The question of the need and dangers of vaccinations still remains relevant for most parents who care about the health of their baby. After all, vaccination accompanies a child from the first days of his life. It allows you to protect the child’s body from the penetration of dangerous infections, prevents the development of epidemic processes, and even in some cases helps to avoid death.
Immunization allows the baby's body to form long-term immunity against infectious diseases without transferring them. Naturally, in order for the immune system to respond correctly to the vaccine, the child must be absolutely healthy.
Teething is an important stage in the life of every baby. With their appearance, his bite and the entire dental system begin to form. It is no secret that the eruption of primary and then permanent teeth inevitably intersects with vaccination.
Therefore, many parents wonder whether it is possible to combine these two processes. So, what do experts think about vaccinations during the teething period? In particular, is it worth vaccinating a child with DTP when teething milk or permanent teeth?
When vaccine administration coincides with teething
First you need to look at the vaccination calendar and compare its data with the age when children begin to erupt milk or permanent teeth. This period will add trouble to parents, but it is during this period that a solid foundation is laid for the little person’s immune system.
It is important to remember that the appearance of teeth, although painful, is still a natural condition for the body, and therefore is not an indication for canceling vaccinations. In addition, most vaccines are easily tolerated by children. An exception may be the DTP vaccine (adsorbed pertussis-diphtheria-tetanus). It usually causes mild discomfort and a slight increase in temperature. However, these symptoms disappear after 1-2 days.
The main symptoms that occur during teething
During the period when a child is teething, the following is most often observed:
- increased salivation;
- swelling, redness, soreness of the gums;
- irritability;
- sleep disturbance;
- poor appetite;
- need for chewing, biting, sucking.
Rarer symptoms include:
- temperature rise to 380;
- diarrhea;
- rhinitis;
- nausea and/or vomiting.
According to research by scientists from the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education RMANPE of the Ministry of Health of Russia, certain symptoms occur in 60-70% of children. And only 30-40% do not experience any unpleasant manifestations. The symptoms listed above are more pronounced in infants who had low birth weight.
The study authors also concluded that in most cases, fever, runny nose, and diarrhea are not associated with the process of teeth emerging, but with manifestations of infection. If the pediatrician determines that the child’s condition is caused by teething, parents have no particular reason to worry. You just need to help the baby get through this difficult period.
Vaccination and teething
Usually, the first baby teeth begin to appear in babies at 5-6 months. At this age, they are vaccinated against tetanus, whooping cough, diphtheria, pneumococcal and hemophilus influenzae infections, polio and hepatitis B. The next “vaccination” stage is at the age of 1 year (measles, rubella, mumps). At 15 months, booster vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal infection) is required. And at the age of 1.5 years - from polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hemophilus influenzae infection.
Important! If some stage of vaccination was missed, for example, due to the child’s illness, then the vaccine can be given at any time from 6 to 20 months. The calendar contains routes for this purpose for those who have not previously been vaccinated. It is also important to follow the sequence of vaccine administration.
In addition, the calendar contains vaccinations that are given only when indicated: for example, for children at risk for hemophilus influenzae infection, hepatitis B or tuberculosis. Thus, for babies at risk for hepatitis B, the vaccine is administered three times in the first two months of life, as well as at the 12th month. Children at risk of hemophilus influenzae infection are vaccinated at the third, fifth and sixth month and revaccinated at the 18th month.
Features of examination by a pediatrician before vaccination
It is recommended to visit a doctor before getting vaccinated. He will accurately determine when the signs of rhinitis and diarrhea in a child are explained by teething, and when they are signs of an emerging disease - be it a cold or problems associated with disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
Teeth are cutting, the body is weakened - there is a possibility of getting a virus, which will subsequently cause a runny nose. It is not surprising that an acute illness leads to a postponement of vaccination to a more favorable period of time. If the baby feels great, despite teething, this is not a reason to refuse vaccination (we recommend reading: what symptoms accompany the process when teething in children?).
READ ALSO: How long does the temperature last when teething?
It is recommended to undergo tests in advance to exclude possible complications. Sick children undergo not only a urine test, but also a blood test. In addition, before DTP, you should not give your child foods that cause allergies. The pediatrician identifies contraindications to vaccination or the lack thereof and makes a decision.
Vaccinations and the appearance of permanent teeth
The next stage of teeth change in children begins at 6-7 years old, and at the same time a new wave of vaccination starts. The child is again vaccinated against measles, rubella, mumps, as well as against tetanus and diphtheria. In addition, flu vaccinations become annual (they are optional).
During this period, children who were not vaccinated in the first year and a half of life and who have not had these diseases, that is, who do not have a formed immune response to pathogens, are also vaccinated.
Doctors do not forget those who should receive the vaccine according to indications. These are children at risk for tuberculosis. They are revaccinated in the sixth or seventh year of life.
Vaccinations that coincide with teething
Starting from six months, most children begin to cut their teeth. During this period, according to the vaccination calendar, the following vaccines are given:
- DPT;
- from viral hepatitis B;
- from polio;
- from hemophilus influenzae infection;
- from mumps, rubella, measles.
DTP is a vaccination necessary to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. AC – component against tetanus, AD – diphtheria, K – whooping cough. You can replace domestic DTP with imported analogues: Infanrix and Tetrakok.
There are three types of polio virus in the world. Vaccination against this disease can be inactivated, live or oral. The vaccine is a highly weakened or killed virus. Some time after penetration into the body with the vaccine, the causative agent of the disease is eliminated, promoting the formation of passive immunity.
The hepatitis B vaccine is the only way to protect the body from the disease. Hepatitis is a dangerous disease that has no specific symptoms. It is often accompanied by decreased appetite, intolerance to fatty foods, poor general health, yellowing and itching of the skin.
The acute form of the disease sometimes cannot be treated and becomes chronic. In this case, liver cancer and cirrhosis may develop. The hepatitis vaccine is given three times during the first year of a child’s life.
By comparing the following two tables, you can compare the periods of teething and vaccination with one or another vaccine.
Vaccinations and the appearance of wisdom teeth
“Eights,” as a rule, begin to erupt at the age of 16-18, but this process is not always as quick and painless as when the incisors or first molars appear. The fact is that wisdom teeth do not have milk predecessors, so they have to literally “fight” for a place in the dentition. Sometimes the “eights” shift and damage neighboring teeth, and if they turn out to be stronger, then the “sages” may begin to grow not vertically, but, for example, tilt to the side.
All these difficulties are characterized by protracted and wave-like eruption, which stretches from several months to several years, and painful sensations at the peak of the wave. By this age, a person has already completed the main vaccination schedule; only situational vaccination remains according to indications: against influenza, tick-borne encephalitis, rabies, viral hepatitis A, meningococcal infection and others.
When vaccinated according to indications (conscription into the army, living in regions disadvantaged by certain diseases, epidemic indications, etc.), it is also important to follow the rules of preparation for vaccination. If on the eve of the administration of the drug the wisdom tooth begins to erupt, then it is better to postpone the vaccination until the moment when the acute phase of eruption is over.
When should you refuse vaccination?
An important point during vaccination is the baby’s excellent health. Teething and the symptoms it causes are not pathological. But this process can disrupt local immunity and lead to a minor problem causing a serious illness.
The DTP vaccination, like Pentaxim, is given several times. The third DTP often coincides with the moment when the baby is teething. This is not a contraindication, but accompanying symptoms may cause the DPT vaccination to be postponed. These include:
- weakness, malaise, constant crying;
- elevated temperature, more than 37;
- the child has a severe cough and runny nose;
- the baby suffers from abdominal pain, diarrhea;
- allergic reactions appeared;
- other problems with stool and loss of appetite are observed.
How to prepare for vaccination
How the child tolerates vaccination is important in preparing the body for this procedure. Pediatricians give advice on how to reduce the load on the immune system before and after vaccination:
- Only a healthy child should be vaccinated: if he has recently suffered from a cold or any other illness, then it is better to postpone vaccination for a couple of weeks. The fact is that a weakened immune system will give an incorrect reaction to the vaccine or not react to it at all, that is, the child will remain defenseless against the pathogen,
- the day before the procedure, reduce the size of your baby’s portions, give preference to light dishes: soups, purees, vegetables, fruits. A couple of hours before vaccination, it is better not to feed the child anything, just give him something to drink. When the body is not busy digesting food, it will respond more easily to the vaccine,
- when going to the clinic, dress your child according to the weather: you should not allow both hypothermia and overheating of the body,
- 3-4 days before visiting the treatment room, limit your baby’s social circle: avoid places with large crowds of people (transport, shops, events). Even in the clinic, it is necessary to avoid the child’s contact with other children so that he does not accidentally become infected. Some mothers ask grandmothers or older children to get in line, while they themselves wait with the baby on the street. This tactic allows you to reduce the development of negative reactions of the body to the vaccine.
Prolonged teething
In general, teething is a normal physiological process for a small organism, but there are complications here too. Sometimes teething is delayed or becomes too painful: the baby’s gums become swollen, a high temperature rises (above 38 degrees Celsius), a runny nose, and signs of a cold appear. This condition can be considered a reason to postpone vaccination, but not refuse it!
“All of our incisors were cutting normally, but there was a problem with the molars: the gums were swollen, the temperature was rising, drool was flowing like a bucket. We were supposed to be given DPT, but the pediatrician said it was better to wait until the swelling went away and teeth showed. Then it will seem like it will be easier, and you can give DPT, because it itself is too heavy for children’s immunity.”
user Nastena, review from the babyblog.ru forum
At the same time, prolonged teething is a reason to consult a dentist. Perhaps at this stage the doctor will prescribe treatment that will reduce pain and allow the child to go through this period easier.
In addition, the cause of deterioration of the condition can be infectious (stomatitis) or fungal (candidiasis) lesions of the oral mucosa, so it is important to begin treatment as quickly as possible so that the disease does not develop into a more severe form and does not affect other organs and tissues.
When to postpone vaccination
There are situations when doctors strongly recommend refraining from getting vaccinated during teething. These include:
- apathy;
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- temperature increase.
These symptoms are characteristic not only of teething, but also of a large number of diseases. If there is at least one sign of the disease, you need to take a blood and urine test. Doctors recommend that if the baby’s condition worsens, postponing vaccination until the child’s health is completely restored.
Indications for postponing vaccination
Since it is better to vaccinate a healthy body, parents should monitor the condition of their son or daughter in the days before vaccination. If a child develops at least one of the following signs, it is better to wait until he or she is completely healthy to get vaccinated. If there are several symptoms, then this is a reason to call a doctor and get tested.
Indications for postponing vaccination:
- apathy, excessive sleepiness, rapid fatigue of the child,
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, colic, etc.,
- signs of a cold: fever, runny nose, cough, redness of the pharyngeal mucosa,
- skin rashes,
- local infectious lesions: conjunctivitis, abscess, boil, etc.
- exacerbation of chronic diseases,
- severe fatigue: for example, during training or competitions.
Attention! It is important to distinguish between the concepts of “postponing vaccination” and “refusing vaccination”. In the first case, we are talking about postponing the date of vaccination due to temporary illness. In the second case, administration of the vaccine is not recommended for health reasons. These include an allergy to any component of the drug, diseases of an organ or system in an acute form, or the transition of an acute form to a chronic form, pathologies of the nervous or endocrine systems.
Is it possible to vaccinate while teething?
There are few justified reasons for completely refusing vaccination. This:
- allergy to one of the components of the vaccine;
- heat;
- acute illness;
- pathologies of the nervous system.
Teething is a physiological process that is not a reason to cancel vaccinations. Most vaccines are easily tolerated by children. However, there are vaccinations that can cause a number of negative reactions. These include DTP.
After vaccination with it, children often experience malaise, fever, and thickening in the injection area. Pediatricians advise not to do DTP during teething; vaccination can and should be postponed until the child’s condition is completely normalized.
Doctors have different opinions about administering other vaccines. Some believe that the period of teething should not shift the vaccination schedule, while others believe that this is a reason to delay vaccination.
A slight runny nose, fever and swollen gums are a sufficient reason to postpone vaccination for a while. During this period, the child’s immunity is stressed, and outside intervention will only aggravate the situation.
If teeth are cut without negative symptoms, then vaccination should be carried out; vaccinations can protect a fragile child’s body from dangerous diseases.
