few weeks, or it can lead to a serious, lifelong illness.
- Acute hepatitis B infection is a short-term illness that can lead to fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements), and pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach.
- Chronic hepatitis B infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the hepatitis B virus remains in a person’s body. Most people who go on to develop chronic hepatitis B do not have symptoms, but it is still very serious and can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death. Chronically-infected people can spread hepatitis B virus to others, even if they do not feel or look sick themselves.
Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluid infected with the hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected.
The Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given as 2, 3, or 4 shots. Infants should get their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth and will usually complete the series at 6 months of age (sometimes it will take longer than 6 months to complete the series)
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) – Diphtheria and pertussis spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds.
- DIPHTHERIA (D) can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death.
- TETANUS (T) causes painful stiffening of the muscles. Tetanus can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.
- PERTUSSIS (aP), also known as “whooping cough,” can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing which makes it hard to breathe, eat, or drink. Pertussis can be extremely serious in babies and young children, causing pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, or death. In teens and adults, it can cause weight loss, loss of bladder control, passing out, and rib fractures from severe coughing.
DTaP is only for children younger than 7 years old. Different vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap and Td) are available for older children, adolescents, and adults. It is recommended that children receive 5 doses of DTaP, usually at the following ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15–18 months, and 4–6 years.
DTaP may be given as a stand-alone vaccine, or as part of a combination vaccine (a type of vaccine that combines more than one vaccine together into one shot)
- Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13) – Pneumococcal disease refers to any illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria. These bacteria can cause many types of illnesses, including pneumonia, which is an infection of the lungs. Pneumococcal bacteria are one of the most common causes of pneumonia.
Besides pneumonia, pneumococcal bacteria can also cause:
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- Ear infections
- Sinus infections
- Meningitis (infection of the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord)
- Bacteremia (bloodstream infection)
Anyone can get pneumococcal disease, but children under 2 years of age, people with certain medical conditions, adults 65 years or older, and cigarette smokers are at the highest risk.
Most pneumococcal infections are mild. However, some can result in long-term problems, such as brain damage or hearing loss. Meningitis, bacteremia, and pneumonia caused by pneumococcal disease can be fatal.
PCV13 protects against 13 types of bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease. Infants and young children usually need 4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, at 2, 4, 6, and 12–15 months of age. In some cases, a child might need fewer than 4 doses to complete PCV13 vaccination.
Below is the US Center of Disease Control (CDC) recommended immunization schedule. Note that the schedule below is for 2009. If you are reading this sometime in the future, this schedule may be different. Please refer to the CDC’s website for the most current schedule, or talk to your doctor. I apologize for the bad image. It was taken directly from the CDC’s website.
