First vaccination in the baby: What you need to know
The first vaccination appointment is just around the corner and you wonder how a vaccination works at all. What should you pay attention to when making an appointment? How can you make it easier for your child to get vaccinated for the first time? And when should not be vaccinated? In this article you will find answers to these and other questions.
You have sufficiently informed yourself about theadvantages and disadvantages of vaccination anddecided to vaccinate your child. Now the first vaccination is coming soon. But what should you pay particular attention to to make your child’s visit to the doctor and the little prick as pleasant as possible?
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ToggleFirst vaccination in the baby rather in the morning
The vaccination appointment should be scheduled for the morning so that you can better observe whether your child develops serious, physical reactions to the vaccine after the first vaccination. This rarely happens, but it can happen. In case of a possible overreaction, for example withhigh feveror shortness of breath, you should consult a doctor immediately as a precaution.
First vaccination: the age of the child plays a role
The age of your child also plays an important role in the first vaccination appointment. If you follow the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) and have your child vaccinated against the first infectious diseases at the age of two months, then if your child was born prematurely, follow the calculated and not the actual date of birth, because some vaccines can only work when the child’s immune system has reached a certain level of development. Also, the risk of intolerances and side effects following the first vaccination in the first two months of life is still particularly high.
Observe recommended minimum distances
If the appointment is a follow-up vaccination, for example the second partial vaccination of thesixfold vaccination, you should make sure that you do not fall below the recommended minimum intervals between the individual vaccination appointments. This is four to six weeks for most vaccinations. However, your pediatrician can inform you in detail about the exact times.
First vaccination at the baby: Take off before
Nowadays, all vaccines are administered by injection, i.e. by a syringe. Your child will be given the vaccination intramuscularly, i.e. in the muscle layer, usually the thigh. In order to make the process as easy as possible, you should take off the romper or pants of the little vaccinator before starting the vaccination so that the doctor can put the injection unhindered.
Take your child on your lap at the first vaccination
As far as the position of your child during the first vaccination is concerned, it is best to sit it on your lap. So you can hold your child well, so that it does not start to fidget and accidentally reaches into the syringe. It is best to carefully clamp the leg into which the syringe is to be administered between your thighs and hold his arms aside with one hand. The physical closeness between you and your child also calms it down and you can alleviate the stress that comes from the unfamiliar situation for your little one.
Calm your child during vaccination
Immediately before the injection, the doctor or nurse disinfects the skin of the thigh with a spray or swab. Then the vaccine is injected with a thin needle. The little prick and the unfamiliar pain will surely frighten your child and maybe it will be restless or start crying. For the first vaccination, you should have something ready with which you can calm your child or distract from the stressful situation. Familiar objects such as a pacifier, a cuddly towel or cuddly toy are particularly suitable for this.
First vaccination in the baby: Then comfort
After vaccination, your child will be given a patch at the injection site. If the little patient is older, a bandage, perhaps in bright colors or with funny motifs, can help to process the situation better, because then your child can proudly show everyone how bravely it survived the first vaccination. In many doctors’ offices, there is also a container with small toys from which your child can choose something to combine a positive experience with the vaccination.
Handover of the vaccination certificate
At the end of the first vaccination appointment, you will be given your child’s vaccination certificate, in which the vaccinations carried out are recorded. You should now bring this passport to every further examination, so that the attending physician can quickly and reliably get an overview of what your child has already been immunized against and when the next vaccination is due.
When not to have the first vaccination?
- You should cancel or postpone the vaccination appointment if your baby is not healthy or has been ill with a febrile infection in the last two weeks. In this case, the immune system should first fully recover before it is confronted with the vaccine viruses.
- If your child has recently come near people with a contagious disease, you should refrain from the first vaccination for the time being, as it is possible that he has been infected with the disease. Even if it has not yet broken out at the time of vaccination, it could be that his immune system is busy defending the pathogens.
- Follow-up vaccination should be avoided if a stronger vaccination reaction has occurred after a previous vaccination with the same vaccine. These include, for example, seizures, high fever, shortness of breath or fainting. In such a case, you should wait until the cause of the reaction is clarified and, if necessary, continue vaccinating with another vaccine. The same applies to a known allergy to one of the ingredients of the vaccine serum.