HIB vaccination - Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine

What is the Hib vaccine?
It immunizes your child against the dangerous bacteria Hemophilus influenza type B, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis.

What is the dosage schedule?
It is given three times during the first year--at two-, four-, six- month of age—and the last dose is given around 12-18 months.

What are the advantages of Hib vaccine?
The Hib vaccine, protects against the following:-

1. » Bacterial meningitis, which occurs in the age group of two months to two years. Symptoms include fever, decreased appetite, nausea, and sleepiness. The disease needs to be diagnosed quickly and treated aggressively, or the baby may sustain hearing loss, paralysis, or, in rare cases, a baby may even die.
   
   
2. » Pneumonia, an infection in the lungs, which can be very serious in babies and children. Symptoms include a cough, labored breathing, and possibly a blue tint to the baby’s lips or fingernails. Pneumonia is often a secondary infection, following an upper-respiratory infection or influenza, chicken pox, or rubella.
   
   
3. » Epiglottitis, a serious but rare condition often caused by the Hemaphilius influenza type B bacteria. The epiglottis become swollen, which may block the trachea, making it difficult to your baby to breathe. Epiglottitis frequently is misdiagnosed by parents to be case of croup because of the stridor and cough. Babies with epiglottitis will also exhibit signs of an extremely sore throat and may also drool more than usual.
   
   

Are there any side effects associated with the vaccine?
One and a half percent of the children who receive the vaccine may feel sore at the injection site and a low-grade fever.

Whats the advantage of getting the Hib vaccine?
Research shows that if a child gets all four of the scheduled Hib shots, she’ll be 99 percent protected against these diseases.

Suggested Reading -
Hemophilus influenza type b - Hemophilus influenza type B, is a bacteria, which can lead to meningitis, pneumonia and other repiratory complications. Fortunately a vaccine is now available to prevent the infection.