When your hold your little one for the first time, there is a silent promise that you make – as you look at those tiny fingers and toes and that adorable little face, you tell your little one that you will protect them from anything and everything. You will stand as a shield against the world and ensure that no harm comes their way. 

Making that promise means that you will need to learn more about the child vaccination schedule India follows, because you need to make sure that every shot your baby needs, is administered on time. 

Thankfully, most hospitals will give you a printed checklist or you can always ask your pediatrician for one.  

The importance of following an immunization chart for your child

Your baby is a tiny, fragile little human, who is incredibly vulnerable to a range of disease; their newly formed bodies are the perfect hosts for a variety of viruses and bacteria. Because the immune system is just forming, it is very easy for them to contract diseases and this is why the immunization schedule in India is given so much importance. 

• Thankfully medical sciences have developed enough to offer your little one protection against a range of diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B, to name just a few. 
• Vaccination also helps establish herd immunity – this means that when a significant portion of the population is vaccinated against a disease, the chances of the disease spreading are drastically reduced. 
• Then there is the fact that not only are you protecting your own child, you might also be helping prevent an outbreak. For instance, if your little one is heading to playschool or daycare, outbreaks can be reduced if the children are vaccinated. 
• Vaccinations are also an investment in long term health – at times, what might present as a mild infection during childhood, could lead to major health problems in the later stages of life. 

 What does a child vaccination chart in India look like?

The IAPCOI, which is the Indian Academy of Paediatrics Committee on Immunization, has recommended the following vaccinations as per age:

*Source - https://iapindia.org/pdf/Ch-11-IAP-Parental-Guide-on-Vaccination.pdf

H3: A glossary of the vaccination schedules India

If you were to look at the acronyms in the above given list, chances of getting confused and overwhelmed are high. But don’t worry, because we at A Toddler Thing, have done the research for you! 

• BCG – Short for Bacillus Calmette Guerin, this is a single dose that is given at birth and offers protection against tuberculosis. 
• OPV – The Oral Polio Vaccine is given in multiple doses, up to the age of 5, but the main doses are at birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. However, top up doses can be given once a year, till the child turns 5. The drops are meant to protect the child against the paralysis that can be caused due to polio. 
• Hep B – This vaccine is said to offer protection against Hepatitis B, a viral infection that can damage the liver and causes several other health problems. 
• DTwP /DTaP – This is a combination vaccination that is meant to offer protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, which is also known as whooping cough. The ‘w’ in DTwP stands for whole cell vaccine, while the ‘a’ in DTaP stands for acellular vaccine.
• Hib – This is a vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b, which is considered one of the leading causes of meningitis. 
• IPV – IPV stands for inactivated poliovirus vaccine that offers protection against all of the paralytic diseases that could be caused due to all the three types of polio virus. 
• PCV - The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine protects children against the whole spectrum of pneumococcal diseases which are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• Rota – As the name suggests, the Rota vaccine offers protection against the rotavirus – the virus leads to severe diarrhoea, which can cause dehydration and more serious health issues. 
• Influenza – This is a more generic vaccine, because it is meant to offer a certain amount of protection against the flu, which is why, you might be asked to administer doses on a more regular basis. 
• Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine – By administering this vaccine, your child ben be protected against typhoid fever, which is caused by Salmonella enterica serovar typhi.
• MMR – MMR stands for measles, mumps, and rubella and the vaccination is supposed to protect against all 3 diseases. 
• Hepatitis A – Again, as the name clarifies, this vaccination is said to protect babies from hepatitis and although it is a short-term infection, the side effects can be dangerous. 
• Varicella – The varicella vaccine, commonly known as the chickenpox vaccine, can offer protection against chickenpox, a highly contagious childhood viral illness. However, it is believed that this vaccine can only help reduce the severity of chickenpox, not avoid it completely. 
• HPV – Now, this is a vaccination that is meant only for girls, and has to be administered between the ages of 9 and 15, and is meant to offer protection against cervical cancer. 
• Tdap – This is more like a preventive/booster shot against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis and is often considered the last of the immunization schedule of a child.