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The rotavirus vaccine provides a safe and effective defense against rotavirus disease and its complications.
The vaccine is mostly given to infants and young children since the disease affects this age group most often.
It is easy for the rotavirus to spread.
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The disease causes severe, waterydiarrhea.
Fever and vomiting can also occur, which raises the risk ofdehydration(loss of fluids).
Severe cases can be life-threatening.
4 Reasons Your Child Should Get the Rotavirus Vaccine
1.
It Works
The rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect your baby from this disease.
The disease has become less common since the vaccine was introduced in 2006.
The vaccine has also prevented about 40,000 to 50,000 hospitalizations of young children every year since its introduction.
There Is No Treatment for Rotavirus
There are no specific medications to treat rotavirus infection.
Children infected with rotavirus must be encouraged to drink fluids to prevent dehydration and the need for hospitalization.
Symptoms of the rotavirus can last from three to eight days.
Rotavirus Is Highly Contagious
Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of severe diarrhea in the United States.
It is a highly contagious virus.
Rotavirus infects nearly all young children at least once before they turn 5 years old.
The Disease Can Be Life-Threatening
While most children recover from rotavirus without problems, it can lead to dehydration.
When severe cases progress, the disease can causeconvulsionsorshock.Dehydration is the most common cause of rotavirus-related deaths.
Babies and young children have the highest risk of getting rotavirus disease.
Children who attend childcare parameters have the highest risk for infection.
The virus also spreads easily in families and hospitals.
Experts agree that the benefits of getting the rotavirus vaccine outweigh the risks.
The remaining vaccination schedule varies based on the throw in of vaccine used.
Infants should receive all doses of the rotavirus vaccine before they are 8 months old.
However, both organizations recommend completing the vaccine course using the same product.
Oral Route of Administration
Both RotaTeq and Rotarix are given orally instead of as an injection.
This can occur because the vaccine passes through the gastrointestinal (GI) system.
However, no studies have investigated the transmission of the virus via this route.
The condition is considered a medical emergency and requires immediate emergency medical treatment.
Symptoms usually begin suddenly.
The Rotarix and RotaTeq rotavirus vaccines are both considered safe and effective for protecting against severe rotavirus disease.
Research from a large study of rotavirus vaccine performance in the United States.
Both rotavirus vaccines are considered safe.
The primary safety concern is that the vaccines cause a small increased risk ofintussusception.
The condition can occur naturally in infants younger than 24 months.
Based on these statistics, the rotavirus’s benefits outweigh the small intussusception risk.
Rotavirus Vaccine Recall in 1999
The first rotavirus vaccine was approved in 1998.
Called RotaShield, this vaccine was removed from the market the following year.
In its first year of use, the vaccine was linked to 15 cases of intussusception.
RotaSheld was promptly removed from the recommended vaccine schedule and is no longer available in the United States.
Should Some Children Avoid It?
They can be vaccinated when they recover if they do not have any other contraindications for vaccination.
Like all vaccines, the rotavirus vaccine carries the potential risk ofanaphylaxis(a life-threatening allergic reaction).
An allergic reaction can also occur hours or days after vaccination.
The vaccine is the best way to protect your child from the rotavirus and its severe complications.
Your infant can receive comparable defense from either of two FDA-approved oral rotavirus vaccines.
Side effects of the rotavirus vaccine are mild for most infants.
The vaccine also carries a very small risk of intussusception.
However, the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the slight risk of getting this side effect.
Knowing the symptoms of intussusception and other adverse side effects can help you recognize when these problems occur.
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