Why should I take the vaccine?💡

Rotavirus is highly prevalent and easily transmitted among infants and children under 5 years old. It often spreads within families and daycare centers, leading to severe diarrhea and vomiting. While vaccination does not offer a 100% guarantee against the infection, it is crucial to get vaccinated as it can still significantly reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get infected.

How to get the vaccine?💉

You have two choices for rotavirus vaccines: RotaTeq® (RV5) and Rotarix® (RV1). Both are administered orally as drops, not through a shot.

RotaTeq® requires three doses, while Rotarix® needs two doses. Your doctor will guide you, create a vaccination schedule, and provide reminders for the vaccine.

TMI from Baby Billy👩‍⚕️: 

Can my baby cross-use Rotarix® and RotaTeq®?

Some parents want to change the vaccine after the first dose for a variety of reasons. However, doctors recommend continuing with the same vaccine you chose for the first dose because there are no studies on the cross-use of those two brands yet.

If you are willing to change to another product, you will have to make sure the total number of vaccination is three.

What are the side effects of the vaccine?

The rotavirus vaccine's side effects are rare and typically not severe, often just causing a bit of fussiness, diarrhea, or vomiting.

However, there have been some studies showing a small uptick in intussusception cases within a week after getting the first or second dose of the vaccine. Intussusception is a kind of bowel blockage that may need hospital treatment, and in rare cases, surgery might be necessary for babies affected by it. Don't worry too much though, as the risk of intussusception after vaccination is estimated to be quite low, ranging from about 1 case in every 20,000 to 1 case in every 100,000 infants.