KEEPING YOUR BABY healthy starts with protection from serious illnesses, and vaccines play a key role. Here’s a quick guide to the first vaccines your little one will receive—and how they help keep your child safe.
Your baby will receive the Hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital. This protects against a virus that can cause serious liver disease, including cancer. Hepatitis B spreads through contact with blood and body fluids, and many people who get infected never know where they caught it.
Why it’s important:
- Babies who contract Hepatitis B at birth have a 90% chance of developing a lifelong infection.
- Of those, 1 in 4 will develop liver failure or liver cancer later in life.
- The virus can spread through household contact, often among relatives.
MOST BABIES
don’t have any reactions to the vaccine, but if they do, it’s usually just a sore spot where the shot was given or a mild fever.
Rotavirus vaccine
Given at 2, 4, and 6 months, the Rotavirus vaccine protects against a virus that causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and fever—leading to dehydration in babies. Before this vaccine, up to 70,000 children were hospitalized each year in the United States due to rotavirus.
Why it’s important:
- Rotavirus spreads easily, no matter how clean an environment is.
- The illness can cause serious dehydration, especially in infants.
- The vaccine is given orally (by mouth), not as a shot.
SIDE EFFECTS ARE NOTABLY LOW
if they occur, they are mild and may include temporary diarrhea or fever.
DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
Given at 2, 4, 6, and 12-18 months, the DTaP vaccine protects against three dangerous diseases:
- Diphtheria – A bacterial infection that can block airways and lead to breathing problems.
- Tetanus – A painful condition that affects the muscles and nervous system.
- Pertussis (Whooping Cough) – A severe cough that can be life-threatening for babies. In the United States, it caused 8,000 infant deaths per year before vaccines.
WHILE DIPHTHERIA AND TETANUS
are now rare, pertussis outbreaks still happen, so keeping up with this vaccine is essential. Some babies may have mild reactions like fussiness, a slight fever, or soreness at the injection site.
Hib vaccine (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
Given at 2, 4, 6, and 12–15 months, the Hib vaccine protects against a bacterial infection spread through coughing or contact with infected saliva. This infection can lead to severe illnesses, including:
- Meningitis (a life-threatening infection of brain’s lining)
- Throat infections that can block breathing
- Blood infections
BEFORE THE VACCINE,
Hib meningitis was fatal in 5% of cases, and 10–30% of survivors had long-term brain damage. The vaccine helps prevent these serious complications, and side effects are usually minimal—just some soreness at the injection site.
PCV vaccine (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine)
Given at 2, 4, 6, and 12–15 months, the PCV vaccine protects against infections caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, which can lead to:
- Ear infections (5 million cases per year before the vaccine!)
- Pneumonia
- Meningitis (a dangerous infection of the brain’s lining)
- Blood infections
- Death
BEFORE THIS VACCINE,
pneumococcal disease in the United States caused 13,000 blood infections, 700 cases of meningitis, and 200 deaths annually in children under five years of age. Vaccine side effects are usually mild, such as a little soreness or a low-grade fever; it is not associated with serious side effects.
IPV vaccine (inactivated polio vaccine)
Given at 2, 4, and 6–18 months, the IPV vaccine protects against polio, a virus that can cause temporary or permanent paralysis.
Why it’s important:
- While polio was eliminated from the United States in 1979, it still exists in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. Polio is just a plane ride away—it only takes one case to spark an outbreak.
- The world is working toward total polio eradication, and vaccinating your child helps protect everyone.
THE POLIO VACCINE
has no serious side effects—some babies might have slight soreness at the injection site.
RSV preventive antibody or vaccine
These vaccines give your baby a strong, healthy start by preventing serious illnesses. If you have any questions or concerns, your pediatrician is always a great resource.
Keeping up with your baby’s vaccine schedule is one of the best ways to protect them now and for the future!
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