Vaccination Card: Your Toddler Health Passport

The birth of a baby comes with a lot of joy but is often accompanied by several responsibilities parents might not be fully prepared for. At every step of the child’s growth, there are questions and concerns about a toddler’s safety, nutrition, health, and overall well-being. At the center of all parental concerns lies the most pertinent one - how to prevent the risk of infection. Just making regular visits to the Pediatrician might not be sufficient. A child’s immune system is continually developing in the months after birth, and they’re more susceptible to diseases than ever, at this stage. Note that the risk of these diseases does not go away as the child grows older.¹ As a result, it is imperative to take care of good nutrition, hygiene, and timely vaccination for children till the age of 18 years. This way they continue to stay protected against potentially deadly diseases.^2,3,4 It is also important to note here that certain vaccines cannot be given until an infant has reached a certain age.⁵

What Is A Vaccination Card And Why Do You Need It?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children should be vaccinated according to the recommended immunization schedule.⁶ Vaccination cards are useful health records that contain information about vaccination dates and dosage. This information is helpful for parents, vaccination providers, and public health researchers. They help in timely and accurate vaccination.

A Vaccination Card is a ‘Health Ka Passport’ which can be obtained from your pediatrician. Parents must preserve this card as an important health document of the child and get it updated whenever they visit the doctor. Consider it like a child’s passport to good health. Using this card can help you keep track of all upcoming vaccinations for your child. For times when you might miss vaccinations which are due, it is crucial to consult your Pediatrician for Catch-up vaccination.

What Does A Vaccination Schedule Include?

Different stages during a child’s growth need different vaccinations.⁵ Certain vaccinations need boosters to provide long-term immunity or to cover the risk period.⁷ Generally, its assumed that most vaccinations get completed by 1-2 years of age, but it’s important to remember that there are vaccinations recommended even beyond this age.⁸ Here’s what a Vaccination schedule looks like.

At Birth⁸:

1. BCG (Tuberculosis): The BCG Vaccine helps protect against Tuberculosis.
2. Hepatitis B: The Hepatitis B vaccine helps protect against Hepatitis B infection
3. OPV: Oral polio Vaccine (OPV) helps protect against Polio; a disease caused by virus that affects the nerves

At 6 Weeks-6 Months⁸:

1. DTP, Hib, Hep-B, IPV

Diphtheria: Severe respiratory illness, Tetanus: Leads to Muscle spasms, Pertussis: Whooping cough

Hib: Hemophilus influenzae type b causes brain fever

Hep-B: The Hepatitis B vaccine helps protect against Hepatitis B infection

IPV: Injectible Polio Vaccine (IPV) protects against polio disease

1. Pneumococcal: PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) helps protect against Pneumococcal disease that can result in Meningitis, Sepsis, Pneumonia, etc.
2. Rotavirus: The Rotavirus vaccine helps protect against Rotavirus Diarrhea; a viral disease that affects the intestines.

At 6-12 Months⁸:

1. Influenza: The Influenza vaccine helps protect against Influenza, commonly known as the flu; a respiratory infection.
2. MMR: The MMR vaccine helps protect against three viral diseases Measles, Mumps, Rubella.
3. Typhoid: The Typhoid vaccine helps protect against Typhoid, a disease affecting the Gastrointestinal tract.
4. Meningococcal#: The Meningitis ACWY vaccine helps protect against the A, C, W and Y types of Meningococcal disease which can affect the brain, spinal cord and can even lead to blood infection.

At 1-2 Years:⁸

1. Hepatitis A: The Hepatitis A vaccine helps protect against Hepatitis A infection; a liver infection caused by Hepatitis A virus.
2. DTP, Hib, IPV

Diphtheria: Severe respiratory illness, Tetanus: Leads to Muscle spasms, Pertussis: Whooping cough

Hib: Hemophilus influenzae type b causes brain fever.

IPV: Injectible Polio Vaccine (IPV) protects against polio disease

1. Pneumococcal: PCV (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) helps protect against Pneumococcal disease that can result in Meningitis, Sepsis, Pneumonia, etc.
2. Chickenpox: The chickenpox vaccine helps protect against chickenpox characterized by typical skin rashes.
3. MMR: The MMR vaccine helps protect against three viral diseases Measles, Mumps, Rubella.
4. Influenza: The Influenza vaccine helps protect against Influenza, commonly known as the flu, a respiratory infection.

At 2-6 Years Of Age⁸:

1. Meningococcal: The Meningitis ACWY vaccine helps protect against the A, C, W and Y types of Meningococcal disease which can affect the brain, spinal cord and can even lead to blood infection.
2. MMR: The MMR vaccine helps protect against three viral diseases Measles, Mumps, Rubella.
3. DTP, IPV: Diphtheria- Severe respiratory illness, Tetanus- Leads to Muscle spasms, Pertussis- Whooping cough

IPV: Injectible Polio Vaccine (IPV) protects against polio disease

1. Influenza (Yearly^): The Influenza vaccine helps protect against Influenza, commonly known as the flu; a respiratory infection.

At 6-18 Years Of Age⁸:

1. Tdap/Td: Tdap Vaccine helps protect against Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis. Td Vaccine helps protect against Tetanus & Diphtheria.
2. HPV: The HPV vaccine helps protect against Human Papilloma Virus, a virus that can cause Cervical Cancer, anal cancer and other types of cancer

Schedule according to Advisory committee of Vaccination & Immunization practices, 2020-21 by Indian Academy of Pediatrics

^ Annual Vaccination recommended for children upto 5 years of age

# For special situations

Juggling between hectic jobs and multiple daily life tasks and responsibilities, activities such as midnight diaper changes and feeding duties, keeping up with the baby’s body clock, baby-proofing the home, can itself prove to be extremely overwhelming for parents. Amid this, it can be even more exhausting to keep up with the different kinds of vaccinations to be administered to kids as they are growing up. It is at this time that a Vaccination Card comes handy. You can download your own calendar here, so that you don’t miss a single vaccination scheduled for your child. To be rest assured, you can even use free Vaccination reminder services like Immunize India App by Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

So, get this ‘Health Ka Passport’ to keep it all organized and on track, and build the immunity of your child to ensure a healthy life for them ahead.

References

1. Simon AK, et al. Proc Biol Sci. 2015 Dec 22;282(1821):20143085.
2. https://www.unicef.org/nutrition. Accessed October 2023.
3. https://www.unicef.org/wash/hygiene. Accessed October 2023.
4. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/schedules/reasons-follow-schedule.html. Accessed October 2023.
5. MOHFW. FAQs on immunization 2017.
6. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/child-easyread.html. Accessed October 2023.
7. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/understanding-vacc-work.html. Accessed October 2023.
8. Kasi et al. Indian Pediatr. 2021;58:44-52. CL Code: NP-IN-PVU-WCNT-240002