Vax & Protect - Vaccinate your baby and prevent the preventable
Read on to learn more about Speedoc Baby Vax At Home programme
When it comes to safeguarding their baby’s health, parents would take every possible measure to ensure that their precious little ones do not fall ill. Although there are various preventive measures that are recommended to keep certain illnesses at bay, some diseases are still known to strike regardless of the precautions taken. Pertussis, mumps and measles, are a few of the diseases that do not differentiate a weak body from a healthy one. The most effective means of prevention against these diseases are immunisations via vaccines.
Way before the coronavirus pandemic caused a public health frenzy, vaccinations were already put in place as a crucial component of the global healthcare structure. The more commonly known ones are seasonal flu vaccinations and childhood immunisation.
Let us dive deeper into more details and facts on the subject of vaccines.
Vaccines: What are they?
Vaccines are substances that consist of the weakened variation of a particular disease-causing microbe aimed to trigger a natural immune response. Although the weakening of a pathogen does not cause detrimental symptoms, it trains the immune system to recognise and fight against future attacks from the actual unmodified version.
Shielding the health of our little ones
The development of vaccines has come a long way since 1796 when the works of Edward Jenner successfully immunised a young boy against the deadly smallpox virus.
Following an arduous journey of trial and error, current-day vaccinations for babies and children, as advocated by our Ministry of Health, are safe and easily accessible. They have also been highly effective in protecting our little ones against a list of dangerous childhood diseases. After careful deliberation and reviews by multi-disciplinary professionals, there is a consensus that childhood immunisations are indeed the best defence we can provide our children with, and on a broader scale, for our entire community.
For children, being vaccinated means being protected from certain illnesses which could potentially lead to dire health complications such as paralysis, hearing loss, convulsions, brain damage, and maybe even death.
Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps and whooping cough pose low-lying threats that can strike without prior warning. After all, prevention is better than cure. When children do not comply with the recommended vaccination schedule, they are not only more susceptible to pathogenic infections but might also unknowingly transmit an illness to immune-compromised individuals. This could result in long-term complications and even loss of life.
Vaccines, vaccinations and immunisations
Having a hard time identifying the difference between vaccines, vaccination or immunisation?
Vaccine: A product consisting of a killed or weakened organism that produces immunity from a disease.
Vaccination: The injection or administration of a vaccine into the body to produce immunity against a disease.
Immunisation: The process by which an individual becomes protected from a disease. Vaccines cause immunisation. In some cases, diseases cause immunisation after an individual recovers from the disease.
Protecting your child made easy for you
Amongst the list of other important vaccinations, the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) in Malaysia advocates routine childhood immunisations against various infectious diseases. This service is provided free of charge at any government clinic and chargeable if done at a private clinic. Additionally, the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) stays on top of its game by keeping abreast of any development in newly-improved vaccines.
One example was in 2017 when MOH replaced the former pentavalent combination vaccine, DTaP-IPV/Hib, with the current hexavalent combination in our National Immunisation Schedule. Children in Malaysia have since been offered the best protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenza type B via the 6-in-1 DTaP-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccination. A dose of this vaccine will be administered at ages two months, three months and five months respectively; with a booster shot given at 18 months.
Besides those shown in the baby vaccine chart below, there are also other vaccinations offered apart from the DTaP-IPV-HepB-Hib vaccine. These include BCG, Hepatitis B, Pneumococcal, Measles and many more!
What the abbreviations for the vaccinations mean
BCG: Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (for tuberculosis)
DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis
IPV: Inactivated Poliovirus
Hib: Haemophilus influenza Type b
MMR: Mumps, Measles, Rubella
DT: Diphtheria, Tetanus
HPV: Human papillomavirus
TT: Tetanus
Optional vaccines are just as important
Similar to the aforementioned recommended childhood vaccinations, optional vaccines illustrated in the chart below are also available at both government and private clinics around Malaysia. Although non-mandatory, these vaccines are equally as crucial in safeguarding against serious diseases and health complications. Parents are highly encouraged to consider getting their children vaccinated with these optional vaccines should their regular paediatrician offer them.
Optional Vaccines Chart:
To pay or not to pay
While the vaccines that fall under the NIP list are administered free of charge at government clinics, there are many parents who still prefer taking their babies to private medical institutions to get those shots done. Here are some of the key pros and cons to take into consideration when deciding whether to get your baby’s vaccination done at a government or a private clinic:
Regardless of the type of clinic chosen, the hassle of dedicating an entire day just for a short trip down to the doctor still persists. Commuting with a baby in tow and exposing them for extended periods of time can be quite overwhelming.
Good news! Home-based vaccinations are now available?
With easy access to the plethora of information available on the internet, new-age parents are generally aware of the importance of having their babies vaccinated in a timely manner. This means adhering to the baby's vaccination schedule as best as they can.
During these unprecedented times, we have all been taught the valuable lesson of adaptability. We were quick to adopt precautionary measures such as mask-wearing and practising good hand hygiene to protect ourselves and the people around us. However, are these enough to give you peace of mind when it comes to shielding your precious little ones from harm?
Parents can heave a sigh of relief to know that Speedoc’s Baby Vax at Home programmes allow their children to get their vaccination done in the safety and comfort of their own homes.
Speedoc’s Baby Vax at Home Programme
The baby vaccinations that Speedoc offers are administered by medical professionals in accordance with the National Immunisation Schedule. Similar to practices in government and private clinics, necessary assessments will be carried out to ensure that your baby is eligible to receive the recommended vaccinations.
Now that your baby’s vaccinations can be carried out at your home, you can also be spared the troublesome task of getting your little one ready for an outing, and about your baby contracting anything unwanted from crowded waiting rooms.
Pre-immunisation assessment
To ensure the safety of every baby and child, they are required to undergo a series of evaluations prior to the administration of vaccines. What to expect during a pre-immunisation assessment:
Medical and social history of baby and immediate family
Overall physical, emotional and behavioural state
Delivery type and complications
Antenatal history
Apgar score
Temperature
Heart rate
Respiratory rate
Oxygen Saturation
Age-specific assessments
Neonates (0-1 month)
Infant (1 month-1 year)
Child (2-12 years)
Adolescent (12-18 years)
Rest assured that Speedoc’s dedicated patient care team will guide you through the preparation process before your baby’s home vaccination appointment.
Side effects of baby vaccination
Mild to moderate side effects from any vaccine are generally inevitable as the body recognises it as something foreign and initiates a small-scale attack against it.
The most common side effects caused by baby vaccines include a low-grade fever, soreness at the site of the injection, tiredness, irritability, and temporary loss of appetite. Serious adverse effects such as an allergic reaction are probable but rare. Please seek prompt medical attention if your child acquires any concerning side effects.
To find out more about the benefits of Speedoc’s Baby Vax at Home programme, email us at contact.my@speedoc.com, or call us at +60 11 4166 1178.
