What to know about being a mom?

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an infectious liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. When a person is first infected with the virus, they may develop an acute and short-term infection. Acute hepatitis B refers to the first 6 months after someone is infected with the hepatitis B virus.

This infection can range from a very mild illness with no symptoms to a severe condition requiring hospitalization. Some people's bodies are able to fight infection and clear the virus. But for others, the infection remains and is "chronic". Chronic hepatitis B refers to infection when it is active rather than getting better after 6 months.

Symptoms of Hepatitis B:-

Babies and young children usually have no symptoms. But, in about 7 out of 10 older children and adults, a recent hepatitis B infection causes the following:

- Loss of appetite (not wanting to eat)

-Fever

- Fatigue

-Muscle, joint and abdominal pain

-May cause nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting

- May cause dark urine

-Yellow skin and eyes appear yellow

These symptoms usually appear 3/4 months after a person is infected with the virus.

Is it serious?

Hepatitis B can be very serious, and most people with a recent hepatitis B infection will feel sick for weeks to months. Some overcome illness. But for other people, the virus infection remains active in their body for life. Although people with lifelong hepatitis B usually have no symptoms, the virus can damage the liver over time and lead to liver cancer. There is no cure for hepatitis B, but treatment can help control severe complications.

How is hepatitis B spread?

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the cause of hepatitis B, a vaccine-preventable liver infection. When blood, semen, or other bodily fluids from a person infected with the virus enter the body of a person who is not affected, hepatitis B can be transmitted.

Children can get hepatitis B in the following ways:

-At birth from their infected mother.

-Bitten by an infected person

-Touching an open cut or sore of an infected person

-By sharing toothbrushes or other personal items of an infected person.

-From food chewed by an infected person. The virus can survive on an object for 7 days or more.

The best way to protect against hepatitis B is to get the hepatitis B vaccine. Doctors recommend that all children receive this vaccine.

Why should my child get the hepatitis B shot?

Hepatitis B Shot:

-protects your child from Hepatitis B as it is a potentially serious disease.

- protects other people from disease. Children with hepatitis B usually have no symptoms but can spread the disease to others in social settings without knowing they are infected.

- prevents your baby from developing liver disease and hepatitis B can cause cancer even.

Can hepatitis B vaccine dose be given at birth?

The physicians said, the hepatitis B vaccination is a safe and effective vaccine that is recommended for all newborns and children up to the age of 18. It's hard to imagine the pain and suffering of your newborn vaccination shot. But a small shot early in life is an important first step in protecting your baby from a deadly disease. All babies should get their first shot of this vaccine right after birth. The shot acts as a safety net, reducing the risk of contracting the disease from the mother or family members who may not know they are infected with hepatitis B.

When a mother has hepatitis B, there is an additional drug that can help protect the baby from hepatitis B, called hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG). HBIG gives a baby's body a "boost" or extra energy to fight the virus as soon as it is born. The shot works best when the baby receives it within the first 12 hours of his life. It is important to complete the entire hepatitis B vaccination series for optimal protection of the baby.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend all children receive their vaccines according to the recommended schedule.