Flu shots, or a story about how joy and have a fun winter
How to avoid the child with the arrival of cold weather? How to enjoy the first snow, skating and sledging, and not to lie in bed? This question always worries parents a visit, he is always relevant for pediatricians. Of course, you can rely on their own protective forces of an organism of the baby, supporting this belief is the presence of beautiful jars of multivitamins in the first or recent drive to the sea. Hardening, of course, somewhat reduces the susceptibility to viral infections. However, neither it nor vitamin are unable to protect the child from infection. The most dangerous viral infection of autumn-winter period, especially for young children, is widely recognized as influenza. The most simple and affordable method of prevention of influenza is currently a vaccination. This method has already proved himself worthy in the fight against many infectious diseases, tens of thousands of times by reducing the figures for the number of cases of a particular infection. No wonder who sets the immunization on the significance of the contribution to the increase of the life expectancy of the population into second place after securing access to clean drinking water. Why is the flu dangerous? Threat for its diversity, the ability to change his appearance, each time appearing in a new guise. As a person who wants to become invisible — changed clothes, wore a wig and see him in the crowd. A new way of flu (a new kind of antigens) promises possible problems in the absence of immunity to it. Doesn’t work rule «refresher once more not sick.» In each new season of colds a person has the chance to fall ill again. And not the fact that the disease will be mild. The flu is especially dangerous for young children. Why? The kids have not yet fully formed immune system, many parts of the immune system are working at 20-50% from adults. Therefore, the meeting with the living aggressive virus increases the risk of developing severe cases of the flu. Heavy variants of influenza infection can be fatal… Heavy is and complications associated with damage to the internal organs of the virus (fear virus pneumonia) and nervous tissue (brain, peripheral nerves and even conducting cardiac impulses paths). Who wants his child to become a plant, never learned to read, to dance, could not live a full life? Another type of complications is associated with colonization by microbes of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, infected (sinusitis, otitis, and again we are talking about pneumonia, but bacterial). Scientists have proven that unvaccinated children severe flu happen 3-4 times more often, and complications occur in 7-8 times more, than in children who are vaccinated in a timely manner. Several points are important. The presence of complications of the second kind involves the use of antibiotics. No wonder many parents are afraid of antibiotics, which themselves are the cause of many adverse reactions up to life-threatening. Represents a clear chain of logic: there is no vaccination of influenza — no complications — no need for antibiotics — no excess stress on the body of the child. In addition, the influenza virus awakens old ailments, picks up Tina from the bottom — we fear exacerbation of chronic diseases. No wonder vaccination is most urgent for patients with this pathology (asthma, congenital heart disease and many other diseases). Again triggered the same algorithm: there is a vaccination … no exacerbation of chronic processes in the body. So why children get sick more often? Inquisitive and active toddlers while still not quite formed hygiene have extended contacts with their peers in institutions, in schools, in malls, on the street, in transport. It is logical that the more contacts, the higher the probability to meet with an unknown virus. Unknown means not previously processed by the immune system, and therefore to which no immunity. The most simple and safe way to introduce the immune system with the virus of influenza is vaccination against the infection. Do not be afraid of immunization. Modern vaccines have a high safety profile and efficiency. They do not contain the virus itself, the vaccine contains only fragments of the shell of the virus. So definitely call the disease the vaccine can not, but immunity to its introduction accumulating. After 2 weeks, blood starts showing antibodies to the virus strains contained in the vaccines. And now when dealing with an aggressive live virus, the immune system of the child can stand up to him. The effectiveness of vaccination is to protect against the flu up to 80% of patients. The remaining 20% if you are ill, in the form of light, which does not leave any consequences. And ill can, if caught later, when it began the rise of disease, but the immune system has not had time to work (remember the figure, it takes at least 2 weeks). Or it’s not the flu at all, and the other a viral disease (such infections more than 200). An interesting fact that vaccinated reduced the number and other viral infections, the notorious SARS — they are 25% less. And how to protect baby from flu? Remember that kids can be vaccinated from 6 months. This limitation is not due to some possible harmful effect of the vaccine, but only with the inability of the immune system of the child at this age to respond to the vaccine virus. This is because from mother to fetus during pregnancy passed on its own antibodies to the influenza virus, which subsequently do not give to work properly the immune system. After 6 months of age maternal antibodies are destroyed and such restrictions are removed. Therefore, for children aged 0 to 6 months pediatricians offer 2 options of protection against influenza. Firstly, not to ignore the recommendations of obstetricians and gynecologists to be vaccinated during pregnancy. Be sure the child is required to be passed in the right number of «correct», relevant for the upcoming season influenza antibodies. Here there is another important point — reducing the risk of influenza in pregnant women. Agree, how terrible to have had the flu in such a delicate and crucial period. After all, unpredictable and negative effect of influenza virus and side effects of medications taken by the mother about this on the fetus. Until congenital malformations, not to mention the numerous dysfunctions of various organs. Second, to apply the principle of the cocoon. According to his canons need to instill in all who are around a newborn — parents and adults living together, the other children in the family and aides of the house, and also to limit the number of contacts and social activity of the family in the epidemic period (best to avoid places with large concentrations of people do not use public transport). Sad to see how in the period of epidemic influenza moms proudly pushing the stroller through the Mall, oblivious to the safety of your baby. What kind of vaccine to stop? What to choose from a large array of sentences? We are working with the vaccine Grippol Plus, Its advantages are obvious: the least reactogenic composition (tiny pieces of the outer shell of the flu virus); the presence of the immunomodulator polyoxidonium, which allowed to reduce the amount of antigens in 3 times in comparison with other vaccines; the absence in its composition of preservatives (fear suggestive of thimerosal); the factory packaging in a syringe, which reduces the number of errors of the medical staff during the procedure. And of course, free access to our state once again took care of its citizens. Dear parents, don’t miss the opportunity to protect Your prized babies! Vaccination against influenza is a guarantee of health, the happy childhood, and had spent an active winter holiday. Health to You and Your children!
Sincerely, associate Professor of the Department of policlinic Pediatrics BelMAPO, PhD,
associate Professor Ruban Anna Petrovna.