Content
The baby's vaccination schedule includes the vaccines that the child must take from the time he is born until he is 4 years old, since the baby when he is born does not have the necessary defenses to fight infections and the vaccines help to stimulate the protection of the organism, decreasing the risk of becoming ill and helping the child to grow up healthy and to develop properly.
All vaccines on the calendar are recommended by the Ministry of Health and, therefore, are free of charge, and must be administered at the maternity ward or at a health center. Most vaccines are applied to the child's thigh or arm and it is essential that parents, on the day of the vaccine, take the vaccination booklet to record the vaccines that were administered, in addition to setting the date of the next vaccination.
See 6 good reasons to keep your vaccination book up to date.
Vaccines that the baby should take
According to the 2020/2021 vaccination schedule, the recommended vaccines from birth to 4 years of age are:
At birth
- BCG vaccine: is administered in a single dose and avoids severe forms of tuberculosis, being applied in the maternity hospital, usually leaving a scar on the arm where the vaccine was applied, and must be formed up to 6 months;
- Hepatitis B vaccine: the first dose of the vaccine prevents hepatitis B, which is a disease caused by a virus, HBV, which can affect the liver and lead to the development of complications throughout life, and its administration is recommended in the first few 12 hours after birth.
2 months
- Hepatitis B vaccine: the second dose is recommended;
- Triple bacterial vaccine (DTPa): first dose of the vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, which are diseases caused by bacteria;
- Hib vaccine: first dose of vaccine that protects against infection by bacteria Haemophilus influenzae;
- VIP vaccine: 1st dose of the vaccine that protects against polio, also known as infantile paralysis, which is a disease caused by a virus. See more about the polio vaccine;
- Rotavirus vaccine: this vaccine protects against rotavirus infection, which is a major cause of gastroenteritis in children. The second dose can be administered up to 7 months;
- Pneumococcal Vaccine 10V: 1st dose against invasive pneumococcal disease, which protects against various pneumococcal serotypes responsible for diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia and otitis. The second dose can be administered up to 6 months.
3 months
- Meningococcal C Vaccine: 1st dose, against serogroup C meningococcal meningitis;
- Meningococcal B vaccine: 1st dose, against serogroup B meningococcal meningitis.
Four months
- VIP vaccine: 2nd dose of the vaccine against childhood paralysis;
- Triple bacterial vaccine (DTPa): second dose of the vaccine;
- Hib vaccine: second dose of vaccine that protects against infection by bacteria Haemophilus influenzae.
Five months
- Meningococcal C Vaccine: 2nd dose, against serogroup C meningococcal meningitis;
- Meningococcal B vaccine: 1st dose, against serogroup B meningococcal meningitis.
6 months
- Hepatitis B vaccine: administration of the third dose of this vaccine is recommended;
- Hib vaccine: third dose of vaccine that protects against infection by bacteria Haemophilus influenzae;
- VIP vaccine: 3rd dose of the vaccine against childhood paralysis;
- Triple bacterial vaccine: third dose of the vaccine.
From 6 months onwards, it is also recommended to start immunization against the Influenzae virus, which is responsible for the flu, and the child should be vaccinated every year during the campaign period.
9 months
- Yellow fever vaccine: first dose of yellow fever vaccine.
12 months
- Pneumococcal Vaccine: Reinforcement of the vaccine against meningitis, pneumonia and otitis.
- Hepatitis A vaccine: 1st dose, the 2nd indicated at 18 months;
- Triple Viral Vaccine: 1st dose of the vaccine that protects against measles, rubella, and mumps;
- Meningococcal C vaccine: reinforcement of the vaccine against meningitis C. This reinforcement can be administered up to 15 months;
- Meningococcal B vaccine: reinforcement of the vaccine against type B meningitis, which can be administered up to 15 months;
- Chickenpox vaccine: 1st dose;
From 12 months onwards it is recommended that immunization against polio be made through oral administration of the vaccine, known as OPV, and the child should be vaccinated during the campaign period up to 4 years.
15 months
- Pentavalent vaccine: 4th dose of the VIP vaccine;
- VIP vaccine: reinforcement of polio vaccine, which can be administered up to 18 months;
- Triple Viral Vaccine: 2nd vaccine dose, which can be administered up to 24 months;
- Chickenpox vaccine: 2nd dose, which can be administered up to 24 months;
From 15 months to 18 months, it is recommended to reinforce the triple bacterial vaccine (DTP) that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, and the reinforcement of the vaccine that protects against infection oHaemophilus influenzae.
Four years
- DTP vaccine: 2nd reinforcement of the vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough;
- Pentavalent vaccine: 5th dose with DTP booster against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough;
- Reinforcement of the yellow fever vaccine;
- Polio vaccine: second vaccine booster.
In case of forgetfulness it is important to vaccinate the child as soon as it is possible to go to the health center, in addition to taking all doses of each vaccine for the baby to be fully protected.
When to go to the doctor after vaccination
After the baby has a vaccine, it is recommended to go to the emergency room if the baby has:
- Changes in the skin such as red dots or irritation;
- Fever higher than 39ºC;
- Convulsions;
- Difficulty breathing, have a lot of cough or make a noise when breathing.
These signs usually appear within 2 hours after vaccination may indicate a reaction to the vaccine. Therefore, when symptoms appear, you should go to the doctor to avoid worsening the situation. In addition, it is also recommended to go to the pediatrician if normal reactions to the vaccine, such as redness or pain at the site, do not disappear after a week. Here's what to do to alleviate the side effects of the vaccine.
Is it safe to vaccinate during COVID-19?
Vaccination is important at all times in life and, therefore, should also not be interrupted during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
To ensure everyone's safety, all health rules are being complied with to protect those who go to SUS health posts to get vaccinated.