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The first month of life is the most critical time for a childs survival after birth since they are sensitive to diseases as newborns. Therefore, immunization is highly crucial for the survival of newborns. In addition, timely immunizations limit illness transmission and protect newborns and toddlers from potentially fatal illnesses.

Sustainable Development Goals prioritize reducing the child mortality0020rate to at least as low as 2.5% in all countries by 2030. Furthermore, to build appropriate immunity and decrease susceptibility to disease in newborns, vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) require an early receipt of the recommended number of doses of a given vaccine.

An extensive immunization program, adequate nutrition, hygiene, and quality baby care products can increase newborn survival and health. In addition, timely care, immunization, and necessary nutritional support eliminate unnecessary stillbirths by increasing access to high-quality antenatal care, skilled birth care, and postnatal care for mothers and newborns.

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 23 million children were denied crucial immunizations in 2020, increasing by roughly 4 million over 2019. Conflict, underinvestment in national immunization programmes, vaccine stock-outs, and disease outbreaks such as Covid-19 contribute to the disruption of health systems and limit the sustainable supply of vaccination services. In addition, approximately 42% (9.6 million) of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated babies live in fragile or humanitarian environments, including conflict-affected nations. These are the most vulnerable children to illness outbreaks.

It recommended that all parents follow (CDC) the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommended immunization schedule for their children, protecting them from 14 potentially deadly diseases before their second birthday. In addition, doctors must diagnose any life-threatening symptoms in time at the hospitals or at home. Furthermore, the newborns should immediately get referred to the appropriate provider for further diagnosis and care.

In 2022, Indias infant mortality rate will be 26 deaths per 1000 live births, a 3.74 percent decrease from 2021. Pneumonia, diarrhoea, birth abnormalities, and malaria are the leading causes of death from the end of the newborn period until the first five years of life.

Malnutrition is the underlying condition that makes children more sensitive to severe diseases. However, with the increase in approximately 80 percent of hospital deliveries worldwide, there is an excellent potential for delivering necessary infant care and detecting and mitigating high-risk newborns.

Apart from providing ART (Preventive Antiretroviral Treatment) to mothers and newborns to prevent opportunistic infections, doctors and healthcare workers must conduct HIV testing and care for exposed infants and counseling and assistance for moms regarding infant feeding.

So why should all newborns get timely vaccination?

Timely Vaccination Helps Combat Diseases in Infants

The immunization schedule suggested by the CDC is both safe and effective in safeguarding your infant. It focuses on how your newborns immune system reacts to immunizations at different ages and how probable your infant is to get exposed to a specific disease. It ensures that the child receives vaccination against 14 potentially dangerous diseases at the right moment.

Prevent Chronic Health Complications

Delaying immunizations may expose your baby to disease when they are most vulnerable to dangerous illnesses. Newborn infants are most susceptible to severe disease complications. For example, whooping cough may cause a persistent cough for several weeks and can become fatal for some newborns in the first 12 months. Therefore postponing immunizations will expose your infant to infections such as diphtheria when they are most vulnerable, causing severe health complications.

Administering Complete Course of Doses Helps Curb Diseases

Each recommended vaccination get meticulously designed to protect against a specific disease. A few require multiple doses to create strong enough immunity to safeguard your baby or strengthen immunity that has weakened over time. Others require additional vaccination doses to protect your child if the first dose does not create adequate antibodies.

In some cases, the flu virus evolves, and infants need to complete the full flu vaccine every year. Therefore each vaccines prescribed dose on the schedule is critical.

Spreading Diseases To Other

Infants who dont get vaccinated on time are at risk of becoming ill and transferring infections to other babies and adults with weak immune systems. Timely immunization also helps protect and safeguard the health of the newborns friends, family, and community members.

Strengthening The Immune System For Long-Term Protection

The antibodies the mother passes on to your baby before birth can help protect them from ailments in the first few months of life. Breastfeeding protects against several infections while your babys immune system develops. However, breast milk does not create adequate antibodies to protect newborns against all chronic illnesses. What works best is the immune system must finally combat diseases on its own. Vaccines safeguard infants when maternal antibodies have worn off. Parents could only pass on immunity for diseases to their infants, which they are resistant to, which will only protect your infant for the first few months after birth.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Immunization reduces the death rate in newborns - Times of India

This entry was posted on July 8, 2022 at 10:14 am and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |