National Newborn
Immunization Week
Starting the week of April 23 is National Newborn
Immunization Week and for the first time - World Newborn
Immunization Week. It is so important to protect your
newborn at a time when he/she is so vulnerable to a
multitude of diseases. Make sure to get recommended
vaccinations at the recommended time to ensure your
newborn is protected. Also, all caregivers to a newborn
should have an updated Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
vaccine and Flu shot to provide a cocoon of safety to
your newborn.
Whooping Cough Epidemic Spreading
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) is an upper respiratory
infection caused by a bacteria. Usually a severe cough
starts 10-14 days after being exposed, but the infection
can last up to six weeks. It is called Whooping Cough as
when an infected person coughs it creates a deep
“whooping” sound. It infects people of all ages, but
left untreated in newborns it can cause sever infection
and even death.
Ten newborns/babies died
in California in 2010 from Pertussis infection. The
disease is spreading, reaching epidemic levels in
Washington State, Vermont and Oregon. People receive
vaccinations for Whooping cough during their routine
vaccination schedule from 2 months through kindergarten.
Immunity wanes in most, and now it is recommended to
receive a booster vaccine after 10. Newborns are the
most susceptible as they do not get their first vaccines
until 2 mos. The disease affects newborns and people
with lung disease the worst. To protect your newborn,
all caregivers need to be vaccinated with their booster
vaccines to form a protective “cocoon”. Also, limit
exposure to others, especially people with colds in your
newborn’s first few months. |
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Newborn Care Vaccines / Vaccinations Information
By
Loraine Stern M.D.
The best thing since clean
water to ensure your children’s health is vaccinations. The diseases
that they protect your child from are deadly and are still around.
There are many newborn
vaccines given in the first year:
 Hepatitis B
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Whooping cough
Pneumoccoccus (a bacteria that causes pneumonia and meningitis)
HIB, a bacteria that causes meningitis, bone and joint infections
and a life threatening throat infection called epiglottitis among
others
Polio
Rotavirus (a stomach virus that puts children under 2 in the
hospital with dehydration and can kill)
MMR - Measles, Mumps and Rubella
The first hepatitis B shot is given shortly after birth in some but
not all hospitals.
Some parents worry that
there are so many immunizations but this is far from the limit that
children can handle. In fact, every day infants are exposed to new
material that their immune systems recognize and react to.
When vaccines are delayed
or refused, these diseases come back. Measles, for example, is a vaccine
that some parents are refusing because of the mistaken idea that it
might cause autism. An unimmunized child in Indiana gave measles to 30
people, 3 of whom were hospitalized, one in the intensive care unit.
When going in for your
newborn’s vaccines, hold your infant, comfort her while she is getting
the shots and cuddle her immediately after. Realize that you are doing
the best possible thing for your child. Newborn Vaccines will be
discussed in further detail on the
newborn
video.
Click here to buy the DVD directly from Amazon
Schedule of Immunizations
The American Academy of
Pediatrics recommends the following schedule for vaccines. If you miss
or are late with one, you do not have to start over but just resume the
schedule. However, we do not recommend delaying any of them.
In the hospital: Hepatitis B (not in all
hospitals)
2 Months: DTaP, Polio, HIB, Hep B, Prevnar, Rotavirus (Rotateq or
Rotarix)
4 Months: DTaP, Polio, HIB,
Prevnar,
Rotavirus (Rotateq or Rotarix), Hep B (If not given in hospital)
6 Months: DTaP, Prevnar, Rotavirus (Rotateq), HIB
9 Months: Hepititis B
12 Months: MMR, Chickenpox, Prevnar
15 Months: DTaP/HIB, Prevnar (if not given before)
18 Months: Polio, Prevnar (if not given before)
2 Years: Hepatitis A
3 Years: Hepatitis A
4-6 Years: Booster DTaP, Polio, MMR, Chickenpox, TB, Hemoglobin,
(can be split over 2 years)
After age 6: Yearly checkups with Tetanus Booster at age 10,
Meningococcal at 11-12, HPV vaccine for girls after 11-12
Every fall, all family members should have a
flu vaccine.
Vaccines and Tylenol
By Michael Schoenwetter, MD
Many families worry when their babies
receive vaccines. Some of the concerns are the pain and possible side
effects from the shots. I break down normal vaccine reactions into two
main types. The first is a local reaction: mild redness and/or swelling
at the injection site. This very common, normal reaction will usually
subside in the first day or so. Applying a cool compress may be helpful
to reduce the inflammation. Severe swelling or redness that is spreading
is not normal and should be seen by your doctor. The second normal
vaccine reaction, which is usually more concerning to the family, is a
more systemic reaction. This is when the baby's immune system is "turned
on" from the vaccination and the baby might feel cranky and/or develop a
fever for the first 24-48 hours after the shots. This is a normal,
expected side effect that does not happen every time, but is not
worrisome or unexpected. If the fever persists, is very high, or the
baby seems extremely irritable or lethargic, your doctor should be
notified.
Frequently, parents try to prevent the fever
and crankiness by pre-medicating their babies with Tylenol
(acetaminophen). In the past, this practice was not discouraged. In
fact, the CDC's advisory panel says it is reasonable to pre-medicate
children at high risk for developing seizures, which can be triggered by
fevers. However, a recently published study showed slightly lower
protective antibody levels from vaccines in infants who were
pre-medicated with Tylenol versus infants who did not receive Tylenol.
The effect of the decreased levels might be small, as the vast majority
of the pre-medicated infants did achieve protective antibody levels
after their booster doses. Even so, the evidence in the study does point
to stopping the practice of pre-medicating to try to prevent this
reaction. Of importance, there is no evidence that the same decrease of
antibody levels occurs when a fever reaction is treated by Tylenol. In
summary, not pre-medicating with Tylenol, but giving it if fever
develops might give the best benefit of immunization.
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