All About Our Baby's VACCINATION - Part 9

[leletmd]

@princess_jane:
PCV is a conjugate vaccine which means there is an added vaccine/adjuvant to make it recognizable by the immune system of kids less than 2 years of age compared to the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) which cannot be given to kids below 2 years of age since their immune system cannot recognize it. Based on recent studies, PCV shows longer lasting immunity compared to PPV.
At what age did your child receive the PCV? If it was given at 2 to 6 months of age, then your child needs to receive 4 doses of PCV. I suggest that you have your child complete the number of doses to ensure proper antibody protection.
Please backread for other information regarding PCV and PPV.

@ghye:
Meningococcal vaccine is still considered an optional vaccine as per the Philippine pediatric society, but it is part of the recommended immunization schedule in other countries such as the US and Canada. If you frequently go to Baguio or have plans of going to the US or Canada, I suggest you follow your pedia's advice and have the Meningococcal conjugate vaccine given. If the 1st dose of MCV will be given between 9 to 23 months of age, 2 doses are required, at least 3 months apart. If the 1st dose is to be given at 24 months of age or older, only 1 dose of MCV is required.
Same with pneumococcal vaccine, there is an older vaccine, but it is a polysaccharide type (MPV). It can only be given to kids older than 2 years of age since it cannot be recognized by the immune system. Also, MCV has been shown to have longer lasting immunity compared to MPV.

@choby tisay:
There is no age limit to giving the 6 in 1 vaccine. I strongly urge you to have your child vaccinated as soon as possible. Even adults need to be given the tetanus vaccine (part of the 6 in 1). The diseases that the 6 in 1 vaccine or the 5 in 1 vaccine protect against are fatal diseases so it is better to have your child protected.
Your baby can still catch up with his immunization schedule.

@yang:
How old is your baby now? Where is the BCG vaccination site?
Sorry, it will be unethical for me to discuss factors determining vaccine pricing.

@tzikenn:
PCV will only protect against pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria. There are hundreds of other causes of pneumonia (different virus, bacteria) so your baby can still get pneumonia caused by a different bacteria or virus despite having the PCV. Nevertheless, essential pa rin to give the PCV since pneumococcal infections are the ones that tend to be severe or fatal.
Same with the rotavirus vaccine. Your baby can still get diarrhea despite getting vaccinated with the rotavirus vaccine since there are a hundred different causes of diarrhea.

[ghye]

Thank you again doc.  Since his next vaccine is on the 12th month (MMR) then I'll have him vaccinated with Meninggococal then on his next pedia visit when he's 10 month.

[yang]

@leletmd, he's a month old now. and now due for 2nd dose hepB.

[pinkswirls12]

doc, is it okay na pagsabayin ang pcv and rotavirus vaccination on the same day? it will be my baby's 2nd dose of pcv and last dose of Rotateq..

[leletmd]

You're welcome.

@yang:
It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks for the BCG scar to form so you can still observe if a scar or induration will form within the next month.

@pinkswirls12:
Yes, you can have the PCV and rotavirus vaccine given on the same day.

[pinkswirls12]

Thank you doc!:)

[tinsantos10]

dra leletmd, another question po. My mom told me na di raw safe magpavaccine sa health centers kasi baka raw expired na yung binibigay nila. totoo po ba yun?

[leletmd]

^ No, that is not true. I do not think our local health centers will compromise the safety of kids by giving expired vaccines. These vaccines are given free to them by the WHO as part of the Expanded Immunization program.
If you want to be sure, you can always ask them to show you the box of the vaccine and check the expiration date.

[ellababy]

^hindi kaya mag taray yung staff sa health center pag hiningi pa yung box? Concern ko din kasi baka expired mabigay. Mag 6 weeks na ang baby ko and naka sched sya for dpt and opv sa health center.

[jaja0512]

Hi Doc lelet, 1 month na po si baby and i noticed may scar sya sa bcg site nya. Is it ok lang po ba? Di naman po sya magkakakeloid like yung iba na sobrang laki? Medyo nagwoworry lang po

[mchiu]

Hi Doc Lelet,

We're currently in Singapore. When i checked their immunization schedule, 3 doses lang yung PCV(prevenar13) nila - 4months, 6months, 12-15months. ok lang op ba ito? nagva-vary po ba yung number of doses depending on the country?

[yang]

thanks doc lelet, as always im enlightened. my son is 1month and 2 weeks today and has induration on his left deltoid.

[prettypepz]

Off Topic: sisters san po nakakabili ng baby book? i'm preparing na sa paglabas ni baby sa december

[tinsantos10]

^May binibigay na baby book sa first check up ng baby Free yon.

[m_lim]

sa ibang bansa ba, every month rin ang inject ng vaccines sa mga babies?

gusto ko magtiwala sa pedia pero may part of me nagwworry sa dami ng vaccines na  binibigay sa babies.

[prettypepz]

Thanks sis tinsantos

[puglover]

Dra., i dont know if this was asked na before. But late na kasi for our pcv vaccine. My son is 23 months na hindi ko pa maasikaso pa vaccine til now. August dapat sched namin for pcv.
Okay labg po ba na ihabol ba at 24mos?
From what i have read, 2doses if less than 24 mos. And 1 dose nalang for 24 mos above.
Would it be less effective kung above 24mos ko na siya pa vaccine? It will be more practical din kasi dahil makakatipid kami ng 1 dose.
Thanks dra.

[iam star]

@dra.lelet -hi dra confused lang po ako kasi nung nag 6in1 si baby infanrix po ininject sa kanya pero, kanina nung nag 5in1 na po sya sanofi pasteur pentaxim na po yung brand na ginamit sa kanya. ok lang po ba yun? kasi nun nag back read po ako dito dapat daw same brand yung vaccine. worried po tuloyako ngaun😥 and talaga po bang 2 vials pinaghahalo when injecting 5in1? di ko po kasi napansin  nung nag 6 in1 si baby kung ganun din.

[leletmd]

@ellababy:
They might not be able to give you the box, but you can try to ask nicely if you can look at the box for record purposes.

@ jaja0512:
BCG vaccination is really suppose to leave a scar at the injection site within 4 to 8 weeks from vaccination Sorry we cannot predict which baby would develop a keloidal scar or not.

@mchiu:
There are countries with different vaccination schedules compared to what we use here. Like in the US, wala silang BCG vaccine at birth and wala ring Measles vaccine at 9 months. Hindi kasi susceptible ang kids nila sa TB and measles at an early age kaya wala ito sa schedule nila.
There are current studies right now trying to compare the efficacy of 3 vs 4 doses of PCV. Some studies say comparable efficacy, some say better ang 4 doses. If you have plans to go back to the Philippines later on, maybe you can have the 4th dose given once you are back here, especially if the 1st dose was given before he turned 6 months of age.

@m_lim:
Babies below 1 year of age are required to have monthly check ups with the pedia, not just for vaccination but also for monitoring developmental milestones, checking for diseases, etc.
Is there anything out of the ordinary with your baby's vaccination schedule? Meron bang vaccine na naibigay na hindi kasama sa schedule?
As far as I know, in the US and Canada, they have either a monthly or bi-monthly vaccination schedule depending on the number of vaccines given (sometimes 2 shots at a visit plus an oral vaccine, for example: 5 in 1 plus PCV plus rotavirus vaccine)....
Marami na talagang vaccines ngayon compared to before. For me, as a mother and as a doctor, that is a good thing since it means my son would be protected against fatal and debilitating diseases such as tetanus, polio, chickenpox (hindi po benign na illness ang chikenpox, there are cases of encephalopathy resulting from chickenpox), measles, pertussis, etc.
I suggest you read up on the diseases that the vaccines protect your child from so you would know why theses vaccines are necessary...

@puglover:
If it is a matter of just a few days or weeks, then yes, you can just have the PCV given when he turns 24 months of age.
The number of doses for PCV decreases depending on when the 1st dose was given because the immune system becomes more mature as the child ages. As long as you follow the dose recommendations per age, then immunity will not be a problem.

@iam star:
Yes, there are 2 vials for the 5 in 1 and 6 in 1 vaccines.
Did you ask the pedia why pentaxim was given instead of Infanrix IPV HIb?
The infanrix IPV hib was developed so that we don't have to stick to the 6 in 1 vaccine for the 3 doses and so that there would be no brand switching during the series. But before it was developed, some doctors switch from 6 in 1 infanrix to 5 in 1 pentaxim for the 2nd dose. As far as I know, there is very little difference between Infanrix and Pentaxim so there shouldn't be much of a difference. Best to ask your pedia for explanation/ confirmation pa rin though....
With PCV and rotavirus vaccine, dapat talaga walang brand switching since there are differences in the number of strains and adjuvants.

[maeferivera]

@doc let- hepa b were given at birth and 1 month sa son ko, as i back read you said that the 3rd dose should be given after 6 months from the 1st dose, bakit kaya ganun pinapabalik kami ng pedia nya after 1 month ulit for the 3rd dose? also, ano po ba puedend next vaccine ni baby? 2nd dose pa lang po of hepa yung sa kanya, as of this moment 1 month and 14 days yung son ko.