Opinion When it pricks
It is painful to see your child crying during vaccination shots but it immunises child from several diseases.
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I consider myself lucky because I survived despite not being immunised against any disease in childhood. It seemed the awareness campaigns started by the government had not reached the small town in Bihar where I lived. But since 1986,when television came to our household,I have been aware about the importance of vaccinations,courtesy the advertisements aired before the Hindi news bulletin on Doordarshan. Maybe this is why I was strong enough even on the operation table when I saw the paediatrician administer a Vitamin K dose to my son who was born seconds before.
Besides ignorance,the main reasons behind not going for vaccinations are side-effects,past cases of dreadful reactions and the parents fear of putting their baby through any kind of pain,which had happened in my case. I know how I felt when my son cried out in pain on being given the second Hepatitis B shot after he completed one month. The first set of vaccines had been administered right after birth and I had thanked God that it happened in my absence. Hence,I wont say my baby’s pain does not bother me at all,but I know vaccinated babies are much less likely to suffer the devastating consequences of several diseases.
The only time the vaccination should be postponed in when children have a fever,say doctors. Minor illnesses like common cold with normal body temperature should not come in the way of immunisation.
As far as side-effects are concerned,we cannot completely avoid them,but I believe they are better than the diseases my child will be protected against. I had heard that the vaccines against DTP — Diphtheria,Tetanus,Pertussis (whooping cough) — polio and Hib caused fever. But while injecting the one-shot combination vaccine to my son last week,the doctor assured me that this does not cause fever any more. And he was right! It only left a swelling at the vaccination spot,which has almost disappeared. DTP is considered the strongest vaccine,but after this satisfactory result my son did not even cry I am now confident about the future shots.
A doctor friend had once told me its hard to tell who is more afraid of vaccinations — the kids or their parents. You may think she meant mothers when she said parents,but fathers can be equally panicky when it comes to imminusation of their children. My husband wanted to leave the room when my son was to be given his shot. My advice to all parents is to stay calm while taking your child for immunisation. You will only make things more difficult by panicking.
I know I will be stronger when I take my son for his second DTP shot next month.
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