Can I bathe the baby after vaccination?
When the baby is vaccinated, mom almost always has questions about how to act after it. And one of the actions that causes doubt is bathing. Is it allowed after vaccination and when should bathing be avoided?
What is a vaccination?
This is a manipulation involving the introduction into the child's body of special drugs that activate the body's defenses and produce immunity against certain infections. In response to the immune system that has entered the children's organism, the immune system reacts with the production of antibodies, as a result of which the disease either does not develop at all or it proceeds very easily.
When can I bathe?
Advice not to bathe your baby after the vaccine is introduced into his body, which can often be heard from pediatricians, is usually associated with the risk of infection from running water, since it is a source of pathogenic microorganisms and is not cleaned enough. However, many modern studies have confirmed that bathing does not harm the child after vaccination, if the baby’s well-being is not disturbed.
It is allowed to bathe a child if he has been vaccinated against such infections:
- Flu;
- Polio;
- Viral hepatitis B;
- Measles;
- Pneumococcal infections;
- Parotitis;
- Rubella;
- Diphtheria;
- Yellow fever;
- Rabies;
- Hemophilus infection;
- Cholera;
- Tetanus;
- Whooping cough.
You can also bathe the child after the BCG injection, even if there is a pustule at the injection site. If the introduction of DTP vaccine caused a local reaction (hardening of the skin, slight swelling and redness at the injection site), water treatments are also not prohibited.
When the vaccination site cannot be wetted in water and why?
Bathing is not recommended in case of a pronounced reaction to vaccine administration, in particular, in case of hyperthermia. In addition, the child should not be bathed if, at the same time as receiving the vaccine, he contracted a cold or flu in the clinic. Babies do not bathe with a deteriorated state of health, lethargy, persistently high body temperature, drowsiness, a bad cold and cough. Water procedures do not spend 1-3 days until the condition of the child is normal.
It should also be clarified that it is not recommended to wet the site of the Mantoux test, although it is not a vaccine. If water gets into the area of the injection, the result of the test may become uninformative, especially if the place of the sample is rubbed with a washcloth or combed. Although in recent times, doctors allow Mantoux to swim in this case.
What better not to do after vaccination?
In order to play it safe in the period immediately after the introduction of the vaccine, pediatricians also do not recommend walking, especially if the child has contact with other people for a walk. This will increase the risk of infection at a time when the immunity of the crumbs weakened under the influence of vaccination.
In addition, high temperature and other pronounced reactions to vaccination are also reasons not to go out with the baby for a walk. If there is no temperature reaction to vaccination and the child feels good, you can walk and bathe even on the day of vaccination.
In addition, for several days after vaccination, it is not necessary to change the diet of the baby and add new products to the baby’s menu, as well as to the nursing mother (if the baby receives mother's milk). If the appetite of the child has decreased within two to three days after vaccination, it is not necessary to worry.
