Tell us about the M.M.R. vaccine.

The M.M.R. vaccine stands for measles, mumps, and rubella (also known as German Measles).

Why is rubella dangerous for a pregnant mother?

Rubella is a disease like measles except that it is milder in severity and has other manifestations like glands in the neck which identify it from the ordinary measles. If a young girl has rubella, that gives her a long immunity from the disease. But the non-im­munized pregnant woman, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, if exposed to rubella, is likely to transfer the disease to her unborn infant in which case the infant may be bom blind or may have many other congenital abnormalities and be crippled. That is the reason why we suggest that rubella immunization should be done in early childhood, because if the ^mother has had the disease or was immunized then; then if she is exposed to German measles in pregnancy, she is not going to suffer from the disease or transfer it to her unborn child.

What schedule do you recommend for a child who is not immunized?

The schedule is exactly as in infants. This means that if a child comes to us under the age of six, we can give this child BCG, DPT and polio on the first day o.f the visit. Every month DPT and polio is to be repeated for the next two months. The Smallpox vaccination can be given next. If a child comes after the age of six, then it should be DT and NOT DPT as explained above, but the rest of the schedule remains the same.

Tell us where we /can get immunizations for our baby.

Immunizations can be done in any big hospital, MCH centres or primary health centres. Most of these have various immunizing agents. The Polio vaccine may not be available in some places but in most centres where deep freeze or fridge is available, polio may also be available.

Does immunization provide 100% protection?

Well, immunization may not provide 100% protection but it does provide at least 90% protection for most of these diseases. The reason why I say 90% is because if the child is incubating, the protection may not be complete. At the worst, the child may have the diseases in a very mild form which may not affect the child's health, on the. other hand if immunizations are done early enough as advised, the protection is nearly 100%. Even for the polio vaccine, where it is said that immunized child might have the disease, I may assure you that it usually is not true if the immunizing agent was well stored, and given well. Further many viruses may cause similar pattern of diseases and unfortunately we do not have a vaccine against them at present.

TEST 'IMMUNIZATION'

Вариант 1.

I. Choose the sentences corresponding to the contents of the chapter.

1. a) Immunization against measles and whooping cough is
advisable in the first year of life.

b) The doctor suggests to immunize one year old babies only against Smallpox and Tuberculosis.

2. a) There exist no contraindications for immunization, b) There
are some contraindications for immunization.

3. a) Smallpox vaccination is not advisable to very small babies.,
b) It is not advisable to vaccinate a child with skin disorder
against Smallpox.

4. a) BCG vaccination is recommended to do on the left arm.
b) To use left or right arm for BCG vaccination makes no difference.

5. a) If a discharging sinus forms after a BCG injection, the
lymphatic nodes should not be touched.

b) If there is an abscess after a BCG injection, surgical treatment is not recommended.

6. a) Smallpox vaccination should be repeated if it is possible,
b) Smallpox vaccination should be repeated if it is negative

(if there is no successful scar).

7. a) Polio vaccination must be repeated several times for
continued protection.

b) Usually Polio vaccination is effective after the first or the second Booster.

8. a) BCG vaccination should be repeated if Mantoux was
negative.

b) If Mantoux reaction was positive BCG vaccination must be given.

9. a) German measles immunization should be done in the last
months of pregnancy.

b) German measles immunization must be done early in childhood.

10. a) The immunization may provide 100% protection if it is
done early enough as advised.

b) The protection may be complete if the child is incubating.

11. Find the argument from "B" for the statement from "A".

А 'в

1. The doctor didn't advise to give the 1. A discharging Sinus formed after the
child Polio drops BCG vaccination.