Oral health is key to a happy, healthy child. There are many ways to help protect your baby’s gums and growing teeth.
- Parents can help give their children a healthy start by wiping their gums twice a day with soft, clean cloth
- In the morning after first feeding
- Then, in the evening right before bed
- Babies are born with 20 teeth below the gums. They start coming out between 6 months and 1 year. By the time a child is 3 years old all 20 teeth usually are out.
- Do not pick a pacifier from the floor and put into your mouth to clean it and then give to your baby! The bacteria that causes cavities can be passed through saliva.
The following shots are recommended for children from birth to 6 months of age:
At Birth:
- Hepatitis B
- This is the first shot of three shots that your child will get to protect them from hepatitis B, a virus that can attack your child’s liver and cause lifelong problems
At 2 months:
- Hepatitis B
- This will be the second shot of three shots that protect your baby from hepatitis B
- Rotavirus
- This is an oral medication that will help protect your baby from a virus that can cause painful stomach cramping, diarrhea or loose stools, and vomiting
- Your child will get the same oral medication multiple times to help boost their immune system so they will continue to fight off this virus
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTap)
- This is one shot that works to protect your baby from three different sicknesses that can cause lung problems, coughing, respiratory problems, and severe muscle stiffness
- Your child will get the same shot several times during childhood to help boost their immune system to continue to be able to fight off these sicknesses
- Haemophilus Influenza (Hib)
- This is a shot that protects your child from a virus that can cause flu-like symptoms or difficulty breathing and can lead to a second infection in the ears, lungs, or throats
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to make sure they can continue to fight off this virus
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
- This shot will protect your child from bacteria that can cause pneumonia which is a serious infection in the lungs that will require hospitalization at this age
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to help them continue to be protected
- Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV)
- This shot will protect your child from a virus that can cause lifelong paralysis. They will be unable to move any of their muscles and it can cause death if it keeps their respiratory muscles from being able to move.
- Your baby will get additional shots for this throughout their childhood to help keep their protection from this virus strong
At 4 months:
- Rotavirus
- This is an oral medication that will help protect your baby from a virus that can cause painful stomach cramping, diarrhea or loose stools, and vomiting
- This will be the second time your child is vaccinated for Rotavirus
- Your child will get the same oral medication multiple times to help boost their immune system so they will continue to fight off this virus
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTap)
- This is one shot that works to protect your baby from three different sicknesses that can cause lung problems, coughing, respiratory problems, and severe muscle stiffness
- This will be the second time your child will be vaccinated for DTap
- Your child will get the same shot several times during childhood to help boost their immune system to continue to be able to fight off these sicknesses
- Haemophilus Influenza (Hib)
- This is a shot that protects your child from a virus that can cause flu-like symptoms or difficulty breathing and can lead to a second infection in the ears, lungs, or throats
- This will be the second time your child will be vaccinated for Hib
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to make sure they can continue to fight off this virus
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
- This shot will protect your child from bacteria that can cause pneumonia which is a serious infection in the lungs that will require hospitalization at this age
- This will be the second time your child will be vaccinated for PCV
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to help them continue to be protected
- Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV)
- This shot will protect your child from a virus that can cause lifelong paralysis. They will be unable to move any of their muscles and it can cause death if it keeps their respiratory muscles from being able to move.
- This will be the second time that your child will be vaccinated for IPV
- Your baby will get additional shots for this throughout their childhood to help keep their protection from this virus strong
At 6 months:
- Hepatitis B
- This will be the third shot of three shots that protect your baby from hepatitis B that can cause serious, lifelong problems with their liver
- With the completion of their third shot, they will be fully protected from Hepatitis B
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTap)
- This is one shot that works to protect your baby from three different sicknesses that can cause lung problems, coughing, respiratory problems, and severe muscle stiffness
- Your child will get the same shot several times during childhood to help boost their immune system to continue to be able to fight off these sicknesses
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
- This shot will protect your child from bacteria that can cause pneumonia which is a serious infection in the lungs that will require hospitalization at this age
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to help them continue to be protected
- Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV)
- This shot will protect your child from a virus that can cause lifelong paralysis. They will be unable to move any of their muscles and it can cause death if it keeps their respiratory muscles from being able to move.
- Your baby will get additional shots for this throughout their childhood to help keep their protection from this virus strong
Possible Vaccines Your Child May Also Need:
- Rotavirus (Dependent on vaccine brand)
- Your child may need a third dose of the Rotavirus vaccine depending on the brand of Rotavirus vaccine your provider has in their office. If they need the third dose, this last dose will fully protect them from rotavirus.
- This is an oral medication that will help protect your baby from a virus that can cause painful stomach cramping, diarrhea or loose stools, and vomiting
- Your child will get the same oral medication multiple times to help boost their immune system so they will continue to fight off this virus
- Haemophilus Influenza (Hib) (Dependent on vaccine brand)
- Your child may need an additional dose of the Hib vaccine at 6 months depending on the brand of Hib vaccine your provider has in their office
- This is a shot that protects your child from a virus that can cause flu-like symptoms or difficulty breathing and can lead to a second infection in the ears, lungs, or throats
- Your child will get the same shot multiple times to make sure they can continue to fight off this virus
- Annual Flu Vaccine (Dependent on time of year)
- This vaccine is recommended once your child is at least 6 months of age
- Their first time being vaccinated with the flu vaccine, they will get 2 flu vaccines that season—1 initially and then another 1 month later
- This vaccine will help protect your child from getting the flu which can cause them to get a fever, feel achy, lose their appetite, and have nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- At this age, if a baby were to get the flu, they would most likely end up hospitalized
- It takes at least 2 weeks for protection from the flu virus to kick in after being vaccinated
