Contents:
- Medical Video: Protecting your child with the meningitis vaccine
- What is meningitis?
- Meningitis vaccination is the best way to prevent inflammation of the lining of the brain
- Not all children can vaccinate meningitis
Medical Video: Protecting your child with the meningitis vaccine
Children and adolescents are at high risk of getting infected with meningitis or which is often called inflammation of the lining of the brain. One effective way to prevent transmission of this disease is with meningitis vaccine. So, how important is giving meningitis vaccination for children? When is the right time to give this vaccination?
What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord that can be caused by viruses or bacteria such as Haemophylus influeza type B (HiB), pneumonia and so on.
In adults, the typical symptom of meningitis is a severe headache that does not improve with neck pain. While in children the symptoms include high fever to shivering, yellowish color on the skin, body and neck of the child feels stiff, fussy and even often cries with high shouts, decreased appetite, looks weak and less responsive.
The diagnosis of meningitis in children is difficult because the symptoms often appear suddenly and are similar to other diseases. So, immediately consult a doctor if you suspect one of the symptoms of this infection.
Meningitis vaccination is the best way to prevent inflammation of the lining of the brain
Compared to other diseases, meningitis is a rare disease. Even so, this disease can cause serious infections of the brain, spinal cord, and blood of the sufferer. Protection from this infection is very important. Otherwise, the infection will quickly develop into very dangerous, even deadly in just a few hours.
Children and adolescents aged 16 to 23 years are at higher risk of getting this disease. That is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adolescents ages 11 to 12 to vaccinate meningitis and then carry out additional vaccinations (booster) at the age of 16 years. However, additional vaccinations this is not needed if the first stage of the meningitis vaccine is done after a 16-year-old child.
According to the CDC, 98 percent vaccination can protect children from most types of meningitis.
In certain situations, vaccination for meningitis is also recommended for babies and children who are at high risk of this infection because:
- Have an immune system disease, such as HIV
- Has damage to the spleen or no spleen
- Living in an area experiencing an outbreak of meningitis
- Travel to areas where meningitis is endemic
- Has certain types of rare disorders (complement component deficiency).
- Currently taking Soliris medicine.
- Have experienced meningitis before
In these cases, the doctor will give meningitis vaccination in children over the age of two months to 10 years. In children less than two months old, this vaccination is not suitable given.
In Indonesia, meningitis vaccine is not included in the list of 5 mandatory immunizations for children. The reason is that one of the mandatory immunizations can provide children with protection from the bacterium Haemophylus influeza type B (HiB), which is one of several causes of meningitis.
However, your child can still do meningitis vaccine as an additional immunization. So, consult a doctor before vaccinating meningitis in children.
Not all children can vaccinate meningitis
As explained above, children who are less than two months old may not be given meningitis vaccination because this vaccine is not suitable for them. In addition, there are several conditions that make it difficult for children to vaccinate meningitis, including:
- Your child has a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction to the components contained in the meningitis vaccine or in one of the other vaccine components.
- Your child is in a condition that is not fit or is having a weak immune system. Your child can only be vaccinated if his health condition has improved or healed from his illness.
- Have experienced Guillain-Barre syndrome.
