All You Wanted to Know about Children Vaccines

Parents are constantly concerned about the health and safety of their children and take many steps to protect them. Disease prevention is the key to public health. It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it. Vaccines work to protect infants, children, and adults from illnesses and death caused by infectious diseases. With the advent of a variety of effective childhood vaccinations, we now have a low rate of numerous fatal childhood diseases

Facts• Ideally, one should follow immunization schedule, but in case baby is brought late for vaccination, she should still receive all vaccines.
• Do not disturb vaccination schedule on a mild cold and cough.
• Oral polio vaccine is being extensively used in India under the pulse polio immunization (PPI) programme.
• Some vaccines are less effective, like BCG has reduced efficacy in providing protection against lung TB. But it provides 70-80 % protection against dreaded brain TB.

Immunization Schedule

Age	Vaccine
Birth	BCG Zero dose, Oral Polio Vaccine- Zero dose, Hepatitis B-Zero dose
6 weeks	DPT Ist dose, OPV –1st dose, HIB, Hepatitis B-1st dose
10 weeks	DPT—2nd dose, HIB, OPV-2ndd dose
14 weeks	DPT—3rd dose, HIB, Hepatitis B, Oral Polio Vaccine-3rd dose
9 months        15 months	Measles                                                                                                      MMR
16-18 months    2 years	DPT-1st booster dose, HIB- 1st Booster dose, OPV- 4th dose                        Typhoid (re-vaccination every 3 years)
5 years	DPT-2nd Booster dose, OPV-5th dose
10 years	Td (More amount of Tetanus with less amount of Diptheria), Hepatitis B—booster dose
16 years	Td (More amount of Tetanus with less amount of Diptheria)

* (According to I A P-Indian Academy of Paediatrics)

Vaccines, which can be given after discussion with parents:
• Pneumoccal vaccine (to prevent Pneumonia, meningitis) at the age of 6 weeks.
• Chicken pox vaccine at the age of 15 months.
• Hepatitis A vaccine at the age of 18-24 months.
• Injectable Polio vaccine—2 doses starting at 8 weeks with gap of 8 weeks between 2 doses and booster at the age of 15-18 months.
• Flu vaccine at 6-8 months age
• Rota Virus vaccine (Oral vaccine to prevent Diarrhoea, introduced in markets in July 2008)—3 doses at 1 month interval at 6 weeks age
•Cervical cancer vaccine in girls when they are 10.

 There is no vaccine available for cholera, malaria or dengue. Unless we  eliminate the diseases, it is important to keep immunizing. If the protection is taken away without getting rid of the disease, more and more people will get infected and fall prey to diseases.

—–Dr. Shekhar Vashisht, Consultant, Paediatrics, Moolchand Medcity

7 Ways You Can Keep Your Child Warm in Winter

Its winter time and your biggest worry is how to keep your little one unaffected by the bitter cold. Frightful winter temperatures can expose children to fever, cold, frostbite, and other dangerous illnesses. Dressing your children properly and warmly will allow them to play outside, while staying warm and dry and protected from harsh temperatures.

Here are a few valuable tips on how to keep your kid warm, without overheating:

1. Layering is the key, as it provides adequate protection from cold. When taking your child outside in chilled weather, dress him up in multiple light, thin layers, instead of one heavy sweater. But do not over bundle him. The rule of thumb is when dressing your child add one additional layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same weather.
2. Make him wear clothes made of cotton, wool and fleecy fibre. Add mittens or gloves. Cap and socks are musts. Covering your child’s head and feet will keep his body temperature regulated.
3. Make sure that your child remains as active as possible by playing games, going to the park, etc. And if it is too cold you can think of some indoor games and activities to keep him active.
4. Keep little hands and feet dry as the body gets cold faster in wet clothes. Change diaper and undershirt frequently.
5. Clean your baby’s skin with luke-warm water and use mild gentle baby soap. But before bathing him check for yourself to make sure that the water is neither too cold nor too hot. After the bath, apply the essential baby oils and light gentle cream to keep the skin soft and supple. If skin is dry, apply the cream twice a day. Include plenty of hot drinks and food.
6. Do not over dress him while putting him to bed. A hot, sweaty baby will wake up sooner than a warm and comfortable baby. Also, do not cover him with blankets, quilts and pillows in the crib as it could smother him. If you must use a blanket to keep your baby warm, tuck the blanket under the mattress of the crib. Keep the blanket or quilt tucked only up to the baby’s chest, so that the face doesn’t get covered by the blanket.
7. Put a hot water bottle under the bed to warm it up.

Make your children well equipped, let them go out to explore winter.

Its Time to Control Childhood Obesity

You don’t need a survey to track the rise in obesity among children. Only a visit to your kid’s school will be more than enough to get a clear picture. Children are becoming extra large these days! And the experts blame the marketing muscle exercised by fast food chains and quick serve restaurants for this. There is also a greater likelihood for plump kids to grow in overweight teens and finally as obese adults. Hence, it becomes imperative to curb childhood obesity.

Dr Atul Peters, Director, Institute of Bariatric, Metabolic & Minimal Access Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi tells you all about this dreadful disease that is complicating the young lives today. Read on to understand the obvious causes, the after affects as well as about the actions, as a parent, you can take.

When a child is ‘overweight or obese’

Kids fall into one of below given four categories:

• Underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile
• Normal weight: BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile
• Overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles
• Obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile

To look for overweight, calculate BMI by dividing weight in kg by height in meters squared. For pounds and inches, divide weight by height squared and multiply the result by the conversion factor 703. When a child is above the normal weight for his or her age and height, he/she can be referred overweight.

What are the causes

Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. However, the most common causes are:

Genes play a crucial part in the current obesity crisis as it helps determine body type and how your body stores and burns fat similarly as they help determine other traits.

Poor eating habits like consumption of high energy, nutrient poor foods which are high in simple sugar and unhealthy fats. When the baby is young, mothers tend to force feed their child with rich, creamy food, thinking that it will nourish their foundation. But in contrary, this lays the foundation for obesity in children. Moreover, as the child grows he also bombarded with the ads of hard sells junk food which again encourage unhealthy eating. Also if the adults in the family eat junk or unhealthy foods, it is not the child’s fault to give in to such temptation.

Lack of physical activity All TV and no play makes kids fatter day by day. Apart from the junk Too much of sedentary lifestyle is responsible for making our kids overweight. Earlier kids would hop and jump in the playground after coming from the school, but now they sit before the TV or watch re-runs of their favourite shows or play online games. Internet too sneaks in the lives of kids in the garb of research for homework, and in turn lessens the time spent on the playground. Moreover, popcorn, cakes, cookies and chips give kids company while they while away time online.

What parents can do

Encourage healthy eating habits. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products, and low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products. Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein. Encourage to drink at least 8 ounce of water a day. Fruits must be served in appetizing manner in between meals. To develop interest, involve your kids in menu planning, buying grocery and cooking.

Restrict calorie-rich temptations like chocolates, chips, ice creams and other high-fat and high-sugar, or salty snacks. Teach them the difference between healthy foods and junk foods and try adding tasty fruit and vegetable recipes such as a medium-size apple, a medium-size banana, 1 cup berries or grapes. You can allow them to eat their temptations at times in moderations a truly treats.

Watch portion sizes and make them understand the concept of balance diet, different nutrients and their functions in our body. Our plates have become bigger over the years, and we are often guilty of piling them high with food. Generally, vegetables should fill over half the plate for you too.

Eat together as often as possible. Not only is it more fun, but studies have shown that children who regularly eat with their parents consume more fruit and vegetables, and are usually less likely to be overweight.

Make them participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily. Include brisk walking, playing tag, rope jumping, playing soccer, swimming or dancing, etc. in your own daily routine to encourage your child to join you.

Reduce sedentary time. Although quiet time for reading and homework is fine, limit the time your children watch television, play video games, or surf the web to no more than 2 hours per day.

With firm, loving support, as an involved parent you should make smart lifestyle modifications and effectively help your child overcome obesity.