Care for childChild Development

Vaccination shots are an essential part of child health care. Though painful, immunization protects children against a variety of diseases. The first vaccine was used a little over a hundred years ago, and vaccination is today well established as a major tool of child health.

Children are susceptible to a large number of dangerous diseases. A generation or two ago in India, when vaccination was not easily available, people were used to losing children to common infectious diseases. Small pox, measles, poliomyelitis — the very rumor of these killer diseases would empty entire villages in fear.

Even today, diseases like measles, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B are major health hazards for our children, in spite of vaccination being available. Diseases like polio, typhoid, and diphtheria, which have been vanquished in the developed countries by good public health, are still common in India, because so few of our children receive the vaccines.

Many of these vaccine preventable diseases are fatal, or leave lifelong disabilities. Medical science still does not have cures for many of them, making vaccination vital for every child. Most of the vaccines in use today are safe and effective,and provide good protection to your child.

1. A daily bath, preferable two a day helps to keep the body clean and free of germs.
2. Wash hands with soap and water after having played outdoors or after playing with mud or clay and also on using the toilet.
3. Clip your nails from time to time to prevent accumulation of dirt and germs within the nails. These dirty nails are commonest source of infection as germs may enter your body when you use your hands to eat.
4. Do not bite your nails. It leads to brittle nails and again can cause germs to enter your body.
5. Wash hair when greasy or dirty. A head bath twice a week helps to keep hair clean and free of head lice. Keep hair combed and tidy.
6. Wear clean clothes, socks and underwear daily.
7. Do not share shaving blades or razors.