శిశు రక్ష- Day 4

Rotaract Club of Vizag Champions (Sponsored by Rotary Club of Vizag Diamonds) & Rotaract Club of Andhra Medical College (Sponsored by Rotary Club Visakhapatnam Central) Presents An Awareness Project on Maternal and Child Health Phase-1 /Day-4 Topic: Child Immunization Rtr. Praharsha Reddy Rtr. Momitha (President - RAC Vizag Champions) (President - RAC Andhra Medical College) Rtr. PP. Hasminder Kaur Baryar (Project Chair - RAC Vizag Champions) Rtr. Bhavika (Project Chair - RAC Andhra Medical College)

Child Immunization: Vaccines play a very crucial role in preventing the occurrence and transmission of several communicable diseases, thereby preventing deaths, especially in children below 5 years of Age Children below the age of 5 are usually prone to diseases like diarrhea and Pneumonia that reported deaths in the past years

Diseases that can affect children

Vaccines by age Pregnency Birth 1-2 Months 6 Months 6 Months 4 Months 7-11 Months 12 -23 Months 2-3 years 11-12years 7-10 years 4-6 years 13 - 18 Years

Q/A about Vaccines Can vaccines overload my baby's immune system? No. Vaccines help babies fight infections by introducing a small number of antigens into their bodies. Antigens are parts of germs that cause babies' immune systems to go to work. Vaccines contain only a tiny fraction of the antigens that babies encounter in their environment every day.

Q/A about Vaccines Don't infants have natural immunity? Isn't natural immunity better than the kind from vaccines? Babies may get some temporary immunity from mom during pregnancy, but these antibodies do not last long, leaving your baby vulnerable to disease if you don't vaccinate him/her.

Q/A about Vaccines Do I have to vaccinate my baby on schedule if I'm breastfeeding him? Yes. Breast milk provides important protection from some infections as your baby's immune system is developing, but breast milk does not protect children against all diseases.

Q/A about Vaccines Why do vaccines start so early? We vaccinate children early because they are susceptible to diseases at a young age. Young children also have the highest risks of complications that could lead to hospitalization or death.

Q/A about Vaccines Why are so many doses needed for each vaccine? Getting every dose of each vaccine provides your child with the best protection. Depending on the vaccine, he/she may need more than one dose to build high enough immunity to prevent disease or to boost immunity that fades over time.