Why Does My Baby or Child Need Hepatitis B Vaccine?

Question: Why Does My Baby or Child Need Hepatitis B Vaccine?

Answer: The hepatitis B vaccine is strongly recommended for all babies and children. When someone is exposed to the hepatitis B virus, one of two things can happen. The person will either develop an acute infection that the body will fight off, or that acute infection will become chronic. Chronic hepatitis B can lead to serious health problems, including an increased risk of liver cancer. Whether the disease resolves completely or becomes chronic depends mostly on how old the person is when he gets infected. This is why immunizing someone as young as possible is such a good idea.

Think about these numbers: About 90% of infants infected at birth won't show any symptoms but will progress to chronic disease. The risk of hepatitis B infection becoming a chronic disease decreases as the child gets older, becoming about 10% for older children and adults. As you can see, immunizing infants and children for hepatitis B is so important because the risk of developing chronic infection is so much higher for them.

Perhaps you're thinking, "My baby doesn't have hepatitis B now and since she can't possibly be exposed to it for years, she doesn't need another vaccination." This is short-term thinking. Hepatitis B vaccination with a complete series can offer decades of protection. While your baby probably won't be exposed to the virus, she can certainly be exposed as a child, a teenager or an adult. By getting your baby vaccinated now, you'll give her the best chance of protection against hepatitis B.

_Source:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 19, 2008. Viral Hepatitis B.