Childhood Vaccination in Kerala: A Parent's Practical Guide
What each vaccine protects against, what reactions are normal, and what to do when a dose has been missed or delayed.
Kerala has among the best immunisation coverage in India, and it shows — diseases that once filled paediatric wards are now rare. But parents still arrive with the same reasonable questions: is this fever normal, does a delay mean starting again, and why so many injections at once.
The schedule in outline
Immunisation follows the national schedule, with additional optional vaccines available. In broad terms:
- At birth: BCG, oral polio, hepatitis B
- 6, 10 and 14 weeks: pentavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Hib), polio, rotavirus, pneumococcal
- 9 to 12 months: measles-rubella first dose, vitamin A
- 16 to 24 months: measles-rubella second dose, DPT booster, polio booster
- 5 to 6 years: DPT booster
- 10 and 16 years: tetanus-diphtheria
Optional vaccines worth discussing include influenza, typhoid, hepatitis A, chickenpox and HPV. These are not part of the government programme but are recommended in many circumstances — ask at your child's visit rather than deciding from a list.
Reactions: what is expected and what is not
Mild reactions are a sign the immune system is responding, not a sign something has gone wrong. Expect, in the first day or two:
- Mild fever, settling within 24 to 48 hours
- Pain, redness or a small firm swelling at the injection site
- Irritability, reduced feeding, extra sleepiness
- After BCG: a small sore at the site over some weeks, then a scar — this is normal and needs no treatment
Bring your child in promptly for: fever above 39°C or fever lasting beyond three days, a fit, unusually high-pitched or inconsolable crying for hours, a limb that will not move, spreading redness with discharge, or any difficulty breathing or facial swelling.
If a dose has been missed
This is the question we are asked most, and the answer is reassuring: a delayed schedule is resumed, not restarted. Doses already given still count, however long the gap. Bring the vaccination card and we will work out the catch-up plan.
Making the visit easier
- Feed your baby before the appointment, and breastfeed during or right after the injection — it measurably reduces distress
- Bring the vaccination card every time, and keep a photograph of it on your phone
- Paracetamol only if your doctor advises it, at the dose written for your child's weight
- A mild cough or cold is usually not a reason to postpone; a significant illness may be. Ask rather than skip.
Never use another child's prescription or a remembered dose for paracetamol. Paediatric dosing is by weight, and it changes as your child grows.
Our paediatric consultants hold OP clinics on all days. Bring the card, and ask about the optional vaccines that apply to your child's age.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Symptoms vary between individuals — please consult a doctor about your own situation. In an emergency, our casualty at Chettipadi is open 24×7.
