Vaccination schedule for babies and toddlers

All parents want the best for their child. For many moms and dads, this also includes the question: to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?

To give you a comprehensive overview, Dr. med. Annalena Dehé and Dr. med. Lukas Dehé explain in this expert article how a vaccination works in your child's body and what you should pay attention to during and after the vaccination.

Additionally, you will find detailed information about all vaccinations recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) during infancy and early childhood.

How do vaccinations work in your child's body?

You should know that there are different vaccinations and they therefore work differently in the body.

In everyday life, we, just like our children, are exposed to a variety of different bacteria and viruses, which the body responds to with various immune defenses. Through multiple defense mechanisms, antibodies are produced that can then fight or neutralize pathogens. These mechanisms also occur during vaccination.

In vaccinations, one distinguishes between active and passive immunization as well as vaccination with live or inactivated vaccines. In active immunization, weakened pathogens or pathogen components are administered, which cannot cause serious illness in the body but lead to the production of antibodies and lifelong memory cells. When the antibodies are broken down, the memory cells can produce the corresponding antibodies again upon contact with the respective virus or bacteria.

So-called mRNA- or vector-based vaccines cause the body to produce "pathogen" parts that correspond to those of the respective virus. This "fakes" an infection in the body, and, just like with active immunization, antibodies and memory cells are produced.

Passive immunization offers the possibility to provide the body with "passive" protection against certain diseases when the patient has already come into contact with the pathogen and does not have sufficient immunity at that time. Here, antibodies obtained from immunocompetent humans or animals are administered. This type of vaccination does not provide lifelong protection, but usually only protection for a few months.

No matter what type of vaccination: A complete and lifelong immunity usually requires multiple partial or booster vaccinations.

What is the difference between inactivated and live vaccines?

Vaccines are always distinguished between inactivated vaccines, which consist of killed and inactivated, non-replicating pathogen components, and live vaccines, which consist of attenuated, replicating pathogens.

Inactivated vaccines include most vaccinations, such as those against diphtheria, hepatitis B, polio, and pertussis. Live vaccines include rotavirus, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox vaccines. These vaccines contain small amounts of replicating pathogens, but only in weakened form, so that the disease itself cannot be triggered. Very rarely, it can lead to a mild course of illness with typical symptoms, as in the case of the vaccine measles. However, these are not contagious.

Vaccination: Yes or No?

From a medical perspective, definitely YES! Vaccination is not only important for the person being vaccinated, because childhood diseases are not harmless, but also for everyone else who, due to pre-existing conditions or their young age, cannot be vaccinated yet. We can all contribute to this through vaccination.

Many infectious diseases have not yet been eradicated worldwide. Due to globalization and travel opportunities, bacteria and viruses continually have the chance to cross borders and trigger endemics.

Vaccination recommendations for your baby and toddler

Additional vaccinations not routinely recommended by the STIKO

Vaccinations not included in the vaccination schedule are the vaccinations against early summer meningoencephalitis (FSME) and hepatitis A vaccination.

In any case, you should consult your supervising pediatrician thoroughly about the local recommendations or individual advice, for example before planned trips. These vaccinations are not listed in the nationwide vaccination schedule in Germany, but are still individually recommended.

What should be considered before, during, and after a vaccination?

Even if it is done in the name of health, a vaccination is always initially uncomfortable for your little explorer. In addition to providing the right information and education about the vaccination, there are several things you can do to make the vaccination as comfortable as possible for your child.

Before the vaccination

Before each vaccination, it is important that the person to be vaccinated or the authorized representatives or parents are informed about the planned vaccination, the vaccination process, potential risks, or complications.

• Your child should be healthy, free of infections, and fever-free

• The interval between vaccinations should be observed according to the recommendation

• In case of known allergies to vaccine components, appropriate precautions should be taken, such as administering allergy prophylaxis and vaccinating in a safe, medically supervised vaccination environment.

• Before traveling, a travel medical consultation should be sought to complete any missing vaccinations

During vaccination:

• Your child should be accompanied by you or another trusted person during the vaccination

• The upper arm/thigh (depending on age) should be positioned relaxed, which reduces the pain of the injection and can lessen the vaccination pain.

After the vaccination:

• The vaccination leg should be spared if possible.

• If your child has a known allergy, they should be closely monitored for at least 30 minutes after the vaccination

• Your child should refrain from children's gymnastics / school sports after the vaccination

• Make sure that your child does not take a hot shower/bath on the day of the vaccination

• In case of fever after vaccination, fever-reducing syrups/enemas can be administered. However, you should not give them preventively.

If you, as a parent, are wondering whether you want to have your child vaccinated or not, you should first and foremost inform yourself thoroughly. If you have uncertainties or open questions, you can always contact your pediatrician directly or consult the Robert Koch Institute for advice. As with all decisions regarding your child, you make this one primarily for your little explorer.