According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, pneumococcal vaccines are one of the compulsory vaccines for Malaysian children. It protects against various strains of a dangerous disease-causing bacteria that can result in life-threatening conditions like pneumonia and meningitis.
Here’s why your kids need to take it.
Pneumococcal Vaccine
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are currently two different types of pneumococcal vaccines: pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Children typically receive the conjugate version as these are more effective.
Three to four doses are recommended to be completed between within a year:
- 1st and 2nd dose: 4 months old
- 3rd dose: 6 months old
- Booster dose: 15 months old
The most common side effects of vaccination include pain, redness, swelling at the injection site and low-grade fever.
Children receiving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine may also experience decreased appetite, irritability, drowsiness and restless sleep.
Pneumococcal Infection
The pneumococcal vaccine protects against a variety of diseases and infections caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae.
These are the types of diseases that a pneumococcal infection could cause, according to the CDC:
- Pneumonia: inflammation of the lungs
- Meningitis: inflammation of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord or brain
- Sepsis: infection in the blood
- Sinusitis infection of the sinuses
- Otitis media: infection of the middle ear infection
Pneumococcal infections most commonly occur among the young and the elderly (particularly those over the age of 65). Those with chronic medical conditions are also most at-risk.
Many of these infections are serious and can result in hospitalisation, permanent disability (deafness, brain damage, or loss of limb) and even death.
Vaccinate Your Children
Children are particularly susceptible to pneumococcal infection. This is why it’s important to get them vaccinated against it.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that out of the Pneumonia killed 740 180 children under the age of 5 in 2019, accounting for 14% of all deaths of children under five years old but 22% of all deaths in children aged 1 to 5.
So, get your kids their pneumococcal vaccines, mums. For their protection and yours.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 13). Pneumococcal disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/index.html#:~:text=Pneumococcal%20%5Bnoo%2Dmuh%2DKOK,to%20help%20prevent%20pneumococcal%20disease.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 24). Pneumococcal vaccination. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/index.html
- Ezamie, E. (2019, March 21). Pneumococcal vaccine. PORTAL MyHEALTH. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/pneumococcal-vaccine/
- World Health Organization. (n.d.). Pneumonia in children. World Health Organization. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pneumonia
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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