Overview
This lecture covers pediatric vaccination schedules, key childhood vaccines, their side effects, contraindications, and important communicable disease concepts relevant for nursing students.
Vaccine Schedule and Documentation
- Pediatric vaccine schedules are recommended by multiple organizations and updated yearly.
- "Yellow" denotes recommended vaccine ages; focus on these for exams.
- Catch-up schedules ("green") are for children with unknown or incomplete vaccination history.
- Documentation for each vaccine must include date, lot number, manufacturer, dose, site, route, funding source, and education provided.
Key Concepts: Infectious Diseases
- Prodromal period: time when a person is contagious before showing symptoms.
- Incubation period: time from exposure to symptom onset.
- Transmission: method by which disease spreads (e.g., airborne, droplets, contact).
- Communicability: time during which a person can transmit the disease.
- Expected vaccine reactions include redness, soreness, knots at the site, and mild fever; severe reactions require immediate evaluation.
Major Childhood Vaccines and Diseases
- Hepatitis B: Given at birth, 1 month, and 4 months; contraindicated in yeast allergy; high risk for healthcare workers.
- Rotavirus: Live, oral vaccine; protects against severe diarrhea; rare risk of intussusception.
- Pneumococcal (PCV13): Given at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months; prevents pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media.
- Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib): Given at 2, 4, 12-15 months; prevents epiglottitis and meningitis in children under 6.
- DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis): Given at 2, 4, 6, 15-18 months, 4-6 years; booster every 12 years.
- Contraindicated with history of seizure within 3 days of previous dose or uncontrollable crying.
- Meningococcal: Two doses for adolescents; prevents bacterial meningitis and sepsis.
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): Live vaccine, given at 12 months and before school entry; contraindicated in recent blood transfusion, pregnancy, or neomycin/gelatin allergy.
- Varicella (Chickenpox): Live vaccine, given at 12 months and 4-6 years; not before 1 year; may prevent shingles later.
- Polio (IPV): Inactivated vaccine used in the U.S.; oral (OPV) used in other countries.
- Influenza: Annual vaccine; egg-free versions available.
Clinical Considerations and Contraindications
- Mild illness or low-grade fever is not a contraindication to vaccination.
- Premature infants should follow the standard vaccination schedule by chronological age.
- Adverse events (e.g., seizures, Guillain-Barré syndrome) must be reported and are processed via the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Prodromal period — contagious stage before symptoms appear.
- Incubation period — time between exposure and symptom onset.
- Communicability — duration someone is contagious.
- Attenuated vaccine — contains weakened live pathogen.
- Inactivated vaccine — contains killed pathogen.
- Intussusception — bowel obstruction, rare rotavirus vaccine risk.
- Epiglottitis — swelling of the epiglottis, prevented by Hib vaccine.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize recommended vaccine ages (yellow schedule).
- Be prepared to explain common vaccine side effects to parents.
- Understand and apply documentation requirements for vaccinations.
- Study definitions of infection terms for exams.
- Email questions to the professor if clarification is needed.