'Prevention is better than cure' is the basis for the widely propagated immunization program for tiny tots. Perpetually, it is better to avert a disease than to cure it.
Not only do the vaccines protect those who have been administrated the dose, but also the un-vaccinated part of the population. Children who are vaccinated as per the immunization program have a heightened resistance towards potentially life threatening diseases.
The importance of immunization stays put even if your child has been consistently breast fed. Although the immunity boosting antibodies provided your milk are very essential, they do not last longer than a year after his birth.
Also, maternal immunization is not able to deal with more sinister diseases like whooping cough and polio which are also extremely contagious. Due to the world wide campaign for immunization and its significance, certain fatal diseases like small pox have been almost entirely wiped out.
The complete immunization program mostly works on eradicating the disease like Tetanus, hepatitis, whooping cough or pertussis, polio, rubella (German measles), mumps, haemophilus, influenza b and diphtheria.
Certain vaccines provide the child immunity for his entire life span, while others may have to be administrated more than once. When a disease infests itself in the human body, it turns into a battleground between the disease causing organisms (antigens) and our protectors, the antibodies. Our body retaliates against the invaders by rapidly producing antibodies which fight and annihilate the antigens. Vaccines are actually the dwindled or killed form of the pathogens that cause a particular disease. Once inside the body these bacteria or viruses do not harm but invoke the same reaction from it, that is, the rapid production of antibodies. These antibodies then remain active for a lifetime or less, depending on the vaccine.
After vaccination routine side-effects like fever or rash might make your baby little fussy, recommended doses of simple medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen will make him feel better. Although the usefulness of vaccines is debated at times, the boons of immunization outweigh any risks by far. Give you baby a lifetime of health and smiles by meticulously following the immunization schedule.