For 2018, there are a total of 13 recommended vaccinations on the updated childhood immunization schedule for Filipino children, ages 0 to 18 years old. It's one less vaccine compared to last year's—the dengue vaccine was removed.
Aside from the chart, the guide also includes vaccine recommendations for high-risk groups and a summary guide for the immunization of pre-adolescents and adolescents (7 to 18 years old). The schedule is prepared annually by the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS), the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP), and the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV).
The dengue vaccine, which is still surrounded by controversy, is no longer on the immunization schedule. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the PIDSP, however, do recommend that the dengue vaccine can be given to children 9 years old and above who have had the mosquito-borne disease in the past.
Below is the 2018 childhood immunization schedule in full. Use this is a guide but remember to always consult with your child's pediatrician for every shot. According to the local group of doctors, "individual circumstances may warrant a decision differing from the recommendations given."
Note that some vaccines require several shots administered at different ages. Remember to keep track of your next visits to the doctor, so your child doesn't miss subsequent doses. The length of the yellow bar indicates that the vaccine can be given within that time frame, and the doses of the vaccines with asterisks should be given at least four weeks apart.
The Hepatitis B Vaccine (HBV) and the Bacillus Calmette-Guarin (BCG) vaccines are given to your child right after he’s born. Remember, however, that HBV requires several more doses.
During your child's first or second month checkup, he'll be given several vaccination shots. Your child’s pedia will have the same schedule as the ones here, and many clinics do provide immunization record books.
Keeping a record is crucial especially when your kids go to school; many educational institutions for toddlers and preschoolers require parents to submit their children's immunization records.
The vaccines that the National Immunization Program provides are listed below, as per the schedule. These are available in health centers for Filipino children free of cost.
- Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG); given at birth
- Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV); first dose given at birth
- DTwP-Hib-Hep B vaccine
- Polio vaccine
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine (MMR)
- Tetanus-Diptheria vaccine (Td)
- Human Papillomavirus vaccine (HPV)
“Nearly all children can be safely vaccinated,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, exemptions include those with allergies and high-risk conditions, such as children with chronic heart, lung and kidney disease.
Vaccinations prevent serious, life-threatening diseases, their spread, and the complications they can cause, says the CDC. They protect not only your child but his friends, classmates and the rest of the community.
The full Childhood Immunization Schedule 2018 file, which includes detailed info on each of the vaccines and more, can be found on the PFV website here.
This story originally appeared on Smartparenting.com.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.
