ROTAVIRUS VACCINE By Dr. Sharon Mae Gamboa from Facebook

NAKA ROTAVIRUS VACCINE NA BA SI BABY MO? When patients come to my clinic I routinely ask for vaccination history as part of the standard protocol. I even do that during ear piercings. And I found out that a lot of babies were not vaccinated with rotavirus. When I asked the parents about it, their usual response is "Unsa na siya doc?" I realized that a lot of parents did not know that Rotavirus vaccine exists. So, I decided to make this post to educate the people about what this vaccine is all about. Rotavirus vaccine is one of the recommended routine immunization among infants by the Philippine Pediatric Society (2020). The first dose is given as early as 6 weeks of age. This is given in 2 or 3 doses depending on the brand. The last dose must be administered before 6 or 8 months of age. It is administered by putting drops on baby's mouth. This vaccine is commonly missed among infants because after 15 weeks of age, the first dose cannot be administered anymore. That is because there are insufficient data on the safety of dose #1 in older infants. "UNSA DIAY NING ROTAVIRUS DOC?" Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe watery diarrhea in infants and young children. This can easily lead to severe dehydration, morbidity or even death. Rotavirus is contagious and the infection is usually spread from person to person, through the fecal-oral route. This can occur when small amounts of fecal matter are found on surfaces such as toys, books, clothing, hands of child caretaker, etc. (immunize.org). That's why when I receive consultations about babies na nag ngingipin at kagat ng kagat ng kahit anong nakikita nila and nagka diarrhea, I always ask for history of rotavirus vaccination. Rotavirus vaccine can prevent severe watery diarrhea caused by rotavirus. So, I encourage those who have babies