Polio Vaccine Schedule For Children – Everything You Need To Know
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So, National Immunization Awareness Week has you thinking about your little one’s vaccination schedule. Is your child’s vaccination schedule your primary concern right now? Are you wondering why the polio vaccine for children is so important and what is the right time for your baby to get his shot?
If you can relate to the questions, then this post is just for you. Here we will look at the polio vaccine schedule for children.
What Is Polio?
Polio is a virus that enters the human body through the mouth. The worst effect of polio is paralysis. It can also lead to meningitis that causes irritation in the lining of the brain. In severe cases, polio paralyzes the muscle that regulates breath, which results in death (1).
Polio Vaccine Schedule For Children:
There are two types of vaccine that protect against polio – Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IAV). IPV is injected in either the arms or legs and OPV is administered orally. The IPV vaccine should be given as mentioned below:
- A dose at two months
- A dose at four months
- A dose at 6-18 months
- A booster dose at 4-6 years (2)
[ Read: Immunization Chart For Children ]
Side Effects Of Polio Vaccine In Children:
Children who get vaccinated for polio develop a sore spot in the area where the injection was given. Apart from this minor problem, there are no major side effects of this vaccine. Your baby will not show any signs of fever, motions, or vomiting after being vaccinated for polio.
[ Read: Symptoms Of Polio In Children ]
What If There Is A Serious Reaction?
In case your child suffers from a high fever and exhibits behavioral changes or suffers from an allergic reaction, there are chances that the reaction occurs because of the vaccine.
Do not ignore the following symptoms:
- Swelling on the throat and face
- Hives
- Difficulty in breathing
- Dizziness
- Increased heartbeat
- Pain in the limbs
- Fatigue and weakness
Polio causes paralysis that is usually permanent. Since the outcome of the disease is grave, immunization is a must. This is because there is no cure for polio; immunization is the only solution to treat polio.
These symptoms typically begin a few hours after the vaccination (3).
[ Read: MMR Vaccine For Children ]
What Should You Do?
There are rare chances of any severe side effects of a polio vaccine for child. However, if your child experiences any of these symptoms gets in touch with your child care specialist immediately. Though such things are not common, as a mom, it is wise to check which vaccine is given to your child and the expiry date of the same.
What Should You Do If You Forgot/Miss The Polio Vaccine?
It may happen that you miss the dates and fail to get your child vaccinated. Under such circumstances, talk to your doctor and seek advice from him. The government typically arranges free polio immunization camps twice in a year. So, you can always get your child vaccinated at these government camps.
Polio has been eradicated from many countries, but there are still a few countries where children contract polio. Remember that a single virus is enough to restart the pandemic. Hence, it is wise you get your child vaccinated on schedule to avoid any complications.
[ Read: Symptoms Of Hives In Children ]
As a mother, we understand your concerns about the health and well-being of your child. Hope we have addressed most of your queries about polio vaccine for children here.
In case you have something more to share, then please do, so that other mommies can also benefit from the same. Together, let’s make this journey of motherhood relaxed and comfortable both for you and your baby. Tell us your story in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.
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