What are vaccines ?: vaccination schedule

Vaccines consist of biological products that prevent infectious diseases by activating our immune system so that it develops antibodies against said diseases.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines "teach" the body to defend itself against viruses and bacteria. This is possible, because when you get a vaccine you inoculate a small amount of the infectious agent, dead germ or in a dormant state (attenuated vaccine) that allows the immune system to recognize it. It is then that antibodies they neutralize the causative agents of the disease and prevent it from developing.

They also provide immunity to future encounters with the microorganism, so that an immune response to the infection will be more easily triggered in the future.

Some vaccines are given in the first days of life, but the vast majority they start at two months. The baby's immune system is capable of receiving many vaccines at the same time; Babies have a great capacity to generate immune responses.

Types of vaccines

Some vaccines are single dose and others need a booster or multiple doses.

• Live attenuated virus vaccines: Viruses are very weakened, so they do not cause disease, they only generate immunity. An example is the MMR or chickenpox vaccine.
• Inactivated microorganism vaccines: a part (proteins) of the virus or bacteria is inoculated. An example is the flu vaccine
• Toxoid vaccines: the toxin caused by the virus or bacteria is used, in a way that makes us immune to the harmful effects of the infection and not to the infection itself. An example, tetanus or diphtheria.
• Biosynthetic vaccines: artificial substances similar to pieces of infectious agents are inoculated. An example, the Haemphilus Influenzae type B (Hib) conjugate vaccine.

Vaccination schedule

The vaccination schedule is the chronological sequence of vaccines that are systematically administered in a country or geographic area and whose purpose is to obtain in the population a immunization adequate against diseases for which an effective vaccine is available. Every year the pediatric societies draw up a calendar with the recommended vaccines for the coming year. It is a way to carry out an exhaustive review of preventive strategies in the child population.

According to Spanish Association of Pediatrics, the vaccines of the vaccination schedule are divided into:

Routine immunizations for all children

• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough
• Polio
• Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria
• Meningococcus C
• Pneumococcus
• Measles
• Rubella
• Mumps
• Human papillomavirus (for girls).

Recommended vaccines and the family's choice

• Rotavirus
• Meningococcus B (infants)
• Chickenpox (children)

Vaccines for risk groups

They are indicated for children who suffer from a serious or chronic illness. This section includes the vaccine against and hepatitis A.

Vaccine safety

Although attempts have been made at times to question the security From vaccines through, the benefits of vaccines far outweigh their potential risks. The maximum precaution to be taken is do not vaccinate immunosuppressed children with live virus vaccines or pregnant women. At the same time, there are very few reported cases of vaccine allergy or related to serious illnesses.

It is true that any vaccine can have side effects, however, most are mild and temporary. Although some possible side effects are serious, they are extremely rare and it is important to remember that the decision to not getting vaccinated also carries serious risks. Vaccines protect against infectious diseases that can be deadly. Avoiding vaccination increases your risk of contracting these diseases and spreading them to others.

Vaccines are an issue that worries parents (which ones to put, when, why ...). By being insured by Mapfre you have free access to the Pediatric Medical Guidance service, which allows you to have 24-hour access to specialists in Pediatrics, and consult, among others, those doubts related to your children's vaccines. We give you all the information about this coverage and about the.

• By inoculating a small amount of the infectious agent, the immune system learns to recognize it and to attack it effectively in the future.
• The benefits of vaccines far outweigh their potential risks.
• Every year the pediatric societies draw up a calendar with the recommended vaccines for the coming year.
• After birth, babies have natural protection from the defenses that their mother has passed them in pregnancy and lactation. After a while, this passive immunity disappears.

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Dra. Esther Martínez García Pediatric Specialist