Vaccine Preventable Diseases

DPT Vaccine
This is given when your child is 1 1/2, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 months old with a booster at the age of 1 1/2 years. It protects against three diseases viz : Diptheria, Polio and Tetanus.

Diphtheria
It is an acute infectious disease of childhood caused by a bacteria. It usually manifests with sore throat and quickly progresses to fever, headache & loss of appetite. It can damage the heart, the nervous system and in severe cases it can kill.
Through the incidence of diphtheria has greatly reduced but it has not yet completely wiped out.

Pertussis
Also associated with Whooping Cough is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract.
It starts with features of a common cold but quickly progresses to a severe exhausting cough. The cough comes in prolonged bouts during which the child appears unable to breathe & looks anxious.It lasts for upto 6 - 8 weeks and leave the child extremely weak & malnourished because of vomitting associated with cough & the disinclination to eat because of the fear of precipitating bank of cough.

Tetanus
The germs of tetanus are found in soil. They can enter the body through a cut, a bruise or a prick of thorn. To toxim of tetanus acts on the nervous system which then affects the muscle causing severe stiffness of spasms. It is a very painful & distressing illness which if not treated promptly can lead to death.
It can start inocuosly as stiffness in the neck or spasm of the jaw and thin rapidly progresses to lead to breathing difficulties & severe painful spasms of the limbs or the back etc.

Polio Vaccine
It is given at the age of 1 1/2, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 months, usually along with the DPP vaccine. Booster doses are given at the age of 18 months. Additionally for the last few years the Searchvt. of India has been running the Pulse Polio Program in all children under the age of 5 years are given Polio drops twice a year in addition to their vaccination schedule.

Polio
Polio is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and can cause permanent muscle paralysis or weakness. When the virus affects the muscles of the chest, it can kill because of the paralysis of the muscles used in respiration.

BCG Vaccine
The vaccine can be administred right after the birth and if not taken then, then it can be taken as early as possible with other vaccines. This vaccine affords protection against Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis
It is a disease which primarily affects the lungs, through it can involve virtually any past/system of the body.
It usually manifests or cough of long duration, loss of weight & night sweats.

Measles Vaccine
It is a given at a age of 9 months.

Measles
It is a disease of the respiratory tract which begins with fever, cough, running nose & watery eye. The rash of measles is very characteristic of the disease, starting on the neck and quickly spreading to the trunk & limbs.
Measles is very infectious. The complications occur in a fair percentage of children who feel it. These include chest infectious, fits, brain damage etc.