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As a parent, you are constantly thinking about ways to keep your little one protected. Your child’s safety and well-being are your priority, and every moment in life is consumed with worries about them. Even while you are enjoying some alone-time, you can’t help but be anxious about what they might be up to!
Parents often find themselves vexed with information from all sorts of sources, telling them how to take better care of their children. However, one might feel overwhelmed by not knowing which source can be trusted and which must be ignored. Every parent has their own opinion on what are the best methods of childcare. By following simple steps, like raising them in a safe environment and keeping up with their vaccination schedule, parents can ensure the best life for their young ones well into their adulthood.
It is important to ensure that your little one receives their vaccinations as per the schedule handed to you by your healthcare provider. Since newborns and growing children are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases, they must be protected through immunization (1). It not only protects your child from potentially fatal diseases like polio, diphtheria, and tetanus and pertussis but also safeguards the community where you reside. In this article, we will focus on the essential DTP Booster Vaccinations that you absolutely shouldn’t miss out on and why it is necessary to administer it to your child on time as advised.
Administering regular DTP Booster Vaccinations ensures that children are protected specifically from three severe diseases— diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough.) Diphtheria and pertussis are highly contagious respiratory diseases, while tetanus can be contracted from even a small but unfortunate cut. To prevent your child from contracting these harmful diseases, you must get five separate doses of the DTP Booster Vaccinations throughout the different stages of their childhood and then one more just as they enter adolescence as well.
The first DTP shot is mandatorily administered to babies. There is a common myth among parents that vaccinations are only meant for little babies. However, as kids grow older, their immunity tends to wear off. Hence, parents are advised to give their kids a booster shot at later stages too.
There are two types of DTP Booster Vaccines that every parent needs to be aware of:
- Preschool booster: A full-strength booster for children of 4-6 years of age
- Adolescent booster: A reduced-strength booster for children between the ages of 9-13.
As kids (4-6) enter pre-school, they come in contact with other children on playgrounds and during extracurricular activities. Tetanus, for example, can be contracted through an infected cut. It is natural for children to get cuts and scrapes while goofing around and be utterly mindless towards it afterward. Diphtheria and Pertussis are also contagious diseases and spread from person to person through droplets (cough and cold) and result in severe respiratory symptoms. Boosting their immunity with a full strength DTP booster vaccine is important to provide longer lasting immune memory until adolescent age.
Although this year things have been a little different due to COVID-19. Schools had to be shut down and function online, and we all retreated to our homes. Nevertheless, parents shouldn’t believe that their child is safe at home and doesn’t need immunization. Kids still require a strong and healthy immune system, and the right DTP Booster at the right time can make a huge difference.
Likewise, children tend to grow rapidly when entering adolescence. At this stage, a child begins to socialize more with their relatives and peers. Hence, their immune system needs another dose of DTP vaccine. Additionally, a child who is not immunized can become a potential carrier of these severe diseases and be responsible for spreading infections to siblings, grandparents, and playmates.
In addition to causing severe health consequences, these diseases can act as a hindrance in your child’s daily routine. They might have to miss out on school for weeks, and it might take a while for them to regain their immune power. That said, vaccination is undoubtedly one of the safest and effective medicines to fight against these childhood diseases. To prevent such serious infectious diseases from disrupting your child’s growth, it is recommended to administer regular DTP Booster Vaccinations until adulthood. Visit your health care provider today to keep on-schedule with your child’s vaccination. Listen to your child’s immunity alarm and #DontWaitVaccinate.
Do you have any further questions regarding the importance of vaccination? Share it with us in the comments below!
