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Infant Health Management

Children go through rapid physical development during infancy and can easily contract diseases due to a significant drop in the immunity acquired from their mother. Infants can obtain healthcare and essential vaccinations for free at public health centers.

01 Stages of Infant Development

(1) Weight

3kg at birth, 6kg after 6 months, 9 kg after a year

(2) Height

50cm at birth, 75cm after a year

(3) Physical Development

Physical Development
4 monthsCan control head and can twist from side to side while lying down
5 monthsCan turn over (from stomach to back)
6 monthsCan turn from back to stomach and can push up with both arms while lying flat
7 monthsCan sit with assistance
8 monthsCan sit without assistance
9 monthsCrawls
10 monthsCan stand up with support (e.g. furniture)
12 monthsCan walk with support
Useful Information
Childcare conflict

In raising a child, you may experience conflict with family members due to differences in opinions onchildrearing. These conflicts are common between parents-in-law and young couples. Talk throughthe conflict with your parents-in-law.

Examples of conflicts
  • Feed when the child is hungry. ↔ Feed at regular times.
  • Feed a lot, even if the child becomes chubby. ↔ Always feed the correct amount.
  • Carry child on your back if he or she cries. ↔ Carrying the child on your back turns into a bad habit.
  • Feeding cold milk makes the stomach stronger. ↔ Cold food irritates the stomach.

02 Vaccinations

Vaccinations protect your baby from communicable diseases by developing the baby's immunity.

(1) Precautions before Vaccination

  • Receive vaccinations on the day when the baby is in good health.
  • Check for designated vaccination medical institutes and get vaccinations at a nearby medical institution.
  • It is advisable to make an appointment in advance so as to avoid congested hours and not wait long.
  • Drink plenty of water while waiting and relax.
  • Inform the service person of present symptoms or chronic conditions, if any, at the time of preliminary examination.
  • Make sure vaccinations are received before noon, so that it is easier to return to the hospital if there are any complications.
  • Present your vaccination diary to check and manage the child’s vaccination records.
    • Vaccination records are managed by computer system. This is to check for any missed out vaccination information and provide vaccinations according to schedule.
  • Take your vaccination diary to check, record, and manage the child’s vaccination dates.
    • Vaccination records are managed by computer system. This is only to double-check for any missed out vaccination information.
  • Give your child a bath, and put him or her in clean clothes before visiting the doctor.
  • Make sure the child’s primary caregiver takes the child for his/her vaccination.

(2) Precautions after Vaccination

  • Observe the child for 20 to 30 minutes after the vaccination at the medical institution to check for any complications before returning home.
  • Have your child rest on the day of the vaccination, and observe its state closely for two to three days after the vaccination.
  • There may be slight symptoms such as pain around the vaccinated area, red swelling, edema or muscle pain, fever, nausea, etc. However, most symptoms will improve in one or two days.
  • If there is a high fever, difficulty in breathing, rashes, severe dizziness, etc., see a doctor immediately.
    • If the child keeps fretting, does not eat, or seems different from usual, see a doctor.
  • Keep the vaccinated area clean

03 National Vaccination Support for Children

To increase the immunization rates and establish a foundation for the eradication of vaccinated infectious diseases, the government supports the entire cost (vaccination fee and implementation cost) for 17 types of vaccination to children under the age of 12 years.

(1) National Vaccination Support Program for Children

To increase the immunization rates and protect citizens from infectious diseases, the government supports the entire costs for 17 types of vaccination to children under the age of 12 years.

Supported Target: Children under the age of 12
  • Target: Children under the age of 12
  • Free vaccination centers: Public healthcare centers and designated healthcare organizations
    Children with resident registration numbers and alien registration numbers (including exemptions)are qualified to receive free vaccinations at public health centers or the nearest designated healthcareorganization. Foreigners who stayed in Korea for more than 3 months and have not registered asaliens can also get free vaccinations at public health centers if they present documents (passports)proving their personal identity at public health centers and receive identity numbers for vaccinations.
    • When a foreigner with an identity number wants to get a vaccination from a medical institution, he or she must pay the full amount.
    • For designated healthcare organizations, please visit the website of the National Inoculation Program (https://nip.cdc.go.kr) → Vaccination management for my child → Find medical institution (Also available on the mobile app)
Immunization Schedule for Children (2020)
Immunization Schedule for Children (2020)
TypeSupported infectious diseasesTypes of
vaccines
Number of vacci-nationsBirth
~
1 month
1
month
2
months
4
months
6
months
12
months
15
months
18
months
19~
23 months
24~
35 months
4
years
6
years
11
years
12
years
Na-
tional
Vacci-
nations
1)
Tuber-
culosis
BCG
(intradermal)
11
time
Hepatitis BHepB31st
time
2nd
time
3rd
time
Diphtheria ·
tetanus ·
pertussis
DTaP51st
time
2nd
time
3rd
time
4th time5th time
Tdap/Td16th time
Polio-
myelitis
IPV41st
time
2nd
time
3rd time4th time
Haemophilus
influenzae
type b
Hib41st
time
2nd
time
3rd
time
4th time
Pneumo-
coccus
PCV41st
time
2nd
time
3rd
time
4th time
PPSV-Only for high-risk groups
Measles ·
Mumps ·
Rubella
MMR21st time2nd time
VaricellaVAR11time
Hepatitis AHepA21st to 2nd time
Japanese
enceph-
alitis
IJEV
(Inactive vaccine)
51st to 2nd time3rd
time
4th
time
5th
time
LJEV
(Attenuated live vaccine)
21st time2nd
time
Human
papillo-
mavirus
infection
HPV21st to 2nd time
InfluenzaIIV-Every year
Other
Vacci-
nations
2)
Rotaviral
infection
RV121st
time
2nd
time
RV531st
time
2nd
time
3rd
time
  • DTaP, IPV, and Hib vaccines can be inoculated with DTaP-IPV mixed vaccine or DTaP-IPV/Hib mixed vaccine according to the inoculation schedule
  • Some vaccines can be inoculated on later dates after consulting with a doctor when the recommended schedule is delayed
  • 1) National Vaccinations: Vaccination recommended by the government (Korean government decides on the infectious diseases,standards for, and methods of conducting vaccinations through the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and securesfinances for support based on the Act)
    2) Other Vaccinations: Charged vaccination for infectious diseases other than those in national vaccination program or designatedinfectious diseases, can be vaccinated at private medical organizations
Other vaccination services
  • Vaccination history
    The National Inoculation Program website (https://nip.cdc.go.kr) and mobile application providesvarious kinds of information on vaccinations. You can also check your child’s vaccination history.
    • To use the National Inoculation Program website or mobile app, you need to first register viathe National Inoculation Program website and fill in your child’s information.
    • Log in to the National Inoculation Program website → Vaccination Management → Vaccination management for my child → Register the child’s information → View the child’s vaccination history
    • Log into the National Inoculation Program mobile app → Vaccination for my child → Baby diary
  • Free issuance of vaccination certificate
    You can obtain (print out) a vaccination certificate (Korean and English) from the National Inoculation Program website.
    • An authentication certificate is required for issuance of a vaccination certificate
  • Vaccination Notification Text Messaging Service
    This is a service to remind recipients about their next vaccination date. People who agree to receivetext messages on mobile phones can get text messages on advance notifications and missedvaccinations according to vaccination schedule.
    If you want to receive a text messages in a foreign language, you need to request your desiredlanguage at a public health center or a vaccination institute. In this case, you can add extra phonenumbers to receive the text messages in the desired language.
    • The messages will be sent to the existing number if there are no additional mobile phone numbers.
    • Multi-language service (12 languages): Nepali, Lao, Russian, Mongolian, Vietnamese, English, Uzbek, Japanese, Chinese, Cambodian, Thai, Filipino

(2) Project to Prevent Newborn Babies from Having Hepatitis B in thePerinatal Period

This program prevents newborn babies whose mothers have Hepatitis B from acquiring Hepatitis B in the perinatal stage. All expenses necessary for preventive measures and antigen and antibody tests are covered.

  • Prenatal period: Before and after birth (29th week of gestation ~ 1 week after birth)
Eligibility and Application
  • Eligibility: newborns of mothers positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or Hepatitis Be-antigen (HbeAg)
  • The recipient submits test results of Hepatitis B and the agreement for personal information collection to the medical institution participating
    • When you fill out the agreement for personal information collection and request for message service, you can receive text messages for Hepatitis B vaccination and schedule
Preventive Treatment Schedule
  • (Immediately after birth (within 12 hours)) Immunoglobulin and first Hepatitis B vaccination
    • A total of four doses of the vaccination are given to preterm infants born at less than 37 weeks of pregnancy with a birth weight less than 2kg (at month 0, 1, 2, 6)
  • (Between 1 and 6 months of age) 2nd and 3rd Hepatitis B vaccinations
  • (Between 9 months and 15 months) first antigen and antibody test of Hepatitis B
    • Depending on the initial results for first antigen and antibody test of Hepatitis B, all expenses will be paid for revaccination (up to 3 times) and re-inspection (up to 2 times)
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