All parents want their children to be protected from any type of danger. Unfortunately, you can`t fight diseases instead of your children, but you can help them to fight! Therefore, you should follow the current immunization schedule in Nigeria. It`s the best way to help your baby to be protected from viruses.
What is Immunization?
Immunization protects children and adults from harmful diseases which they can come in contact with the community. Immunization main goal is to gear up the body`s immune response. This natural mechanism with the help of immunization schedule can build up resistance to specific infections. Routine baby immunization can help you to prevent nine diseases:
- Hepatitis B
- Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)
- Rubella
- Mumps
- Measles
- Poliomyelitis
- Whooping cough
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
Immunization helps children to stay healthy and protected from viruses. Immunization is given as drops by mouth or an injection.
Vaccination and Immunization
The term “vaccination” means to vaccine – get the injection or swallow the drops. Immunization includes two processes – getting a vaccine and becoming immune to the disease due to the vaccine. Vaccination and Immunization can be used as synonyms, but their meanings are not the same. Immunization is the most used word to describe the routine process of making scheduled injection.
How does Immunization work?
Immunization by any form always works in the same way. A baby swallows the drops or gets injected by a vaccine, and his/her body starts to produce an immune response. It`s a safe option to help the body to produce immune bodies to fight a disease without catching the disease. If the vaccinated baby comes in contact with the disease, the body can make a quick immune response enough to prevent the baby from being sick.
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Types of Immunization
There are two types of Immunization Active and Passive:
- Active. It includes the body generating of its own immune bodies and specialized cells to fight infections. This method takes more time because the immune system should produce the sufficient amount of antibodies to fight back the disease. Nevertheless, it teaches the body to generate an appropriate response to the infection.
- Passive. It includes passing ready-made antibodies into the child being immunized. It allows immediate protection. Mothers pass antibodies to the children across the placenta and with milk. Therefore, it provides a short protection to a baby from the most infectious disease. Ready-made antibodies can also be delivered through the process of immunization. This immunization is temporarily and does not help with all diseases.
What can you find in vaccines?
Vaccines can contain small doses of killed bacteria, weakened live viruses, bacteria`s modified toxin. Some vaccines may also contain preservatives to keep the vaccine safe. Other vaccines may contain an aluminum salt, which helps the body to speed up the immune response. Nevertheless, vaccines are the only medically approved method to implement body with mechanisms of fighting viruses.
How long does immunization need to start working?
The production of the immune response to a particular disease takes several weeks. It means that a baby can`t be protected from the disease immediately after the vaccination. Most immunizations should be given several times to help the body to produce immune bodies. If a baby has not been given necessary amount of vaccines, then he/she may be protected only partially. How long does immunization last? Not every immunization is a lifetime remedy. For example, the tetanus vaccine can last up to 30 years, and after the time of that, a new dose of the vaccine can be given. The whooping cough immunization can give only five years’ protection top.
Does immunization give a guarantee of the full protection?
Even if all the doses according to the latest routine immunization has been given, it does not give the 100% of not getting infected.
- A complete routine immunization courses of Hib, polio, tetanus, rubella, mumps and measles protect more than 95% of kids.
- The complete course dose against whooping cough can protect 85% of kids and reduce the severity of the disease of other 15% (if they have been immunized).
- The complete course of Hepatitis B vaccine can protect 95% of kids.
Why do Nigerian children get so many immunizations?
Immunization is required for a child to reduce and illuminate the possibilities of most serious diseases during childhood. The immature system of young children can`t provide a sufficient immune response to the most serious diseases. Older children and adults have a completely formed immune system which provides better protection. It means that young children need to go through the current immunization schedule in Nigeria. Babies get their protection from the infected diseases because of their mothers. Mothers pass their antibodies to babies during pregnancy. Still, all these antibodies become weak and wear off after the first year of life. It leaves the immature immune system of the baby unprotected. The first immunizations are given in before these antibodies leave.
Side Effects of Immunization
The most common side effects of immunization are mild fever, soreness, and redness at the place of injection. These side effects are temporary. If they do upset you and your child, then think about the greater benefits of immunization. You can use paracetamol to ease fever and help with soreness.
Importance of Immunization
- Immunization is considered to be the safest and the most effective way to help your child with the diseases. Immunization gives lesser chances of your child to catch the diseases. Small risks of side effects can`t outweigh the fact that your baby will be better protected from diseases.
- The Immunized community can stand up to many infectious diseases. Therefore, latest scheduled immunization can help to prevent epidemics and pandemics. For example, smallpox was illuminated from the Earth because of immunization and polio is also wiped up from many countries.
Vaccine preventable diseases account around 22% of child death in Nigeria. It means that over 200 000 Nigerian children die because of not being immunized in time. Some parents in Nigeria do not realize the importance of current immunization schedule in Nigeria. Hopefully, latest data shows that more children get the vaccination. Thanks to many NGOs, International Organizations, and the Nigerian Government, the vaccination is free.
Take your baby to the nearest local government health center. There you can consult and arrange a time for the immunization. When you come for immunization, you will be given the immunization card to help you and your doctor to track all the vaccines your baby has taken.
Current Immunization schedule in Nigeria
New parents have a difficult time to keep track for current immunization schedule. Therefore, take the outlined current immunization schedule below:
Immunization Conclusion
World Health Organization strictly recommended governments to encourage their citizens to go through immunization process. In the case of fighting disease, it`s the international task to stop diseases from spreading. Immunization process is a necessary part of life for young kids. Mothers` antibodies can protect children the only limited amount of time. Therefore, it`s the responsibility of governments and their citizens to get immunization in time.
More than 200 000 children in Nigeria die every year because of preventable diseases. More than 5 million children in the World die every year because of preventable diseases. Immunization is the most effective way to help your child to build the immune system. Small chances of side effects due to immunization can`t overweigh the benefits of immunization. Visit any local health center to get immunized.
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