Polio Vaccines: What you need to know

1) Why get vaccinated?
Polio is a disease. It can paralyze (make arms and legs unable to move) or even cause death. Polio vaccine prevents polio. Before polio vaccine, thousands of our children got polio every year. Polio vaccine is helping to rid the world of polio. When that happens, no one will ever get polio again, and we will not need polio vaccine.

2) There are 2 kinds of polio vaccine.
IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) which is a shot OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) which is done by drops in the mouth Both vaccines work well.

3)Which vaccines should my child get and when?
Most children should get 4 doses of polio vaccine at these ages:
-2 months
-4 months
-12-18 months
-4-6 years

You can choose to get any of these 3 acceptable schedules:
- 2 shots of IPV, then 2 doses of OPV drops or
- 4 shots of IPV or
- 4 doses of OPV drops (the 3rd dose can be given as early as 6 months of age)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 2 shots of IPV, then 2 doses of OPV drops for most children because this has the advantages of both vaccines.

4) What are the risks and advantages of each choice?
Almost all children who complete any of the 3 schedules will be protected from polio. As with any medicine, vaccines carry a small risk of serious harm, such as severe allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing, shock) or even death. On rare occasions, OPV can cause polio because it contains live, but weakened, virus. IPV cannot cause polio because it does not contain live virus. Most people have no problems from either IPV or OPV.

2 shots/2 drops (2 IPV, then 2 OPV)
Risks and Advantages
For most children, the choice using both shots and drops gives the benefits of both vaccines:

• Less risk of getting polio than from all OPV
• Only 2 shots
• Protects the community from polio outbreaks better than all IPV

All shots (4 IPV)
Risks

• Mild soreness of arm or leg

Other Disadvantages

• Not as good as OPV for protecting the community from polio outbreaks
  Advantages
• Does not cause polio

All Drops (4 OPV)
Risks

• Causes about 8 cases of polio each year. (At least 15 million doses have been given each year in the U.S.) This can happen to children who get OPV or people who are in close contact with them. The risk of polio is higher with the first dose than with later doses.

Advantages

• no shots
• can best protect the community from polio outbreaks

5) Some children should get only shots. And some should get only drops.
Do NOT use OPV drops, if your child, you, or anyone who takes care of your child
-can't fight infections

• is taking long term steroids
• has cancer
• has AIDS or HIV infection

Do NOT use OPV drops, if you or anyone who takes care of your child never had polio vaccine. Do NOT use IPV shots, if your child is allergic to the drugs neomycin, streptomycin, or polymyxin B.

6) Some children should not get these vaccines or should wait.
Tell your doctor or nurse if your child:

• ever had a serious reaction after getting polio vaccine
• now has a moderate or severe illness

7) What if there is a serious reaction?
What should I look for?

• See item 4, on the other side, for some possible risks. What should I do?
• Call a doctor or get the person to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccitation was given.
• Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Report (VAERS) form, or call VAERS yourself at: 1-800-822-7967

8) The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is a federal program that gives payment for serious vaccine injuries. For details call : 1-800-338-2382

9) How can I learn more?

• Ask your doctor or nurse. She/he can give you the vaccine package insert or suggest other sources of information.
• Call your local or state health department.
• Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
  Call 1-800-232-7468