This vaccine sticks it to Hib disease, which can cause meningitis as well as pneumonia, severe throat swelling, and infections of the blood, bones, joints, and covering of the heart. Hib was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the U.S. before the vaccine was introduced in the late 1980s. One in 20 of the 20,000 under 5 years old that developed it lost their lives every year until the vaccine’s approval. Another 1 in 4 suffered permanent brain damage. By 2003, the number of deaths dropped by nearly 98 percent to 259. Today, that number rests under 200. At risk today are those too young to be immunized and others who haven’t received their shots. A recommended four doses is the norm for this treatment, with installations at 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months. Children younger than 6 weeks old should not have the vaccine but keeping to a schedule once vaccination has begun is especially important because the diseases it attacks targets children between 2 months and 2 years old.
For more on the statuts of childhood vaccinations and which immunizations are recommended, see these articles below:
What Shots Does My Child Need?
Hepatitis B
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)
DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)
Rotavirus
IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine)
Hepatitis A
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Flu
