The right decision about any vaccination can only be made if you understand in more detail what it is for. Many parents are afraid to take their child to the clinic, believing that the Hib vaccine or any other vaccine can harm their child.
What is being done for?
Young children under the age of five can be infected with Haemophilus influenzae, so vaccination is carried out at an early age to prevent serious illness. Haemophilus influenzae is dangerous for the child's body, as it is covered with a shell, and a fragile organism is not able to cope with it on its own.
The infection can be freely transmitted by airborne droplets, while many adults are its carriers. A bacterium can stay in the body for a long time and not manifest itself in any way, but as soon as a person’s immunity weakens, various diseases immediately begin to be detected. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to vaccinate at an early age.
What happens if the child is not vaccinated?
The consequences of exposure to Haemophilus influenzae will be seen in the form of diseases such as:
- Meningitis withbrain damage that can be fatal.
- Epiglottitis, in which the child can suffocate.
- Severe pneumonia.
- Sepsis.
- Chronic bronchitis.
Often, all these diseases are secretive, and when they are fully manifested, the child is already in serious condition. Treatment for such an infection is complex and requires a lot of strength, since the bacillus is resistant to antibiotics. With the help of vaccination, there is a unique opportunity not to treat diseases, but to prevent them.
What is in the vaccine?
The ACT Hib vaccine is produced by a pharmacological company in France, but it has been patented in Russia since 1997. The vaccine contains the following substances:
- A polysaccharide taken from the surface of a bacterium and mixed with tetanus toxoid.
- Sucrose and tromethanol (act as an ion regulator).
It is worth noting that the Hib vaccine does not contain the bacteria themselves, so it is impossible to get sick after it. Of course, the vaccine will not protect the child from diseases such as meningitis or pneumonia, because there are many other bacteria that can cause these serious illnesses, but they may be weaker than Haemophilus influenzae.
Vaccination effectiveness
Vaccination has been clinically researched for a long time. The results that have been obtained are favorable. Children who were examined and vaccinated formed strong immunity, whichlasted four years. After that, the child begins to develop its own defenses. The sooner the Hib vaccine is given, the sooner the baby's immunity will begin to form.
Some parents make the decision to vaccinate after the child goes to kindergarten and gets sick. If he is under five years of age, then vaccination will help develop immunity against the coli.
When and how should I get vaccinated?
If the child does not have any signs that he has a Hib infection, vaccination is still required, because the baby attends kindergartens, which means that he communicates in a team, and someone may be a carrier of malicious sticks, which is transmitted not only by airborne droplets, but also through toys, dishes, towels. It is advisable to get vaccinated during the first months of a baby's life.
If the vaccination is done from 2 to 6 months, then you need to remember several stages:
- The day the injection is given is set.
- Vaccination is repeated in a month.
- Third injection given one year later.
If the vaccination is done at a later age, for example, from six months to a year, then one stage in the scheme is not taken into account. At the age of five, it is enough to make an injection just once. All those who have been vaccinated with Hib leave only positive reviews. But it is very important to carefully read the instructions and consult a doctor before getting vaccinated.
Contraindications and side effectsactions
Like many vaccines, this vaccine also has side effects. Of course, such cases are very rare, but still they have a place to be. Studies have shown that most often a local reaction to the injection begins to occur. There is pain and redness of the soft tissues at the injection site. Such reactions are observed in only 10% of cases. The temperature rises in a child extremely rarely - there can be 1 case per 100 people, and this is a low figure when comparing other vaccinations with each other. When ACT Hib was vaccinated, parents' feedback indicated that this vaccination did not cause any serious consequences. In medicine, no serious complications after the administration of the drug were also recorded.
The consequences of diseases that can occur from exposure to Haemophilus influenzae are much more complex than the usual local reaction on the skin of a child.
Instructions for use
Before a child is vaccinated with ACT Hib, the instruction advises reading about some contraindications that parents should pay attention to:
- You can not inject people who cannot tolerate at least one of the components of the drug. It is advisable for the child to test.
- It is forbidden to vaccinate if the baby has an allergic reaction to other vaccinations.
- Children who have an allergic reaction to tetanus toxoid should not be vaccinated, because it is contained in the vaccine, albeit in a small dose.
- Don't get vaccinated if your child hasat the moment there are he alth problems, for example, the baby is sick with acute respiratory infections. Children who are completely he althy are vaccinated.
When the vaccine is carried out, it is necessary to carefully monitor the he alth of the child for several days: do not overcool him, try to be less in crowded places, do not visit children's groups. On the day of the procedure, it is not recommended to swim or stay outside for a long time.
HIB vaccination has a huge number of benefits. A child who is often among other children is automatically included in the risk group, and with vaccination he has every chance to increase his immunity several times. In this case, the baby will no longer be a carrier of Haemophilus influenzae, which means that he will not infect other children. Tolerability of the drug is at a high level, so parents have no reason to worry about the he alth of their baby. If they vaccinate him, there will be more chances that the baby will not get sick or it will become easier to endure various ailments. Each parent must make the right choice and decide what exactly he wants for his child. Consider whether or not you should not get vaccinated.
