Vaccinations for your newborn in their first 2 years
As a parent, one of the most vital things you can do to keep your newborn healthy is to ensure they are properly vaccinated. Vaccinations are an essential part of any child’s health, not only in the first two years but throughout their lifetime. They help protect them from potentially life-threatening illnesses and diseases, and arm them with a strong immune system from a young age to give them the best chance of staying healthy.
Why vaccinate?
Vaccinations protect children from contracting serious infections and illnesses, such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio, rotavirus and hepatitis B. Without vaccinations, these diseases can have devastating effects on your child’s health. Vaccines work by introducing a very small dose of dead or weakened virus into your baby’s system in order to stimulate their immune system to fight against it. This means that if they come into contact with the actual virus in the future, their body will recognise the virus and be able to fight it off before it has time to cause infection.
Immunisations not only protect your child but also those around them who may have weakened immune systems or be too young to receive certain vaccinations themselves. When everyone in the community is immunised, it helps prevent outbreaks of certain diseases like measles or whooping cough which can easily spread among unvaccinated people in close contact with one another.
Types of vaccines
The required vaccines change depending on where you live; however there are certain basic vaccinations which all newborns should receive during their first two years.
In order to make certain that babies born in Singapore are vaccinated against common diseases, the Ministry of Health has established a schedule of vaccinations early on in their lives. During the newborn‘s first two years, they will receive six different vaccinations ranging from Hepatitis B when they are just days old, to Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) at 15 months old. In between these age markers, there will be vaccinations for Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DPT) at 6 weeks, between 7 and 11 months for Rotavirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Polio when at 1 years old. All of these preventative measures serve as an assurance that newborns in Singapore enjoy a safe start to life.
Worry-free vaccinations for your newborn at Osler Health
Vaccinating your newborn is an essential aspect of keeping them healthy throughout their early years and beyond into adulthood. Knowing which vaccines are necessary for babies in their first two years can help parents make informed decisions about their child’s healthcare needs while providing them with the best protection against serious illnesses. There are several types of vaccinations available for children and it is best to speak with your doctor about which ones your baby needs based on where you live so that you can ensure they get the best protection possible from a young age. Please be aware that as an international family clinic, Osler Health can follow the vaccinations schedule of any country in the world and advise you on what is required.
Bring your baby to Osler Health – your family doctor in Singapore – to keep up to date with the recommended schedule of vaccinations according to the required ages. As a GP clinic in Singapore, Osler Health often provides vaccinations as part of our development assessment for babies. Our family physicians are experienced in caring for your children from birth to early childhood and beyond. We can also diagnose and treat your newborn or child if they experience any common childhood illnesses in Singapore, giving you peace of mind and reassurance. Schedule an appointment for your newborn with Osler Health today!
