https://www.aprticipnt.com/childhood-vaccinations-a-comprehensive-guide-for-parents/
The hepatitis B vaccine protects babies from hepatitis B, a severe liver disease that can become chronic. Babies receive the first dose at birth. Hepatitis B affects not only adults but also infants, who can get infected at birth or later, leading to long-term consequences. The hepatitis B vaccine is among the first vaccines infants receive, with decades of safety records. Pediatrician Chandani Dezur, a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board, emphasizes this.
What Are the Benefits of the Hepatitis B Vaccine?
The hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) prevents infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can cause acute or chronic liver disease. HBV spreads through blood or semen, not via tableware or kissing. The virus can survive on contaminated surfaces for weeks to months.
HBV mainly spreads through sexual contact and shared needles, but children can also get infected at birth or during childhood through close contact. Dr. Dezur stresses that early treatment is key to preventing mother-to-child transmission (the main way infants get HBV) and stopping chronic infection in children.
The CDC notes that about 90% of infected infants and 30% of children aged 1–5 develop chronic HBV infection, while 95% of infected adults recover fully without chronicity. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that each year, about 25,000 U.S. infants have HBV-positive mothers, and ~1,000 of these mothers transmit the virus to their babies.
Pregnant women are usually tested for hepatitis B so doctors can protect newborns if needed, and hepatitis B vaccination starts at birth. Many HBV carriers have no symptoms and don’t know they’re infected, yet can still transmit the virus.
“Symptoms may take decades to appear,” Dr. Dezur says. “If we only vaccinate those we think are at high risk, we’ll miss many cases.”
Possible symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Dark urine or clay-colored stools
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
- Jaundice
Symptoms may last up to six months. For chronic hepatitis B patients, symptoms may take years to show.
In 1991, the hepatitis B vaccine was added to the U.S. recommended immunization schedule. Since then, new HBV infections have dropped by over 95% in children and adolescents, and 75% in adults.
What Is the Recommended Vaccination Schedule?
The hepatitis B vaccine is nearly 100% effective in preventing HBV infection in children (about 95% effective in adults).
Recommended doses and ages:
- At birth
- Between 1–2 months
- Between 6–18 months
U.S. women are screened for hepatitis B during pregnancy. If positive, the baby should receive hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and the hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth for short-term protection.
Who Should Not Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine?
Children with a severe allergic reaction to the hepatitis B vaccine should not be revaccinated. Inform the doctor of any severe allergies, especially to baker’s yeast, as the vaccine contains this ingredient.
What Precautions Should I Take?
Generally, the hepatitis B vaccine is less effective in low-birth-weight infants, such as premature babies. If your child was born underweight, consult the doctor about when to vaccinate. Typically, low-birth-weight infants need an extra dose to get the same protection.
All children with moderate to severe illnesses should wait until recovery to get the hepatitis B vaccine. If your baby has a mild illness like a cold, just inform the doctor—vaccination is usually okay.
What Are the Possible Side Effects?
Some children feel pain at the injection site, and a few develop a low fever. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible with any vaccine.
- Hepatitis B is a liver disease (acute or chronic) with serious lifelong consequences.
- Infants can get hepatitis B at birth if the mother is infected, or from other infected people.
- Infants with acute hepatitis B are likely to develop chronic infection.
- The hepatitis B vaccine protects babies from HBV infection, given at birth, 1–2 months, and 6–18 months.
https://www.aprticipnt.com/childhood-vaccinations-a-comprehensive-guide-for-parents/
