Child Vaccinations: Are They Necessary and What Are the Risks?

Recently, there has been extensive debate about the importance of child vaccinations and whether they are necessary or can be safely skipped without consequences. This topic is crucial as it pertains to children's health, so we decided to share some essential facts you shouldn't overlook before making your decision. If you're not well-informed about child vaccinations, their significance, schedules, or potential risks, we hope this article will be beneficial to you. Remember, this article alone is not enough to fully inform you on the subject; consulting a pediatric specialist is crucial.

We also want to remind you that vaccinations vary from one country to another, so pay attention to the vaccinations required in the country you live in rather than relying solely on information from your place of origin.

What are vaccines or immunizations?

Vaccines are simply medical products administered to children at specific times, aimed at protecting them from serious diseases, some of which can cause complications or disabilities, while others might lead to death.

A vaccine is a dead or weakened virus, and when injected into a child, it helps alert the body to the virus when it attempts to attack. Therefore, vaccines aim to stimulate the child’s body to better resist these diseases, similar to preparing the child's body to fight off a particular disease and maintain optimal health.

What are the essential vaccines and their correct schedules?

As mentioned, vaccines sometimes differ from one country to another, but in Arab countries, they are quite similar, although their schedules might vary. We encourage you to consult your doctor and confirm the correct schedule in your country.

Vaccines given immediately after birth:

● Tuberculosis vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine: Hepatitis B is a serious disease, so the Hepatitis B vaccine is generally given within the first 24 hours after birth.

● Sabin and BCG vaccinations are aimed at protecting the child from polio and tuberculosis. These are also given at birth.

Vaccines for ages 2, 4, and 6 months:

● The Pentavalent, Sabin, and Salk vaccines protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B diseases. They are given three times: the first dose at two months, the second at four months, and the third at six months. Some countries add the seasonal flu vaccine at six months.

Vaccines for 9 months old:

● Sabin: Protects children from polio.

Vaccines for 12 months old:

● Sabin and MMR: Protects children from polio, measles, rubella, and mumps.

● Varicella vaccine: Prevents chickenpox and is repeated at 15 months and sometimes given to children aged 4 to 6 if they haven’t received it earlier.

Vaccines for 18 months old:

● The DTP and Sabin and MMR vaccines protect children from polio, measles, rubella, mumps, tetanus, whooping cough, and diphtheria.

There are additional vaccines unique to certain countries, and some provide booster doses before school age. Keeping up with your child’s vaccination schedule with a specialist in your residing country and monitoring their vaccination card is the best approach.

Why are vaccines given to children at an early age?

During pregnancy, the mother's immune system protects the child from various diseases. After birth, the child's immune system is still developing, making them vulnerable to diseases. Vaccines help strengthen the child’s immune system and prepare it to combat viruses that could cause complications, health problems, and also prevent spreading infections to others.

Remember, infants require constant care, and if they contract an infectious illness, they can expose caregivers to infection too, posing a health risk to the child and those around them.

What are the benefits of vaccines?

From what we have mentioned so far, you may already know some of the benefits of vaccines, but let's simplify them for you.

- Preventing and protecting against diseases that can cause death or permanent disabilities, such as polio.

- Protecting caregivers from infections that might arise from the child's illness.

- Eradicating serious diseases at the national level. Many countries have successfully eradicated diseases by providing vaccines for free and on time. For example, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and Morocco have eliminated polio entirely. Tunisia has also eradicated tetanus. Many countries have directly reduced the incidence of other diseases as well.

- Vaccination saves time and money otherwise spent on treating diseases caused by a lack of immunization, which can burden families with children who have chronic diseases or disabilities, denying them a normal life.

- Achieving herd immunity, which protects other members of the community who cannot get vaccinated due to weakened immune systems or other issues by reducing the chances of infection and disease spread.

Are there any risks associated with vaccines?

Yes, like all medical interventions, vaccines come with some side effects, though these are minor compared to the consequences of not being vaccinated. These include:

Fever or increased temperature, pain at the injection site, possible redness or swelling. The infant might cry, feel fatigued, or lose appetite on the day of vaccination and the following day.

There are also rare side effects like allergic reactions, which have occurred in one out of every million children vaccinated. Some cases developed rashes or seizures from fever, but these are extremely rare.

We want to note that there is absolutely no truth to claims that vaccines cause autism, and no studies or results support such claims. We encourage you to consult a pediatrician immediately regarding any of the mentioned side effects.