As soon as you become a parent, or even get to know that you’re going to be a parent, your dictionary about the baby world automatically starts to expand. Words like ‘feeding’, ‘burping’, ‘cradling’, and more take a different meaning in your life and you try to acquaint yourself with changing nappies and swaddling a baby.
One such term that will constantly come up at least during the initial years of your child’s life is ‘immunization’. Along with the immunization process, maintaining the records is also equally important. Not sure about what is a child immunization record? You don’t need to fret because you’ve already landed on the right spot. Just keep reading further and you’ll get all the necessary information about a child’s immunization records.
Your child will receive several crucial vaccines, and it’s your job to record them well.
What Is A Child Immunization Record & What Does It Include
A child immunization record is a document of all the vaccines your child receives. Usually, parents maintain these records in the form of vaccination cards that have all the relevant information about the vaccination dates and the dosage received. Right from the name of the vaccine your child receives to the date on which they get their shot, as well as the dosage, these are all details that are included in a child immunization record.
A child immunization record goes hand in hand with a vaccine or immunization schedule. Pediatricians will administer child vaccines according to an immunization schedule since they need to be taken at a specific time period to be most effective.
Alongside maintaining your child’s vaccination record, you need to have a copy of the latest immunization schedule as well; India has two official schedules – the National Immunization Schedule (NIS) and the schedule recommended by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP). Keeping track of so much can seem overwhelming, but it is crucial to know when the pediatrician has administered which vaccine to your baby, and when the next one is due.
Why Is A Child Immunization Record Important
When your baby is born, their tiny bodies immediately begin to ward off a number of germs and viruses. Their immune systems develop as they grow through the first few years of their life. This means two things – that your baby is vulnerable to a number of diseases, and that the developing immune system can be strengthened. This is where timely vaccinations come in.
Your child will get most of their vaccinations before the age of 6. Giving your child the right vaccinations at the right time can help to immunize them against a range of serious illnesses and diseases.
But not only do these have to be given at the right time, they need to also be administered according to schedule. While some vaccines just need to be administered once, others are given more than once at different ages, and in different combinations. Time them wrong, administer them at the wrong time, or simply forget to immunize your child, and they remain vulnerable.
This will not only pose a danger to their lives but to the people around them as well. Picture this – effective vaccine administration systems have managed to eradicate entire diseases. But an unvaccinated child can contract any of these diseases and risk spreading it to unvaccinated or weak people around.
Up-to-date vaccinations are therefore crucial, and the only way to keep track of this is with a well-maintained immunization record.
A child immunization record can be the more traditional paper or a digital one.
How Can You Better Maintain Your Child’s Immunization Records
Every time your child gets a vaccine, you need to record it in their immunization record. Make sure you get every detail down, like the pediatrician who administered it, which dose of what vaccine it is, the date of administering it, and any side effects your baby had. The child immunization record can be in the more traditional form of a card or a booklet in which those entries are made.
The problem with a paper record is that you can easily misplace or damage it, risking the loss of all the important information on it. Considering how essential it is to maintain a child immunization record, we also highly recommend keeping a digitized version of the same. Not only does it work better in today’s digital world but also gives you the convenience of accessing your child’s health records at any given point in time.
There are many user-friendly apps today that offer convenience and flexibility to new parents for maintaining their child’s immunization records. For instance, the ImmunifyMe app lets you keep a tab on your child’s vaccination schedule and also sends you timely reminders for any vaccine appointments that are due. No matter the time or location, you can easily access your child’s immunization records that will be just a click away.
Conclusion
A child’s immunization record is a rather important piece of document that you need to maintain at all costs. After all, the record helps you in keeping a tab on your child’s vaccines and thus also your child’s wellbeing. Now that you’ve got a fair understanding of what is a child immunization record and how to maintain it, you’ve already set foot on the right track. Keep those records safe, because they could come in handy at any point in life. Make sure you check out the ImmunifyMe app, and subscribe to our newsletter for more helpful tips.
FAQs On What Is A Child Immunization Record
What Does An Immunization Record Include?
An immunization record provides the history of all the vaccines the person has received. It typically includes the name of the vaccine, the date on which you received them, as well as the dosage. You can also note down the name of the doctor’s office or clinic where you received the vaccine, so you know whom to contact in case you need to revive your records in the future.
What Is The Purpose Of Immunization?
In simple terms, the purpose of immunization is to help protect you from getting an infectious disease. It keeps your immune system protected from external harmful agents and prevents the spread of diseases among individuals.
How Can I Make My Kid’s Injection Easier?
Facing the needle is never easy for children, but there are some things you can do to make this easier. Firstly, model the behavior that you want your child to follow. Try keeping a positive approach toward the process and avoid associating fear with injections.
At the actual time of vaccination, try keeping your child distracted as much as possible. Keep talking to them about random topics, sing a song, or keep them intrigued with some unique objects around them. Be supportive and empathetic toward your child and let them know you’re there with them to help them be brave.
How Do You Keep Track Of Vaccines For Your Child?
Your child’s immunization records or vaccination records are a way for you to keep track of vaccines for your child. Although you’ll have a physical copy of the records, it’s best to also maintain digitized records. This gives you the convenience of accessing your child’s immunization records with a single tap, anywhere and anytime.
There are many apps that could help you with the process such as the ImmunifyMe App. It helps to maintain your child’s digitized immunization records and also notifies you of any upcoming vaccination dates.
