Baby vaccination schedule

Protects against

• Pneumonia
• Meningitis (infection of the brain's lining)
• Blood infections (sepsis)
• Some ear infections

Why it matters

PCV protects against pneumococcus - a bacterium behind some of the most dangerous infections a baby can face. The primary series finishes around now, exactly as the passive immunity from birth is fading, which is what makes the timing so powerful.

Myth: It's just for pneumonia, so it's optional. Fact: PCV also prevents meningitis and sepsis - among the most serious infant illnesses. It is a core part of the schedule for good reason.

Parents ask

Can my baby have it with a mild cold? A mild cold without a high fever is usually fine - your paediatrician makes the final call on the day.

Will three doses hurt more than one? Each dose is a small pinch. The three-dose series is what builds strong, lasting protection.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough (pertussis)
• Hepatitis B
• Hib (a cause of meningitis)

Why it matters

The pentavalent shot bundles protection against five serious diseases into a single injection - fewer pricks for your baby, and strong early cover against illnesses that are hardest on the very young.

Myth: The fever afterwards means something went wrong. Fact: A mild fever is expected and is a sign the immune system is responding. It usually settles within a day or two.

Parents ask

Why five in one? Combining them means fewer injections and fewer visits, with the same protection.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Rotavirus gastroenteritis (severe vomiting and diarrhoea, a major cause of dehydration in babies)

Why it matters

Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhoea and dangerous dehydration in babies. This one is given as drops by mouth - no needle - and dramatically reduces the risk of a hospital visit for dehydration.

Parents ask

Is it a drink, not a shot? Yes - rotavirus vaccine is given as oral drops. Most babies take it happily.

What if my baby spits it out? Mention it to the nurse - they'll advise whether a top-up dose is needed.

Usual reactions

• Occasionally a little extra fussiness or mild, temporary loose stools

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Poliomyelitis (polio) - a virus that can cause lifelong paralysis

Why it matters

Polio can cause permanent paralysis. Thanks to vaccination it is now extremely rare, but keeping every baby protected is exactly how it stays that way. IPV is the injectable form, given alongside oral polio drops.

Parents ask

Why does my baby need injected polio as well as the drops? They do different jobs. The injection gives strong protection in the blood; the drops give protection in the gut, which is what stops the virus spreading to other children. India uses both on purpose.

Polio is gone from India - why still vaccinate? India is polio-free because vaccination did not stop. The virus still circulates in a few countries and travels, so keeping cover high is what holds the line.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Poliomyelitis (polio)

Why it matters

OPV is the oral (drops) polio vaccine, given alongside IPV for broad, lasting protection against polio.

Myth: The drops are unsafe or are a way of making children infertile. Fact: This claim has been circulating for decades and has been investigated repeatedly. OPV contains a weakened poliovirus and nothing that affects fertility. It is the reason India is polio-free.

Parents ask

My baby spat some out - does the dose still count? If your baby spits out most of it within a few minutes, tell the vaccinator; they will usually repeat it. A small dribble is fine.

Can my baby feed straight after the drops? Yes. There is no need to hold off feeding before or after OPV.

Usual reactions

• Usually none - it is given as gentle oral drops

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Severe childhood tuberculosis (including TB meningitis)

Why it matters

Given at birth, BCG protects newborns against the most severe forms of TB. A small raised mark or tiny scar at the injection site over the following weeks is normal and expected.

Myth: No scar means the BCG failed and must be repeated. Fact: A scar is common but not necessary. Many protected children never form one, and repeating on that basis alone is not recommended.

Parents ask

There is no scar. Did it work? Usually yes. A visible scar is common but not required, and its absence is not proof the vaccine failed. Ask your paediatrician before assuming it needs repeating.

A small sore or lump appeared weeks later. Is that normal? A small raised spot that slowly forms, sometimes weeps a little and then heals into a flat mark over weeks or months is the expected course. Keep it clean and dry, and do not squeeze or bandage it.

Usual reactions

• A small swelling that may form a tiny scar over weeks - this is normal

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Hepatitis B (a serious, sometimes lifelong liver infection)

Why it matters

The birth dose of Hepatitis B gives early protection against a virus that can cause long-term liver disease. Later doses in the pentavalent shot complete the cover.

Myth: A newborn's body is too small and too new for a vaccine. Fact: A newborn meets an enormous number of germs from the first breath. One vaccine is a very small addition, and this one works best precisely because it is given early.

Parents ask

Why so soon - can it not wait? The birth dose works best in the first 24 hours, because it is protecting against transmission around the time of birth itself. Waiting loses most of that benefit.

I tested negative. Does my child still need it? Yes, and it is still recommended. It protects your child from exposure later in childhood too, not only at birth.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella (German measles)

Why it matters

Measles is far more dangerous than many parents realise, and highly contagious. The MMR given around nine months (with a booster later) is the strongest protection - for your child and for the babies around them too soon to be vaccinated.

Myth: MMR is linked to autism. Fact: This has been thoroughly and repeatedly disproven by large, careful studies. MMR does not cause autism - the original claim was retracted as fraudulent.

Myth: Measles is a harmless childhood illness. Fact: Measles can cause pneumonia, brain inflammation and, rarely, death. The vaccine prevents this entirely.

Parents ask

Why two doses? The first builds protection; the second makes sure it is strong and lasting in nearly every child.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Typhoid fever (a serious bacterial infection common in many regions)

Why it matters

Typhoid conjugate vaccine gives lasting protection against typhoid fever - especially valuable in regions where it is common.

Parents ask

We are careful with food and water. Is it needed? Care helps and is worth keeping up, but typhoid spreads through water and food handled outside the home too. The vaccine covers what hygiene at home cannot.

How long does it protect for? The conjugate vaccine gives several years of protection from one dose. Your paediatrician will say whether and when a booster applies.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Hepatitis A (a liver infection spread through food and water)

Why it matters

Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water. The vaccine, given in the second year, gives long-lasting protection.

Parents ask

Is one dose enough? No - it is a two-dose course, with the second usually six months or more after the first. Protection is much better after both.

My child had hepatitis A already. Does my child still need it? Usually not, but confirm with your paediatrician: past infection generally gives lasting protection.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Chickenpox (varicella)

Why it matters

Chickenpox is usually mild but can occasionally be serious. The vaccine prevents it and the discomfort of the itchy rash and fever.

Myth: Chickenpox is a harmless childhood illness. Fact: It is mild for most children and genuinely dangerous for a few, and nobody can tell in advance which. It also stays in the body and can return as shingles decades later.

Parents ask

Is it not better to just catch chickenpox? Most children recover fine, but a minority get serious complications - skin infection, pneumonia, rarely brain inflammation - and there is no way to know in advance which child that will be. The vaccine avoids the gamble.

My child got chickenpox anyway after being vaccinated. It happens, and it is almost always far milder - fewer spots, shorter, and much less likely to cause complications. That is the vaccine doing its job, not failing.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough (pertussis)

Why it matters

Protection from the baby shots fades over the years. The booster at four to six years carries it through the school years, when cuts, scrapes and crowded classrooms are part of every day.

Parents ask

Is this free? Under the government programme (UIP) the second DPT booster is given free at five to six years. Private clinics usually give it as DTaP or DTwP between four and six.

My child had a lot of shots as a baby. Why more? Some protection wears off with time. A booster reminds the immune system, and is far gentler than the illnesses it prevents.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting

Protects against

• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Whooping cough (Tdap only)

Why it matters

The government programme gives Td at ten and at sixteen; private clinics often give Tdap at ten to twelve. It is the dose that keeps a deep cut from being a tetanus risk.

Parents ask

Is this the same as a tetanus shot after an injury? It covers tetanus, and a child who is up to date often needs nothing extra after a cut. The doctor treating the injury will ask when the last dose was, so keep this record.

Usual reactions

• Mild soreness or redness where the shot was given
• A low-grade fever for a day or two
• Being a little more sleepy or fussy than usual

See a doctor at once if

• Difficult or noisy breathing, or swelling of the face or lips
• A seizure, or unusual floppiness or drowsiness
• A high fever that won't settle, or a rash with vomiting