This live vaccine given by mouth helps ensure your infant won’t get rotavirus gastroenteritis, a viral infection of the stomach and intestines that causes severe diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. These symptoms can easily cause severe dehydration so it’s especially important to safeguard your baby with this pain-free immunization. Still not convinced? The virus causes more than 500,000 trips to the E.R. and up to 60 fatalities per year. Worldwide, a staggering 600,000 children are lost to it. Two years ago, a new, oral version of the vaccine called RotaTeq was approved and has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Its effectiveness isn’t in question, with a reputation for keeping 98 percent of its receivers free from severe rotovirus-caused diarrhea and 75 percent of those free from any form of rotovirus-spawned diarrhea. Doses are given at 2, 4, and 6 months. Children younger than 6 weeks old should not receive the vaccine but the series should begin before 12 weeks of age.
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
HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B)
PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine)
DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)
IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine)
Hepatitis A
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Flu
