Hey Fellow Steemians
As I said in my previous post WHAT A DAY - Part 1 after we left the hospital not being able to see my grandmother before her PET Scan, we left to take my 9-month-old baby boy to the clinic for his PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) vaccination.
This particular vaccine helps to prevent Pneumococcal disease caused by bacteria which can lead to infections to the brain, lungs, and blood. Sound scary. But this shot protects the infant for 3 years when they need it the most since this disease commonly occurs within the first 2 years of life as this is when the risk is greater, but it can be found in adults as well so you have a vaccination as well if you want to
It is also recommended for children and adults 2 to 64 years of age with certain health conditions, and for all adults 65 years of age and older. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended for children between 2 years and 5 years of age who:
- Have sickle cell disease
- Have a damaged spleen or no spleen
- Have a cochlear implant
- Have a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
- Have HIV/AIDS
- Have other diseases that affect the immune system, such as diabetes, cancer, or liver disease
- Take medicines that affect the immune system, such as chemotherapy or steroids. - Family Doctor
Pros and Cons of Vaccinations
Apart from hearing my little baby cry and choking back my own tears trying to be strong when he is getting pricked with a needle, I feel getting your child vaccinated is very important.
I know there are moms out there who don't share my views, and I also know many of them have their own reasons.
Getting your baby vaccinated protects them from infancy all the way through to their teen years and in other cases adulthood, from 16 potentially harmful diseases. And some of these diseases can be mortally dangerous. I didn't even like typing that, I don't want to make that connection with any child.
We know that especially infants need these vaccinations as their immune system is still developing and they are dependant on outside help to protect their health. One of the reasons why breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months can be very beneficial as well because the mother shares her immune system with her baby.
Rand Paul, MD, former ophthalmologist and US Senator (R-KY), in a Feb. 2, 2015, CNBC interview, "Defensive? Sen. Rand Paul on Voluntary Vaccines," available at cnbc.com, stated
"I think public awareness of how good vaccines are for kids and how they are good for public health is a great idea... but I don't think there's anything extraordinary about resorting to freedom…
I've heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines. I'm not arguing vaccines are a bad idea, I think they're a good thing, but I think the parent should have some input. The state doesn't own your children. Parents own the children and it is an issue of freedom." - ProCon
And I know of other parents who feel bad about the number of vaccines their children have to undergo in modern days compared to before the 90's. This is also something that bothers me, just because I hate seeing my baby's lips curl up and his eyes tearing up every time they need to poke him with a needle. But I had a conversation with one of the employees as the card suggested my baby needed 2 shots, one in each thigh and in this case he only received one one shot and one oral dose. And apparently, the pharmaceutical companies are working on making more vaccines to take orally and to combine others to reduce the number of shots given but still cover everything your little bundle of joy needs to stay healthy.
My Strong little Baby
Luckily, my little boy has a quick cry then he moves on, I think what helps is I usually give him a small dose of Panado or Calpol with immediate overload love and cuddles paired with a feeding then he can sleep it off and wake up like it never happened.
Back into his car seat and at this point, we are on our way to the mall to meet my grandmother after I run to the pharmacy for her.
Oh and if your baby wakes up on your way home or some place else, have a teething biscuit ready for a nice treat to see your little human smiling and happy :)
