In this article

• Important vaccinations for children between the ages of 4 and 6 years
• Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP)
• Oral polio vaccine (OPV3)
• varicella 2
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR 3)

It is important to vaccinate children in infancy. Vaccinations prevent many diseases and are absolutely essential for your little one. Learn about important vaccinations for a 4-year-old.

Important vaccinations for children between the ages of 4 and 6 years

Here is a list of four essential vaccinations for 4-year-olds.

Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP)

It is a combination of vaccines that protect the body from three different diseases.

1. Holds your baby

DTP vaccine protects against:

• Diphtheria, a respiratory disease accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing and heart failure. If your child is not vaccinated against it, it can be fatal.
• Whooping cough, commonly known as whooping cough, is a contagious respiratory disease that produces severe coughing spasms that make breathing difficult.
• Tetanus is a neurological disease caused by the secretion of a specific toxin by infectious bacteria. This can lead to muscle spasms, uncontrollable contractions, and even death.

2. Dosage

The DTP vaccine should be given a total of five times, starting a few months after birth.

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The first four doses are given at two months, four months, six months, and sometimes between fifteen and eighteen months. The fifth and final dose is a booster dose, given to children between the ages of four and six.

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There is no need for a DTP vaccination after this point.

3. Precautions

You are advised not to give another dose before consulting a doctor if your child shows the following after receiving the initial vaccine dose:

• severe allergic reactions
• Has seizures or a fever with a very high temperature

4. Are there side effects?

The side effects of the DTP vaccine are as follows:

• Swelling at the injection site
• pain and redness
• Rare side effects include nausea, crying and loss of appetite.

5. Cost

There are two types of DTP vaccine, DTaP and DTwP. The cost of the first vaccine is Rs. 800, while the cost of the second vaccine is only Rs. 50.

6. What if you miss the vaccination?

If your child has not been vaccinated, contact your pediatrician and seek advice as soon as possible.

7. How to take care of the baby after vaccination

Your doctor may prescribe small doses of paracetamol after the vaccination if your child has a fever, pain or swelling.

Oral polio vaccine (OPV3)

Oral polio vaccine (OPV) is the main vaccine used to fight polio.

1. Holds your baby

Polio, a disease of the nervous system that affects the growth and contraction of muscles.

2. Dosage

The OPV vaccine should be given a total of six times starting at birth.

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The first four doses are given after birth, and then during the sixth, tenth, and fourteenth week of the baby. The first booster shot is given at about eighteen months of age, while the second and final booster shot is given when the child is four to six years old.

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There is no need for oral polio vaccination after this point.

3. Precautions

The following are the situations in which this vaccine should not be given to a child before consulting a doctor:

• Your child has severe immunosuppression
• Your child has a severe febrile illness

4. Are there side effects?

The following are the side effects of this vaccine:

• Mild nausea, diarrhea or vomiting
• In extremely rare cases, paralytic polio

5. Cost

The price of OPV vaccine is Rs. 50.

6. What if you miss the vaccination?

If your child has not been given this vaccination, see your pediatrician and ask what can be done about it.

7. How to take care of the baby after vaccination

No special care is required after this vaccination is given.

varicella 2

The varicella vaccine fights chickenpox.

1. Holds your baby

Chickenpox, a skin disease characterized by boils, rashes, and high fevers caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

2. Dosage

Varicella vaccine is given to children in two doses.

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The first dose should be given between twelve to eighteen months of age, and the second and last booster dose should be given any time between four and six years of age.

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There is no need for varicella vaccination after this point.

3. Precautions

Varicella vaccination is avoided if your child:

• Dealing with illness
• Are allergic to neomycin or gelatin
• He recently had a blood transfusion

4. Are there side effects?

Side effects of this vaccination include:

• Redness and swelling with some pain at the injection site
• Rare, mild rash

5. Cost

Varicella vaccine costs Rs. 1900.

6. What if you miss the vaccination?

It is suggested that you contact your child’s pediatrician and see what can be done.

7. How to take care of the baby after vaccination

Your doctor may prescribe small doses of paracetamol or ibuprofen after the vaccination if your child has a fever, pain and swelling.

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR 3)

The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that fights three diseases. This is one of the most important vaccinations for children between the ages of 4 and 6 years old.

1. Holds your baby

The MMR vaccine protects against:

• Measles is a serious respiratory disease with severe skin rashes
• Mumps, a viral infection of the throat
• Rubella, a milder version of measles

2. Dosage

The MMR vaccine is given in three doses.

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The first dose is given around nine months, the second around twelve to fifteen months, and the third and final dose between four and six years of age.

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There is no need to vaccinate against measles, mumps, and rubella after this point.

3. Precautions

If your child has had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination should only be done after consulting a doctor.

4. Are there side effects?

Side effects of the MMR vaccine include:

• Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site
• Mild rash and fever a few weeks after vaccination

5. Cost

MMR vaccine costs Rs. 500.

6. What if you miss the vaccination?

If your child misses a dose, contact the pediatrician. He will suggest you the best possible option.

7. How to take care of the baby after vaccination

Consult your doctor to see if you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain or fever. Also check the correct dosage.

It is always important to vaccinate your children no matter the circumstances. Please also remember that although vaccines have some mild side effects, they do not cause autism at all, no matter what you hear.