Children aged six months through 4 years recently became eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccinations, which is welcome news for parents and childcare professionals. Vaccination against Covid-19 is an effective way to protect your child, reduce the spread of the disease, and protect family members with compromised immune systems.
But what about the other vaccination requirements? Let’s discuss the topic of vaccinations in daycare centers.
Vaccinations in Daycare Centers
The close proximity of children in daycare facilities can increase the chances of the spread of infectious diseases. In addition, different states decide which vaccines are required for your child’s enrollment in daycare centers in that state.
Although vaccinations in daycare centers may vary by state, several vaccinations are required between birth and six years.
The following vaccines can help protect your child from severe infection or disease:
- Four vaccinations for diphtheria, pertussis (DTaP), and tetanus vaccine
The DTaP vaccine can prevent diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Diphtheria is a serious throat infection that can result in severe breathing problems. Pertussis, commonly referred to as whooping cough, is also a respiratory illness that results in severe complications for children under 1-year-old. Unlike tetanus, these two infections can spread from person to person. Tetanus is caused by toxin-producing bacteria that contaminate a wound and can happen at any age.
- Three vaccinations for hepatitis B
Your newborn will typically receive their initial dose within 12 hours of birth. The second dose is administered at 1 to 2 months and the third between 6 and 18 months of age. These vaccinations are necessary to prevent Hepatitis B, a liver disease that can cause mild illness or lead to a severe lifelong disease.
- One vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
The MMR vaccine is remarkably safe and is effective at warding off measles, mumps, and rubella. Your child will receive their first dose between 12 and 15 months of age and their second dose between 4 and 6 years of age. The MMR vaccine may also be combined with the chicken pox vaccine.
- One vaccination for varicella (also known as chickenpox)
Some wonder why children need protection from this common childhood disease. Chickenpox infections can sometimes be severe or cause secondary bacterial infections that can be serious and occasionally fatal. The vaccination is administered when the child is 12 months and only when your child does not acquire chickenpox on their own.
- Three to four cycles of polio vaccinations (IPV)
The inactivated poliovirus (IPV) vaccine helps protect the child against polio infections. Polio is an infectious disease caused by a virus that lives in the throat and intestinal tract. Before widespread vaccinations, the condition was the leading cause of disability in the U.S. For this reason, the polio vaccine remains one of the recommended childhood immunizations. Your child will get their initial dose at two months, the second at four months, and the third at 6 to 18 months. They may also get a booster dose at 4 to 6 years.
Vaccine Safety Concerns
Some parents may hesitate to have their kids vaccinated. It’s important to understand that your child does not get a dose of the live virus as the components of vaccines are weakened or killed. As such, they’re unlikely to cause illness. On the other hand, if you’re to skip the vaccines, your child is at a higher risk of severe illness or even death resulting from diseases such as measles or whooping cough.
Many schools and daycare centers require proof that your child has been vaccinated and may not admit your child otherwise. On that note, it’s just as important for child care providers to ensure that their immunizations are up to date.
It’s always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs. Vaccines are safe and effective. And they save children’s lives.
Contact The Learning Center
Contact us to learn more about our early childhood education programs in Windsor, South Windsor, and Manchester, CT. You may reach us at (860) 643-8639 or visit our contact page.