Vaccines that parents often overlook despite their importance - Dr Yogesh Kumar Gupta

Many parents are mindful about completing their child’s routine immunization schedule, yet several important vaccines continue to be overlooked simply because they are not part of the standard government programme. This leads to the misunderstanding that the child is completely safe from all diseases. When in reality, gaps remain that can expose them to serious and preventable illnesses.

One of the most commonly missed vaccines is the influenza or flu vaccine. Influenza is often perceived as a mild, seasonal infection that causes fever and cold-like symptoms. However, in young children, flu can be unpredictable and severe. It can lead to complications such as pneumonia, severe respiratory distress, secondary bacterial infections, and neurological involvement including seizures and encephalitis.

Recently there has been one case where we treated a two-year-old child who developed seizures, altered consciousness, and acute necrotising encephalitis following an influenza infection.

The child had received all routine childhood vaccines but had not been vaccinated against influenza. This case highlights how a virus that is often underestimated can result in life-threatening complications when preventive vaccination is missed.

Influenza viruses are capable of inducing very strong inflammation all over the body. In some children, this inflammation affects the lungs, leading to severe pneumonia and oxygen requirement.

In rare but serious cases, the virus can reach the brain, causing encephalitis, seizures, and long-term neurological damage. These outcomes are not limited to children with underlying illness; they can occur even in previously healthy children.

The influenza vaccine is very safe and can be administered to children from six months of age. It is recommended to be given every year since the flu strains vary from one year to the next.

Children under five years, especially those under two, are at the highest risk of experiencing flu complications. However, many parents are not aware of this recommendation because it is not brought out on routine immunization cards.

Beyond routine immunization, there are several other important vaccines that offer crucial protection against serious childhood illnesses which should not be ignored. The pneumococcal vaccine and Meningococcal vaccine protects against infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections, particularly in young children and those with low immunity.

These infections can progress rapidly and may require intensive care if not prevented. Recently the Pneumococcal vaccine have been added to national immunisation programmes by the government.

The typhoid vaccine is especially relevant in India due to the ongoing risk of food and water contamination. Typhoid fever can cause prolonged illness, intestinal complications, and hospitalization in children. Vaccination significantly reduces this risk, particularly for school-going children and those living in urban or semi-urban settings.

Hepatitis A vaccination protects the liver from viral infection that spreads through contaminated food and water. While often mild in younger children, hepatitis A can be severe in adolescents and adults, causing prolonged fatigue, jaundice, and missed school or work. Immunization helps prevent outbreaks and long-term liver stress.

The varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is another frequently overlooked vaccine. Chickenpox is often considered mild, but it can lead to severe skin infections, pneumonia, brain involvement, and scarring, especially in young children. Vaccination prevents complications and reduces disease severity.

These vaccines play a vital role in preventing avoidable hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and long-term complications. It is very important for parents to look beyond the routine immunization card and have informed, age-appropriate discussions with their pediatricians. Prevention through vaccination remains far safer and more effective than treating serious illness after it occurs.

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