Children are born with a natural immunity to a number of infections. Antibodies pass through the mother's placenta to the foetus before birth, shielding the baby from illness. Breast-fed babies keep on receiving antibodies from their mothers' milk. Nevertheless, this natural immunity wears off in due course, usually within the first year of life. Off late, a number of severe childhood diseases have reached epidemic magnitudes, sweeping thousands of lives and often leaving children with permanent mental or physical troubles. Vaccination is a safe and effective way to help the body prevent or fight off some of such diseases. In fact the difference between a long healthy life and one shortened by disease can be the few seconds it takes to receive a vaccine.

Today, vaccinations are available for a number of diseases, which include chickenpox, diphtheria, Hemophilus influenza type b, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, pneumonia, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough. Many other vaccines exist for other less common diseases and they are typically given to adults rather than children.

A BCG vaccine prevents Tuberculosis; Oral Polio Vaccine prevents Poliomyelitis; Hepatitis A and B as the names suggest prevent the same diseases; DPTw prevents Diptheria, Pertusis and Tetanus; Hib fights Hemophilus influenza type b; Typhoid, Measles and Chicken Pox are prevented by their namesake vaccines; MMR fights Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Vaccinations are usually presented as a chain of injections. They're given during infancy and childhood. Side effects of vaccination include fever, tenderness at the spot of the injection and a rash. These go by within a few days and serious complications are very sporadic. Vaccinations should be delayed or stopped if a child shows severe allergic reactions to a particular vaccine.

A suggested immunization schedule of mandatory vaccines is as below. Parents are advised to consult their doctor before following it.

Immunisation Timetable

Birth - BCG, OPV 1st dose, Hepatitis B
6 Weeks - DPTw, Hepatitis B, Hib, OPV 2nd dose
10 Weeks - DPTw, Hepatitis B, Hib, Oral Polio 3rd dose
14 Weeks - DPTw, Hepatitis B, Hib,Oral Polio 4th dose
9 Months - Measles
>=1 Year - Chicken Pox, Hepatitis A
15 Months - MMR
16-18 Mnths- DPT1st Booster dose,OPV 5th dose, Hib Booster dose
>=18 Months- Hepatitis A 2nd dose
2 Years - Thyphoid
5 Years - Thyphoid, DTP 2nd Booster dose, Oral Polio 6th dose
10 Years - TT Booster dose, BCG(for tuberculin –ve persons)
16 Years - TT Booster dose

Vaccinations are one of the most cost-effective and reliable interventions available today. Given the potential harshness of many of the vaccine preventable childhood diseases, immunization is considered by the medical community to be a securer choice. Even though the debate about their side effects and safety continues, the risks from them are much smaller than the perils from the diseases these vaccines help to prevent.

Vaccines protect children from potentially life threatening and crippling diseases. Parents the decision is finally yours. However, beyond doubt vaccines improve the quality of life of children by enabling them to do more, feel better and live longer and healthier.